Sangre De Toro (Old Draft - Now Published!)

Chapter 19 - High On His Own Supply

Lying next to Maribel under a tree, Pepelito found it hot but pleasant. She was the first member of his species he'd seen since the plaza workers had driven him from the enclosure into that dark box. Far away from the arena, he was trying to put its horror and violence out of his mind. The fresh air had eased the pain in his back and in his heart.

He hadn't seen a cow for even longer, not since he last saw his mum. He'd been so young. Sometimes he still remembered her comforting presence. Maribel was different; bigger than he was, without question the dominant one. She was 15, too old to be interested, but that did not matter; with her, he could be sociable and felt loved. She was calm and accepting. Perhaps here, he could start to heal both his mind and his body.

But he sensed the terrible sadness in her. She had recently lost someone too. She had been a dairy cow and before Silvio retired she'd had calves taken away, seen other cows sold. They had a lot of space and Silvio was a kind, if irritable man who left them alone. He wasn't cruel or violent. But there were things he didn't want to or couldn't understand.

'Maribel,' Silvio said; she got up and strolled towards him. She adored the farmer. Pepelito still didn't know if he truly trusted any humans. He knew he had done something bad a few weeks ago. He'd made Rita afraid. Maybe she was angry with him. Maybe that was why Silvio took him. He was happy to be here but the journey had exhausted him; it was disorientating being somewhere so different.

He didn't miss Rita's flat or the street noises and the walls and the lack of grass, but he missed her and Alfonso, they had been kind to him and protected him. He got up and walked to the water trough. A group of geese hissed at him as they hung around it. Yesterday one had bit his leg, so he'd chased them. He'd have to do it again.

He turned round slowly and walked towards Maribel as another farmer chatted to Silvio by the fence. 'That's a nice looking bull. Where did he come from?'

'My nephew won him in a bet with some guy, and I just lost poor old Beatriz so he gave him to me.' Silvio took a drag on his cigarette. Pepelito picked up on his anxiety and irritation.

'How much is he?' the other farmer was asking, looking towards Pepelito.

'He's not for sale.'

The other farmer looked disappointed. 'He looks like the bull in that YouTube video I saw.'

Silvio shook his head in confusion.

'On the internet.'

'No idea what you're on about, son. Don't ask me about the internet. Never even sent an email.' After a few minutes the other farmer left, followed by several geese who snapped at his legs. Silvio looked confused and annoyed.

'What was that about, Maribel? That guy only talks to me when he wants something.' Maribel walked forward to be stroked. Silvio didn't like other humans, Pepelito thought, watching the geese and chickens scratching around in front of the dilapidated farmhouse.

'How you doing, Pepelito? Your back any better than yesterday?' Silvio said cheerfully as if he was chatting to a neighbour and expecting a reply.

'Lovely weather today, isn't it? Not too hot. Nice day for sitting outside and having a smoke.' Was he supposed to do anything in response? Pepelito wasn't sure. Sometimes he found the kind way people now treated him difficult to navigate. There were things he had learned not to do, to hide in front of humans. Pain and fear had been constant companions during his previous encounters, but now there seemed no reason to fear anything. His new protectors even rewarded him with treats and affection when he dropped his guard. He found their reactions disconcerting; they were so different to what he knew he had to expect.