[PUNCH CLOCK ANIMAL] ASHTRAY

[skinstealer]

 
You are Beatrice Judgment.

It’s a familiar sight, back home with your mother. A 6-shooter in your hand, a bunch of dangling bottles swaying in the wind. Your mom likes to make a point that if this ever comes up, it'll be against a moving target. She adjusts your arm slightly, as your angle is a little off. 


 
"Gun safety kiddo."

You steady your hand. "I apologize. Was I that off?"

"You were shooting a little high. What goes up comes down, and if something strays that far off you don't know where it'll land."

"I suppose...."

"You gotta respect what one of these can do if you ever need to use one. Kids who don't respect what it does... well...I ever tell you the story about my brother's buddy?"

"Mm.. You've told me a good number of times." 

"Lost out on his childhood because he played with one of these. Lost his friend, friend's family-"

"-Didn't deal too well, I know."



 
"You gotta know gun safety Beatrice. I want you to know in and out and respect the things it can do to a person. Can't just be prepping for horrors and ghosts, people are just as scary."


 
You take aim at the swaying bottle.

You adjust your earmuffs. 
 

 
You focus with all the fire and courage you need to pop the bottle. 



The more you stare at it, the more it rattles erratically. You take the shot and absolutely completely and utterly whiff. Your mother grabs your arm again and readjusts it.

"Look at yourself Beatrice." 



Her eyes shift toward your shaking hands. 

"I'm sorry. I'll correct it."

"There's no second chances. You can't afford to be missing shots. You're lucky nobody's out in these woods or you could've killed a passerby. Do it again."

You try again. The bottle absolutely shatters into shrapnel. The look and sound of glass flying and spreading is so fast that it makes you flinch.

"You got it. Again."