The Hunter

by Kurt Robinson

  Another exhausting three hundred yard hike, still covered in blood and in pain from his wounds, along the tree line and across a field toward the barn where his truck had been sitting all day, John finally made it. Barely able to stand, John was able to open the tailgate and set April down on it.

  He walked around to the driver’s side, knowing that he probably locked it, but couldn’t remember and tried to open the door. It was locked. He didn’t have the keys because they had cleared out his pockets when they had him tied up at the warehouse. He gave the window several hard hits with his elbow, and on the fourth hit, it shattered. The car alarm went off, but he wasn’t worried about that. He unlocked the door, went under the steering wheel, and pulled out the panel that housed a bunch of wires.

  John knew what he was looking for after working at Toyota. He pulled out his knife and cut a wire, which caused the alarm to stop. Next, he cut the ignition wires and then twisted them together and the truck started right up. He put his knife back in its sheath, unlocked the back doors, opened the driver’s side passenger door, and then ran to the back of the truck to pick up April.

  He gently picked her up and sat her in the back seat. He closed the door, jumped in the front seat, closed the door, put the truck in gear, and slammed on the gas. The tires spun in the snow and John turned the wheel to the right. Slowly but surely, the truck was able to turn around in the snow and faced the correct way. He drove out the same way he came in, following the partially covered tracks from early in the morning. He drove past his friend’s house and onto a road that was now plowed. He drove all the way back home on the same path he took to get there, that was also now plowed and clear.

  He arrived back to their home a little over a half-hour later. The driveway was still piled with snow, so he slammed on the gas and plowed his own path to the garage. He slid to a stop next to the garage, hit the button to open it, got out, and grabbed April from the backseat. He went into the garage and to the door that led into the house, stuck his hand out as he held her, and opened the door. He walked down the hallway, all the way to the living room, and sat April’s body down on the couch. The house was as cold as outside and John saw why when he saw the broken glass and the french doors that were destroyed.

  He had a feeling that Derby was dead because he didn’t hear him and saw no prints outside the french doors. John wanted to find a piece of paper and a pen to write a note to the Sheriff telling him everything that happened. He went to the bedroom, where he saw Derby’s body in a pool of blood. He sighed, and went around him to April’s nightstand, opened the drawer, and grabbed a note pad and a pen.

  Walking back to the living room, he began writing on the note pad. It took him several minutes to write what he had to say. The note was directed to the Sheriff of Scott County, Kentucky, whom John also knew personally and was certain was clean. Once he finished writing, he left the note on the counter so he would see it and then went downstairs.

  He went to his gun vault and began grabbing every gun he had and taking them upstairs and out to his truck where he sat them in the back seat. All his rifles, shotguns, pistols, and every round of ammunition he had was loaded into the truck. Once he loaded his arsenal, he threw some clothes in a duffel bag, grabbed some boots, and took them out to the truck as well. He also grabbed the first aid kit out of the bathroom. He made sure he grabbed a phone charger and then grabbed April’s phone that was still sitting on the armrest of the couch.

  John saw April lying there as he grabbed her phone. It almost hit him again, but was able to hold back the tears. He kneeled down next her, caressed her forehead, and then pressed his forehead against hers. His eyes then glanced down to her stomach where their unborn child now lay lifeless as well. He closed his eyes and held her as tight as he could and then after several moments, he released her. Rage filled his face and eyes when he opened them back up.

  He kissed her on the forehead then gently on the lips, and stood up. He walked down the hall as he used April’s phone to call the Sheriff’s office. He told them that there had been a murder, told them their address, and then just dropped the phone on the ground as the operator attempted to asked questions. He walked out to the garage, leaving the door into the house open, and got in his truck, leaving the garage door open as well. He threw his duffel bag in the passenger seat, put the truck in gear, and drove away, leaving his life behind him in the process.