Post by Horsey Jumper on Jan 1, 2008 17:50:49 GMT -5
Yes, this is about a horse. Obviously, from the title. But, I hope you enjoy it! I included the first two chapters right now, and I will probably try to add one each week. Enjoy!
Chapter 1
A large stallion galloped over flat plains. This ground was solid, different from the unstable sand dunes he was used to. He came to a patch of trees and stopped. Something else new.
This stallion’s name was Black, and he was not from this country. His bloodlines rested in the hot desert country of Arabia. His muscles flexed as he moved, and his body showed his matched gracefulness. His head was the same dish-shaped that all of his Arabian blood had. His glistening coat was a polished black, as were his mane and tail.
Suddenly, he heard pounding hooves other than his. His ears perked forward, catching the sound of four other horses. He could just make out the four figures of their American bodies, but they were not alone. Mounted on their backs were four humans in saddles. These horses weren’t wild as he was, but tamed and ridden by humans.
In a flash, he had turned on his heels and was running away from the caravan of horses. He was far away when he still heard the thundering hooves behind him. He looked back, seeing the bays still trailing him. Then, he saw a brown loop soar towards him. He tried to dodge it, but it caught around his neck and became taut as he tried to escape. He fell to the ground thrashing and kicking. The horses trotted up next to him and stopped. One of them snickered at him.
“A big boy like you can’t avoid a little rope?” he said, chuckling. “That’s funny, ain’t it, boys?”
The other three bays laughed and snickered as well. One of them said, “Hey, boss, is he gonna be broken the hard way like you, or-“
“’Eh!” the ‘boss’ cut in. “I told you to never mention that ‘round other horses!”
“What,” Black said, smirking, “that you were once a wild stallion and now you’re just a tame pony like the rest of these slack jobs?”
“Slack jobs?!” cried one of the bays. “Why I oughta-“
“All right, boys,” the human on ‘boss’ said. “Time to take this fella back to the ranch. He’ll be broken and probably sent to some riding academy for further trainin’.”
Black was then forced to stand and walk in the middle of the four bays. At times, he kicked out, but the two horses in the back were far enough that it didn’t even graze them. He snorted and whinnied, hoping mustang would hear him, but the only horses that he could hear were the ones escorting him to a new life.
After a few hours, Black could just make out the outline of a small group of buildings. This was known to humans as a town, which he would later find out. As they drew closer, he noticed the lights in the windows were mostly on. The night sky had grown dark, and a few stars had peeped from their daytime hiding place. The moon could barely be seen, as it was in its final phase before a new moon.
After another half hour, they came to the town. But instead of going straight through it, they turned left and just went around it. On the opposite side of the town was a large ranch with acres of meadow. His ears slowly perked forward as they grew nearer to it. They arrived at the front gate where one of the humans untied a wooden gate. They walked through it and the same human tied it back.
Black saw two large buildings, a house and a barn. The house was set up on a hill while the barn had been built next to the meadows. There was a musty scent in the air that was covered in dust. They led him to a post next to the barn. One of the riders hopped off and tied the end of Black’s rope lead to the post.
“A couple days here with nothin’ but water oughta get the first part outa the way.”
As the riders led their horses into the barn, Black yanked on the rope that held him fast. He tugged on it until his neck was sore and red. The rest of the night, he stood, watching the stars in the sky, thinking of the stars he used to see in Arabia.
Chapter 2
The next morning, Black heard the high whinnies of the horses stabled in the barn. He watched as lights appeared in the house’s windows and men leisurely walked down to the barn.
When the men were finished with any barn chores, a stable boy walked out, passing Black. He stopped, gazing into the stallion’s shimmering eyes. Their eyes were locked until a heavy thud announced one of the riders.
“What’re you doin’?!” cried the rider. “Yer s’posed to be fetchin’ hay fer the horses, you lazy bum!” Suddenly, the rider clouted the young boy across the back of his head.
“Ouch!” cried the boy. Then, he shuffled away, holding back his tears.
Black yanked on the rope, furious at the rider. The rider just stood there, smirking at the horse.
“Yer a bit protective o’ that boy, aren’t ya?”
Black merely snorted, tugging on the rope. He attempted to rear, but the rope held fast, even against the stallion’s muscular body.
“Well, ain’t this a sight?” said another voice as the boss’s rider stepped out of the barn. “Our guest is seemin’ to hold out pretty dang good.”
Black eyed the rider, head still high. He snorted, throwing his head still higher. Unfortunately, the rope caught and pulled at his neck again.
