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The first day of the rest of my life. |
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The first day of the rest of my life.
NonFiction
 Created on 10-7-07
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 Story Rating G
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On January 13th 2001 I was relaxing in my room. The ground was dusted with snow and the branches of the pine trees always hung low this time of year. I had a few blankets over me because the bitter draft from these old windows always made its way to my bones. I turned to my side and reached for an old Horse Illistrated magazine to pass some time. I was about half way through when I heard the phone ring. I glanced at the clock as I got up to answer it; 9 o’clock was a little late for a telemarketer, so I wondered who it was. “Hello?” I said. “Hey Chrissy?” a familiar voice said. I answered “Yes?”. “This is Rae Ellen. Can I speak to your mom?”. I said “Sure”. I loved Rae Ellen. She was my horse back riding instructor for some time. I wondered what was going on. I walked to my mom’s room and handed her the phone. As I was exiting her room I heard her frantically say “What?!? What happened?”. I began to feel uneasy. I knew something was wrong, but what? I waited for what seemed like forever for my mom to get off the phone. I heard her shuffling to get her shoes on. Then she darted to the bathroom. I looked at my sister who was on the couch. She had to have seen panic in my eyes because she got up and followed my mom. I, of course, wasn’t far behind. I waited in the hallway. I heard my mother sobbing. Then she mumbled something, but I couldn’t understand a word. My sister emerged from the bathroom quickly. She ran into her room and scrambled for her keys. I looked at my mom, “ Please tell the what the hell is going on”. I didn’t think she could hear me through all her sobbing, but she soon mumbled, “ Zip’s dead.” My heart stopped… “What?…What did you say?” My sister came charging out of our room. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to her car. I got in and just sat there stunned. When my sister got in she said, “What kind of a sick joke is this?” Nothing else was said the rest of the way to the barn. I exited the car as quickly as I could and ran to the barn door. I almost didn’t want to open it, but with my sister beside me we did it together. The door was stiff so we only slid it a couple of feet. When I entered I saw Rae Ellen standing in the door way of Zip’s stall which was at the very end of the 26 stall aisle way. My sister followed as I ran to her. It felt as though I would never get there. I turned to Zip. As I looked at her lifeless body sprawled out in her stall I thought, why is this happening? This isn’t real, it can’t be. I turned around, because I couldn’t look anymore. I wanted to run away, far away. Rae Ellen grabbed me and held me in her arms. I cried like a baby for some time. She started to let go but kept her hands on my shoulders and said, “It’s important for you to say goodbye.” I slowly turned to Zip’s lifeless body. I walked up toher and knelt by her face. I reached my hands up and closed her once gorgeous honey brown eyes that were slightly clouded now. I rubbed my hand down her cheek. She was so cold, I sat there for a while sliding my fingers through her mane and forelock. I didn’t want to leave her side. How could this happen to someone I loved so much? After a while my mom came in and said her goodbyes. Afterwards she placed her hand on mine and softly said, “Come on.” It took a while but, I soon became numb to the whole thing, at least on the outside.After a few years I still had love for horses. I followed my sister to her barn and watched from a distance. One warm sunny day in June, I was leaning on the outside of the white picket fence watching a mare and her foal grazing in the field. After a few minutes my sister approached me. She watched for a moment, then asked “What are you thinking about?” I replied “ I miss her.” She knew, she responded with “ it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.” That’s when I knew it was ok to love again. Zip’s memory will forever be engraved in my heart. I never knew what I had till she was gone.
Comments
Please Login to post comments| On October 8th 2007 101091 Said : | |
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Wow... I just about cried. I'm so glad I've never had to lose one of my horses through death. About a year ago I had to sell my favorite one, and that was stressful enough, I can't imagine actually having to say goodbye like that. |
