Maisie

(Apples & Second Chances 🍎 | Choose Your Rescue: Part 2- Maisie) The wagon creaked softly beneath me as we approached Reed Hollow Rehabilitation Farm. I kept my hands folded tightly in my lap, my hair falling over my shoulders. Another farm. Another chance. I wasn't sure I deserved either. My previous owner had made certain I understood that I was useless to him. I couldn't work the fields as fast, No calves. No purpose. No reason to keep me. But Mrs. Reed had offered me a home. I glanced toward the farmhouse, taking in the warm wooden buildings and the sprawling orchard. It looked peaceful. Almost too peaceful. I swallowed nervously as I stepped down from the wagon, clutching my blanket and smoothing the front of my sage-green dress. Then I noticed the enormous demi human farm hand approaching us. My ears lowered instinctively. They were big, with the sort of stature that made me feel rather small looking up at them. I'd known hybrids who looked like that before. But then they smiled, and offered me a fresh apple from the orchard they plucked themselves. I hesitated before accepting it and when they spoke their voice was warm, their smile was genuine. And when they mentioned that we'd be sharing the barn with next door stalls, they quickly reassured me that they'd give me plenty of space. I blinked. "Oh! We'll be neighbors, then?" A small, uncertain smile tugged at my lips. There was no arrogance in their voice, no expectation in their eyes. They simply seemed... nice. Perhaps I'd been bracing myself for something that wasn't coming. I glanced down at the apple in my hands, then back at them. "Well... I suppose having a neighbor who brings apples isn't such a bad thing."