I opened the door and found them hysterically crying

It was deer season 1981 in rural Pennsylvania; the first hunting event I had experienced since moving from Southern Cali only a few month's prior. My younger sister and I were living with my older sister and her husband. They had a myriad of animals; horses, goats, cats & dogs. not to mention the occasional cow escapee from the neighbors farm. I was 14 and this was a new adventure for me; a new school, new friends, the quiet, the changing of the seasons. The first day of doe season my brother-in-law (Doug) dressed in his camouflage hunting gear gathered his rifle and met his niece and nephew at the door; excitement was in the air, anticipation of the hunt to come. My older sister was still in bed when Doug returned about an hour later; I asked him "Did you get a deer?" He shook his head no and hurried into the bedroom his wife was in. I stood there feeling strange when I heard what I thought was laughter coming from the room; I opened the door and found them hysterically crying. His niece had been shot and killed. It was an accident, a total accident, no ones fault, just a freak accident. While Doug was flushing the deer toward his niece and nephew; they were climbing into a tree. Lisa was first then, her brother, Scott was next handing her the rifle so he could climb up. The gun slipped and fired one round through Lisa's heart, she died almost instantly. Lisa had a one year old son and a husband; she was loved by many people and was greatly missed. This was new to me, death. I had never lost someone I cared about before and I was not sure what to do with these emotions. I had nightmares of Lisa getting out of her coffin and chasing me down the street and I refused to go to the funeral after the viewing. I just couldn't. I remember her face, looking like wax and so pale. Her husband lifted her hand to show me where the bullet had also taken out a big chunk of her thumb. It was all too much for my 14 year old mind. Too much. It was an accident, no ones fault. Just a stupid accident.