Stained Red

The Night

I dozed off shortly after Jason was done grooming me. The barn lights were off and the chilling winter wind blew softly against the stable walls. I was dreaming of me and Jason galloping together in a field. Jason obviously not being the fastest. I was well into my dream when a door silently creaked open. I heard a pair of footsteps enter the stable and two men speaking in hushed voices. I remembered that I was still hooked up in the cross ties and was now fully awake. I couldn't see behind me, but I could still see the soft glow of a lantern dancing across the walls of the barn. A voice said hurriedly
"hurry up and show me the horse, I haven't got all evening"
Then came a familiar voice
" yes he's over here, in the cross ties."
The first voice chipped in.
"You were right, he is a beaut'."
Said the voice as he approached me.
"Yes everything I promised, and only 1500 for him."
Said the familiar voice.
The first voice; who I figured out belonged to a very short man, grunted and remarked
" that's an awful lot for a untrained racehorse-to-be."
The familiar voice sounded shaky and said
"Will discuss the price later, let's just get out of here before Jason, or anyone else for that matter, wakes up."
That's when I realized that the voice belonged to Jason's friend; Alex. I pulled back at the cross ties and tried to get away, but Alex and the short man held me down. The short man laughed as if my pain was a joke.
"Looks like I've got a fighter."
He said while he dodged a kick.
I called out to Jason, but he didn't answer.
Just when the man was unclipping me, I heard a light switch flick on and a clumsy voice. It was Jason! Yes come rescue me from these maniacs!
Jason rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn.
"What's going on?"
Said Jason sleepily. Alex held his breath and I felt his heart beat twice as fast.
"Umm Jason I was going to tell you but..."
Jason cut Alex off
"No you weren't. You were going to think that I wasn't going to notice a horse that I intentionally left in the middle of the stable in cross ties. Right?"
Alex scratched behind his head and smiled weakly.
While the two were bickering at each other, the short man was already leading me out of the stable and into the trailer. I wasn't going to see Jason again, but yet I was determined to find him.