Shorties: Number 19

This is an excerpt from a story I wrote about 30 years ago.  Runner is a horse and the Owner is a human.  

That night Runner dreamed of the days when he was on his own.  He dreamed of running as fast as he could from one hill to the next.  In his vision the sun brightly shone and the grass was so green.  In his mind’s eye it was as if he were out running as he once did but still had the care of the Owner.  This didn’t make sense.  He began to ponder this when he woke up.  He looked upon the vision with bewilderment.  It felt so good to run but now he couldn’t run because of the confines of the corral. 

            

He thought of his name, Runner.  “I haven’t run in years.  What a joke!  My name is Runner but I don’t run.   All of the other horses names say something about who they are.  If only the Owner hadn’t made the fence.  That stupid fence!  I’m stuck inside this stupid, lousy fence.  I may as well be in a prison with walls a hundred feet tall and topped with barbed wire.  Once I was free but now I’m trapped.”  He felt dictated by the owner.  He began to resent the owner.  

            

After the morning feeding the owner walked up to Runner and asked, “Have I done something wrong?”  Runner quickly replied, “No, everything is fine.”  The Owner smiled and asked “Will you walk with me for a moment?”  The sun was shining brightly just as it did in the dream.  Runner gazed out at The Land Beyond and his heart burned within him.  The Owner looked directly into the horse’s eyes and asked, “Do you want to run free again?”  Runner quickly said no and turned away as tears began to well up in his eyes.  He didn’t understand why he was crying only that there was a great sadness in his heart.  So much emotion he felt that words could never explain it.  The Owner simply said, “Let’s go for a ride.” and turned to get the saddlery.

           

Runner stood too nervous to move as the Owner dressed him for the ride.  He looked anxiously about him when the owner mounted and prodded him to start moving.  Step, step, step, he began to walk.  As the horse had feared, he was being led to the gap in the fence.  The other horses gave him looks of contempt as they rode by.  When they reached the edge of The Land Beyond the horse shut his eyes.  He wanted to protest.  He wanted to stop.  He wanted to fight but he just couldn’t.  He kept his eyes closed for a few more steps when he heard one of the other horses shout, “Don’t bother coming back again.”  He started to speak in his own defense when felt a swift kick in the ribs.  Startled, he began to run.

            

He ran and ran with tears streaming down his face.  He was unsure of how he felt.  He wanted to savor all of it but was afraid that it was wrong.  Was this what he was looking for?  He felt whole, free, and a little bit at peace.  Horse and rider galloped off into the distance.

            

The euphoria of freedom ebbed as fatigue began to wear on him.  He slowed to a trot and finally to a walk when the Owner began to speak.  “This is the way it is supposed to be.  You have the world to roam and explore and I will guide you.  Unlike before when you didn’t know what was best, I will shepherd you to the best water holes and grazing land.  It won’t be hit or miss. “

             

Runner asked, “Why is there a gap in the fence?”  The Owner said, “Some horses put the fence up years ago but I took it down.  The horses rebuilt it again and I tore it down again.  It was a continuous cycle that ended when I made the fence with a missing section.  I continue to ensure there is a section missing.  Whenever one of them is ready to live where they belong, they can ride out.  The fence represents their stubbornness and unwillingness to live where they belong.”  Runner remembered his dream and felt a wave of emotion wash over him.   “I can run in The Valley of Dreams and The Land Beyond.” he said.  The Owner smiled and nodded.

            

He was free.  The world was once again his to explore, but this time he had someone to take care of him.  The world is not so much of an evil place as it is a lost place in need of someone to care for it.  With a heartfelt cry of exaltation the horse ran off to find his old friends and introduce them to the Owner.  The Owner felt Runner’s rapture and rejoiced with him.