The Weed Hacker

The Raccoon family was a kind one, and very large in numbers, RJ was the youngest of two brothers, Robert and Jonathan.

Mostly the raccoon family lived separately but once in a while they get together, all the aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, and grandparents would all come for the annual family food scavenge.

It would be the last night RJ would see them alive.

When they all arrived they would divide up and hit a individual trash can, this time RJ went with his brothers.

"Now listen RJ, we both know you never tipped a trash can before you squirt, but you need to do it sooner or later." RJ gave Robert a stern look, "I know, but its too hard, their so heavy." Jonathan gave RJ a playful push. "It helps build muscles."

RJ looked around the scenery and spotted a familiar house, then he grimaced. He Walked over to Robert and tugged his arm.

"Hey, I don't think we should be here, where near old man Rivers' house and he hates animals, I think we should leave." Robert laughed. "Listen, you need to learn how to relax, you worry too much."

"No, I'm serious, I think we need to go, now!" Robert was talking while struggling to tip over the humongous trash can. "Look kid, nothing bad is going to happen, nothing ever does. So the old geezer hates us, what's the worst that could happen?"

RJ turned around a little annoyed at his brothers stubbornness and looked at the house.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

A few minutes passed, and both Robert and Jonathan failed to tip the heavy can.

"Man, what do humans put into these things, this one might be packed to last us a whole month."

"Not with the way YOU eat." Robert joked.

"Hey RJ, get everyone over here to help us."

'Why?" he said in a mocking tone.

"I'll let you hold the universal remote when we get back."

His face filled with delight, he rushed over where his parents, grandparents and cousins were and told them of the heavy trash can.

"Wow, that must mean that theirs a lot of food in it." said his mother.

They all gathered around the silver can and pushed, a few seconds of pushing and the can came down with a loud crash, then the myriad of garbage spilled out everywhere.

'YES, we hit the jackpot this time." uncle Kenny shouted.

But just as they went to collect the garbage someone came barging out of their house…it was old man Rivers.

"God damn it you stupid vermin, I'll get you good this time!"

Everyone stood in confusion as he opened his garage, but that confusion quickly turned to horror as he pulled out a weed hacker, but instead of wire, it was equipped with a deadly saw.

Then they started running when he darted after them, he started swinging the hacker maniacally, when this happened he hit uncle Kenny.

As he fell down RJ saw in disbelief as his uncle was ripped to pieces by the saw, he looked away as he herd his screams covered by the splatter of his body and the loud engine roars.

Then aunt Doris was next, the saw quickly slashed her back, severing her spinal cord, she fell paralyzed and helpless, then she too was shredded to mince meat.

Everyone took refuge into the nearby bush but was powerless to fully stop the weed hacker, they tried to trek deeper but could only go so far.

Many were caught and killed, RJ was at the very back, his eyes filled with tears as he watched helplessly as his family was being slaughtered, the sound of grinding engines with the mix of screams, crunches and snapping sounds hammered permanently into his ears, he looked and saw the ground run a deep vermillion red with dismembered body parts and pieces of organs.

The last thing he saw was his parents, just standing their but then the saw came and sliced his father in half, RJ wanted to scream but he couldn't, he was too frozen in fear, he watched his father begin to crawl to him, blood flowed out freely and loose organs slipt out his torso, then saw came down and decapitated him, he saw the body twitch and eventually stood still.

Then his mother was split down the middle, her organs and blood flew in all directions when the saw grinded her insides.

Then their was silence, deathly silence.

The engine died and he saw the old man return home, then RJ crawled out…and stared in astonishment .

Everywhere he looked everyone was dead, he fell to his knees and began sniffing, his heart was racing, his belly hurt, his eyes stung and his muscles tensed.

"Dead…their all dead, and I just stood by and watched."

Suddenly he herd a groaning noise, he ran to the source and was surprised at what he saw.

"ROBERT?!" he yelled, he ran over to see his brother who was clenching his stomach and struggling to get up.

"H-hey kid….I-I guess I should of…l-listened."

"Don't worry, you'll be alright."

"Don't k-kid yourself…I'm f-finished."

RJ began to raise his voice. "DON'T SAY THAT, you'll be fine, you will be."

Robert began retching a mix of blood and vomit, then he began gagging and coughing, as his hands came off his stomach his intrails spilled out just slightly, RJ fell to pieces.

"No, please don't die, please."

He hugged his brother in spite of the blood he was covered in, then Robert put his arm around him, and began hugging tightly.

"You know I always loved you…r-right."

Then in a split second all of his weight fell on RJ and was still.

"No, no, no, no!"

He laid him on the ground as his stomach and organs finally broke loose, truly a horrible way to die, he looked at his deceased brother, pain and anguish stayed in his face even after death.

RJ decided to go out, he was hungry and tired, it surprised him how he could think about food after what just happened, he stopped by a trash can and starred at it, mixed feelings bombarded him, fear, despair, emptiness, anger and sadness .

He pressed against the trash can and began to push with all his might, after a minute of pushing he managed to finally tip it over, and when he did he fell on his back.

Breathing hard he got back up and looked at the fallen garbage, he walked over and picked up an open bag of chips, he took one out, stared at it…and began to cry.

"THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!!" he screamed at himself.

"Everyone is dead, gone forever."

He picked himself up wiping off his tears and began walking home.

A family of one.