Chaos and Kalamity
Posted: 27 Jan 2014, 04:29
It had been the same for several months, late at night I would awaken on my small ranch to the sounds of cattle being disturbed, it meant another missing cow, more losses the farm could not handle, the hands were all but down to the bare minimum their wages behind, the cows were spooked the bull not mating the ranch would fail unless it stopped.
I jumped up grabbed my riffle and headed out the door, its wooden frame cracked and the cold winds of winters past had aged and warped it so badly, desperately in need of repairs the ranch was all that I had left. I heard the commotion down by the water hole, and skirted out along the fence line to catch the critter doing in my farm. Slowly I made my way down the hill following the stone fence, dipping in and out between the small pastures my keen eyes awake in the dark seeing detail. I was a farmer, rancher and the night was not new, I was at home on this land in the light or in the dark, this was home.
I was getting close I could see the outline of some of my cows in the darkness, I could see the figure there close to the lone tree next to the water, who was it, not one of the hands surely as they were still in the bunkhouse. I raised my riffle, my keen senses sharp as I narrowed in on the target its back to me. Then she turned, it was a woman!
Then the commotion, off to my left, it was my last bull, I could not afford to replace such an animal, I jumped the stone fence and hurried to the next pasture, running as quickly as possible, there in the field next to the stones was the bull laying torn to shreds. I knelt down to look and my heart sank why and what was doing this? I got up turned back to the tree but she was gone. Where had she gone? just disappeared? this made no sense, I cursed aloud and then heard the noises off to my right close bye I raised my rifle as I swung towards the sound....
It hit me hard from behind sent me head long into the stone fence my skull cracking and that was all that I remember except for the report of the single rifle shot........
I jumped up grabbed my riffle and headed out the door, its wooden frame cracked and the cold winds of winters past had aged and warped it so badly, desperately in need of repairs the ranch was all that I had left. I heard the commotion down by the water hole, and skirted out along the fence line to catch the critter doing in my farm. Slowly I made my way down the hill following the stone fence, dipping in and out between the small pastures my keen eyes awake in the dark seeing detail. I was a farmer, rancher and the night was not new, I was at home on this land in the light or in the dark, this was home.
I was getting close I could see the outline of some of my cows in the darkness, I could see the figure there close to the lone tree next to the water, who was it, not one of the hands surely as they were still in the bunkhouse. I raised my riffle, my keen senses sharp as I narrowed in on the target its back to me. Then she turned, it was a woman!
Then the commotion, off to my left, it was my last bull, I could not afford to replace such an animal, I jumped the stone fence and hurried to the next pasture, running as quickly as possible, there in the field next to the stones was the bull laying torn to shreds. I knelt down to look and my heart sank why and what was doing this? I got up turned back to the tree but she was gone. Where had she gone? just disappeared? this made no sense, I cursed aloud and then heard the noises off to my right close bye I raised my rifle as I swung towards the sound....
It hit me hard from behind sent me head long into the stone fence my skull cracking and that was all that I remember except for the report of the single rifle shot........