Bulls in the China Shop

Hello, my name is Byron. Why does that matter? We'll get to that. Today is a big day. Today, I finally get to compete. I grew up hearing stories of my brothers competing once they were old enough. But I am the youngest, and nobody ever thought that I'd compete. Perhaps I could own a field, and graze to my heart's content. Or maybe I could be sold onto a farm. Sometimes, my brothers even joked that I could end up in trouble, breaking things in a China Shop. But all that doesn't matter anymore, because today, I actually get to compete.

When a bull turns 3, he can start training to compete at la fiesta brava. I turned 3 nearly a year ago. When I had my fourth birthday, I was more than ready to compete. My mother didn't want me to compete. Not only was I the youngest of my 8 brothers, but I was also the smallest. My brothers were over 600 kg, while I was a mere 450 kg. My mother tried to stop me, even up to the last minute. But I had to prove myself.

My brothers were there to see me too. They didn't think I could do it. But what I lacked in size, I made up for in speed. The sun shined down brightly as I walked into the arena. There were so many people there, that there was a dull roar settling over the arena. I squinted, and a drop of sweat rolled down my back. I was a little nervous, and my stomach dropped at the sight of el matador. He towered over me and was dressed in brightly colored clothing. I lowered my head and snorted. I would NOT be defeated in front of my entire family. I continued forward and charged. El Matador lifts his arms and waves the big red cloth in my face as if to taunt me. If that's what he is doing, then it works.

I press my hoof into the ground and drag it back towards my body. I ready myself and I charge again. I snort and race towards him. I lower my head and lift my horns and knock him onto his back. The crowd goes silent, and the silence is deafening. I look down, and he doesn't move. Serves him right. Suddenly, a cheer starts over the crowd. I look up and see the leader of the ring coming towards me with a sash. He places it over my head. My brothers come to me and our noses touch. Apparently, I set a new record. No one had ever defeated el matador so quickly. Before I knew it, I was fighting in a new fight every single week. I beat matadors, large and small. I was branded as Byron the Brutal.

Towards the end of May, I was set to compete against el matador de hechizo. My brothers had been fighting for a lot longer than me, and they warned me that no one had ever gone against him and survived. There were strange disappearances linked to him, yet no one could figure out what happened to them. I didn't care. I was Byron the Brutal. I could take on anyone. I would pay for that arrogance later. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

I walked into the arena, and I saw him. That was el matador de hechizo? He was tiny! He was smaller than anyone I had faced already. I knew that I could beat him. I stepped forward and charged. He lunged. I turned around and snorted, pawing at the ground. I charged again. He dodged again. I was starting to get annoyed. I decided to run around him and try again. He waved his red cloth right in my face. How annoying! I tried to dodge it, but suddenly there was a flash of white light and then it was dark. I opened my eyes. I couldn't move. There were glass cases all around and beautiful pieces of art. Where was I? Suddenly, there was a jingle and the door opened. An older man walked slowly into the door. He smiled as he walked past me.

"How exquisite," he mused. "The china has a beautiful lapiz color around the edges. I wonder where this one came from? The bull is beautiful."

He could see me! HELP! I tried to shout, but he couldn't hear me. I tried with all of my might to shake my way out. But I was trapped. I couldn't move. The door jangled and a young woman walked in.

"Welcome to The Bull's China Shop, how can I help you?" he asked. I was in a China Shop? My brothers were right. And I wasn't alone, was that Gerald over in the window, eyes wide with fear? And I could swear that was Andrew on the shelf, frozen into a beautiful teapot. That tricky matador! He was behind all of the disappearances! We were all trapped inside a China Shop with no way out. I watched as the years passed and more and more bulls were added into the China Shop, including my brothers. I watched as a dusty film settled over my vase. I watched the owner pass the store to his son, and he to his. I sat on that dusty shelf for years. Nobody ever bought me and the matador continued to get away with it.

One day, a young child ran right past me. When she came back she reached up for my vase. She knocked me off of the shelf and I shattered into pieces. I lay on the floor in pain, until it all slowly went black.