Free Odd Billy Todd by N.C. Reed

back of the building. Instead he went straight to the treatment room, and carefully read from the book he’d found, taking everything he’d need to see to Rommel’s health. He had gotten medicines for the cattle and horses from the Co-Op.
    In hindsight, he realized that he could probably have gotten Rommel’s meds there too, but he hadn’t known what they were. He wished he had known. It would have spared him being in here, with the stench.
    Billy felt a moment of sadness, and twinge of guilt. He should have thought about that, that animals might have been here. He could have come and let them go, but he hadn’t. Tears filled his eyes at the thought that these poor animals had died for lack of care, food and water, when he was just across town, hiding. He dropped his head for a moment, as the guilt threatened to overwhelm him.
    “But how could I have known that no one would think to let them out?” he thought after a minute. “I wasn’t responsible for them. It wasn’t my responsibility to care for them, and I didn’t know they were here.”
    Straightening up, he put the thoughts of guilt and sadness away.
    “So long as the problem’s in the barn, son, leave it there. Don’t bring it into the house.” That’s what daddy had said. When Billy hadn’t understood, daddy had tried again.
    “When you stop work for the day, son, don’t bring car problems home with you, even if you’re staying in your apartment right there in your shop. As long as the problem is in the shop, it has no place in your home.” Billy had understood that. Don’t bring trouble on your own house.
    With that thought, and the memory of his Father’s voice comforting him, Billy lifted his head, and left.
    He wanted to get home before dark. He still had a lot of work to do.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    It was nearly dark when Billy finally pulled into his yard. Between the fuel tank, the trailer, and the stuff in the bed of his truck, it had been a slow trip. Billy’s truck was plenty strong enough to pull the load, but it was difficult to stop, and to keep steady. Fortunately Billy had always been a good driver. His father had taught him to drive on the farm, and he had taken to it with relish.
    Billy opened the barn doors, then backed the trailer into the barn. He decided at the last minute to leave the entire rig there for the night. He was tired, and dirty, and hungry. Closing and securing the barn door, Billy went to the house.
    He didn’t realize how tired he was until after a hot shower and a quick meal. He could barely keep his eyes open.
    Deciding that unloading the truck and trailer could wait, Billy went to bed.
     
    *****
     
    The next morning Billy arose to the sound of thunder. As he lay motionless in the bed, he could hear rain pounding on the tin roof of the farm house. The sound made him drowsy. He was almost back to sleep when he felt a thud on his belly. Looking down, he saw Rommel staring intently at him.
    “Awright,” Billy grumbled, throwing the covers off. He went to the front door and opened it. Rommel walked out onto the porch, stopping at the sight of the rain. He paused, and looked back at Billy expectantly.
    “Oh for. . .c’mon,” Billy grumbled again and led the dog to the back door. He opened the door that led out onto the patio. The roof covered not only the patio, but all of the area immediately behind the house, so the ground there was relatively dry. Rommel went out quickly and did his business, then hurried back in at crack of a nearby lightning strike and the follow up roll of thunder.
    “Happy now?” Billy asked him. As if in reply Rommel trotted over to his empty food bowl and looked at Billy expectantly. Again.
    “You sure are bossy this mornin’,” Billy mumbled, pouring the bowl full of food. As soon as he had touched the sack of feed, Rommel’s tail stub was wagging frantically. Billy couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the dog.
    With Rommel attended to,