Waiting For August

Part 11~An Angry Nanny

"There are girls next door." Brody announced as he and his brother came in through the door, dropping school bags in the doorway as they did.

"Hey, metal mouth." I grinned. They now had matching smiles that were putting their parents back a pretty penny. I would have to see what the pack could do to help out with it.

"Very funny."

It was Monday afternoon, and I was in the kitchen making Banana bread. "Unless you have homework leave your bags outside." I watched as they glanced at one another and shrugged before Brady reached down to pick up their backpacks.

"Did you hear us?" Brody asked as he peeked into my bowl of batter. "Banana bread?"

"Yes. Banana bread. And you mentioned something about girls."

"Yes. Teenagers." He'd said the word as if he were speaking of something nefarious. "They're in the gazebo. Nuts?"

"No nuts. Trixie hates them."

"I think they're drinking beer." Brady added as he came back inside.

"Not our business. Leave them alone." I divided the batter between two loaf pans. I caught a frown pass between the two of them. "What?"

"They were waving to us."

"That's fine. It's polite to wave back, but you're not to go over there. Are Trixie and Liam here?"

"Yep. They went down to the hen house."

That made sense. Trixie was dedicated to Lulu-Belle and her chickens, and Liam was dedicated to Trixie. "Why don't you head down to the stables, and I'll come get you when the banana bread is ready."

"Deal." They said in unison as I put the loaf pans into the oven.

An hour later I was pulling the banana bread out of the oven. By the time I went down to the stable and back, it would be cool enough to eat.

I didn't get that far.

Halfway to the stable I could hear a chorus of screams, as three boys came running towards me, their faces blanched. I broke out at a run towards them. "What's going on?"

"It's Lulu-Belle." Liam exclaimed as he gasped for air. "She's gone crazy."

"Where's Trixie?" I didn't have time to wait for an answer, as a shrill scream pierced the air. I took off running. The screams were coming from the barn. When I reached the building, I found Trixie with her arms outstretched as she attempted to calm an upset goat who was hell bent on charging her. It made little sense. That goat had never been hostile, and Trixie was the last person she would turn on. I immediately put myself between them.

"Out." I ordered as I faced down my little nanny goat.

"But."

"NOW! Close the door behind you." I didn't want to take my eyes off Lulu. Sure, she was small, but enraged. When the light from the barn door behind me dimmed, I began moving slowly towards her. There was a rope on a hook on the wall. 

I didn't reach it before she charged me. She was one angry little goat. I waited for the last moment before I dodged her and went after the rope. I grabbed it and turned quickly as she charged me again. As she got close, I realized there was more at play here. Lulu's eyes were milky white, as if my previously healthy animal suddenly had severe cataracts. If she had gone blind, she may have been charging simply out of fear. Nothing about this, however, seemed normal.

I let her pass by me again and as she did, I tackled her, grabbing her by her little horns and throwing my weight down upon her small frame until I drove her nose into the ground. I then pinned her before I hogtied her into submission.