Young Blood

"Almond Eyes"

It was a dark, and stormy night. My vision was blurry. My mother looked at me with pleased eyes, and said "How beautiful," I remember how soft her voice was. It relaxed me. I also remember the big star on her forehead, it seemed to glow like a real star. I peered into her deep brown eyes, that looked like ripen almonds on an almond tree. Almond eyes. I bit her forelock with curiosity, and she nickered softly to me. After a few minutes of lying on the ground, playing with my mother, I stood up for the first time. I leaned on her for support before I finally got my balance, and I took my first step. I walked over to my mother and nuzzled her. I then stumbled over to her backside and nursed her sweet milk. It felt so amazing as it slid effortlessly down my tongue, and down my throat. It made me stronger. I learned how to walk in our stall, and I even kicked a little. I got sleepy, and I lay down beside my mother. I noticed how quiet she was, hardly ever saying a word. My mother then joined me and she kept me warm in the chilly night.
Then, morning came. The stablehand was sweeping the barn when he saw me and my mother sleeping together. He dropped the broom and it crashed down. Horses whinnied in confusion. My mother jumped up and pinned her ears at the stablehand. I slowly got up and I hid behind her. He then quickly reached in his pocket and pulled out a puny piece of metal. "Uh, hey Jesse," he said nervously. "Yeah, um your mare just had her foal. It looks like it was born last night or something." There was a long pause. He then broke the silence "Ok bye!" Only fifteen minutes later, a husky man and a small girl came to our stall. "Woah," said the girl. "Well, would you look at that," said the husky man. "He looks great doesn't he Jesse?" Asked the stablehand. "Daddy! Is it a boy or a girl," she said with a smile. Jesse then came into our stall my mother seemed to trust him, because she let him see me. "It's a little colt Skyler," he said with a smile. "Yay! Can I name him? Please Please Pleeeaaassseee," pleaded Skyler. "Go ahead" said Jesse. "Let me see... hmmm." She thought for awhile and then came to the conclusion  of "Ace!" "Ace is a great name," Jesse said. "I want them to go outside tomorrow" he said. "No problem," said the stablehand. "Alright, time for you to catch the bus," Jesse said. "Why?" She whined "Because I said, now go," said Jesse. "Fine," she said. Then, the girl walked away with Jesse following close behind. "Thanks," he called before exiting the barn doors. "No problem!" The stablehand called back to him.

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     The stablehand put my mother's halter on her head, and lead her out of the stall. I followed. The morning sun was blinding. As my eyes adjusted, we came to a small pasture. In it was another mare and foal. The mare looked up and whinnied. The foal was as dark as charcoal. He was only a little bigger than me. He was playing in the dewy morning grass. The stablehand opened the gate and let my mother go, and I cautiously walked in. The grass felt crunchy under my new hooves. I stomped on it and snorted, it didn't bite back. I was the boss of grass! He then said to my mother "Alright Izzy old girl, make sure these two get along alright?" My mother whinnied back. I stayed near my mother while I watched the colt play. He then came to me, my mother pushed me forward with her muzzle, and said, "Go on sweetheart," I looked at her with annoyed eyes, she let out a small, happy nicker. The colt was happy to walk up to me. He crooked his head, and then playfully reared up. Then, I played the forelock game with him, and he happily played along. I then playfully bit him, and again he joined in. Before I knew it we were walking around the pasture together, chasing birds out of the low hanging trees, rolling in the grass, and exploring the pasture together. Our mothers watched us carefully while they grazed the crunchy morning grass. We did that all throughout the day. I learned from the foal's mother, that his name was Gem. Then, we found the coolest thing ever! The water trough. I cautiously walked up to it, and kicked the side of it. Water splashed all over my back! It was trying to be boss! I wasn't about to tolerate that, so I reared, to show how big I was. Then, it didn't fight back anymore. I was relieved that it no longer thought that it was boss. Then, Gem put his skinny leg in the water. He then ran away bucking after feeling the cold water. I followed him, hoping that the water didn't try and escape again. We trotted to our mothers, who were relieved to see us. I lay beside my mother. Gem lay down as well. We were exhausted. Soon,the sun began setting, and it was getting chilly. First, Gem  was taken out with his mother. He wasn't leaving without a fight. He reared and bucked. Finally, he gave up and gave a whinny goodbye. Then he came back for us. He put my mother's halter on, and lead her out. I was ready to come inside. It was cold. Once we were in our stall, my mother was given her hay. I remembered how sweet it smelled. I tried to eat some, but spit it out, disgusted. I then stood about to lay down for the night when I heard the faint sound of the slamming car door. Then footsteps. I peeked my head through the bars, and saw the same little girl as before. Skyler. She held a small black case, that smelt old, and musty. She then sat down on a bale of the sweet - smelling hay. "Hi there Ace!" She said cheerfully. I whinnied to her. She then unclipped two hooks that held the case shut. I watched carefully. Then she pulled two pieces of silver metal, and expertly put them together. I noticed how the pieces of metal had small circles on them. Then taking another and doing the same. The then opened a bag that was on her back, and pulled out a thick piece of paper, and opened it to reveal many different, thinner pieces of paper. Then she pulled out one thin piece of paper. It had strange markings on it. Then, she propped the paper on the side of our stall. The then came up to our stall and cheerfully said, "this, is a flute Ace!" She then sat back down and put it up to her mouth. She took a deep breath, and blew. It produced a sound. At first, I was scared, but after she played it for awhile, I got used to it. It sounded calming. After awhile of playing, she took it away from her mouth, and switched the papers. Then, the put it back, and blew. Producing more sounds. Whenever she put her fingers on the small circles, the instrument made a different sound. She seemed to know what the strange marks meant on the paper as well. Then, she took the paper off of our stall, and put it back in her thick paper, and then put that in her bag. Why did humans need so many things to keep their papers in? Then she pulled the small instrument apart, and put it back in the musty-smelling case. Then, she said, "See ya Ace!" She waved goodbye, and without saying anything more, walked away. "Lay down honey," said my mother quietly. I obeyed, and I lay down beside her. She quietly ate her hay as I closed my tired eyes. This pattern went on day, after day, after day. For a year. But one day changed this pattern, and that is where my story began...