The Hunter
And so the hunter moved through the darkness of the forest, quick but quiet, alert.
He knew the danger of this place, that one wrong move would spell the end of him.
He knew also the danger of inaction, that without moving, without hunting, he would starve.
And so, he came to a vast, beautiful clearing, surrounded by blossoming flowers.
Taken aback by the beauty, he paused.
In his momentary stupor, he did not realize for a moment the presence of another hunter, who stared unmoving from the other end of the clearing.
Though, after a moments passing, the hunter saw the other, and froze in terror.
The forest being a dangerous place, the hunter knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
Yet, he paused, for the other could surely have shot him while he admired the flowers.
And so, he cried out, "Who are you?"
And the other, alarmed, shot him dead where he stood.
***
The forest being a dangerous place, the hunter knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
And so, he leveled a shot at the Other, who crumpled after the impact.
"Why have you shot me?" cried the Other, "when I meant you no harm?"
"I could not have known that," said the hunter, "And surely, had I not shot you, you would have shot me."
And the Other perished.
***
The forest being a dangerous place, the hunter knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
And so, he sprung into action, lining up a shot, but the Other was faster.
The hunter was shot, and slumped into the grass, knowing he was to die.
"Why have you shot me?" cried the hunter, "when I meant you no harm?"
"You went for your weapon," replied the Other. "How could you have meant me no harm?"
"I was only afraid that you would shoot me. And it seems, I was correct."
"I was only afraid you would shoot me as well," replied the Other, "and I think I too am correct"
And the hunter perished.
***
"Why have you shot me?" cried the hunter, "when I meant you no harm?"
"I am a hunter," replied the Other. "Most of what I hunt means me no harm. Yet, I must hunt, or I will starve."
And the hunter perished.
***
The forest being a dangerous place, the hunter knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
Quickly, he ducked back into the forest, as a shot from the Other flew past him.
Now unseen, the hunter waited a moment, then peeked back into the clearing, firing immediately where the Other had been a moment before.
The Other, shot, crumpled to the ground, dead.
***
Now unseen, the hunter waited a moment, then peeked back into the clearing, firing immediately where the Other had been a moment before.
Yet the Other, too, had moved, and was waiting ready for the hunters return.
The Other fired again, and the hunter crumpled, dead.
***
Yet the Other, too, had moved, and was waiting ready for the hunters return.
"Do not shoot again" cried the Other. "I was startled, but I mean you no harm"
The hunter, hearing the voice, fired again, and the Other crumpled.
"Why have you shot me?" asked the Other. "I meant you no harm."
"You have fired at me once," said the hunter, "and I would be a fool to trust your words now."
***
"Do not shoot again" cried the Other. "I was startled, but I mean you no harm"
"How can I know you mean no harm, when you have already shot at me?" asked the hunter.
"You have shot at me as well" replied the Other.
The hunter stood, confused. "But I had only shot because-"
And the Other shot him, taking advantage of his confusion.
"Why have you shot me?" asked the hunter.
"I had tried once already. If you believed my words, instead of my actions, then you are a fool." replied the Other.
And the hunter perished.
***
"I had tried once already. If you believed my words, instead of my actions, then you are a fool." replied the Other.
"I am no fool." said the hunter.
"We could have worked together in this place, four hands instead of two, and survived."
"Yet, you let your fear control you, and now, it is too late."
And the hunter perished.
***
"I am no fool." said the hunter.
"We could have worked together in this place, four hands instead of two, and survived."
"Yet, you let your fear control you, and now, it is too late."
And so the Other butchered the hunter, and stalked back into the woods.
After three days, the weather turned dark and cold.
Stumbling through the tree line, blinded by snow, the Other stumbled down a steep embankment, landing hard, breaking one leg.
Unable to move, the Other sat, and reflected.
"For three days, I have survived off of you." Said the Other to the last of the hunter.
"Yet, now I see. Now I will die in this place, because there are no other hands to aid me."
"How long, I wonder, could we have survived, if only we had worked together."
And so the Other perished.
***
And so the Other butchered the hunter, and stalked back into the woods.
The Other returned then to his tribe, who welcomed him, as he revealed the bounty of his hunt.
***
"How can I know you mean no harm, when you have already shot at me?" asked the hunter.
"Because you surely would have done the same." replied the Other. "I am unarmed now, I have put my weapon in the clearing."
And the hunter saw the weapon, discarded in the clearing.
