Chapter 2: Chapter Two
This is what defeat is like, a bitter taste in one's mouth. I lied on the ground beaten, pain coursing through my limbs in waves. Blood dripped off my right arm, turning my sleeve into a pale reddish stain. My cold legs did not respond to my urge to move them. I must be in shock. I grit my teeth. Best I could do is lay here and catch my breath.
The horse's face appeared above me with her nose. For a vague moment I thought this was a dream until a sweet voice came from its lips.
"How are you?" The mare asked. Her lips moved with such care and precision I almost could believe she was real, too real.
"Why me?" I mumbled.
"I needed you."
I wanted to sleep, I wanted to lay on the ground and forget all that happened a few minutes ago. Heck forget there was ever a war going on too. I had found my peace. I stared up at the night sky filled with hundreds of shining specks. The lovely woman's voice continued.
"I did not want to hurt you, though you were going to shoot me. I should have not put too much pressure on your ankle. I tried not to cripple you yet I fear it may be worse." She stood over me, mane hanging down.
This is not crippling me? Hell has no fury like this mare. I would think taking on a bull would be a much fairer fight. At least the odds would give me a chance, being gored sounds more manly than being pinned to submission. My left hand found its way to my bleeding arm. My eyes popped wide open. My peace was gone.
"Fuck, my arm is broken."
"It is not broken, I made sure of it," She said.
Then why in the hell did it hurt so much? My hand moved to test my ribs. At least they were intact but a bit sore. I had a lot to say but I wouldn't say it to her, not here, not now. I moved my limbs and was rewarded with a throbbing deep pain shooting up my leg.
"Ow- my ankle." If I was thinking straight, she may have just tried to cripple me on purpose.
"Must you sit?" She asked.
My eyebrow went up. Her choice of words were strange.
"I don't think I can." I mumbled.
"I may try," She said.
The sound of heavy crunching of gravel to my right as a large shadow fell over me. Her head lowered to my face, lips pulling back to reveal huge incisors. I held my breath when her teeth came close to my neck and pinched the front of my uniform. With one motion she pulled me into a sitting position.
"Here rest against my leg," She told me.
Her nose pushed on my chest. I leaned back and touched something solid and narrow from the top of my shoulders down to my hips.
"There now, how do you feel?" She said.
I leaned my head back looking up to her face, long nose and blaze. My injured arm cradled by my left. Another wave of pain shot up my leg forcing out a grunt.
"I feel like I've been kicked by a horse."
"I didn't kick you," She chuckled. Her lips touched my ear. "I held myself back," she whispered.
My eyebrow raised, cheeks becoming warm. I tried to stand, legs struggling to right themselves. I pushed myself onto my good leg. This horse, no, mare, was called Elly. I had to remember that.
"What is wrong?" Her sweet voice was next to me.
I looked down at myself crouched, unable to rise under my own strength.
"I can't stand," I said.
"Here, I can help," She offered.
The mare withdrew her leg from my back and maneuvered herself to my left side.
She lowered her head to my eye level.
"Grab my mane."
Her mane presented itself in my face. A slight hint of perfume tickled my nose. It had a flowery smell, almost like it came from a field of sunflowers or dandelions.
My fingers slipped into her warm mane, taking hold of it she lifted me up using her neck and got me back onto my unsteady feet. I stood ungracefully with most of my weight shifted to my right side.
"Now, lean on me and I'll carry you over to that place," her nose pointed to the janky internet cafe. "I would not have you further injure yourself."
After all the injuries you gave me? I suppressed my tongue. Was I asking for another beating? I should know better. I was loopy for sure.
I put my left arm over her neck and grabbed the mane from that side. She responded by moving herself closer to my side, neck below my shoulder, pressed against my side, a perfect crutch.
"Now take a step," She said.
My right foot went forward. I leaned onto her neck.
"Now another."
My other foot gingerly took a step, barely touching the ground. I winced.
Elly took one step to match me.
"Does it still hurt?" She asked.
"Not as much," I said.
