My Tattooed Angel

Second Chance

Brian and I are driving home from the tour bus. It's sort of a droopy day. The sky is perfectly gray and it looks like it's going to rain. I look out the window, there's a field of horses. Brian looks out the window.

"Are horses usually that skinny and miserable?" He asks.

"No they aren't...they look neglected. Who knows, they could be up for slaughter." I say.

"They do that?" Brian asks.

"Yeah...we don't even use horse meat in America. It's shipped off to France or some other place that uses it." I say.

"How do you know all this?" Brian asks.

"Belive it or not, I use to have a horse. My parents bought it for me when I hit high school, but when I moved in with Matt...Jay sold him." I say.

"I never knew that." Brian says.

"Yeah...I haven't thought about him for a while." I say.

Brian and I continue to drive on. The field is really long. It almost hurts me to see all of these skinny week horses. I see a dark bay horse, he reminds me Chance...actually he looks exactly like him.

"Brian stop the car." I say putting my hand on his leg.

"What's wrong?" Brian asks.

I get out of the car and run about twenty feet back. I look at the fence, barbed wire. I dive under the fence, getting a couple scratches on my shoulders. I know I shouldn't, but I run though the field until I meet up with the dark bay. I walk closer to him, but he puts his ears back and backs up. Maybe it isn't Chance...Brian probably thinks I'm insane. I remember that I have a mint in my pocket from lunch. I open the package and place it in my hand. I walk closer to the horse.

"Hey." I whisper.

The horse picks up it's ears and walks forward. He gently takes the mint from my hand. He has a scar on his nose...just like Chance did. I reach my hand up and pet his nose. I run my hand down his neck and to his hind-quarters. There's a marking from the horse farm where my parents bought Chance.

"Chance." I say hugging his neck.

I can't believe it's him. I though I'd never see him again. I take a step back and realize that the fat happy muscular horse I knew isn't there anymore. It's been ten years, who knows what he's been though.

"Come on, I have someone for you to meet." I say patting his shoulder.

Chance follows me. I look back and notice that he's limping. I look at his right hind leg, there's a huge gash and it looks infected. I can't believe that he remembers me, after all these years. I stop by the fence and look at Brian, he looks confused.

"Brian, meet Chance." I say.

"Your old horse? That can't be him." Brian says.

I have Chance turn to the side, I show Brian and marking from the horse farm. That's what got him.

"What are the chances?" Brian says.

"one to one million." I say.

"Hang on. I have an Idea." Brian says getting back in the car.

"Don't leave me here." I say

"You'll be glad I did. I'll be back I promise, keep your phone on." Brian says.

"Ok." I say.

Brian drives down the road. I look at Chance, he looks so miserable. I scratch his neck and he relaxes. I look back at his leg again, he needs a vet. I sit next to the fence as I watch Chance dig at the dusty ground trying to find something to eat. This is so sad. My phone rings, Chance picks his head up, but then looks for food again.

"Katie bring Chance up here." Brian says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Just do it." Brian says.

I put my phone back in my pocket and stand up. I put my hand on Chance's whithers and walk forward. Chance limps with me. The horses around me makes me want to cry. Chance nuzzles my shoulder. I smile and pet his nose. After about fifteen minutes of walking, I see Brian's truck. I walk chance to the fence. Brian's holding a folder with papers.

"Congratulations, you are the new owner of Chance." Brian says handing me the folder.

"Oh Brian..." I say putting my hand over my mouth.

"Your welcome." Brian says.

Brian hands me a halter and lead rope. I put it on Chance, he was scared at first but then remembered the feeling of a halter. I walk him out of field. A trailer is hooked up to Brian's truck. Chance doesn't like trailers, but I got him in. I return to the passenger seat.

"Drive carefully, he doesn't have any protection on." I say.

"Don't worry." Brian says.

"How much did you pay for him?" I ask.

"Nothing. Just five hundred dollars for the trailer." Brian says.

"I'm going to call the stable that I use to keep him, and his old vet." I say.

"Do whatever you need." Brain says.

"I can't thank you enough Brian." I say.

"No thanks needed." Brain says.

I call Lisa, the owner of the stable and told her about my situation. Luckily she liked me, and is letting me keep Chance at her stable for free. I also called the vet, he's on his way to the stable to meet us. Brian pulls up to the stable. The Vet helps me get Chance out of the trailer. He's surprised at his condition. So is Lisa.

"He'll need intensive constant care for that leg." The vet says.

"I'll do whatever I can." I say.

"We'll do whatever we can." Brian says putting his hand on my shoulder.

The vet wraps Chance's leg and gives him medication. After a couple hours of checking up on Chance and putting shoes on him, the vet leaves. Lisa prepared his old stall for him. As soon as Chance gets into the stall, he goes straight for the food and water. I put a rubber bar over the opening and return to Brian.

"Thank you." I say hugging him.

"It's no problem Katie." Brian says hugging he back.

I kiss him and Chance snorts. I laugh and walk over to Chance.

"I think someone's jealous." I say.
"Now I have two beautiful boy's to love." I say.

I bring Brian into the tack room. All of my old tack in still here. I take all of Chance's ribbons and hang them on the wall next to him stall. I showed him a couple times, he was an amazing horse. Brian and I stay at the stable all day. I even plan on sleeping here, the vet said that I should keep a constant eye on him. Brian drives home and pick up some of our stuff, guess he's staying too. I set up my sleeping bag next to Chances stall. Brian's close by.
At about 12:00AM, I peek into Chances stall. He's laying down, but not sleeping. He picks his head up and I walk into his stall.

"Having trouble sleeping?" I ask

I know it isn't the safest idea, but I sit next to Chance and rest my head on his stomach. Yeah I know, if he freaks out, I'll be killed. I trust him though. I end up falling asleep with a horse, I can't wait for Brian's reaction.
♠ ♠ ♠
This might be a first, a horse in an Avenged Sevenfold fan fic. I know it's a little sudden, and a bit unrealistic, but I like it. I mainly made this chapter to make people more aware of horse abuse and slaughter. Also, because I love horses.