the kangaroo widow

Hannah Mills #23                                                                                                               6.1 16.6

E.L.A-Food Memoir Draft #2

FRIDAY JUNE 3RD

I had spent many summers in albury but this was the most fun by far. And i had an alright relationship with my cousin Stevie but this was the first time she had taken me hunting       

Stevie drove us to a paddock 2 miles from the house. Since Stevie drove a pickup i had to ride in the back with all the hunting  supplies. It did make me kind of uneasy sitting next to armed shotguns but I was so excited.when we finally got to the paddock Stevie checked we had all the right supplies ,two rifles one game bag and one blind,.  The grass was dead and trees were scarce but it didn’t feel like it I felt amazing ,because even though i had only just learned how to shoot a year before I was in charge of getting the meat For the family cookout that night. The paddock was barren and hot and everything in it was dead.We set up the blind by the edge of the woods and waited it had a strange musty smell and it was crawling with bugs but i didn’t care.We must’ve been waiting there for hours silently my rifle was pressed against my shoulder so comfortably that i didn’t need to move. A couple minutes later i heard a muffled thumping coming closer and closer ,

thump thump thump thump thump thump thump, I looked to Stevie and she nodded at that moment i knew that i had to take a shot. The thumping got closer until finally a mob of at least 12 kangaroos zoomed through the paddock in front of the blind .Without thinking I took the shot  it knocked me to the floor . I was amazed that Stevie had taken 3 shots and was still standing  then she gave me her hand and helped me up and we walked to the paddock and i saw that one kangaroo had been shot and left behind and it made me feel horrible that we probably  just killed someones  kangaroo husband or wife . Stevie saw that i was upset and patted me on the shoulder  and went to pick up  the carcass and put it in the truck and cleared the front seat so i didn't have to sit on Jeff the dead kangaroo . on the way home she told me that “ you shouldn't feel bad because they are a pest and there are to many in the country to sustain a good ecosystem and, you know they taste fantastic with gravy”