And so the hunter shot the Other, who crumpled.
"You can see I am unarmed," cried the other, "Why have you shot me?"
"I am a hunter", the hunter replied. "Most of what I hunt is unarmed. Yet, I must hunt, or I will starve."
And the Other perished.
***
"You can see I am unarmed," cried the other, "Why have you shot me?"
"You have shot once already," replied the hunter. "I would be a fool to trust you now."
And the Other perished.
***
"You can see I am unarmed," cried the other, "Why have you shot me?"
"I do not know." replied the hunter.
And he did not.
And the Other perished.
***
And the hunter saw the weapon, discarded in the clearing.
"I will retreat into the woods." Said the hunter.
"You will not follow me."
The Other said nothing, and the hunter retreated.
***
And the hunter saw the weapon, discarded in the clearing.
"Come forward," said the hunter. "Cross the clearing, so we can talk."
The Other walked forward.
When halfway across the clearing, the hunter saw the flash of a knife at the waist of the Other.
The hunter shot, and the Other collapsed.
"Do you think me a fool?" asked the hunter. "You would surely have gut me when you had the chance."
And the Other perished.
***
The Other walked forward.
When he neared the hunter, he lunged suddenly forward, knife in hand.
The hunter crumpled, bleeding.
"Why have you stabbed me?" the hunter asked.
"You would've shot me if I'd done anything differently" replied the Other.
And the hunter perished.
***
The hunter crumpled, bleeding,
With the last of his strength, he turned to the Other, and fired.
And both perished.
***
And so, he came to a vast, beautiful clearing, surrounded by blossoming flowers.
Wise to the danger of unknown spaces, the hunter slinked around, unseen.
***
Taken aback by the beauty, he paused.
After a moment of quiet reflection, he felt as though he had missed something.
Unnerved, he continued on his way.
***
After a moment of quiet reflection, he felt as though he had missed something.
But the other did not miss.
The hunter never saw his attacker.
And the hunter perished.
***
And the other perished.
***
And the other said,
"Neither of us can trust the other, yet we both are armed."
"Either of us could surely kill the other, and there are no words that can be said that negate this."
"We could both toss down our weapons, but even still, that would be a matter of trust."
"So instead I say to you:"
"I do not intend to kill you. But more so, I do not intend to die."
And the hunter said,
"I agree with what you've said, yet, I've considered the same possibilities."
"What can we do now? Surely, one of us will live and the other will die."
"To do anything else would require trust that neither of us have."
The other paused.
"Perhaps that is the case."
And a battle ensued. In the end, both lay wounded and bleeding.
"What else could we do?" the hunter asked.
"Nothing." The other replied. "It was always going to end this way."
And they both perished.
***
And so the hunter moved through the darkness of the forest, quick but quiet, alert.
He knew the danger of this place, that one wrong move would spell the end of him.
He knew also the danger of inaction, that without moving, without hunting, he would starve.
And so, he came to a vast, beautiful clearing, surrounded by blossoming flowers.
Taken aback by the beauty, he paused.
In his momentary stupor, he did not realize for a moment the presence of another hunter, who stared unmoving from the other end of the clearing.
Though, after a moments passing, the hunter saw the other, and froze in terror.
The forest being a dangerous place, the hunter knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
Yet, he paused, for the other could surely have shot him while he admired the flowers.
And so, he cried out, "Who are you?"
And the hunter perished.
And the other perished.
And the hunter cried out, "Why have you shot me?"
And the hunter perished.
The forest being a dangerous place, the other knew he must shoot first or risk his own demise.
And the hunter perished.
The other paused.
And the hunter saw the weapon, discarded in the clearing.
And he did not.
And the other perished.
And the hunter said,
"I do not intend to kill you. But more so, I do not intend to die."
"You will not follow me."
And the other perished.
And they both perished.
And, in a moment of clarity, the hunter stared into the open sky.
He looked back at the other, still frozen in shock across the clearing.
He held up his arms, weapon in them, and tossed it to the ground.
He stood, slowly, arms above his head.
He walked, slowly, into the middle of the clearing.
He layed then, upon the grass, staring up at the open sky.
"Shoot me if you must" The hunter said.
And the other did.
And the hunter perished.
"It was always going to end this way." The other replied.
***
And the other did not.
Instead, he too walked into the clearing.
He too layed in the grass and looked at the sky.
After a moment of peace, the other spoke.
"Where do we go from here?"
"I don't know" said the hunter.
And he did not.