09-04-2018, 01:20 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2018, 02:41 AM by Jay Carpenter.)
Years ago, Casey was given free access to the barn 24/7 to come and go as he pleased. The former race horse detested the stall longer than a few hours. Thunderous muscles ached for freedom, for an open lane and simply run. Maybe that was why he and Jay understood one another so well.
That was years ago. Casey was retired from racing when they bought him. He was older now. Though he probably had a good 7-10 years left in him. He was awake when Jay entered and fired up the lamps. A long face peeked out over the stall.
"Hey there," Jay said from the door. He really didn't expect cartel hitmen to wire up the barn with explosives, but he scanned the area anyway just in case. Even the most careful soldier could die from sheer bad luck.
But he licked his lips and hurried over a moment later. "Hey Casey. Hey.." his voice grew steady and calm. The horse's big black eyes just watched. For a moment, he worried that he'd been forgotten. Turned out, the horse was giving him the cold-shoulder. He turned around in the stall and flicked his tail at Jay's face.
"Oh come on. That the way it's going to be?" He grinned as he opened the stall, apathetic of what was underfoot. It wouldn't take more than a few minutes of easy work to clean out the stalls with the power. For now, he summoned a brush to his hand and led the animal out by the nose.
Casey was compliant as butter as soon as the brush smoothed his back. Probably for the best that the horses were stalled at night if no one was in the house. In this part of the country, there was no such thing as a vacation from the animals. Not unless someone was willing to pitch in and help, which on top of their own responsibilities, was a shit ton of work. Jay used to do it for extra cash as a kid. He'd make the rounds while neighbors went on summer trips. Eventually, he made enough cash to buy the truck that left him stranded in the snow last year. The one that dad let the transmission go to hell.
"Casey, I'll be calling someone to come take care of you. Don't know who, though." His brow furrowed low. The animal seemed to sense the unease and stomped. A cloud of dust sprayed from underhoof.
He stared into the distance for a minute, names filing through his mind. Pastor Mason was the only one he was sure would do it. Though it would be a bitch of a phone call to make. But the animals had to be tended to. Water, feed, stalling, and all the rest. It was a short-term solution. Jay couldn't forbid his family returning forever. Nor could they hole up at the casino for the rest of their lives. Though dad would prefer it. He rubbed his forehead a second. Shit that was a terrible thought.
Second alternative. Stay here and sit on the front porch with a loaded gun, perpetually waiting for attack. Ok, so that wasn't a real option, but he was wracking his brain to figure out how to handle this... Go to Nicaragua and kill every last Amengual that existed, down to the little girl he saved, just to extinguish the merest seedling of revenge from growing again? His heart sank even lower. Definitely not an option. Perhaps killing Zacarias would be enough. If he could even find the man now. Somebody had to know his whereabouts. If he was a guest at the ball then he had connections. Someone knew how to get to him. The scarred up soldier-guy was a lead. Though it was unknown whether such a lead would be an ally or not. What did Ascendancy know about the guests at his own ball? Was Zacarias someone of importance to Ascendancy? Or was he only a ten million dollar check?
Jay found himself face-planted against Casey's ribs, while his own wanted to cave in. Exhaustion crept around the shadows of his soul, threatening to sap what endurance remained. It wouldn't. It was like clutching for a handhold in sand washed out from under you, but for a brief moment, Jay considered letting himself buckle under the pressure.
Amengual wanted one thing in the world, and that was to see a bullet in the head of his brother's killer. Jay felt his own mind fall to absolute stillness. He barely even breathed. No. It was a terrible idea. Terrible. No, he couldn't do it. There would be no guarantee that his life would buy freedom for his family. But if the Custody wasn't safe and America wasn't safe. And unless he sat on the front porch with the long-shot always at the ready, his life would be over anyway. What other option existed? He swallowed.
Casey sniffed and shook his head. Jay jumped with the sudden movement.
Natalie stood there.
He really hoped he hadn’t been talking to himself.
That was years ago. Casey was retired from racing when they bought him. He was older now. Though he probably had a good 7-10 years left in him. He was awake when Jay entered and fired up the lamps. A long face peeked out over the stall.
"Hey there," Jay said from the door. He really didn't expect cartel hitmen to wire up the barn with explosives, but he scanned the area anyway just in case. Even the most careful soldier could die from sheer bad luck.
But he licked his lips and hurried over a moment later. "Hey Casey. Hey.." his voice grew steady and calm. The horse's big black eyes just watched. For a moment, he worried that he'd been forgotten. Turned out, the horse was giving him the cold-shoulder. He turned around in the stall and flicked his tail at Jay's face.
"Oh come on. That the way it's going to be?" He grinned as he opened the stall, apathetic of what was underfoot. It wouldn't take more than a few minutes of easy work to clean out the stalls with the power. For now, he summoned a brush to his hand and led the animal out by the nose.
Casey was compliant as butter as soon as the brush smoothed his back. Probably for the best that the horses were stalled at night if no one was in the house. In this part of the country, there was no such thing as a vacation from the animals. Not unless someone was willing to pitch in and help, which on top of their own responsibilities, was a shit ton of work. Jay used to do it for extra cash as a kid. He'd make the rounds while neighbors went on summer trips. Eventually, he made enough cash to buy the truck that left him stranded in the snow last year. The one that dad let the transmission go to hell.
"Casey, I'll be calling someone to come take care of you. Don't know who, though." His brow furrowed low. The animal seemed to sense the unease and stomped. A cloud of dust sprayed from underhoof.
He stared into the distance for a minute, names filing through his mind. Pastor Mason was the only one he was sure would do it. Though it would be a bitch of a phone call to make. But the animals had to be tended to. Water, feed, stalling, and all the rest. It was a short-term solution. Jay couldn't forbid his family returning forever. Nor could they hole up at the casino for the rest of their lives. Though dad would prefer it. He rubbed his forehead a second. Shit that was a terrible thought.
Second alternative. Stay here and sit on the front porch with a loaded gun, perpetually waiting for attack. Ok, so that wasn't a real option, but he was wracking his brain to figure out how to handle this... Go to Nicaragua and kill every last Amengual that existed, down to the little girl he saved, just to extinguish the merest seedling of revenge from growing again? His heart sank even lower. Definitely not an option. Perhaps killing Zacarias would be enough. If he could even find the man now. Somebody had to know his whereabouts. If he was a guest at the ball then he had connections. Someone knew how to get to him. The scarred up soldier-guy was a lead. Though it was unknown whether such a lead would be an ally or not. What did Ascendancy know about the guests at his own ball? Was Zacarias someone of importance to Ascendancy? Or was he only a ten million dollar check?
Jay found himself face-planted against Casey's ribs, while his own wanted to cave in. Exhaustion crept around the shadows of his soul, threatening to sap what endurance remained. It wouldn't. It was like clutching for a handhold in sand washed out from under you, but for a brief moment, Jay considered letting himself buckle under the pressure.
Amengual wanted one thing in the world, and that was to see a bullet in the head of his brother's killer. Jay felt his own mind fall to absolute stillness. He barely even breathed. No. It was a terrible idea. Terrible. No, he couldn't do it. There would be no guarantee that his life would buy freedom for his family. But if the Custody wasn't safe and America wasn't safe. And unless he sat on the front porch with the long-shot always at the ready, his life would be over anyway. What other option existed? He swallowed.
Casey sniffed and shook his head. Jay jumped with the sudden movement.
Natalie stood there.
He really hoped he hadn’t been talking to himself.
Only darkness shows you the light.