“But that head thing ain’t broke yet,” the Boss said.
“Whatchu gone do ‘bout it?” the rider asked.
“Don’t worry,” said the Boss. “You’ll know soon enough.” Then, he walked back into the barn, his boots echoing.
Black returned his glare back to the rider. His eyes narrowed and he pawed the ground. Then, the rider turned on his leather heel and followed the Boss back into the barn.
The stallion dropped his head, tired of the rope about his neck. He looked around, seeing a small head peering around the corner of the barn. The stable boy cautiously walked up to the Black and set down some hay.
With a quiet, scratchy voice, the boy said, “Here’s some food for you. You’re too beautiful to be broken by them. They’ll starve you before you give in to them. I can tell.”
Black slowly stretched his neck toward the hay and sniffed it. Then, he gratefully grabbed a mouthful and began chewing it. But, he kept his eyes upon the boy, watching for sudden movements.
“Don’t worry,” the boy said. “I won’t hurt you. We’re sort of in the same situation. Stuck on this ranch against our will.” The boy paused, then continued, “My name’s Samuel. My parents died and I was left by myself. Then, Jerry, that’s the guy in charge, found me and brought me to the ranch. Now, he kind of treats me like dirt, but he feeds me and houses me so I’m a bit happy.
“Oh, I forgot. I don’t know what to call you. Since you can’t talk, I’ll just have to come up with something. Well, you seem like you could be very dangerous if that rope wasn’t there, so…. What about Black Jack? It seems fitting.”
By now, Black was finished with the hay. Samuel noticed it and said, “I probably need to go. But don’t worry; I’ll get you out somehow.” Then, he walked back into the barn.
A little later, one of the riders filled up the water bucket next to Black. AT lunchtime, Samuel snuck some of his sandwich to the stallion when no one was around.
Just when the sun was beginning to set, Black heard a loud bang coming from the barn, followed by a yell. Samuel came running out of the barn. In his hand he held a pocket knife. He quickly cut Black’s rope. But just as he did, one of the riders burst through the barn door, gun in hand.
Black reared as Samuel jumped on his back. He bolted in the direction of the gate. Just as it seemed they would ram straight through it, Black made a mighty leap into the air, clearing the gate with ease.
Samuel was clinging to Black’s neck. He said, “Thanks Black Jack. Oh, and you’re welcome.”
Black nodded his head as he continued to sprint away from the ranch, leaving a life of being broken of body and spirit forever.
A large stallion galloped over flat plains. This ground was solid, different from the unstable sand dunes he was used to. He came to a patch of trees and stopped. Something else new.
This stallion’s name was Black, and he was not from this country. His bloodlines rested in the hot desert country of Arabia. His muscles flexed as he moved, and his body showed his matched gracefulness. His head was the same dish-shaped that all of his Arabian blood had. His glistening coat was a polished black, as were his mane and tail.
Suddenly, he heard pounding hooves other than his. His ears perked forward, catching the sound of four other horses. He could just make out the four figures of their American bodies, but they were not alone. Mounted on their backs were four humans in saddles. These horses weren’t wild as he was, but tamed and ridden by humans.
In a flash, he had turned on his heels and was running away from the caravan of horses. He was far away when he still heard the thundering hooves behind him. He looked back, seeing the bays still trailing him. Then, he saw a brown loop soar towards him. He tried to dodge it, but it caught around his neck and became taut as he tried to escape. He fell to the ground thrashing and kicking. The horses trotted up next to him and stopped. One of them snickered at him.
“A big boy like you can’t avoid a little rope?” he said, chuckling. “That’s funny, ain’t it, boys?”
The other three bays laughed and snickered as well. One of them said, “Hey, boss, is he gonna be broken the hard way like you, or-“
“’Eh!” the ‘boss’ cut in. “I told you to never mention that ‘round other horses!”
“What,” Black said, smirking, “that you were once a wild stallion and now you’re just a tame pony like the rest of these slack jobs?”
“Slack jobs?!” cried one of the bays. “Why I oughta-“
“All right, boys,” the human on ‘boss’ said. “Time to take this fella back to the ranch. He’ll be broken and probably sent to some riding academy for further trainin’.”
Black was then forced to stand and walk in the middle of the four bays. At times, he kicked out, but the two horses in the back were far enough that it didn’t even graze them. He snorted and whinnied, hoping mustang would hear him, but the only horses that he could hear were the ones escorting him to a new life.
After a few hours, Black could just make out the outline of a small group of buildings. This was known to humans as a town, which he would later find out. As they drew closer, he noticed the lights in the windows were mostly on. The night sky had grown dark, and a few stars had peeped from their daytime hiding place. The moon could barely be seen, as it was in its final phase before a new moon.
