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Day Four
XI. THE GOAT ABATTOIR
4. Moment Of The Scream
I thought it must have been one of the workers playing tricks.
So that I went to tug on the manager's coat sleeve.
"Excuse me, is that one of the workers?"
"No", he said, "No, it's a goat."
But it was not the sound you would expect a goat to make.
"He's a bit frightened, that's all."
"But the scream, was human," I said.
"It's human", I said. But as I was saying it,
I knew it was a goat crying out.
"Come on," he said, "He's just a bit frightened,
when they hook him up by the leg."
Later dad said, "Don't be stupid,
they start ter scream as the blade goes in.
The stunner missed 'im. It's not uncommon."
The moment of the scream, travelled into a silent land & it kept going.
Tears flew into my eyes like blood.
The land began to turn a sour red. As every goat on its way,
heard that goat & understood.
There was the stench of bloodshed.
The cries from the kids, too small for the machinery, started up.
The black crows left the slip rail. |
