The Hurricane

I never thought my life would go from living in Spain the most beautiful country to being on a trailer bound for slaughter in mexico. Its hard to move in such cramped quarters but showing a little teeth seems to get the point across.The other horses around me seem almost resigned to their fate as if fighting would only hurt more and I agree with them as I fight to keep everyone away from my injured foot. And as we speed closer to the end of my life I understand what my mom once said about some humans being cruel and evil creatures. My new owner sold me at the first sign of an injury. An injury that he caused to me from too much heavy riding.

The soud of a siren catches my attention and I feel the trailer start to slow down until it creeps to a stop. After what feels like forever i hear voices on the other side of the door. "Doc said theres about twelve of them in there."
"Your sure the judge will award them to the shelter." Perking my ears up i hear abit more of what they are saying.
"Yes this guys a known kill buyer we finally have everything we need. We need to focus on these horses. Dr Paul said their a sorry bunch." The woman voice says after a moment.
"Careful their probably gonna be abit startled." A man says firmly.

The door swings open slightly and a woman with short red hair pokes her head in looking over us quickly then retreating from sight.
"Tell gerard we need to seperate them tyler." The woman says a moment later. "Their packed in there like sardines."
"Ok David and i are setting up a corral off to the side to get them out. Some humane officers and another vet are coming to help out too." The male voice says a moment later.

"Good well need as much help as possible i saw a dapple grey in there favoring his foot. I'm gonna get him first so hes not injured worse."
Another male voice comes in to the conversation not as deep as the others but still male. "I'll get the Grey just watch my back."
Perking my ears I listen to him climb in the trailer setting the other horses into abit of an uproar. Loud startled whinies fill the air and i bite down on a mare named anna's neck when she bumps my leg.
"Ow!" I snap the old mare shies turning her face away and for a moment i feel bad because shes just scared but my foot is killing me.

A second after anna moves away from me i feel a small hand on my shoulder I flatten my ears and bare my teeth at the human. Suprisingly he doesnt seem scared of me instead he just runs a hand over my boney shoulder.
His hair is an unnatural blend of white and black and for a moment it makes me think of my father Renegazo a mighty black andalucian and my pretty Grey mother Anadriel back in Spain. His skin is pale unlike most humans ive met lately, the others told me we were in a place called Houston lots of tanned skinned cowboys roamed Houston from what Tiberius the ranch horse told me early on.

"Easy big guy just gonna get you outta here then well help the rest of them." His light brown eyes drift to my foot. "The vet will give you something for the pain i promise. You just have to trust me Big Guy."
His face and eyes show truth so I turn after a moment so he can help me out of the trailer because im dying to get out of here anyway, his one hand on my shoulder and the other on a lead rope he clipped to my halter. I keep my ears flat letting him know im not pleased but he doesnt pressure me to move fast infact he lets me take my time getting out of the trailer. There are people everywhere which is odd since this is a highway. Lots of cars zoom by others slow down to watch only to be sent away by police officers. All around us police cars sit their red and blue lights flashing wildly the officers hold the spectators back. Whickering nervously I try to turn away from everything but the boy stops me petting my neck reassuringly.
"Easy I know I know your upset but its gonna be alright." He says holding my lead tighter. "Mom his foot doesn't look so good."

A middle aged woman with dark brown hair walks towards us. Her equally brown eyes look sad once she gets closer.
"I see this." She says stopping a foot or so from us watching me intently. "We'll get him away from here then take a look I want to wrap it up. Im sure he's gonna hate me after this but i dont want it getting worse. First we'll give him pain meds then I want you to load him up for transport back to the shelter."
"I want to stay with him so I'll go to the shelter too."

"Oh no their gonna need your help I have a team that can take care of him back at the shelter dont you worry." She smiles at her son softly, he seems abit agitated by her command but nods anyway.
"Ok mom lets get him squared away."
Snorting i nudge his shoulder then scrub my head up and down his shoulder watching him smile at me. "Easy."
Turning back to the doctor I watch her every move as she examines my foot her expression doesn't give me much hope.
"Tyler to be honest I dont know why he wasnt put down this injury is not good. I'm sure hes got bone chips in the ankle which is causing the immobility and the swelling. I'm sorry to say its not looking good for him but I want to hold judgement till I have xrays and the works done." She sighs the look on her face making me slightly nervous.

"You'll atleast try right mom." Tyler asks a sadness in his eyes that makes my chest ache he stares at me rubbing a spot on my neck.
She looks at him seriously. "I'll try everything in my power to save him but if its bad theres no point in making him suffer through it." The wise woman states rubbing her sons shoulder softly. "Help them get him loaded once I've wrappd that ok."
"Yes mom." Tyler sighs holding my halter and lead as she spray a smelly liquid on my leg. It burns like fire and I rear up on my hind legs knocking tyler away from me i paw at anyone who dares come near a shriek tearing fom my lips.
"Easy big guy its ok!" Tyler yells holding the end of my lead a panicked look on everyones faces as they back away.
Squelling again I go up in the air one more time ears flat to show them im not dead yet. It works since everyone around us backs up abit more.
Prancing around once I come back down temporarily forgetting my injured leg I nudge tyler's chest blowing air in his face he smiles patting my shoulder and gathering the lead once again in a tight grip.
"Well you should call him Hot Head not big guy" A female volunteer says from her spot near the doctor she doesnt appear to be mad a small smile tugging her lips and her green eyes watching me closely.
"Get him on a trailer and back to the shelter. Get his attention while I give him something for the pain will ya tyler."
"Sure mom." Tyler replies stepping in front of me, he starts talking to me softly grabbing the rest of my attention with a peppermint candy he pulls out of his pocket.

"Your not gonna wrap it?" Tyler asks rubbing my forhead with his knuckles. which feels amazing by the way.
"No Tye i think thats gonna have to wait till we get to the shelter he's gonna get angry again and id rather not sedate him to much."
I barely feel the prick in my neck before the doctor moves away from me turning to her group she gives them the rundown on the situation then heads towards the trailer some of her voluneers stay wth me and tyler.

"You ready for a nice stable and food big guy." Tyler asks as we slowly make our way to a trailer away from eveyone. I dont feel any pain in my leg anymore just a pleasant warmth that has enveloped me so walking isn't that hard anymore.
Once in the trailer I start to think of the past few days and the other horses. Would they come to the same shelter as me? What if i was alone again like at the auction?

As the trailer starts moving i found myself dreaming of home again. Of roaming the feilds with my mother with Master Jose on her back. His barn team brushing me in the evening once the sun had gone down and the temprature cooled.
Of a much easier life with alot less pain, sighing i look out the window next to me not really looking at anything in particular as i head towards an uncertain destination. A semblance of hope swirling in my chest.