Morning Hunt

The following story was written in 2006 by my Grandson, Austin Bryan. Using this blog to tell my stories wasn’t even on the horizon at that time. His Mom and Dad, Randy and Debbie, had the story reproduced and put into a very nice frame and gave it to me as a memento that I will cherish. The young man is off to a good start and I think honoring his effort and posting this to my blog would be something that he would cherish.

Austin was in the fourth grade, ten years old, and the story was his written composition portion of the TAKS test. He received a perfect score and was the only fourth grader in San Marcos ISD to receive a perfect score on this portion of the test.

Besides being a very good student, Austin is a talented athlete playing organized football, baseball and basketball. He lives with his parents, brothers and sister in San Marcos, Texas. He has two younger brothers, Sean and Jeremy, and a younger sister, Rebekah. His Dad, my Son, Randy, is Pastor of The Fellowship Of San Marcos Church.

Morning Hunt
By Austin Thomas Bryan

I groaned wearily as I got up from bed. My expression changed to happy once I got on my suit and selected my gun. I loved to hunt at the ranch, it was swarmed with deer.

I ran to the Jeep with the gun hanging over my shoulder. My grandpa said, “Hand me that gun and get me some bullets.” I sprinted to the gun case to retrieve the bullets. I opened the door and got them, then I ran back to the Jeep. My grandparents own several hundred acres and a few blinds (blinds are small towers). I opened the gate when we stopped. We couldn’t use a car from here or we’d frighten off the deer.

I slung the rifle over my shoulder and put the bullets in my pockets. I was so excited I could barely comprehend it. My grandpa marched ahead and fingered for me to follow him.

We had to trek through running water, endure cactus leaving red marks on our ankles, and my favorite look at the constellations glimmering like pools of diamonds. Which, to me, wasn’t a hardship whatsoever. I began to see faint whispers of the sun. I spotted the blind and climbed the ladder with my grandpa behind me. Once I got to the top I stepped into the blind. “Help me up,” my grandpa whispered. “Sure thing,” I answered softly.

I propped the window open and pointed the barrel of the gun outside. My eyes were propped open farther that the windows. I heard some leaves rustling. I paid even more attention. Suddenly a doe and a buck came out of the forest thicket. “Shoot them,” he said. I clicked the safety off. I aimed but was too excited. I finally got a good shot. “Bang,” went the gun.

The buck fell dead. “Congratulations,” my grandpa said, “Thanks,” I said. A large smile spread across my face. It was all thanks to this magical place.