Eva's Sins.

LXXIV

  „Good friend, how things are going on? Do you also miss old times?"

  A warm palm touched Black Sunshine's back and this made the poor horse wince and look to the right wherefrom the intruder has approached him. Then, slowly moving its tail from one side to the other, as if defending itself from flies, even if there couldn't be seen at least one, the horse continued its meal, silently chewing the fresh hay put in the rack by Stan, who was actually the one moving his hand up and down the old horse's back, whose skin was slightly shaking, moved by an inner call, for even if that horse hasn't been caressed that much in its life, it also knew well what earthly pleasures mean and especially how it feels the warm palm of a friend caressing your skin and making it slowly shake, something that it's warming inside.

  But, as was its habit, Raven neighed from the next stable, showing its innocent jealousy, for even if it was younger, it was also pretty spoiled. That's why it was showing its character each time it had the possibility. More after Bardain's missing when they have been left by themselves.

  Well, not that alone actually, for Stan took care of them the same or even better than Bardain had taken care of his speechless friends because Stan was that kind of guy who loved a lot the helpless beings, especially those speechless, and he could stay for hours next to them, saying to them about his dreams and plans, listening to what they were saying in their weird language. And when he was melancholic, and lately this with feeling melancholy was something common, he was caressing for long the back of the horses he had to take care of, for only this way he could comfort himself and chase the longing from his soul away: the longing for two mouse eyes and a piece of fluffy fur, abundantly bathed in pitch.

  „Nobody ever told you that caressing the animals too much you are spoiling them and they won't listen to your demand later?" Stan heard Colby's voice and winced, and when he looked at the entrance to the stable, he saw him standing next to the door and playing with a small blade of hay that he was chewing between his teeth.

  Stan said nothing, even if he was so eager to punch him at least twice and to take thus revenge for what happened to Bardain, for since the day he met the old teamster at Shelby Storm's castle, the boy got to blame Colby for those events, even if he was aware that that man was only a servant, and good servants were always listening to their master's orders.

  Yet, as the boy thought, the orders were for being fulfilled, but if they weren't right... those orders, then being a human one could ignore them, for... that's why manhood has been invented on this earth, right?! But... the boy also understood that life sometimes is different than one wants it to be and, to survive, one must do things that he never considered himself able to do. And the boy knew such things for he lived a weird life, a different life, and somehow toothy, a life that had always attacked him and from all sides actually as if that life has been a pack of mad and hungry dogs which were always attacking innocent souls, scaring them to hell and forcing them to hide even in a mouse hole, only to survive.

  That's why he kept silent when Colby talked to him entering the stable: he remembered about the difficulties which life put in front of him, especially about losing dear friends, for it always happened when Stan formed an attachment to someone - something weird was happening, something quick, something that was leaving him alone again and kneeled, angry with that life and its unfair laws. And... swallowing hard not to allow himself to cry after he had remembered though moments, and also not to blame Colby for everything, the boy grabbed two carrots brought there into a pot, carrots that were meant to spoil those two horses even more and to make them forget about their loss because Stan believed that namely those poor animals were suffering more with Bardain's missing. Then Stan approached Raven first and gave him to chew the carrot he was holding in his right hand.