The ground squished under foot, the dirt road now a muddy swamp after the heavy April rains. It was going to be a cold night that was for sure and all Taylor wanted to do was get home to his mother and sisters. He had been out of town for days and had many things to bring back to the house for them, wonderful things, beautiful things: garments that were laced with beauty that resembled apparel a princess wore, jewelry unlike anything the Hanson family could afford, and most of all food that would be generously taken in by all who lived in the household. This journey had been a prosperous one and Taylor knew he would be praised by his family, even his father.
Soon he reached the bridge that linked the town with the woods and the rest of the outside world. He came to an abrupt stop as he saw water rushing very quickly downstream, threatening to wash away the old bridge.
“It’s all right Kintessa,” he soothed the brown mare, patting it’s neck to calm it down. The horse trembled and backed away from the bridge. Taylor looked up at the sky, the sun was shining through the overhead trees. There were no clouds, the sky was blue, and there was definitely no threats of more rain. The storm had been over for at least three hours and would stay away until he got home. The young man gazed over the bridge, catching site of smoke stacks not more than a mile away. The smoke was rising swiftly into the sky and he knew that the women of the houses were cooking, probably something delicious like bread... corn bread even. His mouth watered and he could practically taste the bread as he thought. He wanted to get home and he wanted to get home now.
“Come on girl,” Taylor coached the horse onward. He reached behind him and quickly checked that his belongings were still attached to the makeshift sack he had fastened to the horses backside. Once he was sure that everything was still there he spoke once again to his friend. “Kintessa, do you sense something? Is something going to happen as we cross the bridge?”
The young man had lived his life with horses, he knew them and they knew him, he trusted horses and they trusted him. His favorite horse had been Kintessa, brought to him to take care of when he was just 11 years old. Kintessa had been won in a game of cards. Taylor took a quick liking to the horse and pretty soon the townspeople would joke that wherever Taylor was Kintessa wasn’t far behind. That was understandable because in a way the boy had rescued the horse. Kintessa was nearly two when she was won by Taylor’sfather but those had been a hard two years. Taylor was amazed when Kintessa didn’t settle in quickly to the barn where he worked since he learned to walk. He sought out the reason why: Kintessa came from a drunken gambler who beat his horses regularly. Kintessa, being a filly at the time, hadn’t known how to wear a saddle or how to carry a pack of corn meal so she was whipped endlessly.The best thing that happened to her was becoming a bet in that poker game. OnceTaylor learned of her sad existence he sought out to change it and he did. He taught her everything she needed to know about how to be a pack horse, and then how to be a fighting horse when the time arrived. Kintessa settled in once she learned that she was never going to be beaten again, not with Taylor as her master. The bond between the man and his horse was built and could never be broken.
The horse neighed and backed up farther from the riverside. “Kintessa, we have to go across,” Taylor urged. “Mother is waiting for me. She hasn’t seen her son in a full day and I have not seen her or Father either. We have to get home, you know that.” Taylor sighed and patted the horse once again. “Yah!” He cried, the command that told the horse “full speed ahead”.
With a bit of hesitation, Kintessa moved forward. Taylor had taught her that this command meant business no matter what. Taylor urged the horse to a run as her hooves touched the wooden boards that made up the bridge.
They were halfway across when Taylor heard the cracking sound. His bright blue eyes widened as he saw one of the boards go out under foot. “We’re done for,” he mumbled to himself. “We’re going in.” He braced himself for an impact that never came. He looked down and saw the broken board floating away with the current but neither he nor the horse were following it downstream like he had thought. The board had broken off after Kintessa’s back hoof had touched it, they were safe by the time it cracked.
“Good girl!” Taylor praised as the horse reached the opposite side ofthe river. He checked once more that his gifts were still in the sacks. He nodded in satisfaction and grinned as the buildings grew closer to him. Theywere real once again, not just a figment of Taylor’s hope and yearning to get home. Kintessa lead Taylor through the town at a slow walk, knowing exactly where it was she was going. Taylor sat proudly on the horse and smiled at some of the people who waved at him. Every once in awhile a lady would point at him and then hug her daughter tightly, then they would both wave and he’d wave back.
The young man leaned close to the horse’s ear. “We’re home, Kintessa,” he said proudly, “we’re home.”