Slaughter House

Chapter 3

The Blood Market was located about five long, bumpy miles from the schoolhouse.

The drive there was the same as the drive anywhere in this town with its pot-hole covered dirt roads with some asphalt every now and then. You'd see folks on the side of the road walking, carrying wood and sometimes even fist fighting. A good fight scene was something Opal enjoyed the most. She would bang her fists against the dashboard and cheer on the competitors. However, during this journey we didn't see anything worth yelling about.

The ride there was silent until Opal wanted to tell a story.

She wet her pink lips and cleared her throat as she began:

"Once upon a time there was a little piggy -"

"Did this little piggy go to the market?" I interrupted.

"No!" Opal hissed.

Avery-Alice put a hand over her mouth to hide a giggle from my most sensitive passenger.

"This little piggy went to a slaughter house."

My ears perked up at the last words. This doesn't seem like a story Opal would tell. Unless, maybe the little piggy went there for a fist fight.

"The little piggy heard the farmers keep the bestest things to eat at the slaughter house " Opal said while squeezing her pinky. "So, he traveled there in the darkness of night." 

From the corner of my eye, I could see Avery-Alice's face turn towards Opal. She looked as concerned as I felt.

"When the little piggy arrived there it was heaven! Just heaven! There was all kinds of food for the piggy to have." Opal shouted while sending her hands into the air.

"Good?" I raised an eyebrow.

"The little piggy ate and ate and ate until it was so fat it toppled over." Opal smiled patting her stomach.

"Then what?" Avery-Alice asked.

Opal took a deep breath and brushed her jet black hair from her sweaty face. 

"The farmer's wife came out and walked to the little piggy. She rubbed the pig's tummy and said she knew a place where the piggy could rest." She continued.

"The little piggy didn't go with her, did he?" I asked putting a hand on Opal's head.

Opal looked up at me and nodded.

"The little piggy rolled onto its legs and followed the woman. As they walked further into the slaughterhouse the piggy saw hooks and blood...the little piggy got scared and tried to flee."

"Did he make it out?" Avery-Alice bit her lip.

"The woman didn't give chase, instead she banged on the walls of the slaughterhouse three times. Bang. Bang. Bang."

Avery-Alice and I were so fixated on Opal's story, and I had to force myself to check the road every other word.

"The little piggy saw a place in the wall where the tin was pulled to the side just enough for him to weasel through. Once the little piggy was free from the slaughter house, he thought he was safe..."

I held my breath waiting for Opal's story to conclude. 

"but in the next few steps the little piggy took, he felt something in his back."

Opal shut her eyes and folded her hands in her lap as if she was praying.

"What-What was it?" I asked while my eyes shifting from the road to Opal.