Roast Goat by Larry Heyl CC-BY-SA

Mikhael ran swiftly through the dawn, knees lifted high, feet barely tapping the ground. He swerved quickly avoiding rocks and sticks without thinking or looking. The cold air cut his lungs as he gasped deeply.

He entered the house running through the kitchen door and was brought up short by the table. He leaned on it unable to catch his breath or speak. His wife, Elena, brought him some water. The children ran down the stairs sleepybugs still in their eyes. One look at their mother told them they'd best be still.

"I saw them. The soldiers. Over the hill." he panted out. "We've got to hide the goats. They'll be here soon."

Elena spoke sharply to the eldest boy. "Jackson, you and Kelly take the dogs and herd the goats into the back woods. You know where to hide them in that thicket."

"Leave the old billy," said Mikhael. "If the soldiers find him they might not look for the others. I'll tell them we had to eat the others because of the hard winter."

Jackson and Kelly flew out the door and were gone in a flurry of waving hands, barking dogs, and running goats. Elena set the younger children down at the table and pulled out her largest pot quickly filling it with water, turnips, and potatos. Mikhael went out to the barn where he hurriedly hit the feed bags and his newer tools under the hay. He took the billy into a stall and fed him from the remaining bag of feed what he feared would be his last meal. The winter had been hard and the soldiers would be hungry.

Back in the house the water was barely boiling when the soldiers came over the top of the hill. They weren't marching smartly and looking sharp like they had a few years back. Before the battles they bristled with pride and spit and polish. Now they looked a ragged bunch with hunger in their eyes.

There were less then a dozen men led by a Sargeant. No officers. That worried Mikhael.

He met them in the yard. "It's been a hard winter.", he said to the Sargeant.

The Sargeant didn't respond ignoring Mikhael and signaling his troops to check the barn. He walked to the house and into the kitchen. Mikhael followed.

Elena met them at the door. "You must be hungry." she said. "I am fixing soup for my family but you are welcome to it."

The Sargeant snapped his bayonet off his rifle and stabbed a potato. It was still raw but he ate it anyway. "Don't you have any real food." he said. "We need to camp and recuperate."

Mikhael thought fast. "The other soldiers wiped us clean. You know the ones.", he said and he spat on the floor.

"When were they here?" asked the Sargeant glancing out through the door.

"Just last week. They said they'd be back. I wish you would stay and protect us.", Mikhael answered. The sargeant gave them a worried look.

Out in the yard a soldier shouted, "We found this old goat. Should we start a fire and roast him?"

"We can't stay long enough for that.", ordered the sargeant. "You!", he pointed at Elena, "Take that soup out to the men."

"Can I feed my children?" asked Elena.

The Sargeant snapped his bayonet back onto his rifle. "Your children can eat after we've gone.", he said.

Mikhael stood by his wife in front of the children. "You'd best do as he asks.", he said.

Elena took the half cooked soup out into the yard and then retreated back into the kitchen scared by the ravenous soldiers. The sargeant went out to eat with the men.

Mikhael went and stood by the Sargeant. "Can you stay then. I'm afraid those other soldiers will be coming back. If you want me to I'll kill this goat."

The Sargeant ignored him. After the last potato was gone he led his men out of there.

"Let's make some time." he shouted. "They are expecting us in Springfield in the morning."

Mikhael watched them leave scratching the old billy's ears. He whispered to the goat, "I'm glad you can't understand what I just said old boy or you wouldn't be so trusting."

Elena sent the younger children off to the back woods for Jackson and Kelly. Then she came and stood beside Mikhael watching the soldiers trudge off in the distance.