Miracle Horse

Chapter 18

Survivors POV

It's dark. I can't feel myself at all. My eyes won't open. Is this what it is like when you're dead? No. The two-legs have placed me into a world between life and death, between conscious and unconscious. My nerves have been sent to sleep so I can't feel anything, but I can sense Mike. Working on me. Helping me, saving me if he can.

Mikes POV

Survivor is a strong horse, but now he is as weak as a sheet of wet paper.

Elisabeth watched me, searching my face for an answer. But deep in her eyes I saw that my expression told her everything.

"Survivors weak, horribly weak.." Her eyes drifted to the food, tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. "He has..." I stuttered, unable to speak clearly with so many sicknesses swimming inside my brain. "Liver poisoning and Memory loss." I spluttered, finally gasping the right ones. Elisabeth's eyes flashed with slight understanding. "That seems right, he acted like Winter Ripple was a horse he had never met!" Lucy cut in. "He thought Rebecca and Anthony were strangers too." Elisabeth added. I nodded solemnly.

Elisabeth's POV

We stood in silence until a frightened whinny radiated from the ex ray room.

I beamed from ear to ear. Even though Survivor was frightened of the strange equipment in the room, at least his symptoms aren't nearly as bad as my thoughts claimed them to be.

Survivor was moved into another stable. Much smaller than the Horse Section stables, these are for sick or injured horses a-waiting their cures. Pinned to the door of the stall is a blue A4 sheet of paper, containing each horses requirements. Survivor was in the stall at the end of the stables.

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I pushed open the large wooden double-door of the farmhouse. Every light was off. I dropped my work-bag in the middle of the dark gloomy hallway. "Ahh... Hello?" I called, suspicious. Dad should be finished at his vet clinic, and mum can't be still at Mary's...

"Surprise!"

Erica, mum, dad, Sam, Caleb jumped out from every room along the hallway, suddenly flicking on the lights. I blindly ran backwards, losing my footing and falling to the soft carpet. Giggling in fright.

I had completely forgotten that today was my birthday!

They sat me on my bed and bombarded me with presents. I got some new riding boots, my old ones were starting to wear out, Coconut Rough chocolate, $100, a black school bag with a white horse on the front, and a fifty dollar voucher for the Saddlery Warehouse.

"You haven't seen my present yet!" Erica squeaked, "close your eyes!" I walked blindly after the tugging of Erica's hand.

A gentle breeze tickled my face. I heard the crunching of stones underfoot and guessed we were outside.

"And open!"

I gasped, I stood at my favourite stall. Three stalls from the front. Engraved on the name plate of the door, was "Survivor, Running Freedom"

"Thank you" I whispered, gently running my fingers across the nameplate. Erica nodded and left me alone for some private time. I strolled to the breeding stalls at the back of the stable and approached the first one. Brovado and Chase suckled innocently at their mothers milk.

Amina nickered at the foals and licked their faces with motherly love. She gently pushed their heads away from her, snorting as if to say, "that's enough milk for now." Chase stumbled over and fell to the ground. He instantly scrambled back onto his shaky legs, his small, golden sides heaving with the effort. Brovado stared awkwardly at his brother. He gently nibbled his withers and sprang into the air with bucks of uncontrollable energy. Chase hobbled behind Amina and cowered.

I turned away and trudged into the extra-tack tack room. I hurried around, searching for foal sized halters. Finally my fingers rubbed against two, small, white halters. I snatched my hand back into my chest and stumbled backwards.

~ FLASHBACK ~

My hand gently stroked Charlie and Diamonds necks as the white twin foals curled up beside me in the lush, buttercup meadow. Their mare, Estrella, grazed peacefully a few strides away. I smiled, lying my head across Charlie's withers, I slipped into a dark vortex, called sleep.

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Bright sunlight stung my newly opened eyes. Diamond's head sat on her beautifully arched neck. Her eyes held dull, grief-filled pupils. I followed her gaze, my eyes landed on Charlie.

His chest no longer expanded with every breath, but rather, made no breath anyway. My hands trembled. I scrambled to my feet and watched as Charlie's limp body that was once leaning against mine, fall to the ground in a heap.

I crouched back down and cradled my white princes head in my arms, as my mind realised the fact that my White Prince was no longer in the land of the living.

I unbuckled the white halter that wrapped around his proud head. Beside me, Diamond's small, sweet frame slid to the ground. Bubbly blood trickled slowly out of her mouth and into the soft grass. Dead.

And now that I think about it, the twins were so small, skinny and fragile. No wonder my father didn't allow me to get to close to them. But I didn't listen. And finally I understood why... They were never going to make it to adulthood.