The Equestrian

Part One

It's officially been two years since mother died.   She died to a horse riding accident two years ago. It was like a shard of my heart was ripped away from me.  I brushed my fingers through my curly hair as I huffed, crouching next to her rather dirty tomb. I read "Margaret Franks. 1972-2021".   I turned away from the letters, as they tormented and mocked me, twirling around in my head.   A tear slipped off my freckled cheeks, that usually glowed with a fake smile. I sat up, stepping back, crunching on a rotted leaf.   I curled my fingers and my lips quivered, but I had to stay strong. I had to stay strong for my family and little brother.   I sucked all of my feelings up into a little bag, as I tended to do for the past two years.  I slowly walked over to a patch of flowers, which bloomed beautifully year round.  They glowed bright blue, just like mother's eyes.  I picked one, feeling the sharp thorns pierce my fingers.  I ripped the green stem off, throwing it into the bush.  I set it onto her tomb, brushing the top of the dusty stone off with my cold hands.  "I have to get going now."  I took one last glance to her grave, and then hopped onto my bike, like she hopped on to the backs of beautiful horses.   Her horse was named Treasure.  He was a tall, intimidating brown horse.  They called him, a gelding.  I wasn't a horse person, so I was pretty unaware of any horse terminology.  I stirred up my bikes wheels, using my energy to push the bike forward, rushing to the apple tree I would always stop by at.  I picked the finest apple, a large, round, juicy plump apple.  I grasped onto it, shoving it into my backpack.  I cycled over to Gleaming Meadow Ranch.  That's where she would ride Treasure. I cycled up to his pasture, as he whinnied to me.  I was always told I looked just like my mother, so I was the only thing he really had left of her.  I grasped onto the apple, offering it to the huge horse.  He gently took it, like my mother always took my drawings I'd draw her.  He lowered his tall, steady neck down to me and rested his chin on my head.  "I know you weren't the reason mother died.  It was the inconsiderate people at that.. horse show."