Chapter 6
For about five hours that night, Randal slept like a log. However, for some reason, he woke up during the night, and judging by the position of the moon, he guessed to be around one in the morning. He looked around, and discovered that Bob was missing from the clearing. Curious, and a little worried as to where he had gone, Randal sleepily got to his feet, and shuffled out of the area, and on to the sandy, moonlit beach that merged into the lake fifty years away. The moon shown down brightly upon the still lake, which had a smooth, undisturbed surface like glass. When the moon's glare hit the water, it reflected beautiful rays of light onto the surrounding trees, illuminating the whole area.
He spotted Bob standing down by the edge of the waterline, and noticed that he seemed to be looking down into the water. As Randal came closer, he heard him talking to himself out loud, and then realized that Bob was actually praying. Randal stopped for a moment until he had finished, and then walked the rest of the distance to join his friend. Bob heard Randal come up beside him, but didn't turn his gaze away from the reflection in the water to acknowledge it. His attention and all his mind focused on the reflection that stared back at him, just as serious as he was. He knew that the horse he saw in the water was him, yet he could never bring himself to believe that this was the form he would keep for the remainder of his days. He still thought of himself as being human, but it was hard to say think that when the image that stared back told him it wasn't so. How can a man deny reality, when it's staring him right in the eyes? Bob could deny it all he wanted to, but would that really make him any more human? No, it wouldn't change anything. It would only vanish like a mirage in a couple of days, and then he would be just like Randal, going about life as if he had born a horse. He would have nothing to identify himself to or with, and he sobbed in his mind at these thoughts.
Randal, as if reading Bob's mind , suddenly spoke up.
" I know what you're thinking," he said softly." You're new to hooves, and I don't blame you for crying. I did the same thing, except it was far worse for me. There was nobody to cheer me up, nobody I could turn to, and I was on my own with a herd of horses that I couldn't even talk to. Three years later, and I've pretty much gotten over my former life. I didn't really have anything going for me anyway. Still, I hope that one day, my friend might actually remember me long enough to make a cure and come back to save me."
He walked over to the water and stared down at it, flinching slightly at the sight of himself, even though he was by far the best looking horse Bob had ever seen in his six years of photographing them. " I know how you feel about being a horse and all, because it affects me just as much. I mean, it must be hard to grasp the thought that you're a horse, when only a few hours ago, you were as human as can be.
Bob nodded solemnly, and turned to him." I don't think anyone could make that kind of change that fast without a hint of doubt. I do know that I'm a horses, and no amount of disbelief can change that. You know, I actually have wished a couple times that I was a horse, but only for a day or two. This is a lot more than I would ever want to be one....even as cool as they are. I think I'll begin to like it after a while I'm sure. I'm a little worried about Jeff though, he seems to be taking to it a bit too fast.
Nah, don't worry about him," Randal assured him with a smile." He's just havin a little fun.Horses are energetic creatures you know, and some are more so than others."
"Well," Bob shrugged." I suppose."
He looked back into the water again, and this time, he actually smiled when he saw his face in the water." As bad as all this is, your friend couldn't have chosen a better breed!"
Bob had always been in love with quarter horses, ever since his aunt had brought home a beautiful brown colt that she had got him for his eleventh birthday. He had named him Rocky, and from then on, they had been the best of friends, until Rocky died 5 years later from a broken leg. That left Bob in a brief state of depression that threatened to consume him, but he soon met a friend that he would have as long as he lived. That was how he came to know Jeff.
Bob snapped himself out of his memories, and picked up on where he had left off, which took only a moment.
" As I was saying," Bob continued." Your friend chose an excellent breed, the Quarter Horse. I really have to congratulate him on that to be honest. You and I are definitely breeding material without a doubt, and if you or I decided to start a family and have a foal, the outcome would certainly be a horse of racing quality. Still, I don't plan think I'll do that, especially since I already have a wife back home. Even if I never see her again, I'll never remarry...or at least, I don't think I will."
Randal smiled." I almost got caught up with a mare a couple months ago as a matter of fact. She was a pretty thing, and she had me thinking about starting a family right there!Oh, and another thing. Since you seem like a smart trustworthy person, I'll let you in on a secret that I've kept from you for just a little while now.You know that little story I told you earlier about losing your mind to the instincts if you go after a mare?That was a bunch of crap kid! I only said that to keep your friend from jumping on every mare he set eyes on!Hehe,
he really believed it too, and thats good!" He looked at Bob, and snorted with laughter."We don't want him hogging them all now do we?"
Bob was speechless, and his mouth hung open like a venus fly trap. All he could do was stare at Randal with wide, shocked eyes.
Randal merely laughed, and shook his head." You're gonna be ok man.I don't plan on doing anything like that anyway. So whatever you do, don't tell your friend about this."
Bob smiled, and nodded his head." I understand you perfectly.The last I would want is for him to find out about that, although, he never was good with the ladies."
"Now that we've gotten that straightened out," Randal yawned." It would probably be wise to get some more sleep before morning rolls around. Tomorrow, after we have our breakfast, I want to take you somewhere really cool."
