Sapphbroo Farm -

The next two days felt like they crawled by. But unlike most other days, they crawled by in anticipation instead of monotony. Thus, on Friday, I stepped on to the bus home with excitement for maybe the first time since I started working. Catherine and I had agreed she would pick me up from the bar where we met at 1900. Lots of time for me to go home, shower off the day, get changed, and pick up my weekend bag. Despite this, I still rushed through these steps, not wanting to be late, and as such was 15 minutes early to the bar.

But walking up to the bar I spied Catherine's car already there.

As I got closer, her form resolved sitting in the front seat, obviously watching for me, as moments after I identified her silhouette in the window, she was getting out and waving back at me. Coming into speaking distance of the car, Catherine said,

"Very good to see you, sorry I am here so early, I didn't think you would like having to wait in a parking lot."

"Yes, thank you for thinking of that... and good to see you too!"

"Here let me take your bag."

Catherine replied, to which I happy passed it over to her, and which she promptly stored in the trunk. This gave me a moment to look over her car. It was clearly a nice car and despite my lack of knowledge it looked 'sporty' to me. Most notably to me was that it only had one door on each side. The far one now held open for me by Catherine.

"Now, shall we get a move on to nicer pastures?" she said with a, slightly over the top, hand wave into the car.

Smiling, I scurried around the car and less than gracefully plopped down into the passenger seat, doing up my seat belt as Catherine closed the door. Looking up from the locked buckle, I watched Catherine as she in turn gracefully circled around the front to her own side. Thus, I was staring right at her as she slid easily into the car, our gazes meeting,

"You look quite excited." she commented with a smile.

"Um yeah," suddenly feeling self-conscience about showing too much enthusiasm, "It's just, you know, this is basically a vacation for me, and I haven't had one in a long time"

"Well I am more than happy to oblige." She replied, "Shall we get rolling?"

Once we were on the road and slowly leaving suburbia behind, we casually caught up on the last two days. While not much had really happened in our time apart, our conversation benefitted from being updates rather than introductions to these stories of our lives. But as the miles rolled on, and the rolling farmland started to become monotonous, I found myself having trouble keeping my eyes open. Not wanting to rudely fall asleep on Catherine, I kept bobbing my head up when I felt it fall forward. Unfortunately, these efforts themselves were not lost on Catherine as she commented,

"You know I don't mind if you fall asleep. I find this kind of driving enjoyable, but I get if it gets a bit tiresome for you, especially after a full work day. We still have an hour and a bit to go. I'll wake you when we are getting close."

Mumbling a thanks to that permission, I slipped into sleep.

I woke to a gentle tapping on my shoulder, slowing opening my eyes I found it to be much darker than before. The sky was still mostly blue but deeper and now mixed with a tinging of orange over to what must be the west. I couldn't seen the sunset as the farmland I closed my eyes to had been replaced by forest tight in on both sides of the road.

"We are getting close now."

"Hmmm." I replied half asleep.

"And I've just gotten a text from Isabella that dinner is more of less ready for when we arrive."

"Wait who's Isabella?" I half remembered that name, but my groggy mind wasn't helping.

"Oh I'm sure I've mentioned her, when I was telling you about, like the story with the hay? Wait I might have called her Izzy, but either way she lives on the farm full time as my, I guess you could call her a 'farm hand'... 'general helper'? Either way, she is much more than that, a wonderful person and terrific friend. Plus she takes on other duties... like making up dinner tonight."

"Oh right I think I remember you mentioning them. Wait but you didn't say she lived with you?"

"Well Isabella doesn't live with me, she has her own cottage on the property. When she started working for me she had her own place, like Rebecca still does, and would come in for the day. But her enthusiasm for the livestock was incredible, she was so attentive, and worked incredible hours, coming in early and leaving late."

"So you offered her a place since she basically already lived on the farm?"

"Yes, I had a chat with her, and she agreed to move onto the farm in a little disused cottage on the periphery. That was a couple years ago now, and she's really flourished, that little cabin is now a wonderful cozy home, and that caring touch has been extended into the main house as well. Not to mention her utter devotion to the ponies. You know I am quite excited for you to meet her!"

