Eve, Part Four

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Charpter 9

A young filly cantered across the desert plains. She kicked up dust that swirled around her hooves and streamed behind her. Her black tail flared behind her, like a black cloak, and her mane clawed at the sky in a frenzy. Her streaking black coat glimmered in the afternoon sun as she kelp a steady pace, enjoying the beautiful day, yet always on alert.

Eves dark eyes scanned the desert, just waiting for something to suddenly appear, like they always do. Her hooves kicked at the dry ground as she bounded along. She was going to no certain place. The hot sun beat down on her back, and her eyes scanned for shade, but never found any.

A white stallion cantered a distance behind Eve. He was a quarter mile away, but he could see a black shape of a horse in the distance that he was following. His heart pounded in tiredness. He never knew how the filly could run so long and never tire, and he probably never would know.

Charlie slow to a trot for a few paces, and when he noticed Eve getting smaller and smaller in the distance, he galloped a bit to catch up, then slowed to a canter. The two matched paces, even though they were far away. Eve would never hear Charlies hoof beats, all she would hear is her own, because Charlie was in step with her.

Eve slowed to a jog, then a standstill. Her ear cocked to one side, listening. She heard horses, many, four? Her nostrils flared, scenting the still air. The air wasn’t perfectly still, and she was able to pick up a strange scent. A scent she had smelled such a long time ago. Humans. She looked off to her left, seeing shapes in the distance. Calvary. They stopped, noticing Eve. Eves eyes widened and she burst into a canter. She suddenly heard whooping and yells of excited men, then the gallop of many hooves.

Charlie galloped quickly behind the men. He didn’t care about them, he wanted Eve. He raced past the men and behind Eve. If they got anyone, it would be him. Charlie veered off to the left, hoping to lead them away from Eve, but only two followed. He heard the men galloping at his heels and he watched Eve from the corner of his eye. She kept her distance from the men, but her nostrils flared and her eyes were wide, her legs pounding aimlessly. A horses shoulder rubbed agents Charlies hindquarters, then he heard the whoosh of a rope as it sailed around his neck. It tightened quickly and he was pulled to a stop with a jerk. He stood, confused, then stared after Eve. His legs told him to race after her, but his mind told him no.

Eve galloped hard, but she was tiring. As she slowed just barely, a man on horse-back galloped beside Eve and a rope sailed around her neck. His horse stopped abruptly and Eve jerked back and sailed onto her back. She fell with a hard thump and a burst of dust. When the dust settled Eve was on her feet, her skin shivering in pain. Her feet danced nervously beneath her and she trembled in fear, eyes wide and pulling away. Eve leaped away, and before she knew it a rope tightened around her front leg, and she fell hard on her side. Her breathing was hard, nostrils flaring, as her legs kicked as she laid in pain on the desert floor. The other horses breathed hard for a moment in excitement then were silent. Eve laid on the ground for a minute, then slowly made her way to her feet. As Eve trembled they began to lead them away. They led Charlie behind Eve, and his eyes never left her. She walked slow and her one whole side seemed to be weak. She must have hit the ground harder then it looked. She walked with a slight limp, her feet dragged, head hung. She was tired, but it wasn’t her fault. It was going to be a long day. The sun beat down on their backs and they walked in silence.

The men led them to a large wooden fort. As they approached, Eves head jerked up and her pulled at the end of her rope. By the time they had gotten their it was dark and stars speckled the sky. They were all tired and ready for a nights rest, but when they got their the Colonel waited for them. He walked up to the two horses.

“Yes, yes,” He said looking Eve over. “I remember her,” He walked to her face and rose her chin with his whip. Eve didn’t allow him to and shied away from the whip. When she did that she earned herself a smack in the face with it. She squealed, raising her head as high as she could, her eyes rolling, showing their whites, and pulled at the end of her rope, as far from the Colonel as she could.

Then he walked to Charlie. He stood with his head low, whole body tense and waiting. The Colonel ran a hand from his neck to his hindquarters, and Charlie never flinched. When The Colonel walked up to Charlies face, Charlie rose his head willingly. He studied his scar over his eye, then snorted and walked away.

