Me and the Poachers

Me and Mama lives in a lush, green forest, full of greeneries and nature's wonder.

Everyday, I could see flowers, blooming in bright, vibrant colors, the dappled sunlight, filtering through the leaves and the beautiful singing birds. It was a perfect place to live in, especially for fellow deers like me. We always have plants to eat, cool water to drink and friends to play. It was a perfect live and I can't imagine a happier place than this forest.

But one day, I heard of some murderous people, armed with guns and roams our forest called poachers are coming near our forest. I shivered and asked Mama if it's okay to stay.

Mama smiled and nod her head reassuringly and walked me out to a patch of fresh grass, filled with dew and crawling with bugs. I ate the grass with the other deers while Mama and her friends talk and play with each other, not worrying the least about the poachers.

As I was about to climb a tree full of nuts and berries, I heard a deafening gunshot. The poachers were here! Mama's ears shot up and she cried, "Everyone! Run! The poachers are here!"

Deers of our kind began to run at a speed. I tried to keep up, but my short, stout legs was no match compared to my herd. I tried to steal a glance at the forest for one last time when gunshots echoed in the air.

"Rat! Tat! Tat! Tat! Tat!"

The shots set the forest ablazed while birds of all kinds shot up from their trees, squawking as they flew. I looked at my herd of deers and they were like little brown dots in the distance. I knew I was far away from them!

Quickly, I quicken my pace, running towards Mama, hopes of finding a safe place echoing in my head as I ran. I don't even understand why humans were constantly aiming for our kinds. Don't they know the feeling, having to run away from your house because a group of murderous people are at their homes? I felt angry. I felt sad. I felt worried. But I still must run.

"Sweetie! Hurry!" Mama's voice rang in my head as I sprinted through the green grass,

"Sweetie! The poachers are after us!"

I took her words seriously and quickened up my pace. I felt my life draining by each step I take because I haven't fueled enough! As I started to get tired, I felt Mama scooping me up on her back and running to catch up with the others. But my weight had contributed to her weight so much, she couldn't catch up and is starting to exhaust. A gunshot rang in the air and hit Mama, blood splurging from behind.

"Mama!" I cried. Her body slumped to the ground, dead.

I tried to drag her back to the forest, but it was the worst idea. The forest fire had spread to the fields of green grass. I tried to use my mouth to take the bullet out from her bottom, but it was no use. I bit off a piece of grass and tried to stuff it in her mouth, but her mouth didn't moved.

"Go... Run with the herd if you can. Please, I couldn't live" I heard her mouthed silently as her life drained completely out from her.

I used her words as a force and it forced me to catch up with my herd. I finally catch up and ran towards safety. But the image of my mother's death still echoes in my head, emotionally damaging me.

I finally settled down on another forest, still feeling painful after seeing my mother's death. I couldn't believe it. I'm just a baby and my Mama already died.

My herd gathered around me, sensing my Mama's loss. I cherished Mama's moments with me so much and now... she's gone. Forever. Hunted and killed by a soulless poacher whose job is to kill deers. I couldn't believe it.