Nation Assassination

Chapter Twelve

Which one do you want?” Jean asked quietly.

I looked at him confused before he continued. “Which horse. You can choose from these four… All of them are well bred, with beautiful structure. Each one is young, but rideable and very strong.”

I mumbled a bit and walked by each pen, looking at the sleeping horses.

“That one” Jean said, pointing to a extravagant black horse, “Is almost a year old. He doesn't have an official name yet. He’s hard working and very strong.”

Jean pointed to another horse, a shimmering white one, and told me about it. “She’s around nine months, no name yet, she moves fluently and has a beautiful canter. Very fluid strides.”

“She’s a great horse, about ten or eleven months old, very strong and very fast. She responds great to just about anything you want her to do” He said and led me to a stall with a huge horse, black body and a white mane.

“He is a bit hard headed, certainly a stud...a year and a half old. Hes extremely fast though and once you get to know him i'm sure he would be a great mount for you.” He said and turned to a studly grey horse with a few white markings.

Without saying anything, i continued to look at the horses he showed me. Then i turned and saw a stall that looked thrown together, terribly made. So i walked over to it.

I was horrified to see a horse inside of it, wide awake. He was definitely not fed well, his dull brown coat a dirty, mangled mess. His mane was a dark brown, as far as I could tell at least. He was small and frail, his ribs showing and his stomach and neck showing no signs of muscles or fat.

“What about him?” I asked Jean and pointed to the neglected horse.

“He was born at the wrong time. We can't take care of him, but it's against the NA rules to kill an animal on NA property… And no one has time to take him outside of the border to shoot him. It's sad, really. He’s about one and a half, if I remember right.” Jean shrugged.

“But… That's not right!” I yelled. I paused for a moment, then thought. “I'll take him to the border. Put the poor guy out of his misery.” I said strongly, while inside my heart was breaking for the poor horse. “I'll do it right now!” I yelled and jerked open the makeshift gate.

“Mercy, you don't have to. He'll be taken care of eventually… He's not your problem.” Jean said coldly.

“Don't you have a heart, Jean?  He's suffering!” I yelled as a tear ran down my cheek.

“Yes, I have a heart… But that horse cannot be handled!  He's wild and has never been out of that pen!  You can't handle him. Leave him be.” Jean said and spun on his heel, stomping away from the stables and towards building B.

“Well I'm not gonna give up on you.” I told the horse. “I'll take you to a peaceful place and close your eyes. I'll see that your suffering ends.”

I walked into the pen, startling the horse.

“It's okay.” I repeated over and over to the horse, holding out my hands for him to smell.

I pulled a spare carrot from my coat pocket, one I had grabbed to eat on the way back, and held it out to him.

He darted forward and took the carrot, devouring it selfishly and darting back to the back corner.

As I walked further into the stall, I realized not only has this horse almost never been fed, but he's been living in his own filth… maybe even eating it.

I stroked his quivering body, gently touching the areas his bones nearly poked through his hide.

“Let's get you out of here.” I said and walked out of the stall, grabbing a handful of carrots and filling both pockets of my coat with apples.

He followed me out of the stables as I led him through the NA, feeding him an apple or a carrot every few feet.

Soon, we reached what I assumed to be outside of the NA, so I got in front of the horse and pulled a pistol I had picked up earlier and pointed it steadily at him.

I put my finger on the trigger, but I never pulled it. I couldn't do it. I could take the life of another merciless killer, but not the life of a defenseless horse who only ever wanted love. And love he was going to get.

The horse looked at me with pleading eyes… Eyes that wanted help, to be able to live and grow like he was exposed to. Like everyone is exposed to... To grow up with love, support, protection... Grow up with hope.

He had hope. Hope was what kept me alive for years on the streets of an unforgiving village that was constantly raided by monsters on horses…

Nothing but hope and fear kept me alive. He had both. He wanted help, but not this kind of help. He had hope... Hope to live. He had fear... Fear of being unloved. Rejected. The same fears as every human being ever had.

And I was going to help him. I never had anyone to pick me up off my feet when I fell down... But that doesn't make it right. This horse... He will be taken care of. I'll bring him back to the NA, no matter what Jean has to say about it.

I'll tale care of him, feed him, water him, and train him to be just as good as those well bred, trained horses. Just like the NA is going to turn me, scum off of the streets, into the fighter that runs in my bloodline.

I lowered the gun, replacing it with an apple.

"I'll name you Maximum. Because with me, you'll always be at your Max because in going to push you to your limits, I'll make sure you become the best."