In Our Words Canadians Reading Together

Ricky’s Nightmare

JOEY GOSBEE

The young boy was sixteen years old, and his name was Cory. He walked with a limp and had blonde hair that shone gold as the sun glistened down on him. Cory was a large boy for his age, looking like an action super hero with his rippling muscles and height of six feet. Cory always had a passion for guns, as he and his father were always hunting together. Cory had decided to get the stainless steel Colt .45 pistol and go out to the family’s abandoned trailer in the field at the back of their property. His parents were not home at the time, so this was a good time to get the gun. Cory was going to the trailer to kill groundhogs and rats that were moving in on it. He was having a rough time at school the last while because of the other children bullying him about his ailment. Cory just wanted to get his anger out by getting some target practice in. Just in the distance as Cory gazed through the broken glass window in the kitchen, Cory saw his father walking up the field. Cory knew he had done nothing wrong. As his father, Ricky, got closer to the trailer, Cory noticed the sweat beading off his own forehead. Ricky hollered for Cory but there was no answer. As Ricky walked on the rotten boards on the step, he heard a clicking noise. The noise was the hammer being pulled back on the pistol. The gun went off and Ricky heard a thump. He hollered for Cory again but heard nothing. A shiver ran up his spine as he entered the spooky trailer. As Ricky looked down the gloomy hallway, he noticed scarlet blood oozing out from beneath the door. Numbing thoughts started going through his mind as he edged himself down the hallway. He creaked the door open, and there lay Cory in a pool of blood. Ricky was devastated as he took a piece of paper from Cory’s lifeless hand and began to read. Sobbing, Ricky read these words: “ Dad, sorry for all the problems I’ve caused you, Mom and Stacy. I can’t handle being teased at school any longer and I figure this is my only way out. Sorry, love Cory.”

Ricky tried to regain his composure as he left Cory’s body. He headed back to the house to break the terrible news to his wife and daughter, and then he called 911. Arrangements for Cory were made, and his ashes were spread across the property since the family thought Cory would have wanted that. Cory lives in their minds every day, but as time goes by, the days seem to get easier.