After another half hour, they came to the town. But instead of going straight through it, they turned left and just went around it. On the opposite side of the town was a large ranch with acres of meadow. His ears slowly perked forward as they grew nearer to it. They arrived at the front gate where one of the humans untied a wooden gate. They walked through it and the same human tied it back.
Black saw two large buildings, a house and a barn. The house was set up on a hill while the barn had been built next to the meadows. There was a musty scent in the air that was covered in dust. They led him to a post next to the barn. One of the riders hopped off and tied the end of Black’s rope lead to the post.
“A couple days here with nothin’ but water oughta get the first part outa the way.”
As the riders led their horses into the barn, Black yanked on the rope that held him fast. He tugged on it until his neck was sore and red. The rest of the night, he stood, watching the stars in the sky, thinking of the stars he used to see in Arabia.
Chapter 2
The next morning, Black heard the high whinnies of the horses stabled in the barn. He watched as lights appeared in the house’s windows and men leisurely walked down to the barn.
When the men were finished with any barn chores, a stable boy walked out, passing Black. He stopped, gazing into the stallion’s shimmering eyes. Their eyes were locked until a heavy thud announced one of the riders.
“What’re you doin’?!” cried the rider. “Yer s’posed to be fetchin’ hay fer the horses, you lazy bum!” Suddenly, the rider clouted the young boy across the back of his head.
“Ouch!” cried the boy. Then, he shuffled away, holding back his tears.
Black yanked on the rope, furious at the rider. The rider just stood there, smirking at the horse.
“Yer a bit protective o’ that boy, aren’t ya?”
Black merely snorted, tugging on the rope. He attempted to rear, but the rope held fast, even against the stallion’s muscular body.
“Well, ain’t this a sight?” said another voice as the boss’s rider stepped out of the barn. “Our guest is seemin’ to hold out pretty dang good.”
Black eyed the rider, head still high. He snorted, throwing his head still higher. Unfortunately, the rope caught and pulled at his neck again.
“But that head thing ain’t broke yet,” the Boss said.
“Whatchu gone do ‘bout it?” the rider asked.
“Don’t worry,” said the Boss. “You’ll know soon enough.” Then, he walked back into the barn, his boots echoing.
Black returned his glare back to the rider. His eyes narrowed and he pawed the ground. Then, the rider turned on his leather heel and followed the Boss back into the barn.
The stallion dropped his head, tired of the rope about his neck. He looked around, seeing a small head peering around the corner of the barn. The stable boy cautiously walked up to the Black and set down some hay.
With a quiet, scratchy voice, the boy said, “Here’s some food for you. You’re too beautiful to be broken by them. They’ll starve you before you give in to them. I can tell.”
Black slowly stretched his neck toward the hay and sniffed it. Then, he gratefully grabbed a mouthful and began chewing it. But, he kept his eyes upon the boy, watching for sudden movements.
“Don’t worry,” the boy said. “I won’t hurt you. We’re sort of in the same situation. Stuck on this ranch against our will.” The boy paused, then continued, “My name’s Samuel. My parents died and I was left by myself. Then, Jerry, that’s the guy in charge, found me and brought me to the ranch. Now, he kind of treats me like dirt, but he feeds me and houses me so I’m a bit happy.
“Oh, I forgot. I don’t know what to call you. Since you can’t talk, I’ll just have to come up with something. Well, you seem like you could be very dangerous if that rope wasn’t there, so…. What about Black Jack? It seems fitting.”
By now, Black was finished with the hay. Samuel noticed it and said, “I probably need to go. But don’t worry; I’ll get you out somehow.” Then, he walked back into the barn.
A little later, one of the riders filled up the water bucket next to Black. AT lunchtime, Samuel snuck some of his sandwich to the stallion when no one was around.
Just when the sun was beginning to set, Black heard a loud bang coming from the barn, followed by a yell. Samuel came running out of the barn. In his hand he held a pocket knife. He quickly cut Black’s rope. But just as he did, one of the riders burst through the barn door, gun in hand.
Black reared as Samuel jumped on his back. He bolted in the direction of the gate. Just as it seemed they would ram straight through it, Black made a mighty leap into the air, clearing the gate with ease.
Samuel was clinging to Black’s neck. He said, “Thanks Black Jack. Oh, and you’re welcome.”
Black nodded his head as he continued to sprint away from the ranch, leaving a life of being broken of body and spirit forever.