"Good, now walk with me"
It had to be an awkward sight seeing a soldier limping along with a draft horse helping him along. This was not something one would see on any normal day. For one thing, the horse had no bridle or rope to speak of. If any civilian could have seen us right now I'm sure they would have many questions. Why would an American soldier have anything to do with a horse and how are you making the horse do that? I can explain, first you have to take a beating from said horse.
We were halfway to the cafe, both man and horse taking a slow pace together, one leaning on the other. I looked at her ears and mane, she seemed familiar yet I couldn't quite recall where I had seen her. My memory had been fuzzy since the invasion had started. In war there is so much going on one does not have much time for rest or even a couple hours of sleep. I have heard of some soldiers going 72 hours without one wink of sleep. They were truer troopers than myself. As for me I enjoyed my short naps whenever I could get them.
The cafe was getting closer, I could read the Persian letters on the windows advertising something was inside. Like fast internet or comfy seating. Or it could be good coffee. I heard persians knew all about making coffee. Maybe I should try some when the war is over.
Elly guided me past the front of the cafe around the corner to a semi hidden, shackled and chained, side door.
"Wait here." Elly removed herself from my side. My arm dropped off her neck and I was left limping to the wall. My hand braced the cold stone wall for support.
A slight breeze blew her tail as she came up to the side door eyeing it. If I had a breaching charge, it would have broken the door off its frame. No such luck now, What was she going to do?
She held her head high and began to prance in front of the door. She spun 180 degrees, inching up to the door in reverse. Her rear hooves lashed out. The sound of impact echoed off the buildings nearby.
Elly glanced behind seeing the chain was severed, one hinge broken, with the door sitting at a slight angle still barring the way. She snorted looking back to her front. Her hind legs tensed up. Another kick and the door came off, falling unwilling onto the tile floor inside with a loud slap.
She pranced before me with her head bobbing, pleased with herself.
"Shall we go inside?" She asked sweetly.
My mouth was open, no breaching charge needed.
She offered her neck to me and took me inside. I went first followed by her barely squeezing through the door frame. Once inside, we stepped together down a short hallway into the main lobby of the cafe, already abandoned and empty of computers or anything worth of value. Only a few tables and busted chairs remained in this place. The owner must have closed the shop and fled when the war came. Good for him and us too.
Elly took me to the counter that split the main room in half except for open gaps at the ends.
"Sit here," She said with a hint of authority.
I released her mane and lowered myself to the floor sitting legs sprawled out. I scanned the room noticing how barren it was. Looters would have no reason to break in here. It had nothing to catch their interest. Now to check on my wounds.
I reached in a side pocket on my hip and pulled out a red bag with a white cross on it, a first aid kit basically.
"What is this?" Elly looked at the bag in my hand.
"That? Oh it is for my wounds," I said
"Open it."
I unzipped the bag and turned it over. Out came the gaze, and the bandages along with the disinfect. I rolled up my bloodied sleeve with care. The tenderness in my arm screamed with every motion.
"Does it hurt?" She asked.
"It doesn't," I lied.
The wound was only an inch deep gash with teeth marks. I poured alcohol over the wound, a burning sensation erupted then faded. One good wipe and I wrapped it tightly with a gaze. I would have a hell of time explaining to the medic on how I got this bite wound. So a horse walked up and bit you? All because you were trying to stab the horse in the neck? Yes of course I would reply. Then she took your prisoner? He would then shake his head, I heard crazy stuff before but you are taking the cake.
Off came the boots before I probed my ankle pulling up my pant leg carefully. Red angry looking skin swollen over the ankle twice the size of it was before. One poke with a finger and I winched. I glanced over to the first aid. I mumbled on my lips. There was nothing to be done.
"How are your wounds?" She asked.
I waved my now bandaged arm in front of me.
"My arm seems ok. My ankle unfortunately is painful to put any weight on. I doubt I am walking anytime soon," I sighed.
"I didn't want to but you gave me no choice. You did threaten me," She looked me in the eyes.
I felt a jolt of guilt then glanced at my busted arm.
"Choice? I thought you were a trap?" I said.
"A trap?" She chuckled. She blew her mane out of her eyes. She tapped the tile floor with her hoof. "I needed your help, I could not have you refuse me." She turned her rear to me and went to the front of the cafe to the outside windows.
