My eyelids fluttered, and slowly they opened. I didn't want them to open, for I was in pain everywhere and I felt sick. I just wanted to stay asleep and die. My life would end soon, I was sure of it. I heard a jumble of voices, fuzzy at first but growing clearer each moment. Another sound I noticed was a roaring sound, I was near panic by now at this new possible danger.
"Mitty?....Mitty?" Someone whispered in my ear, my ear flickered. And, slowly I made out a long, sorrel face with a thin stripe down the front. Anxious eyes were staring into mine, I slowly realized it was someone I knew. Then, it all came back! My head jerked up.
"AGNES!" I heaved myself to my feet, almost falling down again because pain shot through my body. "Ouch!"
"Mitty, shh! Don't speak loud, for Mongol might hear you."
"But Agnes where are we?" I was worried because we were in a valley, not the hills like when I blacked out. The sky was a dreary grey with dribbling drops of water splashing here and there. The fog had lifted, at least because now I could see better. We were in the middle of a steep valley with a river snaking through it. The sides of the valley were steep and a bright green from all the fresh rain. It would have been a lovely place had me and Agnes been alone.
But, by the river were the three stallions, they were discussing something in low, anxious voices. Mongol looked back to check on us, seeing me at my feet gave him a start. He stalked forward, black tail swishing and ears laid back.
"Were you two talking?"
"No." Agnes looked him straight in the eye, "Why would we be talking, for you told us not too."
"Girls talk, that's a fact. But seeing that you are lookin' me straight in the face I know your not lying."
Agnes shot me a sly glance while I was thinking, Where did she learn to lie? She's more bold than the Agnes I knew before! Perhaps she has suffered much while I was blacked out, and that has toughened her. How did they get me here? If I was unconcious then it would have taken hard work to have got me anywhere....
I didn't have a chance to ask Agnes because Mongol was standing there.
ScarFace stamped and turned around. He walked toward me with a glint in his eye.
"So, how has your little sleep been?"
"Wha-"
He interupted, "Don't bother to answer. Whatever you say won't matter, so why waste my time. Let's get a move on this! We have to hurry."
Mongol whinnied like an idiot, "Let's go Idaho! (wait, I'm not a potatoe)"
I could barely walk, my whole body was racking with pain, each step I was in agony.
"Come ON." Mongol bit my flank.
I hardly had the heart to bare my teeth. "Ohh, please don't!" I cried.
"Hurry up then, the boss wants to canter."
Large tears splashed down my face as I forced my body to canter. When I finally did canter, it was stiff and torturous. Each step sent pain up to my spine and my head was starting to pound.
"Please, Mongol!" I pleaded, "Can't a mare rest for awhile? I can hardly breathe!"
He looked back, untouched by my stiff movements and tearful eyes. "You get MOVING!" He yelled. I tried to keep up from then on, though it was the hardest thing I did in my life. Agnes, bless her heart stayed by my side the whole time. Giving me comforting nudges and licking my bleeding cuts, I probably would have died of sorrows had it not been for her.
After many hours my pains sub-sided, but it left me with a nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was like my entire body was a big, fat sore, and I could do nothing about my agonizing pain.
Little did I know, that the next hour would change my life.