The Stampede — C.J. Petit

Jed Morgan, his brother, sister and parents were enjoying a family picnic in their pastures under the oak tree a few hundred yards from their ranch house. The large herd was grazing peacefully out of sight and Jed had his eyes on his mother's apple pie as she slid her knife into the golden crust.Then their heads all popped up at the sound of gunfire from the east. Each of them stood and turned in that direction, wondering who was firing the shots. Their ranch hands were all in town enjoying themselves after being paid, and Jed was almost certain that Arnie Williams from the Rocking W was behind it.He never had a chance to discover who had pulled those triggers before the ground began shaking and each of them knew it wasn't an earthquake.As the family watched, their own panicked herd flew over the rise and thundered toward them. Death would reach them before they could reach the safety of their ranch house.