3:52 AM

The boy restlessly tugs the blanket over his matted hair in an effort to escape the stale air that suffocates the room.

4:17 AM

Perspiration secretes from every pore on his body, forcing the thick cotton material of his t-shirt to cling to the back of his neck.

5:29 am.

He shifts his weight and rolls over on his side.

6:04 AM

The sun creeps through a crack between the curtains dressing his window pane.

6:30 AM

The alarm clock explodes into a deafening ring. He bolts upright. A wave of warm blood surges through his veins and pounds against his skull.

6:31 AM

He looks at the date on his wrist watch: April 23, 2018. It’s his eighteenth birthday.

6:33 AM

The boy clambers out of bed and pulls on a pair of camouflage pants, a matching vest, and Timberland boots.

7:16 AM

He turns the key in the ignition of his 1994 Chevy Silverado, coated in rust and red paint chippings. The engine sputters for a few long seconds before roaring to life.

7:18 AM

Something on the dashboard catches his eye--his dad’s old hunting book. Its pages lazily dance against the air blowing from the car’s vents.

7:19 AM
A page gets stuck between the metal slits, revealing a picture of a deer with an unforgettable look of paralyzing fear in its eyes.

7:24 AM

He arrives at the local Walmart.

7:40 AM

He exits the building with a rifle in one fist and a few cases of ammunition in the other.

7:43 AM

The boy rounds the bed of his truck and tosses his new gear beside his father’s old hunting rifle. The rattle of the empty soup cans reverberates as the gun lands.

7:55 AM

The boy arrives at his final destination.

8:00 AM

Heavy metal doors swing open. Linoleum tiled floors replace the familiar forest terrain. The harsh fluorescent light strikes his eyes, blurring his vision. Blood pounds in the cartilage of his ear, drowning out all surrounding noise. No one notices. He takes a deep breath and unleashes the weapon. The boy aims his scope on a crowd of backpacks--his new prey. Their eyes a perfect reflection of the terror he feels within.

8:01 AM

The hunting begins.