The Girl Who Loves Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center Series) by Vincent Diana

Author:Vincent, Diana [Vincent, Diana]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2012-04-11T16:00:00+00:00

*****

18 Empty Stall

The horses will ever remain our true and ultimate judges; let us always listen to them. – Erik Herbermann

*****

“River, perhaps it would be best if you went away,” Dr. Patterson said gently. They had slowly led Magic from the wash stall to a grassy patch at the edge of the stable yard. It would make it easier for the renderers to remove the body. Tess stood next to the veterinarian, her posture still and tense and her face fixed in an expression of horrified shock.

River shook his head, avoiding eye contact with the others and keeping his body close to Magic’s head, allowing the chestnut to press against him as he kept a hand on his neck, stroking gently. In a choked voice he pleaded one more time. “Can’t we wait a few days?”

“No, son,” Dr. Patterson put a hand on River’s shoulder. “This is the best decision. I know you don’t want him to suffer.”

River could not accept this as the best decision. If Magic were to have surgery right away he imagined there would be some pain afterwards, but they could give him pain medicine and he would eventually heal. In River’s mind, there was a very good chance he could even heal sound. No one had considered what Magic might prefer.

The vet stepped up to the gelding’s neck, palpating for a vein, a prepared syringe in one hand.

“Will he...?” River didn’t know what he wanted to ask. He could not watch the needle going in.

“He will just go to sleep…and there will be no more pain.”

River looked deep into Magic’s large dark eye, searching for blame or forgiveness or some understanding. All he saw was trust. He felt so utterly helpless. He wanted to fight for Magic’s right to live but he didn’t know how. He could yell, kick, and scream, but eventually they would just drag him away. He had already begged and pleaded. What can I do…please, what can I do? “I’m so sorry,” he whispered hoarsely, a deep sense of shameful betrayal filling his soul.

Magic emitted a low-sounding moan. His eyes remained open as suddenly his back legs buckled and he dropped onto his hip and then to his side. He made one last attempt to raise his head. Then the opened eyes glazed and he lay still.

River dropped to his own knees staring into the vacant eye with his hands on the red neck. Ice coursed through his veins and he felt frozen.

Dr. Patterson placed a hand on his shoulder. “Come, River, it’s over.”

River shook his head and then fell onto Magic’s neck, his fingers intertwined into the beautiful red mane, and he breathed in deeply of his smell; so that he would not forget…never forget.

The vet and Tess stood by helplessly watching the boy silently sob into the velvety coat of the dead horse. Not until the men drove up in the rendering truck and came over to place their chains, did River finally allow Dr. Patterson and Tess to lift him up by his arms.

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