Chapter 1: The Old Man

He sat in the front yard watching his grand-daughter practice her twirling routine. He was proud of her as he watched her throw her baton high into the air and catch it before it hit the ground. Their smalltown paper had written an article on her just last week. It was complete with a picture of her in her majorette uniform, a shiny gold one piece bathing suit with her red hair pulled back in a ponytail. Everyone who saw it commented on how beautiful Scarlett looked. He loved his granddaughter, and it showed on his face as he watched her.

Ever since her father was killed his daughter and Scarlett had lived with him on the premise of taking care of him since his wife of 40 years had passed. But the reality was his son-in-law had died in a one car wreck and left them no insurance. They needed a place to live, and he provided it. He was not rich but with his military pension and the paid for house located out in the country, they were able to get along nicely. His daughter had a clerical job at one of the factories in town. She dropped Scarlett off at the local high school every morning on her way to work. Life was good.

The afternoon sun was sitting and soon it would be time for him and Scarlett to go in for supper. As he leaned over to spit out the chaw of tobacco he had been chewing, he saw it; the glint of the sun off the binoculars from across the road. Hidden in the dense brush of the National Forest was someone watching Scarlett practice! His experience from years in the military kicked in. He did not let on he saw the person, he calmly stood, folded his lawn chair and called Scarlett, saying it was time to go in for supper. They walked in the house together and he never glanced back. He made sure to lock the door.

Later that night after supper the girls watched television as he excused himself and went to his room. He gathered what he would need, his night vision goggles, his bow, a quiver with three arrows, and just in case, his 1911.45 caliber pistol. Quietly he snuck down the hall and exited the house through the back door. At first, he did not see his target. The man had moved, but he did not give up looking. He eventually spotted a man crouching against the house, outside of Scarlett’s bedroom window!

He waited.

The lights went off in the living room as his girl’s program ended, and they started to get ready for bed. He saw the light in the bathroom come on and knew that Scarlett was taking her shower. Later he saw the light come on in her bedroom. Through the thin curtains he watched as Scarlett enter her bedroom with a towel wrapped around her young body. He saw the man outside her window take out his dick and begin stroking it! As Scarlett dropped the towel and began to put on her pajamas, the man stroked harder. Scarlett cut off the overhead light, turned on her night light, and got in bed.

The man at the window sat down and waited, not realizing he was being watched!

An hour later the house was quiet. The man stood up, took out his knife and quietly started to pry the screen off her window.

Perfectly silhouetted by Scarlett’s nightlight, the old man’s arrow struck its target! The fixed blade broadhead tipped arrow easily sliced through his body, just under his left shoulder blade and pierced his heart before exiting his shirt about four inches before it stopped its journey. The man looked down; his mouth opened but no sound came out. His knees buckled and he fell silently to the ground.

The old man walked up and looked down at him. Thirty years ago, this would be the time he would call the Sheriff’s office and report what he had done. He would be considered a hero for saving his granddaughter from being raped if not killed. But not today.