As Catherine said this, she glanced to the side at me with a smile.

"Well she sounds really great, I would love to meet the horses with her from the sounds of it!" I replied.

"Well, right now there is only the one pony. Part of my business is a kind of care taking for different ponies, so it varies over the course of the year. Right now, Lily is the only one in the stables."

"Oh, okay" I had been more excited than I thought at the idea of seeing horses. In my mind I had envisioned getting to see a couple trotting around with that mysterious horse friendship they seem to have. Moving on to try and cover my disappointment, I asked, "And you said dinner was being made?"

"Is made." Catherine replied glancing over at me, "Isabella's just keeping it warm until we arrive. I know it's pretty late but we can be tucking in right after we arrive."

"Ok great." I was now just starting to notice how hungry I was, "And how long out are we? When you woke me, you said we were close?"

"Yes, just one more turn off the main road, then it will be only a few minutes to the main gate."

"Your place is really secluded huh?"

"Yes it is, it makes it really peaceful. We can get lost in the day to day rhythm of work without interruptions from the outside world. You see now why having to come into the city had me so frazzled?"

Catherine said with a grin.

"Plus I think the ponies love it too, and why we are so sought after for pony care. It's really peaceful for them and they can just be who they need to be."

On this, Catherine slowed and took the a narrow turn off from the highway, onto the a compacted gravel road which weaved its way through the forest as opposed to the public road's straight cut. After a second of taking in this last leg of our journey I replied to Catherine's comment,

"That kind of sounds like how you sold the farm to me at the bar, like a peaceful get away."

Catherine was strangely quiet in response to this, seemly focusing on driving, though, her face look more strained than her casual and confident driving the rest of the trip would imply. Sensing I hit a nerve somehow, and I contented myself to look out the window at the trees drifting by.

Luckily I didn't have to sit in the awkwardness for too long, as soon we were pulling up to a large set of gates. Catherine came to a stop just in front and rolled down her window. Leaning out slightly to a control panel on the side of the road. With a code tapped in, the gates began to automatically swing open. Settling back into her seat, she turned to me with a wide smile,

"Welcome to Sapphbrook Farms."

Continuing our drive past the gates, we quickly came upon what must be the main house, darkly silhouetted against the night's dusk sky. We pulled to a stop in an open gravel area situated in front of the house before Catherine killed the engine. Stepping out of the car, we were both suddenly lit up by the front door opening, bathing the driveway in warm golden light. Silhouetted in the door frame was a figure who cheerfully called,

"You guy's finally made it! Come quick inside things are already and you must be starving."

I simply stared at the figure, while Catherine not missing a beat had already circled around the car, and as she popped the trunk replied,

"Hello Izzy! Thank you again for getting dinner ready, we'll be right in."

Pulling my suitcase free and closing up her car, Catherine came around my side, pack in tow. Expecting her to pass it off to me, I raised my hands to take it. To my surprised she instead simply placed one hand on my back, urging me towards the door and saying,

"Come on let us get inside. Isabella is a dear but you don't want to disobey orders when she's cooking."

"Yeah, you would know." Isabella called back, as she retreated back into the house. Catherine and I quickly followed into the welcoming glow. Upon entering, we stopped in a slightly cramped mudroom. More homely than I expected, the walls well hung with coats and jackets, and along one wall a double high shelf for boots and shoes which Catherine asked me to place mine into. In return she gave me a pair of simple slippers she said were for guests and explained,

"Boots and shoes are always coming in muddy, so we do our best to prevent tracking all that through the house."

Catherine herself slipped on a more ornate blue pair with some embroidery on their tops. After this she ushered me into what looked like the main hall of the house. The door to our immediate right was the dining room with a table set for three, complete with lit candles and glittering silverware.

Coming in from a connecting room, I saw Isabella carrying a covered pot, placing it carefully on to a hot mat at the centre of the table setting. Satisfied with its arrangement, she straighten up and looked over at us at the threshold of the door.

