Minnie and the Bull

A field of tall grass and marigolds stood between the picnic table and the line of woods at the edge of the property. ‘It’s a fairytale meadow!’ Emmaline would say as she danced with her seven sisters every sunny Sunday afternoon. This was their favorite place to enjoy their one day each week without chores on their family’s farm. Dressed in their Sunday best, little prairie dresses with small flower print and full calf-length skirts, they would spin and spin, letting the air fill their skirts up into little puffy ballet tutus. They’d spin for so long that they’d become dizzy, falling over into the marigolds together, laughing. Emmaline, the youngest at age five, would watch her skirt with intense concentration, waiting for it to turn into a little hot air balloon and carry her off into the skies of her imagination. Sometimes, when she thought hard enough, she would feel it start to happen, lift off, a sense of weightlessness, excited for this adventure away from reality; she’d close her eyes tightly, preparing to open them and be in the air, floating above a meadow of unicorns, a forest of fairies, and a valley of magical unknowns ready to be explored. Then she’d hit the ground next to her sisters, yellow and orange petals surrounding her, thrown into the air from the force of their bodies falling back to earth, grounding their sundress-clad physical forms moments before their minds would rejoin them. She’d feel mild disappointment before laughing when the butterflies returned to her tummy and the happiness and giggles of her sisters brought her back to her favorite place in the world. Why would she want to float away from it all anyway, she’d think. Weaving marigolds and dandelions into little crowns and dancing the day away was the best use of a sunny afternoon that Emmaline, or any of her sisters, could imagine after all.

Finally, they’d set out their picnic basket goodies on the picnic table under the giant willow tree. They’d unfold fresh blueberry and lemon poppyseed muffins, still warm from the large bright yellow cloth napkins they were wrapped in that kept the heat in. The day’s pickings from the pear tree in their back yard, the few apples left unscathed by the nibbles of the mother deer as they fed their fawns in the twilight of dawn that very morning under the apple tree. Handfuls of sugar snaps peas, carefully chosen cherry tomatoes, and cherries filled three more of the yellow napkins. Fresh lemonade with a sprig of lavender that Minnie, the eldest, helped Emmaline pick, filled a pitcher to the brim with little yellow cups along to share. Emmaline loved mixing her ‘potions’ with Mary, the second youngest and closest in age to Emmaline. ‘Love potion!’ They would exclaim as they realized they could make not only edible but also palatable lavender lemonade that their sisters really adored. It really was like a love potion according to their mom. Everyone who drank it absolutely loved it and absolutely loved them. Emmaline would grin ear to ear before grabbing Mary’s hand and bouncing out the door to get more people to come try their newest love potion.

“This is the best love potion yet, Emmaline and Mary!” Exclaimed Annie, the middle sister. Jenny, Ella, Hannah, and Haddie agreed and Minnie smiled as she handed out the little plastic plates and broke apart muffins to split between them. Jenny, a few years younger than Minnie, helped sort the fresh garden bounty and apples to make sure everyone got an even amount. Emmaline made eye contact with Jenny when she noticed her holding an extra cherry tomato after they were properly dispersed. Jenny’s eyes got wide as she popped it in her mouth with a silly yet warning expression. She put her finger to her lips to express silence as if the world could fall to ruin if anyone were to know their little secret. Emmaline considered and opened her mouth in the slightest way before Jenny widened her eyes once more, mouth still full, and secretly handed her the spare cherry that she was still holding. This squelched Emmaline’s need to speak up to the others over this betrayal of sacred sharing only a family of eight girls could understand, and popped it in her mouth, joining in a bond of mutual guilt and secrecy.

“I saw that!” Squawked Mary, pointing an accusation as if her finger were throwing a lasso of truth over both of the perpetrators.

“Oh, we all did, Mary-pie. You have plenty to eat and you can have the extra next time. Now let’s all enjoy what we have!” Chimed in Minnie, in her most soothing tone. It immediately calmed little Mary, and, lasso of truth no longer threatening her sisters, she watched with her lips pressed in dismay and brows furrowed in judgment as Jenny and Emmaline turned and giggled at one another. Finally chewing their spoils after being frozen in the spotlight, on trial for their actions, the mischief-makers were now bonded forever in their minds, which delighted Emmaline. She pressed her shoulder up against Jenny while they sat on the bench of the picnic table and snuggled in, showing how much she loved her big sister. Jenny snuggled right back, basking in the adoration of her youngest sister and enjoying the sweet friendship they’d formed. Haddie noticed little Mary’s face drop ever so slightly at seeing the bond she so wanted to be a part of. Suddenly Mary noticed a hand placing several cherries and cherry tomatoes on her plate and looked up to see Haddie giving her a warm, knowing smile before putting her arm around her and pulling her close. Mary relaxed and popped a cherry in her mouth, the perceived transgression of the two sitting across from her, forgiven.

