The Trespassing Crew by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Chapter 1
They saw their first cold dark morning together. They rubbed up against each other as they tried to extend their legs.
They both noticed a gigantic something sitting next to them. It started licking them and they weren’t sure if they liked that.
It was cold enough out not to want to be wet in addition. He tried to push himself up on his hind legs to avoid the furious tongue. His legs were shaky and he fell back down on the ground remaining at the tongue’s mercy. She tried the same thing with as much success.
“Stay still a minute,” said the big tongue licking thing.
“Stop licking me. I’m cold,” said the little boy. “Who are you to get so familiar with me?”
“I’m your mother and I can do anything I want. Of course I’ll only do things that are for your own good.”
“Mother,” he thought. “I don't know what that means.” He figured he’d find that out some other time. Now, it was more important to escape that tongue. He tried to get up on his legs again, but they seemed too weak to support his minimal weight.
When she saw him do it, she tried her legs, with similar results.
“You are brother and sister,” the big thing said.
She said, “Are those our names?”
“No. It just means you two are relatives. I’m a relative too.”
Neither of the two shaky-legged ones knew what that meant, either.
The little girl thought of a million questions to ask, but decided to hold them for later.
The little boy was a bit bolder or more vocal and asked,
“Then what are our names?”
Tongue Licker realized her answer would be viewed as evasive, but in the long run it would avoid confusion, saying;
“You don’t have names yet. I could give you names, but they might be changed. Our human protectors will be here soon and they will do that.”
The sun started to rise over the mountains on a sub-freezing, November fifteenth morning. The wind was mercifully calm.
Joe and Mary Robie finished their quick breakfast and exited the farmhouse back door. The middle-aged, long married couple were about to begin their daily routine, when they saw the movement under the apple tree.
Joe excitedly said; “Look what happened, Mary. Annabelle must have just had her babies.”
Mary quickened her step and replied; “Let’s see.”
Joe and Mary raced over to all the activity. They saw Annabelle lying on the cold ground and the two little ones, now shakily standing.
“How beautiful,” exclaimed Mary.
“Maybe we’ll see their first steps. You check Annabelle and I’ll take a look at the little ones.”
Mary got on her knees and put her hands on the new mother and told Joe; “She looks fine to me.” She softly rubbed Annabelle’s neck and mane, smiled into her alert eyes and cheerfully said; “What a good girl.”
“The babies are fine, too. It’s a little boy and a little girl. What should we name them?” Joe petted them softly, careful not to disturb their precarious balances.
“Well, let me think. .............. They must have been born right under this apple tree. So let’s call her Apple. You name him.”
“How about Pablo?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Of course Apple and Pablo had no idea what they were saying. It sounded like a muted series of drumbeats and a constant swoosh to them. The gentle, dry hands were considered an improvement over the wet tongue, but they kept that to themselves. Annabelle understood enough of human speech to tell
them, “Your names have been given. You are Apple and you are Pablo. That was quick.”
They liked their names better than brother and sister.
They smiled at each other and felt that their legs were getting a little steadier. “What’s your name?”
“Mom. That’s what children call their mother.”
Pablo tried to walk closer to Mary. His legs started shaking and he fell back down. Apple stayed still, not wanting the same thing to happen to her.
Joe said, “Pablo is a curious boy. He’s a good looking horse, too, with those white diamond markings on his little brown head and body.”
“Apple is the beautiful one. She’s all black, I think, except for the white markings on her hooves, like boots.”
Joe moved over to the fallen Pablo and put his right hand on his belly and rubbed it.
“Hey, don’t start licking me,” cried out Pablo. Joe just heard, “Whinny.”
Joe said; “Easy, I won’t hurt you little boy. I’m a friend.”
Mary chastised Joe, saying; “You’re ignoring Apple.” Mary walked over to her, petted her head, looked and spoke in her direction, though the words were half directed to her husband;
“Look at this proper little girl. She’s not the least bit
reckless. And look at those beautiful eyes,” as she held her under the chin. “You’re my girl.”
Pablo: “What are they saying, Mom?”
Annabelle: “They’re saying that they like you two a lot.
They speak a strange language. You’ll pick up parts of it as time goes by.”
Apple: “Can they understand us?”
Mom: “Not at all.”
Apple: “Then how do we tell them that we like them, too?”
Annabelle: “You have to show them. You’ll learn how.”
Pablo: “When?”
Annabelle showed the slightest hint of exasperation: “I don't know. It depends on how smart you are.”
Pablo and Apple got quiet. They realized it would take some time to understand what was going on. But, for the moment, they were happy as well as curious.