Now fully illuminated, I took the moment to take her in. She had shoulder length brown hair with a slight wave. Under a kitschy apron, she was wearing a loose black silk blouse with beautifully puffy sleeves paired with sensible yet well fitted blue jeans. Looking back to her face I found that she'd been looking right at me while I had been checking her out. Our eyes meeting she gave me slight slightly sly and knowing smile, but still one that conveyed warmth.

In these long seconds I stared lamely at Isabella, Catherine entered the dinning room, and circling table, came up to Isabella with wide arms. Not missing a beat she broke eye contact with me a turned to embrace her friend. Separating, yet still in contact, Catherine said,

"It's always wonderful come home to you and your meals."

Then turning her body, and subsequently Isabella's too, Catherine gestured towards me with one hand, "And this is our guest, Jane".

I was alway awkward at meeting new people, so I was only able to stammer out a "Hi" and a waist high wave before Isabella, who at disengaged from Catherine, came sweeping around the table to wrap me up in a hug. Her arms fully encircling me, while mine were pinned at my sides, only managing to half hug her back. After a second, Isabella pulled back, but still holding me at half an arms length, she said,

"It's wonderful to meet you Jane. Catherine really talked you up but wow you are cute. Oh, and Welcome to Sapphbrook, I hope you are hungry I've made a nice pot of mac n' cheese, hopefully good comfort food after your trip. I'm so excited you came to stay with us this weekend."

Slightly taken aback by Isabella's sudden intimacy and enthusiasm, I could only open and close my mouth in response before Catherine came to my rescue,

"Give her some space Izzy. Come on, let's sit down to dinner."

Isabella release her direct hold on me, but still maintained contact as she manoeuvred me to a seat. Finally ending her touch as took her own seat. The mac n' cheese was delicious, far better than the Kraft dinner I would make for myself, and hit a spot I didn't even know I had. Moreover, the friendly and spirted conversations was one that I had not experienced for a long time. I found Isabella to be so much fun to talk with, her outburst when we first hugged was not an outlier as she brought that much energy and warmth in rest of the conversation.

Eventually the dinner wound down, and we were just chatting over empty plates. And into this relax atmosphere, at a lull in conversation, Catherine and Isabella shared a look. What ever passed in this prompted Catherine to stand up and begin clearing the table, baying Isabella and I to remain seated, as I was a guest and Isabella had already done all the work of cooking. Oddly enough, as Catherine was taken up in the work of clearing and making post dinner coffees, Isabella sat with me in silence. Casting occasional glances at me which lacked in the jovial lightness of the rest of the night, tighter and anticipatory.

But this transition period was short, and soon enough all three of us were once again seated, each with a steaming cup of coffee. Despite this, Isabella, and now Catherine, still had a different energy about them. When the cup had been placed in front of me, happy for the warm drink and wanting to show immediate apparition, I had quickly lifted it to my lips, but noticing the continued tension this turned into a awkward half sip. The other two did not touched their coffee at all. Since Catherine had sat down, neither had really moved at all past further glances to one another. After a moment or two of of this, Catherine broke the silence,

"Soooo... Jane there is one more thing I need to tell you about the farm... but I know it will sound a bit odd. So before I tell you a need you promise not tell anyone else, even if you don't like it."

I vividly felt my face fall at this, the other shoe dropping, fuck I had even just drunken the coffee while neither of them had. Then to my dismay Isabella jumped to Catherine's defence. I had really grown to like Isabella over dinner but why should you really come to trust a person over a meal, or over a drink?

"It's nothing bad, I promise, and it's a safe, and really, a loving thing." A pleading look had developed in her eyes, "It's just something that not everyone understands, and that misunderstanding can destroy the happiness of so many people."

Spring boarding off of Isabella, Catherine picked up the pitch,

"And I don't think that will be you, I really think you will like it, but I'm sorry, you are still a risk, and I asking this to protect all of those I love."

"Ok..." I said leaning back in my chair, tensing for the violence I expected in response, "Sure, you say that whatever you have going on here is all nice and lovely and just a misunderstood, but come on. That just sounds like a fucking cult. And if you guys are so nice and caring, why would you need to dose my coffee!?" My voice rising up the a panicked screech by the end.

