The heavy snow deadened the sound of the forest. Despite the swirling snowfall, there was a stillness.
Cal lay on the soft ground, his eye press to the sight, his ungloved finger around the trigger, the rifle caressed against his shoulder.
His father lay next to him. A hundred yards away the stag raised his head, the imperious antlers like a crown. He looked straight at Cal.
‘That’s it,’ Cal’s father whispered into his ear, ‘give him his moment. Give him respect. Look into those eyes. It’s important you see the spirit and understand him.’
Time stood still. Cal’s pulse quickened, his breath grew shallow, casting puffs of frozen moisture across his sight.
‘Relax,’ his father advised, ‘this is your calling. Take a deep breath. Feel your way towards him. Then gently squeeze the trigger.’
Cal blinked, despite the cold he could feel sweat running down from the the brim of his woollen hat. This was the moment they had come for. His first kill. His chance to show his father he was now a grown man. A chance to earn his respect.
The stag was motionless, staring at Cal. Cal felt their closeness. It was just him and the animal, somehow connected.
Bang. Cal fired the rifle, tilting it upwards into the trees above their heads. The stag bolted, vanishing in an instant behind the white veil.
‘What was that?’ his father exclaimed.
‘I saw his spirit, Dad,’ Cal answered, feeling braver than he had ever done when talking to his father. ‘I didn’t want to kill it.’

This is a response to the #writephoto Prompt: Calling – curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.
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47 responses to “CAL’S CALLING”
Wonderful Ian , I wish more men were like that.💜
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Thank you so much – I’m convinced the majority are, they just aren’t as vocal as the others.
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Yes I tend to agree with you 💜
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Reblogged this on willowdot21 and commented:
I liked Ian’s story it has the perfect ending.
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“Cal blinked, despite the cold he could feel sweat running down from the the brim of his woollen hat.”
So few words to perfectly describe a moment which is so vividly visual.
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Thank you so much Roshwin
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doing the right thing is never easy, but once you do it, you feel contentment inside, regardless of how others might feel, kind post
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Thank you so much for commenting
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It fires the picture perfectly.
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Thank you
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I loved this, Iain!
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Thank you Dale 🙂
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This is beautiful Iain.
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Thank you so much Di
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Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all those self-styled guardians of our environment (with guns) had the same sensitivity?
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Perhaps the next generation will think differently. Here’s hoping.
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We seem to be counting on that.
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Excellent story! If only more people saw the spirits!
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Thank you
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Nice job, both you and Cal.
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Thanks Janet
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I totally approve of the ending…
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Thank you so much 🙂
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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I could feel these words, wonderful. Of course I like the ending also. I went “hunting” with my dad but we never shot anything, just watched.
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That sounds like my sort of hunting too. Thank you
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You are welcome
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Now Cal really has become a man. Not by killing the deer but by stepping out of his father’s shadow, doing what he knows to be right for him rather than what’s right for others. Cracking moment captured, Iain
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Thank you so much Lynn
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Wonderful story Iain..
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Thank you so much 🙂
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I love how he saw the spirit of the animal and connected to it. So glad he chose the alternative.
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Thank you Michele
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Nicely written, a difficult choice for a young lad.
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Thank you so much Chris
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There is more courage in a refusal than in a compliance that goes against your own spirit. Perfect, Iain.
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Thank you Sue
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[…] Continue reading at Iain Kelly […]
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Whew! That was excellent! A real man takes a stand.
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Thank you so much
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Wonderful as usual Iain! You are awesome 🙂
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Thank you so much, too kind 🙂
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[…] Iain Kelly […]
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Bam! Job done!
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Thank you
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The responses are pretty diverse.
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They certainly are.
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