The Last Ride

"Such a fine specimen," Joseph said to himself as much as he was speaking to the farmer approaching his stable. The man was leading a horse, dark as midnight with white streaks along the flanks.

The farmer, hearing the words, beamed. "Best horse in the land, I guarantee it! Thunder is the name. He's real friendly and has a calm demeanor, as requested."

Joseph ushered them inside and walked over to his desk to retrieve payment for Thunder. "Mr. Wesley will be quite pleased," he said with a smile.

"I'm honored to supply a horse for the richest man in town," the farmer replied. Joseph returned with a sack of coins and noticed the farmer staring at a picture that was tacked on the wall years ago. "Who's the young one with you atop the horse, Joseph? Miss Rose?"

"No," Joseph sighed. "Her older sister, Maisy. She perished in a terrible accident while out riding. The horse spooked easy and threw her off. She was such a sweet girl...."

"A tragedy," the farmer replied. "I'm surprised Mr. Wesley allows Miss Rose to ride after that."

"He didn't. At least not until Rose was a teenager. She has a way of getting what she wants, and Mr. Wesley will do anything to make his only living daughter happy." Joseph fought back the bile that was rising in his throat as he said that.

The two men said their goodbyes and Joseph led Thunder to his stall. He grabbed a brush and began to groom him until the sun went down. Then he lit a lantern and moved on to care for the other horses. By the time he finished, it was well into the night and his back ached. It was a reminder that he was getting too old for this, but he loved the horses too much to retire from his job as stablemaster.

A final visit to Thunder showed he was getting comfy in the straw and the light of the lantern shone on his face. His kind eyes looked at Joseph and he whinnied softly. Joseph grimaced. None of the other horses here were fit for Rose to ride, or at least that's what he told Mr. Wesley. Thunder would be different. He had to be.

* * *

Rose took to Thunder immediately. "So beautiful!" she said. A week went by and Joseph thought perhaps she had finally found her perfect match. As more time passed, however, he noticed some changes. Rose's initial glee began to dissipate. The rides were becoming shorter as well. The situation came to a head one afternoon when she returned to the stable after a very short while.

Joseph's stomach felt like it was twisted in knots when he saw the scowl on Rose's face as she hopped off Thunder and immediately boxed one of the animal's ears. Thunder snorted and stomped the ground while Joseph rushed over to grab the reins and try to keep the agitated horse under control.

"I'm sick of this dumb creature!" Rose shrieked. "It moves so slow. Such a bore. I want to go fast!

"Miss Rose, please," Joseph's voice quivered as he knew what was coming next. He began to escort Thunder into the stable as fast as he could.

"Joseph!" The shrill voice made him freeze in mid-step. "Put him down."

A chill ran down Joseph's spine. "No, miss, you can't mean that!"

"I'm telling daddy! He'll make it happen. He'll put that beast down." She stormed off while Joseph sank to his knees and clutched his chest.

* * *

Weeks went by and Joseph spent his time in isolation. A concerned Mr. Wesley came calling one day to inquire why he hadn't found a new horse for his daughter yet. Joseph lied and said he had fallen ill, but he knew that excuse would only work for so long.

During another sleepless night, Joseph became lost in his thoughts. It was always something with Rose. The horse was too slow. Not friendly enough. Didn't listen. Made too much noise. Eventually, they all shared the same fate. There would be no satisfying that spoiled child. He needed a solution or the cycle would never end. After much deliberation, he found his answer. And then he sobbed himself to sleep.

* * *

Days later, Joseph trudged toward his stable, a new horse in tow. This one was all brown with a wild mane of hair. He deliberately left the county for this newest acquisition - it was best if nobody knew who he was or who he worked for. The ranch he purchased it from was taken aback when Joseph expressed interest in making the purchase. "Fella, this one's no good for riding. He loses patience real quick and will start bucking like crazy until he gets you on the ground. Be lucky if you don't get a broken leg, or worse, in the process." That was all Joseph needed to hear to seal the deal.

The next morning Joseph was up early to prepare Rose's new horse. When she came to the stable and saw him, her smile was a mile wide. "He's so pretty! What's his name?"

The seller hadn't told Joseph if the horse had a name. He scratched his chin thoughtfully and replied, "his name is Karma."