Cracker-Jack

Chapter fifteen (a few weeks later)

 I paced my stall. Nostrils flared, I shook my head up and down and pawed the shavings in the floor until bare rubber matting was exposed. I was full of energy, thirsy for fresh air. My tail has grown enogh to where I can swish away flies at my flank, I vigerously swished it at both sides and pawed once more, sending dust into the empty, quiet air. I shook my neck like a wet hound dog to shed dust and dirt from my coat, my mane tickled where my wounds used to be from the barbwire, my body shuddered just thinking back to it.

 My ears rotated toward the doorway as the door squeeked open, letting the morning light enter.  The familier sound of Kathy's boots ticked down the hall until she came to my stall carrying a brown paper bag and a shiny green apple. Her brown hair was pulled into braids and the botton three buttons of her navy blue plad shirt un-done.

 "Someone is excited today huh, boy?" She rubbed my ears and held the apple in her outstretched hand. While I was munching the apple, Kathy emptied the contents of the paper bag onto the top of the oak colored gate. Twine, knitted into a neat square, a pale red brush, hair brush, and a hoof-pick, and a soft, pale cloth.

 "Let me get this crud off of your coat, Jack," She carefully opened the door without dropping the brushes, and lifted the knitted twine off the gate. She pressed it to my neck and gently moved it into circular motions all the way down my body. Loose dirt and hair showered the floor. I was relieved from all discomfort on my skin, I closed my eyes and enjoyed it. She scrubbed away the dirt and loose hair from my neck to my tail, then she moved to the other side, doing the same.

 "Shoo-wee!" Kathy fanned her hand by her face. "That was a lot of mud, Jack!" She half coughed as she grasped the pale, red brush. She pressed it to my coat and delicatly flicked away the dirt. Clouds and clouds of dust formed behind me as she brushed it away, my coat was slowly feeling clean, I felt as if my skin was slowly becoming visible, like it was once hidden away.

 Kathy began to buff my coat with the cloth, giving it a good shine, it reminded me of the old days with me and Master. When he still loved me. He would brush me until my coat shined and felt like silk. I can see him now, getting the tan body brush and gently stroke it against my coat. In his other hand he would hold a bright, juicy carrot as a treat for me when he was finished. The wind blew my mane off from my neck and send the grass swaying back and forth against my fetlocks. Birds began to screach and swiftly fly away. Dark clouds rolled in followed by booming thunder. Even the cows next door began to cower under trees. I began to panick and walk backwards toward the barn. Sharp pinching pains sent up to my neck as I felt warm blood trickle down towards my mouth and shoulders. It began to trickle into the corners of my mouth as I saw that my neck was tied with rusted barbwire, I turned to Master for help, but he was laughing. The brush he has in his hand faded into a beer bottle, and the carrot turned into a cigarette. His hat blew into my face with the wind. I blinded me as it covered my eyes. The hard hat began to feel like cloth. The wind began to calm and the birds returned as I heard their chirps once again.

 Then the cloth was taken off of my eyes, Kathy stood in awe as she slowly stroked my twitching neck, I flinched as she felt my scars, but I realized that they were not bleeding. Everything was normal.

 "Easy, Jack, easy," She whispered, I relaxed my muscles and faced her. All of the sudden a sweet, sugary smell filled the air. It came from her pocket! I peeked my nose in Kathys jeans pocket and munched on the sweet treat. Kathy swiftly turned and laughed.

 "Jack, you can't have Cracker Jacks!" She laughed, then the smile turned into a stern face, she stared into the ground. "Cracker Jack." She stated as she gave me another piece of the treat. "Cracker Jack." She repeated. The smile faded back to her cheeks as she rubbed my face. "Good boy, Cracker Jack! Good boy!" She laughed. The smile still remained on her face as she grasped the hoof pick and gently squeezed my cannon bone. I shifted my weight and lifted it up for her to pick out the muck and stones. "Good boy, Cracker Jack!" As she finished picking and returned to my next hoof. After that, she quickly slicked through my mane with the hair brush and patted my neck. 

 "Be back for breakfast," She whispered.

 About ten minutes later Kathy arrived back in my stall with my feed and set it in the corner as she filled my water bucket.

 "I have a surprise for you after breakfast, Cracker Jack!" She patted my hindquarters. Surprise? What surprise? I hurries to finish my meal so I could recieve my surprise. I lifted my head out of the bucket and turned to Kathy, who already had my halter and lead gripped in her palms. "Let's go." She said. She fastened the buckles and led to the gate of the pasture. She opened it and walked both of us in. Kathy removed my halter. "It's all yours, boy." She whispered. I looked forward, acres of grass, clover, scattered trees, and a clean pond, just waiting for me to enjoy. Without hesitation, I bolted into the pasture, kicking dirt and thoughts of my past behind me. The feeling of freedom rushed throughout my body. Pleasure. The feeling of having the freedom to walk in a green pasture without tripping over mud, and being able to drink clean water, and having hay, clover, grass, and an owner that loves me is nothing less than pleasure.

 Kathy was at the other end of the pasture leaning on the fence laughing, still holding my halter and leadrope. I trotted back to her, nuzzling her brown hair to tell her 'thank you'. She held my face in her arms and leaned her head against mine. I loved her. I would have never thought I would love any other person, but I did. I loved Kathy. I could never leave her, even if I had to, after all the things she has done for me, I could never do anything to her or let anyone do anything to her.

 "Kathy, come inside!" Her mother yelled from the front door, Kathy glanced back and then gave me one last pat on my neck.

 "You're a good boy, Cracker Jack," she said one last time before jogging to her mother.

 I began to canter back to my pond, sniffing the clean water, I observed the trees and rubbed my head against the bark to give it a good scratch, something that was long, long overdue. I decided to lay down under the tree and roll, I can't remember the last time I rolled in grass. I just stretched my legs and neck out and closed my eyes. I had all of this to myself.

 I tried to think of my own world, my own life that i would enjoy. Many acres of green rolling hills, crisp air that smells fresh, the kind of air that refreshes a stressed mind, the kind that makes the water in ponds ripple and the shiney leaves of apple trees surrounding the body of water flutter to the pond, the kind of water thats clean and cool, the kind of water that the birds bath in, with iscolated patches of clover around the pasture, the sweet, sugary kind that dissolves on your tounge. And clean, white fences that seperates us and and numerous rolls of hay. With tall blades of grass, damp from morning dew, which provides a cool bed to lay on to bask in the morning sun.

 I opened my eyes and realized.....I did not have to make my body go numb. All I had to do was open my eyes to see paradise, it may not be exactly of what I thought, but it was paradise. I sat back up, without barbwire tugging on my neck and leg, and grazed. The very first time I had grass on my tongue in years. I enjoyed each blade of grass. Gentle spring rain drizzled on my back as I munched on a clover patch. A soft, low rolling thunder bellowed just as Kathy began to run back out to the pasture, eager to see her again, I galloped to her, stretching my legs. Once I got to her, I saw her with cheeks red and tears rolling down.

 Then she said the words that made my paradise crash down, that turned my happiness into total fear. The last words the person who loved me last told me. She sniffed and rubbed my cheek.

 "Goodbye, Jack."