Goat vs. Girl

It started out as such a good day. I strolled the streets of town, enjoying the glorious sunshine since the past few days had been subjected to heavy rain and it was the first we'd gotten any sun in about five days. Everyone scrambled to take advantage of it before another storm could blow in.

It happened so fast, as it normally did, when this particular monster was concerned. I was promptly taken off my feet when something struck me from behind and slammed face-first in the mud with an audible SPLAT through the yard. When I lifted my head, my whole front was painted brown and green from mud and loose grass.

I looked back and was unsurprised to find the culprit of my humiliation standing only feet away, a challenging glint in his slanted pupils.

"You big, fluffy piece of poo!" I shouted at Ram Dover, struggling back to my feet. I shoved at his horns, pushing the animal back. He only shoved at me more insistently and I braced my feet, trying but failing to keep him at bay. My boots had gotten stuck during it and my feet slipped out of them, sliding around the mud barefooted. Even so, I refused to let it divert me from gaining dominance over this livestock once and for all.

I was not going to let a sheep, of all things in the world, push me around.

His head bowed forward, trying to force me back and I returned the favor, shoving right back against him.

"Oh no you don't! Not this time!"

We struggled endlessly; an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, each as stubborn as the other while we fought.

I could hear each panting breath he took from his nostrils, loud and determined as he tried and tried to force me back. At last, his head bucked and he kicked on his back feet, the force strong enough to throw me hard enough that I became momentarily airborne. A surprised shout forced from me as I flew up and landed hard in the mud once again. Now my back was covered completely in much in addition to my front. I panted hard with the struggle and glanced up to watch as the demon sheep kicked the dirt up with his front hoof, preparing to charge like a bull.

Through sheer instinct alone, I scrambled to my feet, slipping in the mud as I rushed to avoid the animal's next attack. He overtook me though, and rammed into my behind while I tried to retreat. The force sent me once again in the mud, and whatever had been left uncovered by filth was remedied with that last tackle. It took the skin of my teeth to manage pulling my body into a small tree in order to avoid a fourth attack from this beast, but even if the thing couldn't climb trees he staked out below it until Gabriel's dog, Angel, had come around and attempted to herd him away.

The ram only bayed once before calmly complying with the hound's order and waddled away to rejoin his flock.

I fumed furiously as I watched him strutting away, smug as a British Blueblood.

"You ass!" I hollered back at him. He didn't let it faze him as he sauntered on his way, the white dog on his back to guide him. Apparently, he had divided away from the rest of the sheep for the specific purpose of seeking me out to shove my nose in the mud.

Slowly, I inched down from the tree, furiously making my way back home. On the way, Dad caught sight of me in the street and trailed off of the conversation he was having with Mike as he gaped at me, mouth opened in complete shock over my state.

It was a few long seconds before he could find his voice once more, but when he did, he pointed and shouted at me in utter appall.

"DON'T YOU DARE GO INTO THE HOUSE LIKE THAT, YOUNG LADY!"

"I'm on it," Carl said behind him, brandishing a water hose. Before I could defend myself, my brother's thumb was over the spout pouring from the nozzle and I was sprayed with a jet of icy water.

I shrieked in surprise and held my hands out, attempting to protect my face. My anger pulsed hot with the treatment and I sprung at him, trying to grab the hose and return the favor. Carl only dodged away, keeping the jet pointed continuously at me. I managed to grab at it though and tugged it right out of his hands, turning the jet against him. He retreated back towards Dad and I advanced, chasing my older sibling around the man as he shouted again and tried to escape from our tousle.

"DON'T FIGHT AROUND ME!"

Through it all, I accidentally nailed him with a heavy jet of cold water just when Carl ducked from my aim.

Dad did not look happy about it.

"Oh. You. Are. In. So. Much. Trouble!" With those deadly words, I turned to flee, still with the hose in hand. It was my only weapon after all, but proved not all too affective when I attempted to turn it on him as I backed up.

"Don't you dare spray—" But I had already drenched him again, fleeing as I attempted to blind him with a spout of water in my charge to safety.

His legs were significantly longer than mine though, and he managed to overtake me in three seconds flat. I felt his arms lifting me up and attempted to spray him again hoping he would release me with it. The growls of wrath he had before, suddenly turned into laughter and with the amount of squirming I did in his arms, it eventually made him lose his balance and he slipped on the slick grass. We both tumbled over on the ground, laughing hysterically.

While we were struggling with the hose, Michonne, Mike and Carl had gathered around to laugh and egg us on.

We both lied on the ground panting and giggling, staring up at the sky until my dad's laughter began to transform into much different sounds. My head turned and I saw tears in his eyes. They were at first tears of laughter but rapidly transformed to tears of something much different than that. He covered his face with his hand and choked, cried, and laughed all at the same time. In time, they simmered out and he sighed.

When his hand came down he glanced at me and our eyes met.

All laughter died and we shared a look. There was an unspoken statement between the two of us in that stare. A sort of understanding. The bout hadn't been intentional, but it had alleviated a bit of the tension that had building in the both of us for perhaps years. In just a few minutes we had gone through emotions of annoyance, anger, wrath, joy, mirth, sorrow, and finally surrender.

It all happened so quickly, but in that small moment there were things spoken that neither of us could put into words. We laid there for a long moment, even while the others stood by, looking on us curiously.

Eventually, I rolled to my feet, drenched and still covered in mud and grass, despite being brusquely hosed down.

Dad got to his feet too, shivering under all the water. I stood between Carl and Michonne, sharing small sniggers as our eyes followed his back to watch him cross his arms against the chill of the water then slowly walk back into the house to change and continue the day same as always.


Author's Notes: Scene inspired by The Secret Life of the Bees. I just love the scene where Lily and June were boding with an unintentional water fight and have that moment in the grass where they just sort of lie there.