The Blooding (Fiction)

On the eve of his first hunt, Johnathon has a premonition about who the real animals are.

By Scott Pieschel,

“Excited for your blooding tomorrow?”

Shadows from the weakening flames in the hearth danced across my older brother, Tommy’s, face. He sat in the wingback chair opposite mine and watched me expectantly, as if waiting for a smile, a bounce of excitement.

“Is there a lot?” I asked.

“Of what?”

“Blood.” I hated that word. The sound of it, fal…