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The beast came storming up the road leading to the house. With fast and powerful strides, it’s mane created a cast of black around it in the wind. Faster still, faster still . Its menacing eyes stared straight into the house, still unnoticed by its inhabitants.
It neighed loudly, kicking its legs against the dirt continuously, drawing itself forward. As it neared the house, its force shaked the earth, and heads turned towards the windows. Its old master’s eyes met it, and he ran out the rickety building, astonished, with his family following close behind.
“Jewel, it’s your ma! Your ma Jewel’s ma came back!”
The beast directed its attention to the boy. It snarled, as if it were a bull, and revealed teeth too sharp for a horse. His old master treated him not as a child would treat a mother. No affection, betrayer, betrayer
Don’t call him my son the betrayer he chose you over me how dare he how dare
The animal charged straight towards the boy, as if an iron horse in its mechanically precise movements. Closer and closer, straight ahead towards Vardaman it ran, until the boy was jerked away by Jewel. “Damn you, damn you.”
The horse tossed its head back with a loud roar. Jewel chose them over me. He saved him but gave me up. Why them? Filled with anger, the horse stood motionless like stone, a scowl engraved in its dark face.
Jewel, his back stiff, turned towards the porch, where a rifle lay. With a wooden face, he pointed the weapon at his horse and pulled the trigger. Had you not shot it, it would have killed you all . It fell to the ground, as I did . Jewel betrayed his horse, first, then Darl, then his horse once more. All for the sake of them. Not I, or his beloved horse, but them. It’s always been them over I.