Green

Mama goat and her kids gathered…or were gathered for their daily graze. The lad who tended them always tied their ropes on a hinge in the rails that skirted the highway. The little kids always fidgeted in fright when a huge truck screamed past, retreating to their Mum till the sound reduced only to advance again to feed. They strained their necks to reach the greener, more succulent shoots just a little out of their reach but they could only manage a few unsatisfying bites. They cursed the lad that tied them out of reach as they chewed on what they could. Before they knew it, it was dawn and the lad was there to untie them, and lead them home. Another day awaited tomorrow.

In the dead of the night while they were asleep miles away in their shed, one of those huge trucks that interrupted their feeding by day, came speeding by and failed to negotiate the turn. With tyres screeching, it rammed square into the rails where they were tethered every feeding morning. When the lad showed up the next day, he had no option but to tie them on the bent rails. They didn't mind though because now they had more reach, they could feed on those luscious blades that they weren't able to before…they even had the liberty to turn on their heels and scan which patch to devour next. They didn't mind that the green was smudged with red sticky streaks or that some flecks of glass caught in their teeth as they chewed…all that mattered was they could eat some more. Soon it was dawn again and the lad was there to lead them home once more. They didn't mind the wreckage of the truck that skirted their feeding place…nor could they read the inscription on one of its mingled sides DIE TODAY TO LIVE TOMORROW…