The Ember In The Storm

Part III

The heat of the radiant sun kissed the features of Jackson's face, causing him to blink his eyes open.

Adjusting his focus, Jackson rubbed his hands against his eyes, trying to clear the blur.

After a good while, he recognized the familiar blue sky, as bright as summer with no clouds in sight.

Jackson sat upright, the smell of fresh grass lingering around him. He was not surprised in seeing that he was laying on a green field, stretching as far as his eyes could go.

Fields and fields of nothing but grass. He brushed his hands on the short weed, the length just perfect and the texture as soft as sheep wool.

With everything he had gone through, he was amazed to say that was the best grass he had ever come across.

What was he doing in such a place? It was like no other place he had ever been to.

Jackson stood to his feet, caressing his body for anything. He was physically alright, unfortunately unarmed. It was not like him to go anywhere with no weapon.

Spinning around at his surroundings, he was not confused to find nothing and no one from every angle.

Only grass and blue skies.

"Hello!?" He shouted, walking aimlessly with his bare feet. Where did his shoes go? He looked down at the familiar small toes with confusion. He could have sworn—

Neigh.

Jackson halted in his tracks, recognizing the familiar sound. He spun around and smiled at the beauty before him, as colorful as her name, Ash stood a few feet behind him, staring at him blankly.

"Girl!" He ran to her, wrapping his arms around her chest with a delightful smile. "Where did you come from?"

Finally, he pulled away, running a hand through her mane playfully. She smelt pleasant, like sweet flower. It had been a long while since Jackson groomed her, so the scent and sight of her in such good condition both confused and delighted him.

Jackson found it hard feeling anything but content and glee since he woke up. Last time he felt that way was... alas, he could not recall.

"Look at you, looking so beautiful," he laughed, "who helped you get clean? They did a wonderful job. I hope you didn't give them a hard time."

Jackson was the only one that groomed Ash, everyone else failed to because she became aggressive around them. The reaction was no surprise. Jackson had adopted Ash when she was a filly in the Richmond market from a shady vendor.

Her state then resembled his own; alone and afraid. It was just two years since his mother had passed, and he was still mourning.

"No, she was an absolute angel," a soft voice suddenly said. The tone and texture was as familiar as Jackson remembered it.

His hand halted on Ash's mane, looking beside her head to look for the person his heart so desperately told him it was.

Standing right behind Ash, there she was, smiling sheepishly at the man ahead of her.

"Mi vida," Jackson muttered, blinking in disbelief as his heart swelled at the sight of her again. "My darling."

Jackson walked ahead, watching her smile widen before she ran into his arms, jumping in to wrap her arms around his neck.

A cheerful laugh escaped Jackson's throat, wrapping his arms around her body as she dangled her feet in the air.

"Elizabeth," he cried, "My Elizabeth."