I look at her long flaxen tail touching the floor partly covering her legs.
"-Umm," I coughed
"Do you say?" She spoke up.
"Does that make me a prisoner?" I asked.
"A prisoner? I think not. You are a friend. What would I do with a prisoner?"
There are lots of things you can do with a prisoner. You can torture them. You can bind them. You can ask them for information, probe them with questions, make them say whatever you want, you can grant their freedom or take it away. Have them tell you the truth or lie if you prefer. Hell you can even make them like you if you do it right. A friend, not so much.
"I wouldn't know personally," My tongue moved itself.
A loud snort came from her. Her ears swivel towards me.
"Why do you ask these sorts of questions?"
"I-thought I ask, you know, um just so we can be-"
"Be real." She cut me off.
"Yes."
Elly whisked her tail and left the window. She came over to me and lowered herself down on her knees an appropriate distance between us. I felt tiny and defenseless with my six foot frame compared to her massive size and her weight being ten times my own. She held her head up in a dignified manner, tail tucked beneath her.
"I am yours now." She spoke with confidence.
My eyebrow raised.
"Why me? I mean- why go through all this effort for me?" I gestured.
"Human, I require your help." Her ears focused on me.
In my condition? She can't be serious.
"My help?" I interjected.
"Yes"
"I'm all ears," I said.
"Say?"
"I was giving an expression," My shoulders slumped.
"I do not know what you were saying."
I wanted to slap my forehead, on second thought I held myself back.
"Then allow me to speak?" She tilted her head.
I nodded.
"Human, I came all this way through a portal from my world for your help. There is a task that I need you to help me complete. There is a portal that exists that allows one to travel to other worlds such as mine to yours. This portal needs to be closed, for the danger of having it open for anything to travel through is great."
She leaned her head closer.
"I know you don't believe talking horses like me exist. We do exist in another world. like your own, yet different. Human, our worlds should not know of each other. There will be great consequences if they remain connected for too long. I have seen you in action. I know what you are very capable. Will you help?"
She really was from another world.
"Yes, I mean...do I have a choice?" The words leaped from my lips.
"Nay" She chuckled. I made a face.
"With me being with you now, there is not much to dabble. Things are short, and your moon does not give us much time," She slipped into a weird horsey accent.
She stopped and clicked her tongue.
"There is someone you have to meet first. He will fill you in on the details of what you need to know," She switched to a woman's voice.
"Who?"
"His name is Banta. He has been wanting to meet you since I told him about you. He is quite wise and knows much about your world."
"So you are from another world," I asked.
"Yes." She nodded, shaking her mane.
She was majestic the way she postured while speaking as if she had nobility in her. She had class unlike me from a ranch in rural Texas. I felt inferior to the words coming from the mare's mouth.
"So where do we meet this Banta?"
"Soon, it is not safe out there, by the way I came there were many humans middling about with anger and fear. It appears your people have killed a mother and her child. There was a mob forming up not two blocks from here.I was lucky to find you first before they did."
Thank God for the airforce. I'm sure those jocks in the F16's dropping those 250lb bombs were in such a hurry to get back to their base and the loving arms of a fellow female soldier that they don't give a rat's ass about the average grunts on the ground making our jobs much harder. On second thought, I had to get out of this city.
A twitch went up my spine. Sitting on the floor I reached beside me contacting only the coldness of the tile floor. I wanted, no, needed that rifle back in my hands.
"We-" Elly looked above me, to the front of the cafe. Her ears swiveled forward, head snapped up. My heart skipped a beat. She sprang to her feet, hooves scrapping, mane and tail twirling. She maneuvered around the counter to the front of the cafe peering through the glass.
"What is it?" I asked.
She did not respond, ears went back and forth on her raised head.
"Is it Iranians or my unit? Could it be friendly?" I said.
Her nose left imprints of fog on the glass.
"Are they coming?"
She backed away from the windows and turned her head to me.
"Yes." she replied for once.
"Who is coming?"
"Men on machines. I may be able to tell if you keep quiet."
