With
a low humming sound and with moonlight reflecting off its silvery
hull, the orb-shaped object hovered just above the cattle’s
heads. They nervously moved out of the way, going to the far fenceline,
away from the strange apparition.
With
strange beeping sounds and a louder humming, the object settled
into the pasture grass on the exact spot where earlier had stood
Pack Miller's small dairy herd of black and white Holsteins.
Over
against the right-hand fence, huddling against it and each other,
the cows mooed in alarm, waking Zeke, who looking around at the
strange sight, decided to wait and see what was up. He had never
seen anything like it. It was a new one on him.
The
humming and glowing was a lot different than Pack Miller's old
tractor and one thing was for sure, this was no tractor. Zeke
eyeballed the silvery sphere, waiting to see what would be next;
maybe it was a new feeding station. Why else would it be here
in their domain?
Zeke
edge a little closer and from behind the manure spreader he had
a much better view. He could see a slight indentation in the side
facing him. Maybe that was the feeding door?
As
he and the rest watched, it became lighter and then darker as
two figures appeared, coming from inside the strange object. They
flowed over the ground with a fluid, soundless motion. One was
tall and thin, while the other appeared short and squat. Neither
resembled Pack Miller.
Zeke
had decided that this was an intrusion that wasn`t known by Pack
Miller, who must be sleeping the sleep of oblivion, up in the
darkened farmhouse. Being the bull around the farm, the way Zeke
saw it,in Pack's absence, that left him responsible for the safety
of the ladies in the pasture.
The
two figures had stopped in front of the cluster of bovine females
still huddled by the fence. Both bowed almost to the ground and
began emitting melodious sounds in their direction. The cows,
not knowing what to make of it, moved en masse farther down the
fenceline.
The
creatures followed, still making the strange sounds. Again the
Holsteins moved, even farther away.
This
was starting to look like harassment to Zeke. Pawing the ground,
he let out a loud snort that caused the two strangers to turn
to face him. They advanced, still making the strangest musical
noises. The cows were starting to be inquisitive and edged closer
to hear the soothing sounds.
Zeke
watched this and something deep inside of his innards didn`t like
it.
Enough
of this...
Zeke
lowered his head, flaring his nostrils, and throwing mists of
white breath into the cold night air, he charged at a thundering
speed.
Some
strange sense must have told the two intruders what was about
to happen, for they turned at top speed and headed back from where
they had first appeared at the side of the silver sphere. The
taller one was in the lead. The shorter shaped visitor was having
trouble gliding, as it seemed to be mired in a cow pie. Trying
to free itself, as Zeke bore down upon them at top speed, with
fire in his eye, it bumped into the taller one and sent it sprawling.
Zeke
connected about then, horns in the air, propelling them neatly
up against the side of their craft, thus, helping them achieve
their last twenty-five feet, or so.
In
no time, the humming became a roar and the orb lifted off, quickly
disappearing back into the night sky. They didn`t think their
mission would return anytime soon. These earthlings weren`t very
friendly.
Zeke
strutted his stuff up and down the fenceline and circled the spot
where the thing had sat. The tractor and darn manure spreader
weren't that noisy... He didn`t know what to make of what had
happened. It didn`t matter, anyway. It was gone now.
Tiring
of his pacing, Zeke finally went to sleep, unaware that he alone
had repelled an advance guard of aliens and had in his bullishness
saved the Earth.
The
early morning sun's first rays found Pack Miller scratching his
head as he stared in wonder at the large circle burned into the
ground of his cow pasture.
