Andi's Shooting Lesson

by,

Krystal Sky                                                  

            "Andi, I have an idea." Chad announced, laying down his fork.

            "Good for you," Andi retorted as she scooped another bite of scrambled eggs.

            Chad scowled playfully at her. "I think we should take the rifle and see if you can learn to shoot straight. I can set up some targets in the back pasture."

            "I'll probably miss 'em all."

            "Defeatist. Maybe this'll be your day."

            Andi shrugged and gave in. "Fine." Her voice turned pleading. "But please go easier on me today. Last time, you ended up hollering." She grimaced at the unpleasant memory.

            "I'll try my hardest not to lose my temper," Chad promised. He pushed back his chair and stood up. "I have some chores I need to get done before we start."

            "How long will you be?"

            "Not too long." Chad plunked his hat on his head. "I'll come and get you when I'm done."

            "Ok." Andi pushed the rest of the food on her plate around. Sighing, she finished her breakfast and took her plate to the kitchen. "I'll go see Taffy till Chad comes." The idea perked her up, and she skipped out to the barn.

            Andi was grooming Taffy when Chad entered the barn whistling. He leaned against the stall door and watched her.

            "You missed a spot, Andi."

            "Wha-" Andi whirled around to see Chad grinning mischievously. "You're teasing!"

            "Guilty. When you're finished, come meet me in the back pasture." Chad gathered up a handful of targets and left the barn.

            "Well, Taffy, I gotta go." She swiped the brush once more and then put her supplies away. "Wish me luck, girl" Andi kissed Taffy's nose and swung the stall door open.

            Andi trudged outside. The closer she got to the pasture, the more she dragged her feet. "I probably won't do any better this time," she thought. Andi stopped to unlatch the gate. Chad looked up at her from where he bent over a target and smiled reassuringly. Once he had finished with the target, he strode over to the fence where the rifle leaned and picked it up.

            "Come stand here," Chad commanded, looking over the gun once more.

            What little courage and confidence Andi had managed to scrape together before she stepped into the field fled completely. She balked when he held out the rifle. "Chad, we've tried this before, and it didn't work then. Why try again?"

            "You need to learn how to shoot straight, Andi. You'll get the hang of this soon."

            Andi snorted. "Yeah, right. I couldn't hit a barn if I tried."

            "You try a stunt like that on our barn, and you'll be sorry. Here, take the gun."

            Andi reached out to take it, and shuddered at the cold weight of the metal in her hands. She glanced at Chad. "You know I don't like this."

            "Finger off the trigger!" he said, ignoring her comment. "Take your stance and aim." He corrected her death grip on the rifle. Then, deeming her properly aimed, he said, "Now...fire."

            BANG

            Chad went to check the target. From beyond the creek, Andi saw him shake his head. Miss.

            "That was awful, Chad," Andi complained when he was close enough to hear her. "I didn't even get near the target," Andi said, lowering the rifle to point at the ground.

            "Never mind that, and aim again. You'll get this."

            BANG

            Chad trekked out to the target. This time, he brought back a target.

            Thinking it was another miss, Andi's shoulders slumped a little. "I'll never get a good shot."

            "But look. You got on the edge of the target this time.You're getting there!"

            "Well, maybe I did," Andi's eyes lit up a little as she fingered the hole. She turned back, raised the rifle, and sized up the target. She aimed again.

            BANG

            "Nuts, missed it," Andi huffed. "I hit it once, though, maybe I can do it two times."

            "If at first you don't succeed,tr- Oof!" Chad doubled over when Andi jabbed him.

            "You deserved that, big brother."

            "Well, maybe I did, but that doesn't mean you can go around elbowing people in the stomach!"

            "Says you. Which target do I aim at this time?"

            "Smooth change, Andi.

            "Thanks. But really, where do I shoot?"

            "There's another target over behind the creek."

            "Oh, I see it."

            BANG

            "You got it in the outside ring," Chad hollered to her.

            "That's better," Andi commented.

            "You are closer," Chad agreed. "Last time, you hit the edge, and now you're in the ring. You'll get the center one of these times. Try again."

            "You try," Andi challenged and handed him the rifle.

            "Fine, but then it's your turn." Chad shouldered the gun and fired at the targets.

            "Dead center every time. Chad, I'm so bad at this."

            "I've been doing it longer than you have. But let me tell you, I practiced a lot to get that good." He smiled and ruffled Andi's hair. "Don't worry about it. You'll get consistent soon."

            "Maybe." Andi's face turned thoughtful. "Hey, Chad?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Thanks for taking time to teach me. I'm sorry I'm not more patient."

            "That's okay. And same here. I know I'm not the most patient person on earth."

            "No kidding," Andi smirked. "Well, I guess I could give it another go." After carefully taking aim, Andi pulled back the trigger. A satisfying thud greeted her ears. She looked up at Chad in surprise. "Did I hit center?"

            Chad went to retrieve the target. He held it up so she could see. "Not center, but you got really close. See? There's where I hit it, and there's your shot."

            "Wow. That's a lot closer than last time."

            "Sure is," Chad agreed. "Do that again, but try to get just a little bit more to the right."

            "Okay," Andi said cheerfully. "This is getting a little more fun."

            "I'm glad," Chad said as he tweaked her nose.

            Andi aimed again.

            BANG

            "Where was that one?" she hollered to where Chad stood beyond the creek. He didn't answer. Chad just turned and walked back to Andi with a huge grin on his face.

            "You got center," he praised.

            "I did?"

            "Yep, look here. That's not my shot."

            "I finally got it!"

            "I knew you would one day. Just took some more practice."

            "A lot more." Andi turned and squinted at an approaching figure. She nudged Chad and pointed a finger. "Look there. Isn't that Mitch?"

            "It is. Must be time to go home for dinner. Help me grab the targets and we'll head home."

            "Okay, big brother."

The End