Pic1000- Gus
"Hey Gus, wait" Timmy called, running after Gus as fast as his tiny legs could carry him.
"What?!" Gus answered without turning or stopping to wait for his friend.
Gus is an Inquisitive Vietnamese pot-bellied short pig that lives in a tiny Piggy Hamlet. He had a fur that was as black as charcoal and he loved adventures.
"Where are you off to this early morning?" Timmy asked, not surprised to see the adventurous pig on another mission that early in the morning.
"To find the big old apple tree our grandparents go to for retirement which we are always told about during bedtime?"
"What?" Timmy exclaimed, eyes opened wide. "Don't tell me you believe those fairy tales, Gus?"
Finally turning to look at his friend who by now was gasping for breath with worry etched on his face "Of course I do. And it's not a fairytale. Don't worry I'll find it"
"I'm actually worried about you Gus," Timmy explained. "I've always admired your adventures but with this one, you won't come back. There's no big apple tree, that's just what they tell kids like us whenever our old ones are killed by the humans for a meal"
"Humans? What humans?" Gus asked, ignorant of what his friend was talking about.
"Our true owners. I'm surprised you don't know about this Gus with all your adventures' Timmy snorted disappointed.
Gus paid rapt attention by now to what his friend was saying. "Tell me about it, Timmy"
"Gus our Piggy Hamlet is a farm owned by these humans. They're monsters that use us as food or sacrifice during their festive periods. Especially their cold white Christmas celebrations." He paused. "During this time, they pick the fattest of us, which happens to be our grandparents and slaughter them, then they eat us after cooking us in hot oil."
"And the big apple tree?" Gus asked, emotional by now.
"It's just what our parents tell us in preparation for when it'll be our turn".
With that, Gus fell flat on his tummy and wept while his friends consoled him. He showed that when he was of age, he would put an end to the ills meted out to them by their so-called owners.
What a wake-up call Gus received upon hearing the news the bedtime story wasn't true. I can relate to that scenario as a child. I can understand the parents' point of view because the harsh reality of their situation couldn't be explained to their piglets.
I do wonder though with your ending how this change in their situation would come about when you say:
Perhaps lead an escape from Piggy Hamlet before they grow to adulthood. Thanks for sharing this story. A thoughtful perspective on the farm life of a domesticated animal. Take care.
Gus must have been so disappointed to realize that there wasn't any big apple tree but rather death was waiting for each and everyone of them.
Nice story!
He was very disappointed. Thank you for reading 😊
Gosh, I don't know what to say, what kind of friend is that taking all the fun out of life? Gone is the need for adventure. Come on let's search for that apple tree!
Thank you for your entry. 👍