Race Horse Chapter 1

by Windcall
(Missouri)

Hi! Windcall here. A few months ago, I submitted a description of a book I started, RACE HORSE. Well, I finally decided to post the first chapter of that book! Hope you like it!!!!!! *:-)

Believer arched her neck grandly as a crowd began to gather around the door of her stall. Nuzzling the newborn foal at her side, she pondered the name her owners had given him: Reckless Eagle, in honor of the colt's grandsire, Eagle Flight.
“My very first foal to Sprint! Such a stunning little thing he is,” she thought complacently as she nosed her alfalfa with an disinterested air. "No, you don't have to eat this stuff yet!" she reassured her hesitant, curious colt.
Sprint nickered gently from the neighboring stall. “Oh, Believer, I'm so proud of him!" he exclaimed, tossing his head in ecstacy.
“So am I," she murmured sleepily, yawning as she reminisced to the grey colt at her side. “I remember like it was just yesterday that I met Sprint in the parade to the post. I’d do anything to relive those wonderful moments. Well, everything except give up you,” she assured a dozing Eagle.

(Believer goes back in time here.) *:-)

“How long to wait?” Believer inquired impatiently as she stomped towards the starting gates. It seemed to her as though the two-minute parade to post had lasted an hour. Sprint, another two-year-old in the race, trotted up gaily beside her.
“Me and you, being the fastest two year-olds in this race, will be the ones to beat!” he winked jovially, adding, “And besides, you're already in the gate--it won’t be long, darling!”
Believer harrumphed and glowered at the track as the brilliant chestnut colt teased his handlers. It would be an easy run, since the track was nice and smooth and dry…
Every starting gate flew open without warning, and Believer plunged down the track in attempt to outrun the furious starting speed. Her jockey madly seesawed on the reins, slowing the dark bay filly at every stride. As a flash of blinding red thundered past her, Believer broke away from her jockey's choking hold and strove to refute the distance between Sprint and her. Believer gained a length, but lost it when Sprint regained and held his ground at a matching speed. Immensely weary from her unwise early speed, Believer closed her eyes and prayed that her heart would run the remainder of the race.
The crowds grew faint as colt and filly struck track past the finish line, and a camera's gentle "click" broke through the eery silence. Then the crowds were screaming again, and Believer sagged in a sudden halt that nearly sent her rider headfirst out of the saddle. An announcer shrieked over the tumultous crowds that the record-breaking race was a thorough tie. Feeling disappointed at not actually beating Sprint, Believer groaned inwardly and sought the crowds in high hopes for her groom. Sprint began to provoke her happily. “Why did you have your eyes closed?”
“I did not, I was just resting for a moment.”
“You did too have your eyes closed. Why didn’t you slow down and just take second place when I asked you to?”
“When did you ask me that? If you did, I didn’t hear you at all. Now please be quiet, there is enough noise around without you yelling at me over it all!”

(Believer returns to the present here.) *:-)

Sprint snorted softly, an rough chortling sound. “I didn’t say you had to remember it all out loud, my girl. But you always have been funny about things like that.”
Believer shook her mane in embarrassment, catching a glimpse of the endless stars outside the stables' thrown-open doors as she did. For a moment, the mare thought she could see Reckless Eagle, rangy and swift, dashing ahead of all the competing horses in a race. A black stallion stormed in from behind, pursuing her oblivious son with fury. Then Sprint bugled his challenge to any horse foolish enough to think of beating his grey colt, and Believer watched as the black fell into a vortex of swirling stars. Sighing with relief, Believer fell into a profound, dreamless sleep.