No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

waited for me to come home. I know he was old and that he wouldn’t live forever, but nothing prepares you for the death of a beloved pet. I’m not taking it very well. Bug and Mystic looked sorry, even.

I am tossed into a truck, sobbing. The truck starts moving, it’s Bear’s. We end up at my barn, the one my dad built for me.

“Sienna.”

“He’s gone. I didn’t want to believe he would leave me,” I cry out in misery, punching the dashboard. Bear comes around and opens my door and gestures to the barn. I take a breath and then hop out of the truck.

“He knew it was time. He knew you would be in good hands.” Bear leads me to the barn, which now holds ten horses.

“When did they get here?” I wipe my tears.

“This morning. Thunder was out here in the pasture, he followed me. That’s why he knew.” Bear shoves me toward the first stall and it’s like misery finds misery.

This horse is barely able to stand, but she looks at me like I’m hope.

“Her name is Stormy,” Bear says and I want to laugh. So fitting that he shows me this one.

She wobbles as she tries to walk toward me. I meet her halfway and she puts her head on mine and I start to sob again. She needs me, like I needed Thunder.

It’s like Bear knew I needed this, even though Thunder is still in his stall. He even waited for me to come see him this morning before leaving this earth.

It breaks my heart that he’s gone. He was waiting to make sure I was okay, he saw these horses and knew I would be okay. Heaven has an angel now.

But Stormy seems to understand that I need comfort even though she is hurting.

“We’re going to get you well,” I tell her through my tears.

I hear a meow and Mystic jumps up on the stall door.

“You followed,” I sniff and I get a meow in response.

I know Bug is here somewhere, she’s never far behind, nor that far from me.

They knew I needed them. Like I always need them.

I do something that surprises both me and Bear, I launch myself into his arms and kiss him.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

“Anytime,” he whispers back, still surprised that I hugged and kissed him.

“Do you think they moved him yet?” I sniff and he shakes his head.

“You want to say goodbye one last time?” he asks.

I nod.

“Let’s go.” He helps me and my other fur babies into the truck and heads back to the barn.

Everyone just watches as I kiss Thunder’s muzzle, whisper my prayers for him, and tell him he helped me when I needed him most.

“I’ll miss you, buddy,” I tell him as Bear leads me back into the house.

“Oh, sweetie,” my mom says.

“I’ll be okay.” I nod, knowing right now it feels like I won’t but I will someday.

“I know you will. I’ll make some tea and warm up your breakfast,” she says, setting off to her tasks, while I watch my dad and the others load Thunder up into the vet’s truck to take to the office.

“He will be cremated,” Bear says.

“I’d like his ashes,” I whisper.

“Of course.”

“Thank you,” I tell him.

“I would do anything for you. I’m always here,” he says and for once I believe that.

I eat my breakfast and sip my tea and think about my first ride on Thunder.

Chapter Fifteen

Sienna

Twenty Years Ago . . .

“Ready to go boy?” I ask Thunder, as he prances around in his stall in anticipation.

He’s old enough now to ride and I want to see him run. He whinnies as I grab his saddle and get him ready. I climb in the saddle and click him forward.

“Let’s take it easy at first,” I say and he snorts in response. Probably laughing at me since I think he wants to show me he can run.

We ride up the trail and stop at the pond everyone in town goes to drink at and I hear another horse.

Bear rounds the corner on a gelding, a pretty one.

“Hey.” I wave.

“You’re riding him finally?” he asks and I nod, patting Thunder’s side.

“First day. I think he wants to run,” I say and Thunder snorts.

“Care to race?” Bear grins.

“You?” He wants to race me?

“Why not?”

“Okay, why not?” He’s going to lose but okay, his loss. I think it will be Bear’s first loss, and I’m glad I’ll be the one to hand it to him.

“There’s the clearing on the other side, we can open up there,” he says as he clicks his little horse forward and Thunder follows.

“I love it out here,” I say as we come to the meadow, the one filled with wildflowers.

“It’s pretty,” Bear says but he is looking at me and then he grins as his horse takes off.

“That’s not fair,” I yell, but I didn’t have to tell Thunder anything, he takes off after Bear.

And it’s like riding the wind and freedom.

I catch up to Bear as he laughs.

“How was it?” he asks, patting Thunder’s muzzle.

“Freeing,” I admit.

“He’s a good horse,” he says.

“He is.” I pat the side of Thunder as he snorts in response, I think we will make a good pair.

“I’ll escort you home,” Bear says and we follow behind in companionable silence.

Thunder is freedom and fire. I can’t wait to see how he does in the ring.

Chapter Sixteen

Sienna

Present Day . . .

Thunder was great in the arena. We won several barrel championships.

I wanted to get back into it but not without my partner. I can’t do it now, not without him, and I have the other horses to think about and nurse back to health.

I wipe another tear as I sit in his stall. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.

Bug and Mystic aren’t that far away. I just feel like there is a hole in my heart. A big one, and I wonder how one moves on. After losing all those soldiers on