TWD - Zomboid - Chapter 285: Hershel Teaches Ellie How to Shoe a Horse (Patreon)

“It’s just an exchange.” Luke shook Ezekiel’s hand. “You put in the work to make our home a better place. I just provided the opportunity.”

Ezekiel smiled and nodded, then crouched down to look at Ellie beside Luke.

“Would you like to see the zoo’s prized attraction, young lady?”

Ellie looked at Luke.

“Today is for you,” Luke said. “Do whatever you feel like doing.”

Only then did Ellie nod.

Ezekiel led her through the zoo.

Naturally, the first star attraction was Ezekiel’s beloved Shiva, the Bengal tiger.

Shiva had a gentle temperament and didn’t mind people getting close. Back when Ezekiel lived in the Kingdom, he rarely kept her confined.

In the Commonwealth, however, Shiva had to remain inside her enclosure at all times.

The tiger was currently sprawled lazily inside the reinforced enclosure, her coat sleek and glossy, her eyes half-closed. Even at rest, she carried the natural majesty of an apex predator.

Ellie stared, fascinated.

She had rarely seen a large cat like this in the wild. The few she had seen before were stuffed specimens. She had certainly never had the chance to stand safely behind a fence and study one this closely.

Besides Shiva, the zoo also kept several species native to Virginia.

There were white-tailed deer with impressive antlers, their wild instincts still strong as they held their ears alert.

Small raccoons with black-and-gray markings clung to the fencing, deftly rummaging through their food with nimble paws.

Several red foxes darted cautiously around their enclosure, fluffy tails trailing behind them.

Other than Shiva, nearly every exhibit in the zoo had been generously supplied by their good buddy Daryl.

Ellie watched with great interest.

She had seen some of these animals in the wild before, though most of those had eventually ended up in her and Joel’s stomachs.

This was the first time she had simply watched them alive and well.

People actually paid money just to look at these things?

What a strange world.

“What a shame.” Ezekiel sighed as he looked at the animals. “There are fewer and fewer wild animals left out there. Some are killed by walkers, others are hunted for food. If this keeps up, some of them may disappear entirely.”

“Noah’s Ark carried animals in pairs,” he said solemnly. “We should preserve some of this land’s living creatures for the future.”

Luke shook his head.

He had built attractions like this mainly to encourage spending and improve public morale, so he casually asked, “How much is the zoo bringing in these days?”

“Quite a lot!”

Ezekiel nodded. “There are plenty of ways to entertain yourself in the Commonwealth, but people still enjoy being close to nature. Even after half the zoo’s income goes to taxes, what remains is more than enough for us to live comfortably here for the rest of our lives.”

Ezekiel had never cared much about material wealth. His expression grew more serious.

“I’ve donated the money to the charity fund established in Sebastian’s memory. It goes toward improving the Commonwealth and providing better treatment for the workers.”

Now that was class.

Ezekiel truly was a man of principle.

Luke solemnly shook his hand again.

“Good. That’s the spirit! I’ll introduce you to my father-in-law sometime. You’re both devout believers in God. I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about.”

Ezekiel laughed heartily.

By the time they finished touring the zoo, Ellie had relaxed considerably.

She was slowly beginning to realize just how comforting the ordinary, everyday atmosphere of the Commonwealth could be.

Life here was infinitely better than constantly risking your life outside.

The only thing that still made her uneasy was whether someone like her really deserved a life like this.

...

Hershel’s Farm

After thinking it over, Luke took Ellie on a detour to Hershel’s farm.

Come to think of it, he hadn’t visited his father-in-law in quite a while.

Hershel’s farm covered a large stretch of land.

Jimmy and Otis were still diligently helping the old man tend to the fields and livestock.

Near the entrance, Dale and Frank had pulled out wicker chairs and were sitting side by side on the porch, squinting in the sunlight and looking thoroughly content with retirement.

When Luke arrived, neither old man bothered getting up. They simply raised their eyelids lazily.

“Well, look who finally decided to visit.”

“All right, all right. No need to get up and greet me. You’ll throw your backs out,” Luke joked.

Dale grinned.

There had once been a time when the stubborn old man sincerely believed Luke was a ruthless and dangerous man who would stop at nothing.

But after everything they had been through, the facts spoke for themselves.

It was this young man who had given their group, once left drifting through the apocalypse, the peaceful life they had now.

People weren’t made of stone.

Hershel heard the commotion and came out of the house.

The moment the old veterinarian saw Luke, he opened with, “Does everything work properly? Have you gone to the hospital and gotten yourself checked?”

Luke looked at him with disgust. “If you want to know whether everything works, ask Maggie.”

A vein practically bulged on Hershel’s forehead.

“That’s not what I meant!” the old man snapped. “I’m asking when the two of you are finally going to give me a grandchild! How many years do you think these old bones have left?”

“You old geezers will be around causing trouble for another twenty years at least,” Luke shot back without mercy.

Hershel glared at him, stepped closer, and punched him lightly in the chest.

“Whatever happens,” the old man said earnestly, “have a child sooner rather than later. Children are hope. They’re the future.”

Luke toned down the jokes and didn’t respond.

Maggie was more anxious about that than anyone.

Only then did Hershel notice Ellie standing behind Luke.

He smiled kindly and waved her over.

“Would you like to come see the horses with an old man?”

Ellie nodded.

After everything she had seen today, she was slowly getting used to the open, unguarded kindness these people showed her.

Hershel led her to the stable.

As it happened, one of the chestnut mares had worn down her horseshoes and needed a new set.

Hershel decided to show Ellie how it was done.

“Watch closely, young lady,” Hershel said as he worked with practiced hands. “Shoeing a horse takes precision. You can’t afford to be careless.”

He first led the docile mare into position and gently patted her neck to keep her calm. Then he bent down, lifted one of her hind legs, and braced the hoof between his knees.

Horses were timid creatures, but once they became familiar with someone, they could also be surprisingly mischievous.

As the mare calmly enjoyed having her horseshoe changed, she rubbed her lips against Hershel’s bald head.

“First, we remove the old shoe.”

Hershel didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.

He picked up a specialized pair of pincers and carefully worked loose the nails holding the old horseshoe in place, removing them one by one before pulling the shoe free.

“Second, we trim the hoof.”

He switched to a sharp hoof knife and a rasp, patiently shaving away the excess growth.

The overgrown material was essentially the horse’s version of a fingernail.

“Do all horses need their hooves trimmed?” Ellie asked curiously. “What happens to wild horses when their hooves get too long?”

Hershel paused.

For once, the old man had been stumped.

Naturally, it fell to the incredibly knowledgeable Luke to educate Ellie.

“That’s easy. Wild horses have wild people to trim them.”

“Get out of here!”

Hershel immediately shooed his ridiculous son-in-law away.