"Great," Bob grinned." So, what are we having for breakfast? Toast? Coffee and biscuits? Or maybe-" Bob realized what he was saying, and mentally kicked himself for being so stupid."Sorry, I actually forgot I we were horses for a second. Im still not used to talking to another horse, and hearing it talk back yet I guess."
Randal laughed." Tell me about it! God knows I miss the awesome breakfasts my aunt Rebecka used to make me.It was heaven! Id do anything for another slice of her raspberry pie! Now, I think we need to get back to sleep, this talk about food is making me hungry."
"I'm with you there."Bob agreed happily." It was nice to get away from Jeff's snoring for a while though."
"Tell me about it!" Randal laughed rolling his eyes." He's loud enough to wake the dead! I think I can still hear him from here!"
They paused half-way on their way back to the clearing, and could hear Jeff's horrible snores, which sounded exactly like a warped chainsaw cutting through a cardboard box.They continued on to the clearing and returned to their beds for the remainder of the night.
The next morning came early than Randal and Bob, because Jeff suddenly crashed their peaceful sleep by dumping piles of grass onto them.
"Wake up yall," he shouted at them. " You've gotta try this stuff! Either I'm a complete horse, or this ain't really grass! It's delicious!"
"What are you babbling about now?" Bob moaned sleepily as he slowly to his feet, using his long forelegs to push himself into an upright position." This better be good."
"Im telling you," Jeff said again." This stuff cant be real grass! There's no way grass tastes this good!"
"Actually,it is real." Randal replied, shaking the grass from his mane and coat."The reason it tastes so good is because horses have stronger and more sensitive taste buds than humans do. Therefore, the taste is registered in your brain as being the most tasty thing you have ever eaten...so far."
"How do you know all this?" Bob was stunned by his answer.
Randal laughed at this question, and smiled." I've read a lot of books on horses Bob...a LOT of books. It is a bit surprising that I've managed to retain all that information though, after almost going under more than twice, and not having anyone around to share it with for so long. All this time, I've lost my all sense of touch with humanity, and now here I am, feeling more human than ever before."
" That's good news!" Bob smiled." It's also great news that I didn't even have to find my own food this morning, my good friend Jeff has brought it to me.Im so hungry, I feel like I could eat ten thousand bags of oats right now. I've been without food since yesterday.Let's eat!"
Bob buried his head in the pile of grass Jeff had placed in front of them, and came out with so much grass in his mouth, that it wouldn't close. When he finished the pile off, he began to nip at the grass protruding from the ground around him like any other horse would do.Soon, he began to realize that what he was doing must have made him look one hundred percent equine, because behind him, Randal and Jeff were roaring with laughter, which came out as a chain of snorts and whinnies.
"Wow," Jeff struggled to say through his fits of laughter."I...I never thought I'd see the day when Bob actually did a little work to get his food the honest way instead of bumbing it off me."
"You're a natural kid," Randal joked."I've never seen a more natural looking horse than you before .You make some of these other horses look like they've never grazed a day in their life! For a moment there, I actually mistook you for one of the herd.Sorry for the mistaken identity."
"I'm laughing my head off," Bob replied sarcastically." You've been waiting three years to say that haven't you?"
"Ah," Randal smiled."It feels great to finally have something to joke about again.It's been so long since I've actually cracked a smile, much less laughed."
Bob started to lower his head again to continue eating, but suddenly stopped when he was half-way to the ground and looked up at Randal." Wasn't there something you wanted to show us today?"
"Oh. Yes, that's right. I almost forgot," Randal replied thoughtfully." I said when we were through with our breakfast, we would go, but I see that some of us aren't quite finished yet."
Bob began to question who that might be, but stopped in mid-sentence when he turned around, and saw Jeff quietly grazing on a thick patch of grass near the spot he slept the previous night. He was in fact, so captivated by the irresistible flavor of the grass, that he hadn't heard a single word they had said.
Bob and Randal merely stood by laughing at the way he grabbed the grass awkwardly between his lips, until he finished his last bite, and joined them a short time later.
"Something funny over here fellas?" Jeff asked curiously when he noticed Bob's smirk of amusement.
Bob tried his best to cover up his laughter at Jeff for being such an idiot, and shook his head."Nope, Randal just finished telling me a joke...that's all."
Jeff eyed Bob a moment, and then returned the smile."I see, thats great and all I suppose. So where are we going? I heard something mentioned about a secret place?"
Randal's mouth fell open a bit, just enough to detect the unmistakable expression of disbelief." How did you find out about that?"
Jeff smiled and shrugged slightly." I picked up a few words just a little while ago, when yall were talking earlier.Not enough to find out where though."
Randal cracked a grin, and nudged Jeff in the shoulder." You know what Jeff, you're not such a airhead all! We might just get along...you and I."
"Thanks," Jeff managed to say, smothering his agitated tone before it could be detected.
"Ok," Randal said, walking out of the clearing, closely followed by the other two eager horses."I'm taking you to a place more beautiful than even this so called "horse heaven" is. It's a place so breathtaking, that neither of you will ever forget it. So make sure you keep following me, because we're headed there now."