“Take them to the stables,” He said with a flick of his hand as he walked away. “We’ll deal with them in the morning.”

When they put the two in the stable, Eve found an empty corner and laid down,avoiding the other horses. The geldings lunged at her, teeth bared, but Charlie kept them at bay. He might be young, but he was strong. He reared before the geldings, telling them not to come close, or they would regret it. He let out a victorious whinny then dropped to all fours. He turned and looked at Eve. As she laid their, he was so tempted to lay beside her. He lowered his head and breathed on her shoulder. Her skin flinched, but she didn’t move. When he rubbed his muzzle along her shoulder, she didn’t pull away. She closed her eyes and blew threw her nose in a sigh of contentment. Charlie had sudden hope. He stood behind her and gently folded his legs underneath him, laying. She didn’t stand and run, but nuzzled up to him. A wave of joy you could not imagine washed over Charlie. When he laid by her she felt cold. She laid her lead down, and Charlie laid his head on her withers. He heard her sigh again and listened to her sleep. Charlie closed his eyes, then he let out a happy sigh and slept with Eve, happy to finally be able to feel her silky coat without her running, and not feeling or seeing her fear, but actually, happiness.

Morning came, but the sun had not risen yet. They were awoken by the shouting of men. Charlie felt Eves warmth leave, and when his eyes opened, he saw Eve standing, staring out the windows in the stable. Charlie scrambled to his feet, but didn’t approach Eve. He still knew she wasn’t comfortable around him, and he didn’t push it. A man slammed the gate opened and walked in. He headed straight towards Eve. She jumped away, smashing into Charlie. In Eves sudden shock, he shoved a halter onto her head and clipped on a rope. He pulled Eve from the stables, which took a while. He pulled her and slapped her hindquarters as she pulled away and wouldn’t allow him to lead him. But soon enough, she was saddled and bridled. She was shoved into a small box on the outside of the corral, where men were thrown on to her back. Her eyes rolled with fear, showing the whites. The gate opened, but she didn’t race out. She stood, trembling in fear. When the man slapped her rump did she run. She raced out of the shoot with a leap and galloped with amazing speed. The man jerked the reins tight, and Eve was taken aback and reared up on her hind legs. Eves eyes were wide and her hooves scratched at the sky. The man began to fall, but did not release the reins. He pulled the reins tighter and tighter, pulling Eve farther back. Soon eve lost her balance. She fell back atop the man with a crunch. She leaped back to her feet and went as far from the men as she could. Right in the center of the corral. Eve felt all eyes were apon her and trembled as she stood motionless.

Men ran into the corral as the man laid in the arena motionless. A few men made their way towards Eve, and Eve back into a corner. Her hindquarters pushed hard agenst the fence, and she threw her head when the men tried to reach for the reins. Her eyes rolled and her hind legs lifted in a rear, but she never rose high, in fright she would once again fall backwards.

Charlie watched helplessly from the stables. If they got her they would hurt her. He couldn’t let that happen. He reared up on his hind legs and let out a loud whinny.

This whinny startled Eve. She reared up high on her hind legs in fright, her hooves clawing at the men infront of her. She burst into a gallop, shoving past the men. She ran around the corral, near the edges, but not staying their for long, scared the men would hit her or jump out onto her back. She galloped hard and the men left the corral, allowing her to run. Her legs pounded hard and her breathing was quick. Her eyes shone the whites and she galloped, just galloped and galloped.

“Let her run,” The Colonel told the Sargent when he asked what they should do. “She’ll tire soon enough.”

Eve ran for hours. When she showed sighs of slowing, men would try to enter the corral, then Eve would start up again and charge at them. They would leap out of the corral and wait once more. Eve stopped in the middle of the corral, and men surrounded her, then she leaped out of the circle and started galloping once again.

