Infinity

Chapter 8

I lined her up parallel to the fence line and picked up a trot. She was calm and collected. The cool, fall air reprieved my face from the sun. She was moving briskly, without any worries. I posted in rhythm to her stride, though it was a bit tiring considering I hadn't ridden in ten years. She was very forward and eager, so I was constantly having to pull her back. We rounded the corner and hit the north side of the fence. I picked up a canter. She had the smoothest stride I have ever felt. I had to straighten her out and pull her back, but she eventually got the hang of it. The reins were starting to rub my fingers raw, but I didn't care. We were approaching the side of the fence that lined up with the track. There were quite a few horses galloping their hearts out for their morning workout. She caught sight of this and got excited. I had to pull her back. The closer we got, the more hyper she would be. She wanted to run with them, but I didn't let her. We got even closer; she got even more excited. I was starting to get nervous because she was getting harder and harder to control. Then, we hit the corner. She started doing small rears and tossing her head up and down. She became too strong, and I just couldn't control her anymore. She took off. I flew back in the saddle but caught myself by grabbing a chunk of mane. The reins fell from my hands, so I literally had no control at that time. That scrawny, little filly was racing a big, seventeen hand stallion. She increased her pace every second it seemed. All she had in front of her was open field. The wind was pounding me in the face and it was hard to breathe. I re-adjusted my grip on her mane and squeezed my legs to her side as hard as I could. I had no choice but to go along for the ride. My heart was racing a mile a minute, and my stomach felt like it was going to give way. I couldn't feel my muscles. They were pushed to their limits. I looked to my left and was only able to make out a blurred shape of the horse she was racing. Her pace was even with his. Anytime he would accelerate, she would too. She wouldn't get ahead, but she definitely never fell behind. There wasn't change in pace for a while. I was about to fall out of the saddle from exhaustion. All of a sudden, when I thought she couldn't go any faster, she took off. Her stride lengthened, her breathing became significantly heavier, and the wind forced my eyes shut. I was able to get a glimpse of the horse running with us, but he was no longer with us anymore. I had to crane my neck back to see him. He was fading away with every second that passed, every stride she took. She was going faster. I looked ahead once more, and a big smile crept on to my face. She was flying. My heart was pounding out of excitement, and I yelled "Woooo-hoooo!"

She never faltered. Not once. She was gliding over the ground like a seagull over the water. When we were close enough, I could make out a tiny shape at the fence. It was my uncle jumping up and down in excitement.

"Don't fall off!" He yelled through his laughter.

We approached the fence line and she finally stopped. My face felt hot at the sudden shortage of cold wind. I yelled some more, but they weren't words. It was just happiness. I leaned over and smacked her neck so hard. I had never experienced what it was like to fly until that day. I jumped down and was shaking from adrenaline. My uncle hopped the fence, ran at me, and squeezed me.

"Do you even know what you just did?" He yelled. "Do you even know how fast you went? I have never seen a horse run so fast! This filly sprouted wings and took to the sky!" He yelled with a happy tone, out of breath. I couldn't do more than just stand there and try to let what happened sink in. He went up to her a scratched her neck. "What is her name, Sweetheart? I've never asked. Does she even have a name?" He said out of curiosity. At that moment, it suddenly hit me that she didn't have a name. She's only ever been called "little one" or "the filly".

"No, she doesn't, actually." I said with a chuckle.

"Well I guess we 'oughta name her." He stood there and looked at her for a few minutes. "Hermes." He said. "It means speed and good luck."

"Isn't that more of a...well...boy's name?"

"She's not a boy? Huh. I never noticed." He said with a smirk and a wink of his eye. I returned the smile.

"Hermes." I said. "The horse that grew wings. I like it." I said. That day was the birth of a legend. It was on that day, that history changed forever. It was the day that truly started our story.