I enjoyed this John. It's vivid and atmospheric. I don't think it's far off done. Here's how I'm reading it: The boy is living what sounds like a fairly bleak, miserable life with his alcoholic grandfather who doesn't seem to interact with him. The cat killing is a diversion from this. And Dale may be a role model, or at least, represent some alternative the his present life. The final sentence can be read that boy simply follows Dale back up the hill, but at the same there's a suggestion that he's perhaps making a choice (conscious or not) and following Dale in a deeper sense, going where he goes. For me that does enough to make this story seem complete.
I wonder about the first sentence. It's a striking first sentence, but against that it tells us what's going to happen before it does. The story might works better without it. You could start the piece, "I sat on the porch steps on a fading summer afternoon and watched Dale Stack cross the unplowed field separating his trailer from our clapboard house.". That said, it may not work better that way. But I reckon it's something to consider.
Dale walked tall, lightly, onto a tree trunk
Struck me as a little off. I'm not sure I can visualise it. Does he only walk tall as he steps onto the tree trunk? Maybe, "Dale walked tall, stepping lightly onto a tree trunk ..."?
best,
Matt
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