Define: Free
by Taylor Kungle
The stallion paced, or he would have if he could. The rolling eyes well indicated his panic at being there, and sweat began to roll down his sides; the coat resting on them a dull black, stretched thin over the bones that had grown to show during this journey. The tail that had once grown free was now rubbed raw against the sides of this strange metal contraption that took him further and further from home.Home. The stallion sighed with longing at the word. The sweet smell of sagebrush, the wind rolling in the grass, and through his once untangled mane. That was home. Where he was free.
The thought of freedom consumed the stallion, far more than any rational thought, thoughts that, if he listened to them, would tell him he was traveling east in a stock trailer. Instead the stallion pawed, shaking the dreaded walls that surrounded him. He neighed a challenge that would have sent any horse trembling down to their hooves. But he was dealing with something far more complex than horses. Now he reared, insulted his challenge had gone unheard, and felt his hooves reach toward the sky with a powerful whoosh of air. The stallion reared again and again until, suddenly, very suddenly, the dirty straw surrounding him shifted, and the metal contraption bounced. His tattered nylon halter refused to fall with him, however, and his neck jerked as his whole body hit the floor with a resounding thump. His eyes closed with much relief as the trailer slowed, and came to a stop, two cowboys emerging.
The stallion awoke to a sharp pain in his neck, and two humans talking. “Is he alright? Should we do it? Is it worth it?” a soft, young voice questioned.
“It’s never worth it.” replied a gruff, low voice. “Never, ever worth it.”
“So we should… “ it was the softer speaker.
“Yep.” said the gruff old man, as he spat on the ground. “he’s useless to us now.”
The stallion felt a heavy, cold wait rest on his head, and heard the younger man take a deep breath. Then the man pulled the trigger. A low ringing noise sounded through the stallion’s head. But he didn’t notice. All he noticed now was that he no longer hurt. He no longer lived for these people, no more than they had ever lived for him. The stallion sighed again, but this time with content. Finally, after all he had been through, He was free.
by Taylor Kungle
The stallion paced, or he would have if he could. The rolling eyes well indicated his panic at being there, and sweat began to roll down his sides; the coat resting on them a dull black, stretched thin over the bones that had grown to show during this journey. The tail that had once grown free was now rubbed raw against the sides of this strange metal contraption that took him further and further from home.Home. The stallion sighed with longing at the word. The sweet smell of sagebrush, the wind rolling in the grass, and through his once untangled mane. That was home. Where he was free.
The thought of freedom consumed the stallion, far more than any rational thought, thoughts that, if he listened to them, would tell him he was traveling east in a stock trailer. Instead the stallion pawed, shaking the dreaded walls that surrounded him. He neighed a challenge that would have sent any horse trembling down to their hooves. But he was dealing with something far more complex than horses. Now he reared, insulted his challenge had gone unheard, and felt his hooves reach toward the sky with a powerful whoosh of air. The stallion reared again and again until, suddenly, very suddenly, the dirty straw surrounding him shifted, and the metal contraption bounced. His tattered nylon halter refused to fall with him, however, and his neck jerked as his whole body hit the floor with a resounding thump. His eyes closed with much relief as the trailer slowed, and came to a stop, two cowboys emerging.
The stallion awoke to a sharp pain in his neck, and two humans talking. “Is he alright? Should we do it? Is it worth it?” a soft, young voice questioned.
“It’s never worth it.” replied a gruff, low voice. “Never, ever worth it.”
“So we should… “ it was the softer speaker.
“Yep.” said the gruff old man, as he spat on the ground. “he’s useless to us now.”
The stallion felt a heavy, cold wait rest on his head, and heard the younger man take a deep breath. Then the man pulled the trigger. A low ringing noise sounded through the stallion’s head. But he didn’t notice. All he noticed now was that he no longer hurt. He no longer lived for these people, no more than they had ever lived for him. The stallion sighed again, but this time with content. Finally, after all he had been through, He was free.