ON HOLD

Prologue

This is the story of a little horse. He went through multiple names and multiple people, and still pressed on. He was born in Wyoming, USA, in the year 2068. The month was April, a spring colt.

When he was born, he was tiny and half the size a normal colt should be his age. He couldn't move. He was paralyzed in place. His dam nudged him calmly, but began to get more frantic when he didn't move. He was cold and wet, and just wanted something to drink. His mouth was parched. His lips parted and he took his first breath. A raspy breath. His dam didn't know what was wrong with him, but she stayed with him until he drifted off and became unconscious. Then the humans found him.

The men shook their heads, "he's too far gone," they said. But a teenage girl, Faith, didn't believe them. She went over to him and slowly slipped her hand under his back. His deep brown eyes opened and looked up at her. A weak nicker escaped his lips. The girl gasped and called the men over. They still didn't believe he would survive. But, Faith believed in him. She was the only one who ever believed in him. She picked his tiny body up and carried him 3 miles over the rocky terrain to her home in Thermopolis, Wyoming. She lived in a mansion near the edge of town. Her house was always spotless, especially since her stepmother moved in.

Faith was 17 when she found the little colt. The little brown colt with 4 socks and a blaze. She named the colt Eli. She treated Eli like her own child. Eli was living high, he was trained to stay inside most of the day, and he got a bath every single night. Faith bottle fed him for a very long time, much longer than necessary. He had a doggy-door for when he needed to go outside. He was living high and mighty.... Until one day.