Fear made my heart pound. If they were stirred up by the bombing earlier then I could not be captured alive. Save the last bullet for yourself. My friend Huntsman mentioned it to me off hand. Damn I need my rifle.
I looked past her out the window out to the deserted street. No signs of life anywhere near us so why are they coming here? Has the situation on the ground changed?
I glanced at the sidewalk then at the dirt lot in front of the cafe. A dark rectangle object laid a throwing distance away from the street,clearly visible by the moonlight against the gravel.
"My rifle!" My fist slammed on the counter.
Elly turned her head towards me, "Your rifle?"
"They can see it from the street."
"Are they not all the same? A rifle is a rifle, like a spear or sword because you are not a Norrian nor do you have status in this world." Her horsey accent came back, thicker than before.
"It is a standard issued american made, m4a2, 5.57mm rifle if they see it they'll know that no other than a born and bred american soldier is nearby and they should be on the lookout. I might as well give myself up as I can't run." I raised my voice.
Elly's head snapped back to the window. She snorted and her hooves slammed down on the floor breaking the tile. She spun, trotting out of the lobby and racing down the hallway. The footsteps, or should I call them hoofsteps paused followed by grunting.
I grabbed my boots and slid one on my bad ankle. I winched, my eyes glued to the front windows, hoping to hear anything. The sudden sound of hooves running on gravel, the mare came into view at a canter with a nice thumping sound. She headed straight to the discarded rifle laying in plain view on the front lot.
The distinct hum of an engine coming nearby, echoing off the buildings along the street. Elly reached the rifle in a sliding stop, snatching it off the in one nip and spun herself for a rebound as fast as a horse her size could. Her tail and mane flew up like it was being tossed as she turned, legs working in hurried fashion. Her hind legs tensed up before launching her body back to the cafe at a canter, gravel flying behind her.
The sounds of an engine grew louder. My arms trembled. She will make it! She was most of the way to the cafe when she slowed down to a sudden stop to my disbelief. I stomped my foot with the bad ankle, ignoring the pain, mouthing the words 'run'. Why isn't she running?. If she could see me or not I had no idea.
Elly curled her neck to the side with the rifle in her mouth. She slung my rifle hard and fast away from her. It hit the side of a neighboring building with a loud thud out of view of the street. She turned to a small object I've only just remembered. I knew I was forgetting something. My knife I dropped earlier.
My fists clenched. What is she doing? Elly must have thought the knife important. There is no time for her to grab the knife and throw it aside too! My teeth chattered as she came to a stop facing the street and stomped her front hoof on the knife.
A truck came into view carrying three men, my age, brandishing Ak's by their sides. I hid behind the counter, only my eyes exposed. I would not risk them having the slight chance of seeing me.
The militiamen in civilian clothes looked on with astonishment on their faces. A full blooded Belgian horse with a long tail and mane stood before them only yards away from their truck. One of them turned to pound on the roof. The truck slowed to a crawl. The driver, the same age as them, hung his head out the window to stare at the mare. I slid on my other boot without looking at it.
With all eyes on her, Elly was no longer the once intelligent well spoken horse I knew. Her whole posture had changed into a dumb loose horse with no owner in sight looking for food or a place to snooze. She gave them as much attention as a bored horse in a fenced pasture could give yet she did not move from her spot. Her nose came to the ground and her mouth opened in a yawn. One of the men pointed to her shouting, I could hear his voice in the cafe lobby in Persian. Elly paid him no mind though her ears did slowly perk up. She was playing them and they had no clue. Maybe they would lose interest and go somewhere else.
Still the men watched her, the truck came to a stop with a rough idle. Their eyes staring at her like vultures, as if they saw some pretty girl in the local mar- would you quit gawking at her! My fist punched the counter. You goat fuckers aren't going to get any anyways.
I stopped myself. Why was I getting upset? If I used common sense I could have escaped out the side door by now and headed my way south of here to the friendly lines to join up with my unit again. Fat chance of that happening with my busted ankle and no rifle. I wasn't going anywhere without at least a weapon in my hand.
The man kept shouting, his arms started waving. The others in the truck bed watched as he took the closest position beckoning to the mare. Did he think horses were dogs?
