Most good stories start with a fundamental list of ingredients: the initial situation, conflict, complication, climax, suspense, denouement, and conclusion. Great writers sometimes shake up the recipe and add some spice.
Exposition
Teenage Wasteland
Like Rodney Dangerfield, Dave Saunders gets no respect. He works his butt off in Mr. Hawkins's field all day, and what does he have to show for it? His peers tease him incessantly. His boss doesn't respect him. Even his parents don't trust him. In Dave's seventeen-year-old mind, there's only one way to prove to everyone that he's a real man—owning a gun.
Rising Action
Davey's Got a Gun
Dave visits Joe's store. Though hesitant, Joe gives Dave a catalog and tells him about a used gun that he's selling for a mere two dollars. What a steal. Dave badgers his mom until she finally agrees to give him the money, but she makes him promise to bring the gun home immediately and give it to his dad. Yeah, that's totally how it's going to go down, Mrs. Saunders… Sure enough, instead of returning home, Dave spends the night gallivanting around the fields with his new gun, too afraid to shoot it because Daddy Saunders might hear.
Climax
Mules and Fools
Dave arrives at work early the next morning, eager for some target practice. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Hawkins comes in early as well and asks him to plow the fields with Jenny the mule. What a buzz kill. Dave leads Jenny to the outskirts of the field, far away from prying ears, before finally taking a few shots into the forest. Somehow, though, the recoil is too strong for young Dave and he accidentally kills Jenny right then and there. Uh-oh…
Falling Action
Paying the Price
Although Dave comes up with a cover story, Mr. Hawkins is able to see through it immediately. Mr. Hawkins strikes a deal with Mr. Saunders, making Dave pay fifty dollars to make up for the mule murder—that's over two years of wages. Mr. Saunders demands that Dave get the gun (which he hid after the accident) and return it to Joe.
Resolution
Leaving on a Freight Train
Dave gets the gun, but doesn't return home. That night, he takes a few more test shots; this time, he's somehow able to handle the recoil. After realizing just how long it'll take him to pay off Jenny, he decides to skip town, hopping on a moving train and leaving home for good.