To my surprise, both seemed taken a back by my outburst. Catherine freezing place in shocked surprise, hurt, while Isabella seemed confused by my accusations. There was a beat of silence, we stared across the table at one another, before Isabella broke the silence,

"Why... we... your coffee isn't drugged, promise! We aren't going to hurt you. It's just... it's just..."

Isabella started to flounder. Unsure how to move on from her basic reassurance. This time Catherine came to her rescue, forcefully cutting off her stuttering, but all the intensity was directed at me,

"I keep women as ponies here. And they love it, we care for them and love them and, let them be free from the drudgery of being a person in this world. That's all it is."

It was my turn to be taken aback. Both by what she said and by the conviction in her voice. And like Isabella, my response was less than coherent,

"What... what, how?"

But this seemed acceptable enough for Catherine as she responded without the same force, closer to the caring cadence of her normal speech,

"Women come here, prearranged, in full knowledge and consent to live as ponygirls. We don't literally turn them into horse, but by bondage and treatment they live as ponies during their stay at my farm."

"Ok... but who would possibly sign up for that, to be degraded down to that an animal?"

"Well there is a freedom in it. None of the worries and stress of everyday life. Like what you talked about at the bar, the endless crushing grind of getting by in the modern world. I offer an escape from all that, there is great deal of freedom in constraint. And of course there can also be a sexual enjoyment, but that tends to be far more personal and individual."

Embolden by Catherine's confidence, and plea to my reason, Isabella followed this up,

"My main job is to take care of the ponies, and I can assure you, I work as hard as I can to make sure they are happy. And I know they are, I see it in their faces and body language, it's not a cruel thing."

Catherine jumped back in,

"And I'm sure you can see why we were looking for a promise to secrecy before we told you. People make assumptions, then react poorly. And to a degree I can understand where they are coming from. From the outside it can look a bit strange and dehumanizing. I hope you can move past this surface reaction, to stay this weekend with an open mind. But I also understand if this is too much for you. If you want to go home early, even right now, or at any time, I will drive you or call a cab, whatever makes you feel comfortable. I would only ask that you not share the purpose of my farm."

The two definitely had conviction in this, but not a 'ponygirl Jesus saved me' fanaticism of a cult. More like nerds trying to introduce me to a new board game that was kinda embarrassing the play and far more complex than it needed to be. But also tabletop nerds don't try to lure random people off the street with the promise of a great ludonarrative and 60 hour long games. At least not without knowing them first.

"But why me? Yeah you said I complained about my job and what not, but I bet you could have gotten that out of anyone in there. What made you think I would be okay with this? Be into it?"

Catherine looked troubled at this. Bowing her head to focus on her hands as she fidgeted with her cup in its saucer. Without raising she began to speak,

"Because you cared. You care about your environment, the how and means of your life. Sure, I could have gotten job complaints out of anyone in that bar, but they wouldn't have been like yours. I would have heard about shitty bosses and office politics, not the world around us. They resent the modern world but I got the sense that you are resigned to it."

By the end, it seemed she had found her confidence, as she now looked directly at me. Not in the confidence of explaining the process but a more inward intensity. Like this explanation was as much for herself as it was for me. Focused on Catherine, I was slightly startled when Isabella jumped in,

"Catherine told me all about your conversation when she got home. She was so excited to have met you. I heard about how much you love running and that the outdoors are an escape for you, well it's the same for the ponies. They don't just stand around all day and look cute. No, it takes a lot of athleticism to be a ponygirl. But you should see some of them after an all out lap, I don't think there are any drugs in the world that could make a person that happy."

Sprung from the emotional intensity of Catherine's explanation, my gaze swivelled to Isabella. In comparison, she was positively glowing with excitement, more than happy to try and sell a random off the street on her favourite game.

"Plus, you're a girl into girls! It's not called Sapphbrook for nothing. No guys, all the ponies are girls and so are all the trainers. So you are already getting flying aces in that category."

Taken aback by this left turn in her pony pitch,