Untouchable Dreams

I wrote this story for a reflection's contest theme was "WOW"!!

 

                          Untouchable dreams

 

 

       We stepped into the egg-shaped dome. We scanned the crowd and noticed every living body who had come. A billion glistening eyes lowered their gaze to watch us and our every move. They scanned us too, sized us up. Us, being the hometown Tennessee girl and the slaughterhouse foal. As we scanned the crowd I felt the pressure build up on my chest. But I knew the pressure was as strong, if not stronger on my horse, for he had much more to prove. They wanted to know who we were. Because we were the underdogs, the longshots, the Pluto among the sea of planets. Yet we were here, and we were here to win.

          I took a breath in. The bell rang. We leaped into action. The rhythm starting to form around us, as we mended into one. We were became a new creater, a new form, a new being. I could feel every flexing muscle that moved within his skin, every breath he sucked in, every beat of his massive heart, and every drop of blood that flowed through his thousands of veins. Our pace was set and our position perfected.

We entered our bubble and neared the first jump. My heart raced faster and faster as we approached. I reached down and found that his was too. We were close. 3,2,1, LIFTOFF. The back legs of the horse grasped all the power possible to increase our height. I zippered my hands up to the crest of the neck and lifted myself closer to his mind so my weight would balance our strength. We froze on top of the jump and embraced the flight air. We headed down. The hooves colliding with the ruff dirt like a car to brick wall.

        We rounded the corner and prepared for the next jump. 3,2,1, I took in a large gulp of air in as we flew once more. Lift, fly, fall. Only two jumps left. I looked toward the clock. I was exhilarated to see the time of 15.6 seconds flashing on the board. I could feel he noticed too.

        It was the second to last jump and my horse lifted up. I measured wrong, we jumped too soon. Our hoof brushes the top of the jump. I heard a billion people suck in and watch attentively at the wobbling pole. I wasn’t going to look back, I didn’t need to. For within a few milliseconds the whole crowd released a sigh of relief. I knew right then we were still within reach and the jump hadn’t fallen.

       I made sure of the count for the next jump because I couldn’t have another mistake. 3,2,1, takeoff. My horse knew he had to be perfect this time. He knew the extent and importance of this last jump. He captured strength that I had never seen him breach before. It was our most glorious jump yet. We hit the ground with a shock. The world rushed back into our minds and bodies. We were suddenly aware of the clapping and applause that flooded like a river through the stadium. I pulled on the reins and slowed and calmed my best friend, my companion, my compadre. I sensed his pride. And dared to hope for the impossible.

        I turned nervously to the flashing board. 23.67 seconds flashed wildly. That couldn’t be me. He’s only a slaughterhouse horse and I’m only a country girl. I kept my eyes on the board, as I latched onto his course mane. I had to see who’s score it was. I waited for what felt like eternity but was really only a few seconds. Then my name as well as my horses appeared on the board. Tear after tear raced down my face as I stared dumbfounded at the impossible results. My horse and I, the long shots, had pulled through. We had done it. We had just won a gold in the Olympics.

         They called me over to the award area. I couldn’t even push my horse on, but he knew what to do. We walked over. It finally hit me. I HAD WON! A smile the size of the Amazon spread across my face. The judge placed the gold medal around my neck and draped a blanket of red roses over my trusted steed. I stood tall as the Star-spangled Banner played in the background. More tears rushed down my already wet face. At that moment a 100 flashes of light blinded out faces. But we didn’t even care because we had reached the untouchable dream.

 

Author's Note

tell the truth