For School

“Joshua.”

I looked up at the sound of my name. It came from a gruff man, standing in the doorway of my room. My father. He had on his faded blue jeans and previously white shirt, both caked with dried dirt and specks of green. On his head was an old, over-worn red baseball cap with his sunglasses perched on its bill. His typical work clothes.

Seeing I was listening to him, he continued speaking, leaning on my doorframe. “We gotta make a trip down to the city and get Mrs. Franco her little hand towels.” Courtesy of my mother; she’s really one to knit ‘most anything you need or want.

I pushed myself up from the ground, flipping off the TV. I answered him with a “Yessir,” waiting for him to leave so I could change into my work clothes. It had rained hard last night, and now I’m stuck with my mother’s precautions: mud-covered windbreaker. I wouldn’t be leaving this house without it.

I took a look outside at the bright circle in the sky and the dark clouds floating around it, then at the mucky dirt road, leading out into the city. I joined my father after slumping out the front door.

He stood with our family mule – Diablo. Sometimes when she’s in a poor mood, she’ll let it show, hence her name. I hoped today wasn’t one of those days, but as I climbed up into the wagon we had tethered to Diablo, I got a pang of paranoia.

Going with the feeling in my gut, I asked my father, “She goin’ be already, pa?” He was attentively stroking the side of her face, thinking deeply.

He glanced up at me. “I don’t know, boy.” Just then, the wagon got kicked back by Diablo’s left leg. I gripped onto the wooden railing in shock, giving a look of astonishment to my father. My eyes darted down to see a small pack rat scamper from under the wagon and off into the tall grass, causing it to sway violently.

My mother hopped down from the porch. She gasped out, “Joshua – get down from there.” She ran over to us, grabbing onto my father’s forearm. “I don’t think today’s good for Diablo. She’s been jumpy all morning.”

My father knew better than to try and take Diablo out when she’s on edge like this, but we’ve been promising Mrs. Franco her towels since least week. Somethin’ is always coming up.

That fueled his decision. “She’ll be fine,” he assured her halfheartedly. He took a glimpse back at my mother. “Good as gold.” Her doubtful face shifted from him to me.

“Joshua,” she said, frowning. “Why don’t you stay home today? I just made breakfast.”

“He’s going,” my father told her harshly. “How do you expect him to grow up if you keep babying him?”
My mother furrowed her brows while I raised mine at him. She defended herself by saying, “I’m not babying him; I’m tryin’ to keep him from getting hurt. Diablo’s not in a good mood - haven’t you been paying attention?”

He shot her a glare. She has never talked to him like that. Never made such snappy thoughts. Sure, she gets worried, but most of the time she just keeps quiet. She must be having the same thought I am: today wasn’t like the others. Something was going to happen.

He snapped gravely at her, “He’s going. Get back in the house.” She gave him a dark look but sent one of worry to me before slowly turning away.

“Fine,” she caved. She muttered, seemingly to herself, “But if he gets hurt…” She left it at that, heading back to sit on the porch. I stole a glimpse at my father’s blank face. I flinched slightly when he suddenly clenched his hands onto the side of the wagon, pulling himself up.

I looked back towards the house to see my mother’s worrisome face.

“I’ll be fine!” I shouted to her, but she shook her head at me. “I promise,” I added just as Diablo started to move forward down the slick, dirt road. I turned around, keeping a wandering eye on the passing scenery. If I saw anything out of place – like a scurrying animal that could spook Diablo - I’d be sure to voice it.

We made small pit stops by a few fellow farmers and traded some crops and other goods before finally taking on the main road. A mile of a dirt path was all that laid between us and the city.

My heart leapt into my throat when I spotted a shaded object sprawled out several feet in front of us. At first it just looked like a ball of tumble weed, but my imagination and yearning for our well-being got the best of me. Not thinking, I grabbed for my father’s arm.

“Dad!” I unintentionally yelped out, but stopped from adding anything else when we got closer to the unidentifiable object. I could see out of the corner of my eye that my father was giving me a confused look, but I was fixed on Diablo. She didn’t react the way I thought she would – she stopped momentarily to sniff the now apparent tumble weed.

My father followed my gaze and looked at Diablo in shock.

“Well,” - He started to chuckle disbelievingly - “would you look at that? I told your mother she’d be alright -”

My stomach dropped when Diablo suddenly bucked her back legs. I was knocked back and up slightly when she went for a second kick. My father clutched onto my forearm, but that only helped for a fleeting moment. I was pushed forward, destined to land face first against the railing. On instinct, my hands extended out in front of me, hindering me from getting completely hurt.

My eyes were slanted to look over the edge just in time to see a dark blob bolt between the wagon and Diablo. It tripped over her hoof, making Diablo neigh, kicking her feet again. This time, though, she didn’t stay in place; she went barreling forward. The recoil sent me falling back yet again into my father’s arms.

Wind pushed its way into my throat. For a split second I couldn’t breath. I could’ve sworn we were a mile away from the city, yet here it was, hurling towards us at a sickening rate.

I had to stop Diablo before something bad happened or die trying. Without thinking, I leaned back to steady myself enough so I could crouch to my feet. My hand grabbed for the rope we had tethered to Diablo’s harness.

“What do you think you’re doing?” my father snapped madly at me, gripping onto my arm. I rudely snatched my arm away.

“Just trust me.” I lurched forward before he could grab for me. He snapped out my name again, but I didn’t bother stopping. I placed a foot on the little ledge of Diablo’s harness, clasping my hand roughly onto her saddle. Pulling myself up, I quickly swung my other leg over.

My plan didn’t go as hoped. Instead of landing perfectly onto her back, my foot slipped and I tiled towards the ground. I braced myself for impact. At the last second, I stretched my hand out and grabbed onto her saddle, managing to save myself.

I hauled myself back up, landing on my stomach with a groan. Diablo still ran full speed ahead and the previously small outline of rickety city grew bigger and more prominent. I acted quickly, twisting on my stomach so my head was meters away from Diablo’s.

Then…something unexpected happened.

Diablo stopped running abruptly. I was flung forward and over her head. The hard gravel of the road collided hard against my back. I tumbled wildly, finally coming to a stop where I fought back tears.

My back burned and I felt what I knew to be blood trickle through my shirt from where the sharp rocks and pebbles met my skin.

“Joshua!” I didn’t respond to my father, just laid limply with my eyes sown shut. I heard his work boots hit with the ground and move quickly to where I laid. He knelt down to cup my face. “Joshua,” he said gain. I detected a smidge of fear.

That made me slowly blink my eyes open. I groaned as he sighed in relief.

“Let’s not tell your mother about this.”

I started to laugh.