My Good Idea

 

Written by Mudga

 

 

It had seemed like a good idea yesterday. But now that I was seated on a plastic chair in a dimly lit barn house, the idea seemed to become less and less attractive with every minute that ticked pass. The room consisted of a row of shaky plastic chairs, which were all occupied with equally unstable people. Most of the people, sat chewing their grubby nails, or glancing around the room as if something was going to appear out of thin air and attack them. I didn’t know why everyone seemed so on edge, the place did have an odd vibe, and as I scanned the barn house, it hit me that it seemed like the kind of place where things could go very wrong, very quickly, but still, it was only a barn house!

 

“Kylie Finch!” crowed a stern lady who then ushered me out of the waiting room.

 

I jumped up from my chair and followed her out the barn house and into a stable room, where an oil lamp illuminated a single stall, in which a large female cow lay, chewing on a gland of hay.

 

“Her names Bree, she is yours now.” The lady said, stating the obvious.

 

I dug my hands into my coat pockets and extracted some crinkled twenty-dollar notes.

 

“Dearie, she is only ten dollars. She is a pest, hence her cheap price.” The stern lady explained as she watched the money.

 

I, confused, paid her the money and eagerly took the cow and the change, and just like that, I bolted out of the eerie barn house, on my way home.

 

One Month Later

 

I knocked on the door of my first customer, the door creaked open and a starch girl with red pigtails opened the door.

 

“Milk maid, I suppose?” The girl asked.

 

“Kylie Finch, and yes, here is your milk” I said, ignoring the rude comment about milk maids.

 

“Daisy Caizy,” Daisy said as she snatched the milk from my arms.

 

“Oh, alright Daisy….”

 

But the door flew shut, and Daisy locked the door three times, before slipping a crisp note beneath the door and the floor.

 

“I had to do that, I don’t want to catch your milk maiden disease!”

 

Picking up the money, I bolted home.

 

When I arrived home, I told my mother everything.

 

“Why did I even get the cow? I know it was because I wanted some extra cash and all but... The cow is annoying, and so are my customers.” I said tearfully.

 

Mrs Finch smiled sullenly.

 

“Sweets, don’t give up now. I am sure some good will come from Bree, as long as you keep working hard.”

 

Mother was right, good did come from Bree… but also some bad things.

 

I was never taken seriously in town, I was known as “the milk maid” and I hated my new nickname, even if it was realistic. But delivering milk hade forced me to meet some amazing people, before Bree, I was a lonely farm girl, but now I was the town’s most popular girl, the towns most popular Milk Maid! The other good thing, was my new best friend, Bree. She was cheeky and fun, and I could tell all my secretes to her, and she wouldn’t tell a soul.

 

But one gloomy morning, while rain drizzled from the grey sky and while a single crow sung in a tree, something terrible did happen.

 

I pottered outside, eager to spend the day with Bree in the stables. Collecting some hay, I sprinted towards the barn in which she slept. On arrival, I flung open the gate to Bree’s little home and turned to see Bree, when I saw a dreadful sight.

 

Bree lay panting hard, with her leg wrapped in barbed wire. I screamed and called for help, and Daisy, now my friend and neighbour heard and appeared out of nowhere, she dialled the ambulance, and the rest passed in a blur for me.

 

All I remember is hugging my mother, clutching the phone in anticipation waiting for news of Bree.

 

But when news came, I wished it hadn’t.

 

“Passed away, gone. I’m sorry.” the veterinary repeated over the phone.

 

I cried for hours over losing my best friend, but then a thought hit me. Bree had changed my life!

 She had given me one thing that I would cherish forever, friends, and even though Bree herself was gone, I now had a town full of people that loved me, all thanks to Bree. 

 

Thanks so much for reading My Good Idea!! Feel free to leave a comment telling me what you thought about this story! -Mudga