Elly raised her head looking at his ridiculous display. For a moment he was smiling, saying what I assumed was sweet words to her in his language, then Elly turned her head away leaving the young man with a scrawl on his face.
His two friends broke down in laughter. Their hands slapping his shoulders. A phone came out of a pocket and held up to take a picture of the mare. Great, I groaned, now they won't forget her at all. The phone flashed its light and was quickly put away.
The driver slapped the door on the outside. Someone yelled out one word or two and repeated it several times. There was silence then Persian music came blasting out from the truck and the singer singing for all he was worth. The men joined in their voices matching the singer's words and tone.
The engine revved and the truck took off, passengers in the back lurching as they drove off out of view. The music faded away as it echoed off the urban jungle.
I sighed, slumping down against the counter. Elly came back inside carrying the rifle in her mouth.
"They're gone finally?" I gave my best smile
She did not respond while she placed the rifle down at the wall opposite of me. My smile faded. She came to me.
"They have. Can you stand?" She stood in front of me.
I grit my teeth and held on to the counter's edge as I rose to my feet cursing under my breath. My eyes glued to the rifle that lay behind her. I could bum rush her and slide underneath her body and grab the weapon. I had to be desperate to think of such an idea. One swing of her neck and I would be on the floor in terrible agony.
"We must go. I fear they may come back." She tapped my helmet with her hoof.
"What for? You mean they want to come back to try their luck again? I don't think they have any horse sense." I leaned down with care and picked up my helmet and put it on.
"True, they did hurt my ears."
I took care of the first aid and placed it back in its pouch on my belt. I had one long sip of my canteen before it went back to its place.
"I'm ready"
"Good, you may take your rifle now. I will help you." She offered her neck to me.
Without a second thought, I took a hold of her mane and we walked across the floor over to the rifle, taking care to avoid walking on my bad ankle.
"Now grab it." She suggested.
I stepped away from her side with a limp. I reached down and grabbed the rifle by the barrel. A sudden insight came screaming into my mind. This was a test! My back was to her and she was watching me with intense scrutiny. One false move and I would be flattened against the wall by her hooves or body. I put my other hand on the strap and slid the rifle onto my shoulder with my back still facing her. I would have to check the condition of the rifle later after it was thrown twice, and not by me. I turned around to see her positioned unconformably close.
"I have everything." I played it cool.
"I see. Take hold, we are leaving."
Again my fingers slipped into her mane gripping it. We went down the hallway and out the side door, me going first followed by her squeezing her frame through an opening that was too small for a draft her size. Her ears lied flat as her nostrils made a racket like a broken air pump. When through, her hind leg shot out striking the door frame leaving a hoof sized crack.
"Felt like a stallion trying to mount me," She remarked.
I averted my eyes and said nothing.
The outside air chilled my face and hands along with the half moon giving out its light. I was glad my eyes adjusted so well in the night. It could not compare to the senses of a horse though.
Elly's whole body shook, mane concealing her eyes. She stopped to nip at her foreleg. One head toss later and she glanced at me. She sank to her knees as she lay on the ground, her wide back in easy reach for my condition.
"Now, mount." She spoke with authority.
I wanted to protest and say I'm not a stallion and shouldn't be "mounting" her just because she asked me to. I am a soldier, a human being. I have rights. It is in the Geneva Convention. Yet one look from her and I limped over to her side and put my hands on her withers and awkwardly slid my leg over her wide back sitting upright.
She lifted me off the ground effortlessly and gave me a sudden vertigo of being so high up. I held onto her mane with both hands.
"A word with you if you say. You can squeeze me with your knees, or if you need something tap my side with your foot. If you want to stop, tighten your legs around me in good pressure and I will myself to stop," She stated.
An indescribable sound came from my lips. Her ears shot back to me. My hand covered my mouth in a slap.
"Did you say something?" She asked.
I shook my head. Her ears went forward.
"Then we shall go!"
Elly began to walk, her legs working beneath me. It was surreal that I was actually riding a talking horse with no saddle or bridle to speak of. Not that it would matter in a short while when I soon found out. Once we retrieved my knife, we headed north up the street.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone