"You really shouldn't lie to your "faithful comrades", you know. Jacob said.
- Why do you care? Besides, they're too stupid to even realize I'm stabbing their little hardworking backs. "I replied.
That closed him up. I knew he only said that everyday so that he was sure I would come back the next day. Jacob was a lonely old gander who spent his days next to a pond some humans had protected to attract edible animals and shoot them dead. Sometimes they let a few species live to reproduce and make more food, but they would be ruthlessly killed anyways when they grew too old to breed. Jacob had explained all the animal of the pond were too brainless to realize their habitat was a killing zone for a group of humans. They always thought a crocodile was living in the pond and taking away all the unlucky geese, ducks and turtles that were killed every week, so they moved to a different location around the pond every time the "crocodile" killed another animal. As if a crocodile could live in a pond as small as theirs! The humans still wondered why the animals hadn't fled away from the pond yet. I had heard them talk about it in their very large house as I was sneaking around on the window ledges, but they had not tried to understand more, for they were getting their food and that was good enough. Jacob was the only male goose in the pond. Lucky for him none of his reproductions that were males were healthy enough to stay alive, so the humans kept him alive to keep the goose community growing. I wondered how all of his of children always ended up being females or unhealthy males that kept dying, but I never thought about it too much, even though I had time to think about it. My farm had just rebelled against the master, Mr. Jones, and now all the work was being done by the animals. Two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball I think were their names, encouraged all the animals to share everything and act like they were as smart as humans, maybe even smarter. I was the only one intelligent enough to understand the pigs were taking over the farm and controlling it, not following one of their useless rules, "All animals are equal.". But this was fine with me, as even the pigs were not clever enough to realize that I was skipping out on all the farm work the animals did everyday and coming back for the good meals that were prepared there. Well, they realized, but no one could resist my charming purr and my infallible excuses. They knew I did not work, but they could not refuse me. Being a cat was sometimes so simple, especially in this community of imbeciles. So every day, or most of the days anyways, I sneaked down to the pond to talk with Jacob. He wondered why I hadn't eaten him and his 20 "family", but the truth was his friends did not look very appetizing. After living with animals that considered themselves "civilized" and eating healthy food such as corn and oats, the geese at the pond looked very dirty and unappealing to me. As for Jacob who was much cleaner in every way possible, I told him that if he was to be killed even for my own gain, I would have no one to talk to every day. Well I would have, but it might be another one of those dimwitted fools who believed the afterlife held a heaven which was worth dying for. Jacob was very intelligent, one of the rare geese of his time who had an intellectual brain. It was very entertaining to talk to him, even for a whole day. Our discussions were mostly related to the topic of whether rebelling against the humans was a smart move. I was for the most part convinced that the men deserved what they were given, but not entirely sure about us animals doing humans' work. Jacob believed his life was great the way it was. But he was growing old, and his reproduction skills were fainting away. He admitted to me that a rebellion was not a completely useless idea for the humans were going to get rid of him someday, but he would wait until the time was right. He was still strong enough to make more descendents, but he would delay a possible revolution prior to him becoming a worthless old gander.
One day, I sneaked down to the pond a bit earlier than usual because a few of the animals had started the fieldwork earlier with Boxer, and if they were to see me in good health, my excuse of being sick for the day would break down. It was not mating season for the geese, but Jacob had told me they female geese were trying as hard as they could to have at least one healthy gander to take over for the old goose before he died, so Jacob had of course less time to spend with me, but I decided to go and see him anyways even if it meant having to wait for him. Jacob's other job was to check to see if every young gander that was born was healthy enough to take over for him, but so far, the few ganders that had been born had all died a day later because of their bad health. I wondered why he was letting the females make more geese because one new gander would mean his death in a few months; just enough to get the gander strong and healthy, and then the humans would cut Jacob's useless throat. But I did not ask, for this was none of my business, and at the time when he told me all of this, I was busy coming up with more excuses for my absences at the farm. As I silently slipped toward the spot where Jacob usually stood reading his favourite book, A Communist Proclamation,by Darl Larks, I noticed he was standing his back to me, suspiciously trying to hide his actions, whatever they were, and I slithered back into the shadows. I sneaked soundlessly around him, unseen by the goose himself, as I tried to get a better view of his questionable doings. What I saw I will not share in a very descriptive manner, for I could not describe it very well even with my exceptionable vocabulary. Jacob was murdering a young gander. The goose was ripping to shreds one of his own comrades, who was killed already therefore unable to scream. I did not speak, I did not gasp, for cats can control themselves in these situations. I quietly climbed up a tree to be able to examine more thoroughly the crime scene as it was happening. As I said, I will spare you the details. All I can say is that Jacob was doing what I thought him unable to do: assassinating, as far as I knew, an innocent creature. I knew he could defend himself against a possible attacker of course, but this level of cruelness was an impossible one from a goose, even one as unique as Jacob. After he was done, he threw the body into the pond, where it would lay unseen for at least a decade. The pond was deep. No ducks or geese or even fish would go that far into that much filth. The blood from the gosling would be accounted for as another crocodile killing. I decided to come out and let him explain himself before I made judgements. After all, he might have had a good reason for his crime. I jumped down from the tree and walked up to him in a calm manner.
"Hello. I said in an impassive voice.
Cat! I didn't see you there! he replied in a surprised and worried voice. He quickly regained control of himself. Why are you here so early? he asked in a calmer tone.
Oh you know. I had my reasons. I hope you have a good one for what you just did.
I, I was.... he stammered.
Jacob, I know what you did. Just explain yourself before I decide I am wasting my time here."
I watched as his eyes darted quickly back and forth between me and the pond where he had just thrown the young gander's body. I studied him as his expression changed, going from worried and afraid to sad and tired of it all. He took a deep breath and said:
"I am growing old, cat. I won't be able to survive much longer. But I need to survive. You know I do. I know I do. But they don't. They don't know that without me watching over them, they've got no chance of surviving. Another gander as old as me would not be able to find so much food for his family. I am smarter, and I know how to best make them survive. No other male goose would have been able to have kept this community alive for as long as I have. I warned them not to get food from the pond because it contains the most filth out of all our food choices. I know where all the closest leftover oats, corn and berries from the field are to the pond. I can read as well as any human. Sure I don't tell them some of us are in danger here because of the men. But where else could we get such good food while not being in danger? Nowhere. My choices have kept most of this colony alive and healthy. Can you understand that?
Yes Jacob, yes I can. But why didn't you tell me? That's what's really bothering me here. I am a cat. I can keep a secret. I have been wondering why you have been letting the other geese use you to reproduce. Why you weren't trying to protect yourself. I believed you were just watching over the colony, thinking of them before you, but now I see that I was wrong. Why, Jacob? Why don't you trust me is the real question here."
His eyes expanded in surprise. He wore a suspicious expression on his face which quickly disappeared as he broke down into laughter. Well if you could call that laughter. A goose's laugh sounds more like a deranged quack/scream if you really wish to know.
"Why are you laughing? I asked as tears ran down his eyes.
Why am I laughing? Because you, you.... You don't care! he exclaimed between two hiccups.
I don't care about what?
You don't care that I'm killing innocent goslings! he almost yelled.
Of course I don't! I bellowed. I'm a cat Jacob! Just because I live with farm animals who believe the world is suppose to be shared among animals with no killing whatsoever doesn't mean I agree with them! As far as I'm concerned, the world is unfair and each and every one of us must survive anyway we can even if it means killing innocents. I would have done the same thing if I were you! Now would you please explain to me why you didn'ttell me about all of this?"
Alright, alright. he said catching his breath. His voice suddenly became very serious. Now that I know you understand me, I can tell you what I've been doing over the past three years. I know, I know. he said before I could interrupt. I am aware that you want to know why I haven't told you any of this, but it will come. My story is a short one. I've been killing every single gander the geese have been having for three years. You already know why of course. To save my neck. But you must know I am not as self centered as you, my friend. It pained me every time I did it. I have a heart, and it was against me killing innocent goslings. But I knew I had to do it, because the community really does need me. All I said before was true. The geese would not have survived if it wasn't for my help, even though they don't realize it. Now, I will explain to you why I didn't tell you what I have been doing. I simply believed you would be against it. With what you told me about them I knew the animals at Animal Farm would be against it, so I thought you would follow their lead. But now I know you feel the same way I do, he said with a grin, and I will always tell you whatever you want to know from now on.
Jacob, I said in a relaxed voice, I forgive you for your mistake, but I have to tell you something. I see that you are in pain. When you were killing that young gander, you were not enjoying yourself. You were in agony. I can help you with that. I've seen the way you kill a gosling. I could make it less painful for them. A slash from my paw is like feeling a needle and falling asleep seconds later. Plus, instead of polluting the pond even more with the blood of each young gander, I could just eat it. You wouldn't have to watch, for I know how hard it would be for you. What do you say?
Jacob took a deep breath and said:
Yes. I will say one thing, cat. I will never keep another secret from you again."
We both smiled and walked away from the pond. At that moment, even though it wasn't a happy ending for everybody (such as the young ganders that were yet to be born), I knew it was a blissful day for both of us.