A Fatal Blow

Excellence Award in the 'Spread The Word 2017' competition

“Troop!” Lucy calls. “Troop where are you?” It wasn’t unlike Troop to wonder the wide open plains around the back of the stables. Lucy continued frolicking in her pure white dress across the rolling fields. She could feel the grass brush past her bare feet as she gazed around. She could hear amateurs training with her dad and horses on their break galloping in the distance. She called again with her charming, innocent voice across the plains, “Troop!”
Lucy had now made it to the edges of the plains where the perimeter fence encircled the property. Her dad had always said that the fence was to keep out the foxes before bed, then he would kiss her goodnight and let her drift into dreams of galloping across the stadium and winning the equestrian cup with Troop.
Then Lucy saw the sight that she could never un-see, the sight that seeing was like being engulfed in the worst agony that a human could ever feel. She saw lush brown hair stained with red. She saw a perfect shape pierced deeply through. She saw the slow rise and fall of a proud chest. There, laying perfectly still on the grass, was Troop, and on the fence by him, a hole.
“Troop?” Lucy whispered. She stood perfectly still for what felt like days. Then she rushed to her perfect stallion’s side and lifted him with all of the little might she had. She hurriedly guided him across the plains. Instead of Troop proudly racing across the grass like always, he was stumbling and losing balance. Lucy was muttering words of encouragement, but to whom she was not sure.
Eventually, they made it back to the stable and there Lucy laid Troop down in the top-quality hay he was going to eat when Lucy was to find him, like always. Lucy rushed around collecting water and food and bandages, but, although she was in denial, deep down, she knew Troop was as good as dead. She called her dad to come, but he couldn’t help either.
Lucy was young, she had no reason to experience the immense devastation and sorrow that death brings at such a young age. But some day, everyone needs to face life, and Lucy’s day was that day. Troop passed in his stable soon after. Lucy and her dad let him sleep under the tree that she and Troop would rest around after a hard day’s work winning races, never to be forgotten.

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