Sheep
“I’m a little worried about Carl.”
“Who?”
“Carl. The new guy?”
“Oh, yeah, him,” Miriam said, barely glancing up from her meal in Carl’s direction.
Fred pressed on. “I’m serious, Mir. I don’t think he’s eating enough. I think that’s why he’s so skinny.”
“He looks like he’s doing fine from here,” she scoffed. “Look at how he’s chowing down, like he’s never seen grass or clover this good.”
It was true, Carl was attacking the ground with gusto, but to Fred’s eye something was off.
“There’s leaves spraying everywhere,” he pointed out. “It’s like he’s just tearing it up and shaking it around, hardly getting any of it down.”
Miriam plodded sideways a pace towards fresher leaves as she chewed thoughtfully.
“I did think there was something funny about his teeth,” she admitted. “They look all sharp and weird.”
“Yeah, now that you mention it…”
“And I didn’t want to say before but have you noticed the drool? Like he’s slavering all over the place.”
Her nose scrunched up in distaste and Fred felt compelled to come to Carl’s defense. It was hardly his fault if he had weird teeth and his eyes weren’t square like everyone else’s. Neither could he be blamed if his skin hung on him like a loose fitting coat, the wool shifting around as if it were barely attached to the bones underneath.
“You know, you were the one who brought it up,” said Miriam in a plaintive bleating. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
“Sorry, sorry. You’re right,” he said. “I shouldn’t worry so much about it.”
But privately he resolved to get Carl alone for a chat some time, maybe find out what his story was, help him fit in a little better.
This was inspired by the #freewrite prompt by @mariannewest: sheep.
Image by U. Leone.
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STOPI think the sheep is right to be suspicious, it's Carl a sheep or is he really a wolf in sheep's clothing?? I don't think going off alone with him is really a good idea. Nice freewrite.
Thanks. Poor Fred is just too nice.
Enjoyed reading :)
Thanks so much.
Then again, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. :)
Of course not. There must be a simple explanation for why poor, unlucky Carl's sheep friends keep disappearing.
This is the first time I heard a conversation between 2 sheep and it sure was interesting. And here I thought that it was so nice of Fred to feel bad for Carl and then your tags gave it all away. Now you have me worried for Fred's safety. Imagine that...your writing made this feel so real. Great work!
Thanks! Don't believe every tag you read. Maybe Carl just needs a good sheep dentist?