Now she was utterly tired. She slowed to a slow trot, and men began to pursue her. She cornered her she her legs trembled beneath her. The men got a few feet from her, when her legs caved beneath her and she fell like a rock. Men quickly ran up to her, not scared if she was dead and held her down. On men held her head down, others grabbed her legs. Her stomach heaved in great gulps of air. Her legs and lungs felt like they were on fire. A man rushed in with a small box. She felt a hand smother a strange substance on her shoulder and them felt something similar to a bee-sting. A wave of dizziness over took her. She saw The Colonel.

“Get the white one,” He ordered and men rushed to the stables.

Charlie whinnied at the top of his lung at he was haltered and seduced. Eve listened as Charlie whinnied one finale time, this time weak and tired. And then her eyes rolled back in her head and blackness over took her.

Chapter 10

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Eve finally awoke. She was so cold.Her skin shivered and she let out a long breath and watch mist swirl in front of her nose. She tried to take in and tried to pick up her heavy head. Her head felt heavy, like their were weights on it, but she knew their wasn’t. She picked up her head and finally looked around. She laid in a small pen, next to another. She watched as men on horses and some walking flooded around the outside of her corral. Their were tents everywhere, and she suddenly heard the loudest noise she had ever head. It sounded like some kind of bird, a scream. She breathed in a strange scent. She smelled smoke, which was never good, and the smell of men and horses.

Eve heard a weak whinny from behind her. She put her feet under her and tried to pick herself up, but her body felt to heavy and felt back down. She turned her head around and found the white stallion laying on the ground past another fence. Charlie picked up his head, which fell back to the ground and let out a soft nicker. It sounded so soft and painful. Eve didn’t reply and tried to pick herself back up, this time successful. She stood shaking in the cold as small white dots floated down from the sky. Charlie nickered once more, lifting his head once, then it fell back to the ground. He was in pain. Eve slowly and carefully made her way to the fence the separated them. She stared at him over the fence, her chest pushing agents it. She never liked to see another horse hurt, and this was just awful. She heard a the loud whistle again. She saw smoke burst from a metal tube. This scared her.

Men approached the corrals and entered them. One in Eves, one in Charlies. The man that approached Eve spoke soft and calm. Eve stood shaking. He extended a hand to her and tied a rope to a halter. He had fooled her with strange noises. Eve pulled back once, and he kept speaking low and soft, and it seemed to put Eve in a trance and she followed. She stopped and looked back at Charlie. He let the human tied the rope to his halter, and struggled to his feet. He was wobbly when he stood, then was led behind Eve. Eve was led past wooden crates on wheels, easily holding five horses. When she past one, she saw a buckskin walking up a ramp into a wooden crate, head hung, legs dragging. She threw her head once and snorted. He deserved what he was getting. She bared her teeth and tried to lung at him, but a man on a horse walked past and she lost sight of him.

She and Charlie were led into a smaller crate on wheels, this one only fitting the two of them. Eve pulled away when the mans hand touched her cheek when he untied her. He patted her back and startled Eve and she startled into a canter for a pace, ears laid back for a moment, then walked in. Charlie walked with his head hung, and his feet dragging. She didn’t want to see him like this. Before he was so spirited and wild. What happened to that stallion? Charlie seemed to crawl. He crawled to a corner and collapsed there. Eve jerked back as the train took off with the blow of a horn.She took a step back, then watched Charlie. His beautiful white coat was filthy. It looked grayish brown. Eve looked threw the cracks in the crate and watched snow swirl threw. Wind blew on Charlie and he shook, obviously cold. Eve took careful steps towards him, and lowered her muzzle to him. She blew warm air on his shoulder, which twitched. She took a closer step and blew out again, this time on his neck. Charlie blew out from his nose and moved his head. Eve was also cold, but a crazy idea popped into her head. What if she laid beside him? She walked near his rump, and Charlie positioned himself so she could lay beside him. She did. She walked behind him and laid down, folding her legs beneath herself. Charlie blew out once again as Eve laid her head on his withers. She let out a gentle whicker. “Now we’re even,” She seemed to say as she settled herself and closed her eyes. Wind and snow continued to blow on the two, but they didn’t move. They were cold and laid motionless, and were happy to have each others warmth threw the long ride.

