The Slaughterhouse - Part 8: Bovine Bravery
The barn was abuzz with activity, as Bob wakes up on the coach to the chatter of five women, or should I say cows, who speak like human women. Although Bob missed his time alone with Clarabelle and their lengthy conservations about everything from politics to world news, he enjoyed the warm family-like atmosphere with his cows; Clarabelle and Becca, and new members Doris, Saffron and Betsy. Clarabelle would always be his favourite due to their unusual bond; they saved each other's life, Bob regained his youth and Clarabelle her health, after the accident and her nasty collision with a tree, and the subsequent crane rescue.
"Good morning Bob, this is going to be a great day! I can feel it," said Clarabelle in her usual upbeat tone, with echoes of "Good morning" from the other ladies.
"Why's that Clarabelle," asks Bob?
"You have been good to us girls, and we want to pay it forward. The girls and I have realised that together our magic is stronger, and we want to test it out. Bob, we would like you to take a trip to town and buy a lottery ticket for tonight's lottery. We saw on TV that the jackpot is fifty million," said Clarabelle with excitement.
"Clarabelle, don't you realise that the odds of winning are slim to none. I can barely keep afloat on my pension; I can't afford to waste a dollar like that, it's like throwing money away."
Bob grew up in The Great Depression and didn't believe in spending money unless necessary. He never threw away anything, if he felt it could be useful. He didn't believe in being in debt and never would spend more than he makes, preferring to save money instead. His scrimping and saving helped him build Braveheart Animal Rescue. An animal lover and a vegan, Bob tended his farm with great pride.
"Please, Bob, will you do it for me?" pleaded Clarabelle, trying to make the whites of her eye's show all the while blinking her long lashes, trying her best to butter him up.
Since all five cows wouldn't leave him alone, and he was getting sick of their whining he finally agreed. The girls collectively cheered!
Reluctantly, Bob got in his truck and headed into town. He stops at the gas station to fill his tank and heads into the convenience store to pay for the gas and buy his lottery ticket for tonight's draw.
"I haven't seen you around here before? Are you just passing through?" asks the cashier, admiring Bob's physique.
Bob was taken aback for the moment because his golfing friend's daughter Amanda, of whom he had known since she was a child had no recognition of him. Without thinking it through, he blurts out that he is Bob Braveheart's grandson; Bobby Braveheart, and he is staying at the farm with his grandpa helping out.
The cashier Amanda was quite obviously smitten with Bobby, as she sends her contact information to his iPhone via airdrop, mentioning a party that night. As Bob was finishing up his transaction, John Svashta walked into the store. Bob felt shivers up his spine, he could feel his anger, and there was something else, very strange, he had to pinch himself. Bob could read John's thoughts! "That, Clarabelle, never know what's next with her around," says Bob to himself. He decides to linger for a few minutes by the magazine stand to learn a little more about John Svashta.
Bob, learned that John was furious at his neighbour Jim for stealing his cows and for messing with his precious Dodge Charger. Bob discovered that John planned to takedown Jim with a dart gun. He was going to hide in the barn behind the haystack, shoot Jim with the dart gun to knock him out and then call the police.
After he had heard the plan in full, Bob quietly leaves the store and jumps in his truck, lottery ticket stowed away securely in his wallet; he speeds home to share the news with the girls.
No longer, surprising to Bob, all five of the cows hardly noticed his arrival home, because they were mesmerized by a documentary about the beef industry.
"Do you think you should be watching, stuff like that on TV? It will give you nightmares," said Bob.
Clarabelle answers Bob with tear-filled eyes, "We have to do something Bob, you wouldn't believe what they do to us, it's disgusting. How can humans treat living souls this way it's reprehensible."
"There, there Clarabelle, we are going to save all the cows we possibly can. Don't you worry sweet Clarabelle, stop watching this stuff," said Bob as he grabs for his big-button remote, that Clarabelle was using to change channels with her snout. Big-button remotes ideal for seniors and cows too, who knew?
Bob, has another one of those, now frequent a-ha moments as he realises the conversation, he had just now with the cows, was telepathic.
"Our magic is getting stronger together, I don't understand why," says Clarabelle. "Did you get the lottery ticket?"
Bob confirms that he did indeed get the lottery ticket and told the girls about coming across John Svashta at the store, and his plans to sabotage his neighbour Jim. They all agreed that they would need to come up with a new counter plan for tonight's mission.
In the meantime, they all settled down in front of the TV to hear the lottery results. The cows wink at each other, trying to hide their smiles. To Bob's astonishment, all of the winning numbers matched his ticket! Bob screams in delight and proceeds to do backflips and cartwheels around the barn, difficult for young people, his eighty-four-year-old body no match. He stops and starts laughing uncontrollably, as he thinks of all the strange and beautiful things that have happened since Clarabelle's arrival.
"We can save a lot of cows with fifty-million Clarabelle! Braveheart Animal Rescue is expanding," said Bob with excitement. "Tomorrow we cash the ticket!"
Tonight they agreed, Clarabelle would venture out on her own. They decided it was best that Bob stays home in case John recognises him from the store.
Clarabelle waits until the early morning hours to take flight silently into the moonlit sky, this time she heads to Jim's farm. Upon arrival at Jim's farm, all the lights were out and the house and farm quiet, except for Jim's snoring. Clarabelle bursts through the barn doors, to find a massive factory farm with terrible conditions much like the documentary she had watched on TV earlier. The barn was cramped and overcrowded with a very thick layer of faeces.
Clarabelle gathered the cows and told them the truth about Jim; he was going to send them all for slaughter, one by one. Clarabelle was going to save all of the cows, but it will take her some time to rescue all of them. Clarabelle advised the girls to organise themselves to ward off Jim and to be brave and trust in her. She tells the girls to wait for her; she has a job to do first before they can leave the hell hole of a farm.
Clarabelle could hear Bob's voice in her head telling her, not to do it, but she could not resist, and again ignores Bob's words. Clarabelle spots Jim's Cadillac in the driveway, and heads over to power-poop the word "Revenge", across the hood and roof of the car, at warp speed, stopping only briefly to admire her cursive. Satisfied, she was not spotted, she burst her way back into the barn. She was rescuing six cows that night, but with a twist. Two at a time she leads four cows to the Svashta farm, John was asleep in his chair, rifle at his side, and a bottle of Jack Daniels in hand, nearly empty. Clarabelle silently opens the barn doors, and leaves Jim's cows behind, without a sound from John. The remaining two cows travel with Clarabelle to the Braveheart farm.
Bob and his cows celebrate and get to know each other. They laugh hysterically about what might happen tomorrow between John Svashta and his neighbour Jim, Becca insists that the newcomers watch "Chicken Run", so that's just what they do. Bob drifts off to sleep on the couch.
Images created by me.
Quality content my friend. I like the cow stories
Thank you! I'm flattered!
Jim might not like what you had done here, @braveheart29.
You have been warned.
slow, creepy music ensues
(well done by the way ;D )
Thank you! Yes, I am suspecting there will be some sort of clash between Jim and John. Clarabelle will have more surprises for you!
I wish I could tell you more about what I have in mind, but you'll just have to wait and find out for yourself ;)
On a sidenote though, Awesome work on the opening photo! :D
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Awesome Post UPVoted By @jimmyjemsx
well-written story! it's easy to read it.
You know, there're some stories and books, great n their idea, but extremely difficult to read. Yours is not) It's a sign of a talanted author)
Thank you, I’m blushing right now!
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