Shhh! Scribbler at Work

Bad Wire?

(prompt: 'still' 27/4/18)

"Now wait just a minute. THIS IS DIFFERENT!" And Boadicea drew back, causing more than a few clustered right on her heels to hastily back-up as well. Despite the shuffling of feet and craning of necks, she refused to budge another inch forward. Being a formidable size, and exhibiting a glowering countenance much of the time, none ever argued with her. It would be a long, long time before a new wannabee leader would materialise to challenge her ultimate authority. Certainly not this day.

The eager crowd behind her strained desperately to keep their curiosity in check. But most failed miserably. The conundrum was that everything on that well-trodden track looked perfectly, boringly normal. And yet a sixth sense flooded the deepest recesses of the senses of the crowd.

"The masters didn't spend all those days here for nothing." Boadicea's voice was ominous, but once again demonstrating her supreme courage, she stretched her neck forward, turning her head from side to side, nose twitching as she sniffed, trying to identify the danger she could surely smell... or feel? Did she imagine the tiniest sensation - a tickle maybe - at the extreme ends of her hair?

For the briefest moment the picture of the masters working at that unfathomable thing crossed her mind. Although they gave great concentration to their task, it seemed to make them happy. Accustomed finally to the changes in their voices, Boadicea was becoming more predictive of their 'moods' (as she believed they called them). Anger was easy to read - lack of conversation and when it came, the voices were harsh. Short, sharp words were spoken loudly, and the movements themselves were sharp. When all was well, there was a kindness in their tone, a need for these strange creatures to touch each other, put arms around each other, and more than once she heard the words, "What was that for?" when they put their faces close together. The usual response was, "Just because I love you..."

Much of the time there was a sound of something Boadicea hadn't been able to pinpoint. She heard the word 'excitement' used a few times, but had no understanding of what that foreign word meant. Maybe it was similar to the uncomfortable pounding going on in her heart area, right now. Maybe. Boadicea tried to imagine if the new barrier to their freedom could possibly be described as 'exciting'. She didn't think so. It looked pretty harmless compared to the jagged stuff it was replacing. Smooth and shiny.

And although a lifetime of experience had taught her that no matter how you looked at it, this 'bad wire' stuff never got any better, still she couldn't seem to stop herself from reaching out to touch the new beast on the block with her great wet nose. The tragic lesson would be learned - over and over - on this shocker of a day.

The new fence was the brand-new, you-beaut ELECTRIC variety. And a new twist to the old saying was born - 'What doesn't kill you, makes you wiser'.