When the train finally lurched to a stop, Eve had leaped to her feet earlier. Before it had stopped, she sensed their ride coming to an end. Charlie still laid resting in the corner, and he did not wake. He stared out the small cracks in the wooden boards. She breathed in and cold air rushed in her nose. She throat closed and she pulled away from the wind.The train stopped, the whistle blew out above all the noises.Eves ears pinned back and Charlie finally awakened. His head picked up at the door opened, and Eve turned her head to see a man stand in the door way. A small rope held in his hand. The man walked in towards Eve and grabbed her rope halter. She jerked back when his gloved hand touched her cheek, but he had a grip and did not let go until the rope was tired to the halter. He led her out, and her head was held high. She watched men cross their path leading strange horses, and men on horse back, men running hear and there.

A man came in and got Charlie, who he led behind Eve. He led Eve to a post where other horses stood, and when the horses turned their heads at Eves presence, she jerked back. Her hooves dug into the dirt and he legs locked. She wasn’t going towards them a step farther. The man gently pulled on the lead, but she wouldn’t budge. One horse bared his teeth at Eve, all of them, their ears pinned. Eve repeatedly pulled back on the rope, and when the man looked at the other four horses, he understood. He led her to a empty rail and tied her there, Charlie tied at her side, then the men disappeared.

Eve shied away from Charlie, her ears pinned like the geldings. She swung her hind quarters away from Charlie, and stared at him, eyes like daggers.

Charlie stood, neck arched. He blew out threw his nose and his head dropped little more.

Eve looked away from Charlie to take in her surroundings. Her head swivled left and right, her ears perked. She saw many men, on foot and horse, tents, corrals, and other things. Many men gathered around a hole. They piled bundles of something a dark red into a hole, then a man pushed on a box and the red bundles exploded, causing dirt to fly into the air, along with a large amount of dust. Eve pulled at the end of her rope, ears pinned, legs dancing nervously beneath her. When the dust settled, a man waved his hands. A group of men began to talk, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. “Well that’s it,” I heard one say. “We’re gonna have to haul the steamer over the mountain.”

Eve was attached with a large harness and chains, surrounded by many other horses. Charlie was hooked up beside her, and he looked like he was dieing. He head hung in a tired arch, and his legs nearly folded beneath him.

All of the horses were hooked up to the large metal machine.Eve scanned all the horses she could see. She found the buckskin. She just wanted to run at him, but she knew she couldn’t. As she looked, one horse caught her eye. It was a large bay. His muscles rippled under his coat. He was dark, yet also light. When the stallion turned towards Eve, his eyes were filled with hate. Eve took a step back, ears laid back. She remembered this stallion. He tried to kill her, to run her until exhastion. She trembled with fear.

When the men finally finish hooking the horses up, he pulled out a long, snake like thing. He yelled to the horses, snapping the whip into the air.

Eve lunched forward, pulling with all of her strength. Charlie tried his hardest, but he was stuggling. His body trembled with effort. Eve pulled up the large hill, and she would have told it on her life, but it seemed like it took forever.

When they finally made it up the rise, Eve watched the buckskin. He was terrified. He whinnied and pulled back. Before you knew it, he dropped to the ground. Eve thought he was dead, and her ears perked. That would be her dream, seeing her enemy die right before her eyes. A set of mules hooked up the bucksin and pulled him away while everything was perfectly still and silent.

Suddenly the stallion came alive. He kicked and got out of the chain, then burst into a run to the metal machine. He reared and bucked at the chains, and the horses were free. They whinnied and burst into gallops for freedom. Eve watched as the bay reared at the top of the hill in victory.

Eve suddenly felt the weight of the chains lessen. It felt so good. She threw her head and the harness flung from her neck and she galloped up and over the hill to freedom. The wind blew in her face as she ran past the men working on the railroad, and disappeared into the horizon...