Thunder rumbled and the breeze turned suddenly from warm to cool and moist. The sisters all looked up as the sky grew intensely dark and storm clouds loomed, moving quickly over the field toward them. Rain never bothered this group of adventurous young women, used to mud and farm work. But this was different. Fresh spring leaves ripped from nearby trees as if it were already autumn and blew around them, some already wet as the rain began to pour down on the trees. It became as dark as a moonless night. It seemed the shadow of a terrible monster had suddenly come to steal their picnic and fun away. The dark scared Emmaline and she was already under the picnic table, bracing for the rain, eyes shut tight, imagining the moment she was starting to float effortlessly over her fantasy lands. It felt like only moments ago and thought that maybe she had just dreamt this monsterous storm coming to ruin their favorite day.

A blood curdling scream intruded in Emmaline’s attempt to escape what couldn’t possibly be reality. It dragged her back to where she was—hiding under the protection of not just a picnic table, but the love and comfort of what took place atop that table shortly before and every Sunday she could remember. She reluctantly opened her eyes to see why Mary had screamed—she knew the sound; it was the scream she heard whenever Mary hadn’t gotten her way when they played dolls and wanted the bigger dollhouse or mixed potions and didn’t get to use the spoon to stir first. That wasn’t what scared her. It was the red eyes at the edge of the woods and the growl she was sure couldn’t be the thunder. Thunder wasn’t so guttural, so angry. It really was a monster come to steal their fun.

“A monster!” Shrieked Mary, as if reading Emmaline’s mind, and Minnie scooped her up and yelled instructions to the others to run to the other side of the wooden fence. They all ran with deliberate abandon, leaving the picnic supplies they’d so carefully packed up just hours before.

As they each hopped the fence, Minnie counted and realized she was one sister short. As she frantically looked around, Jenny stopped her and pointed to the picnic table.

“Emmaline!! It’s a Bull! You need to RUN, Emmaline! Run!!” The sisters shouted in unison. Emmaline was covering her ears with her eyes closed too tight to make a move, frozen in far more fear and denial than she had felt during her trial with the cherry in her mouth what felt like only a moment ago.

Minnie jumped the fence and ran, realizing that yelling wouldn’t work. Not for Emmaline who internalizes any perceived reprimand and appears stuck in one spot, unable to do anything but hold her arms around herself for comfort and weep. Even if Emmaline could hear, she wasn’t capable of escaping her own thoughts, held captive by fear. The other sisters changed from yelling to Emmaline, to cheering for Minnie to run as fast as she could. Minnie’s heart sunk into her stomach and her feet somehow went faster than she has ever moved them before, almost as weightless as the marigold petals that floated above them earlier.

“RUN, Minnie, RUN!” She heard the near-chant-like motivation of her sisters growing further away as she left physical safety, knowing her soul would be irreparably hurt if she didn’t. She watched as she ran and saw the Bull, now running too, toward the worst possible place Minnie could imagine. It couldn’t be real. She ran, her feet slipping at every step in the rain. A sandal broke and dangled on her ankle but she barely noticed. She sped up rather than slowed down at the feeling of her bare foot against the wet grass. She was going to be faster than this bull. She had to be. They were headed to the same destination. She got to the picnic table and threw it sideways to scoop up Emmaline in her arms. Emmaline closed her eyes tighter and tears streamed down her already wet face as the rain hit them. Minnie ran toward her sisters, toward hope.

CRASH! The cherished memories and lovingly cared for picnic set turned to pieces in a flash of lighting as the monster, the bull, rammed his anger and fury into the toppled table.

Emmaline felt herself lifting off, about to fly into the air. She wanted to open her eyes now and knew she would be floating in the fantasy land she’d never imagined harder. She was sure it had worked. She opened her eyes just as she was flying through the air, looking down and seeing not unicorns but her sisters, arms open ready to catch her.

Minnie slid under the fence, having just tossed Emmaline with all of her might to her trusted sisters on the other side of the fence, to hope. To safety. Hopefully. She had to know Emmaline would be okay. She rested a moment before standing up and hugging Jenny and Emmaline, Haddie, Ella, Annie, Hannah, and Mary as tightly as she could, not wanting to look back to see their favorite place in the world destroyed. Not just the table and picnic but the carefree joy they once felt there will never be the same. But they made it. That’s what mattered. The table can be replaced. A new fence could be built at the edge of the woods. The bull could be caught. That could all wait, though, as she held her most treasured people in the world close to her. Emmaline was safe and uninjured. Her few scrapes and slightly sprained ankle were barely noticeable in Minnie’s relief.

“I flew! I finally flew!” Peeped Emmaline from under the protective shield of many loving arms. Minnie was the first to giggle through tears. Then the rest followed suit as if following her directions once more; they were left laughing and sniffling the sadness away, as the monster sauntered back to the woods and the girls made their way back to the house.