The Goat of Hades
By Casey Douglass
as part of #FridayFlash
Phil trudged along the
narrow dusty tractor track, the incessant buzzing of flies darting
around him starting to get on his nerves. It was getting late but the
hot summer evening was as stifling as ever, the setting sun smirking
as it bathed the fields in a fiery golden glow.
He looked up from his
phone and could see the back of his house looming in the copse in the
distance. He loved living here, nice and quiet with great views, but
it was a pain in the backside to get back to civilization. He swished
a finger across the icons and began searching for take-aways.
‘Chinese...na.’
To his right, a wire
fence conspired to keep a few motley looking sheep from wandering
away. The smell of animal crap and sweaty fur made Phil’s nose
itch.
‘Pizza...nope.’
He batted a fly away.
‘Psst!’
‘Indian...could fancy
an Indian.’
‘Pssssst!’
Phil looked up and
glanced behind him. Shaking his head he went back to his phone
screen.’
‘Oi!’
Phil jerked upright and
stared all around.
‘Down here!’
The voice came from
Phil’s right, but he couldn’t see anyone.’
‘Down!’
He swivelled his eyes
down lower. A mangy black goat stood at the very edge of the wire
fence, its glistening nose pointing straight at Phil.
‘Bingo!’ it said.
Phil felt his back and
shoulders relax, the tension stuttering through his body and flowing
away with each deep breath he forced into his lungs. ‘Oh this
again!’ he said.
‘I don’t know what
you mean, but I need your help!’
‘Oh do you! Might I
say that’s not very clever, a goat in a field of sheep!’
‘Drop that tone
mortal. I am the Great Goat of Hades! Show me some respect!’
Phil's vision began to
shimmer and go dark around the edges as he stared at the goat, its
black fur darkening, its eyes beginning to glow a little bit red
around the edges. ‘Very impressive, but I’ve had worse.’
‘I will kill you!’
‘Then who is going to
help you? I don’t see many candidates!’
‘I don’t have time
for debate. This vessel was moved here by the farmer and had a shock
collar put around its neck.’ The goat craned its neck, the heavy
buckle of the collar glistening in the fading light. ‘Take it off
me!’
Phil stared around him
and shook his head. Everything else looked so normal, the settling
dusk, the birds roosting, even the jogger in the very distance with a
pink t-shirt on. His mind went to his stomach which was gurgling and
felt like it was holding his other organs hostage. He sighed and
stepped over the fence. Better to get it over with.
The black goat turned
and raised its chin, its small wispy beard matted and tangled into a
briary point. ‘Good!’
Phil got behind it and
stood over its back, one leg either side. He reached down and pulled
the collar around so that he could get at the buckle more easily. He
unfastened the flappy bit and paused. What had he done before when
stuff like this happened. Oh yes.
‘Wha-,’ was the
only sound the goat emitted as Phil yanked hard on the tongue of the
collar as he stood up to his full height, his knees pinning the back
of the now kicking animal. A horrible gurgling sound filtered out of
the creatures mouth accompanied by a thick black jet of faeces at the
other end. Phil gave a mighty heave and was rewarded with a sharp
cracking noise. He let go, the lifeless goat falling to his feet.
He stood still and
panted, his hands shaking and greasy with sweat. A cool evening
breeze blew across his brow, the moisture on his face lulling his
mind. He heard muted scuffling from a way behind him. Turning, he
looked at the huddled sheep that had now taken up residence in the
furthest corner of the field. He looked down and nudged the black
shape with his foot. He smiled.
‘I could fancy a
kebab!’
Stooping, he lifted the
thing over his shoulder and ponderously straddled the fence to get to
the path. The flies buzzed around him with renewed ferocity,
diverting his attention just enough that he didn’t feel the ground
shudder ever so slightly. He grinned as he walked, his mind clear
once more. It had been years since he’d heard voices, but he knew
how to shut them up. That rabbit at Easter when he was ten, the
dazzling little white dove that glowed and that grinning smirking
reindeer with the red nose. Oh yes, he knew what to do!
--THE END--