Sheep Herder

Chapter Two

"What can of joke is this," I yelled confusedly into the landline as I paced around the kitchen. 

What I had witnessed was still something I still couldn't comprehend. Huddling together in the corner between a shovel and a large metal bucket were the five sheep, but they weren't exactly sheep. All five of them looked like little women in sheep clothing. In fact, it took me a moment of staring before I realized they weren't either women nor sheep but a humanized sheep, an anthropomorphic sheep! 

Upon realizing this I rushed back home and called the lawyer, demanding answers. 

"Everything was in the will, Mr. Mccullen," said the lawyer calmly. 

"I never saw that will!" I exclaimed. 

"Of course, that was part of the will to. Your Aunt wanted this to be a surprise."

"Well, I'm surprised!" I rubbed my temples in frustration. 

"Then what's the problem?"

"Their anthropomorphic sheep! I thought they will be, you know, normal sheep"

"Well, if you learned about these anthropomorphized animals then you'll find that they were the most beneficial to you."

"I know about anthropomorphic animals!" I answered angrily.

It all happened a dozen or so years ago when scientists first made humanized farm animals. They said that it was to improve communication and relationships between farmers and animals, the ultimate domesticated animal they claimed. It was all over the news for months. But in the end the rich were the only ones who could afford them so they didn't change the market as much as they originally thought, and for whatever reason I own five of them.

"Your Aunt specifically requested anthropomorphic sheep for you to care for. She thought you might appreciate it." The lawyer said calmly.

At this point I had calmed myself down a bit, revaluing my current situation. But in the end I was locked in place and already agreed to the will's conclusion. With a heavy sigh I turned back to the lawyer. 

"Just, been a stressful week," I said in defeat.

"Take your time. We all need time to mourn your Aunt's death," the lawyer said sadly.

I groaned in frustration before saying goodbye and hung up the phone. I stood in silence in the kitchen for a good couple of minutes thinking about my current predicament and what I should do. 

"Well, I guess an introduction is in order," I thought, dreading what is to come.

~

I opened up the storage shed to see that the sheep was still huddling together, in the exact same position as before. 

"Um, hi." I started, waved shyly at the cowering sheep girls. They didn't move as their large eyes stared at me fearfully. It was dark in the shed so I couldn't see much details so I stepped out of the shed to give them some room.

"You can come out, I'm not here to hurt you," I said reassuringly hoping that they can at least trust me enough to present themselves. For a full 10 minutes I patiently waited until the five sheep girls finally, but slowly, emerged from the shed one by one. This is when I got a better look at them. 

They were small, dirty, and were just skin and bones. Some of the most sickly things I have ever seen. 

Standing at only chest high to me at around four feet tall, they looked more like young girls than women. Their wool was all dirty and mangled, like they haven't been bathed in months. And finally they looked like they were starving, and that is with their thick full coat of wool.