Cow Girls (Patreon)

Another story from that "found" archive

"They've set up that big plant now," said Kathrine's Uncle Bill. "Somethin' about genetics and all. They claim they're going to help us by making our animals disease-proof or some such." 

His face held his skepticism at the claim the company reps had excitedly claimed a little over a year ago at the town council meeting. 

"Not sure about all this mixin' of things that shouldn't ought to be mixed."
"Now, Unc," Kathrine smiled back. "It's progress. And what if they can make it so's you don't have any more vet bills?"
"Well now, that'd help out around here a bit, I guess," he smiled at his favourite niece from the city. "Still, you're not out here to here me gripe about me neighbours."
"You remember I'm not alone this year. Killa's with me. She's studying to be a vet, you know."
"Maybe she should be more worried about that strange place than I am then."
"Oh?" asked Killa from the background.
"Well if they make all my critters so's they need no vets, who's gonna be hiring you then?"
"I'm studying exotics so it doesn't matter. I've already lined up a position at a big zoo in the States."
"So me and my little cows then aren't quite up to your interest level then," he smiled a wide grin at her.
"Naw. I've liked critters since I was a kid," she put on a bit of the Southern States drawl she'd grown up with.
"Enough now you, two. I've chores. You wander off and have fun, okay?"

The two nodded and headed for the paddock where a pair of horses stood chewing their grain. The horses were in a good mood so it didn't take long to saddle them. Half an hour later, the girls were riding comfortably along heading towards the range cattle paddock in the foothills. They spent the day riding and watching wildlife. Towards afternoon, the sky greying with late afternoon clouds, they decided to head back towards the farm house and supper.

"What's that strange cloud over there?" asked Killa pointing towards a grey-green conical cloud towards the west.
"Hmm. Not sure. It's off towards the new plant though."
"I wonder what's up?"
"You want to ride over and find out?"
"That safe?"
"If there's any danger, we'll be stopped long before we get there."
"Sure. We'll follow the river and then cut cross country."
"Sounds good. Race you!" 

Kathrine dug her heels into the flanks of the horse and it obediently picked up pace. Killa wasn't far behind but they had to slow down as they moved from the relatively flat terrain below the foothills and into the rougher terrain near the river. They maintained a good pace though and were soon at the point they'd agreed they would leave the river valley and head west to the plant. They made very good time and, less than an hour later, found themselves nearing a scene of chaotic activity. The local volunteer firemen were desperately fighting a fire at the base of a series of towers with rounded tops. Just as they road up, the chief shouted into his loud hailer.

"Pull back. We can't hold it. The company emergency team’s here now."

A dozen sleek blue vehicles drove into the company parking lot and, without stopping, smashed their way through the wire mesh fence separating the parking lot from the production grounds. Men (or maybe women -- who could really tell in the strange outfits they were wearing.) piled out of vehicles and rushed towards the towers. Katherine and Killa could hear them shouting orders and the local firemen quickly backed away from the flames. They stood by, in case they were needed, for a few moments but the leader of the newest arrivals dashed over to the chief and ordered him and his men away. He then caught sight of the two women on the hill. Without a moment's hesitation, he jumped on one of the quads that had just been offloaded from a truck and sped towards them.

"Get the hell out of here!" he shouted. "Those towers could blow at any minute."
"But its not a chemical ..."
"Dammit. If it goes, you'll get exposed."
"Exposed?"
"I don't have time to explain. Just get the hell out of here! The farmhouses around here are all being evacuated as a precaution. Head to Hillston," he pointed towards the south east. "We'll explain there to everyone once we've got things contained."
"But what's the danger?" Kill managed to get out.
"Biohazard. The circulators are burning and they could blow at any minute. Could be retrovirus everywhere. I just hope that nothing was in preliminary."
"Preliminary?" Kathrine asked, a frown on her face.
"No time now. Just get to Hillston. I'll explain there." 

He jumped on his quad and roared back towards the fire.  Kathrine looked over towards Killa. She shrugged back. Kathrine decided to make sure that her Aunt and Uncle had heard the evacuation and set their course towards the farmhouse only five kilometres away. It proved a wasted trip, of course, for not only had evacuation notices been hung on the farmhouse door but a note, tacked below the notice, was from her Uncle. His usually tidy penmanship was erratic. Knowing him, he was probably mad. He'd been afraid something like this would happen.

"Hillston?" asked Killa.
"We'll head direct," Kathrine pointed towards the horizon. "Take less time that way."
"Sound good."

They cut across country at the highest pace their tired animals could handle. About twenty minutes out from Hillston, they heard a loud bang from the direction of the plant and watched as a silvery cloud expanded out from the direction of the plant. The smoke suddenly stopped though and did not reappear. The two girls decided that the lack of smoke was likely a good thing. Turning their horses away from the plant, they turned back towards Hillston.

About five minutes later though, they came across some of their uncle's cattle. Uncharacteristically, they were lying in the middle of the field and appeared dazed. Kathrine dismounted and dashed over to the animals. Killa, a minute or so later, dismounted as well.

"They're stunned," Kathrine stated.
"No, I think it's more than that," Killa noted. "The few that are still standing are acting as if they're drunk or something."
"The cloud?"
"It would have passed through here," Killa looked off towards the plant.
"I've never seen anything like that. Silver smoke like that?"
"Silvery smoke," Killa rubbed her hand along the spine of one of the cattle. "They're covered with something. This isn't normal dust. Look!"

She held up her hand and Kathrine noticed the almost metallic sheen it gave Killa's skin. She reached out to stroke one of the cattle as well.

"All of them are covered with it," she noted.
"I wonder what it is?" Killa pondered.
"From the plant."
"Yes, but what is it?" 

She stared at the strange dust on her hand. It seemed to shimmer like the Northern Lights as she watched and then it disappeared.

"It's gone!" Katherine looked at her now clean hand. "What was it?"
"No idea. Hey," she frowned as she looked at the cow beside her. "It's disappeared here too."
"You're right," Kathrine agreed stroking the animal beside her. It was clearly distressed. "There, there, Bossy. It'll be all right."

She felt faint and the world began to spin before her eyes. She heard the sound of low moo from the cow she'd just stroked and felt the weight as it collapsed across her legs. For a moment, she tried to push out from under the weight of the animal. Within moments, though, she fainted, too.

The sun was a lot closer to the horizon when Kathrine next opened her eyes. She was lying on her side and felt decidedly sick. She lifted her head and then remembered she was under the cow. She pushed again at the animal before she noticed something. The animal's head was missing. So were her legs. Somehow, she had been fused with the cow. Light patches of fur extended from where the cow's neck had been to just below her breasts. She struggled to get up and only managed it after nearly twenty minutes. 

Standing in the dimming light, she made a quick assessment of her situation. She was definitely a cowtaur: half woman and half cow. Looking about for Killa, she discovered that her friend, too, had been affected. The yearling calf that the cow had been nursing was now Killa's lower body. Somehow, the strange dust had fused them with the animals they'd touched.

As soon as Killa awakened, Kathrine smiled. 

"Let's head over to Hillston," she pointed towards the town lights just coming on in the distance. "I'd like to see the company downplay this little 'accident'"
"I sure hope they can get us back to normal," Killa complained. "It's going to be awfully hard to treat lions and tigers if I look like food to them."

Photo Credits:
Women:
   https://www.devinatart.com/Sergekrivoshei
   https://www.deviantart.com/FaeStock
Cattle: Creative Commons: (Undocumented Source)