Chapter Eight

"Hush and listen."

Tiny musicians played their loathsome songs in the cracks of walls. Furry creatures scavenged in the alleys, gaining subsidence for another day. Their existence was destined to be exterminated without sympathy. Feathered figures watched from above. Visitors came into their world uninvited and soon will leave without a trance.

Loud cries of passion as two clawed fighters duked it out, hidden from sight. Stillness beckoning, wanting to be embraced as if nothing mattered beyond this block. A wayward breeze told me all I needed, by the queasiness of my stomach. The dead remained to rot where hope ceased to be.The future was only a memory painted on dead things as a reminder to the lively past.

Her sides gently rose and fell against my legs. Air pouring out of her in quiet bursts. Warmth seeped from her body to mine whether I wanted it or not. A hoof repositioned itself with a light tap. Her stomach growled beneath me, far noisier than expected. How long was our path to be? Could she be hungrier than me?

My heart beat a slow rhythm as I sat moving my head about. My ears strained to hear something that I knew existed. It was out there somewhere, beyond my hearing. No matter how much I struggled,closing my eyes,rubbing my ears, all I could hear was her.

"I hear nothing."

"Shame." Elly spoke, wiggling her ears. "They are being quite noisy."

"Who?"

"Two lovers in the midst of passion. The only humans in the area." Elly turned her eyes on me. "That may be a good thing for us."

Or it could be a bad thing. I kept a straight face. A prisoner shouldn't react, no matter what their captor says. Not even if it comes straight from the horse's mouth.

"How is that a good thing?" I asked reluctantly.

"Humans in passion have such dull senses. Once they embrace, they care for little else but themselves. What better way to slip by unnoticed when they are busy consuming their love." Her ears moved.

You mean drowning in their love. The idea of having to slip by a couple making love didn't sit well with me. I was not a party crasher. The risks in my opinion were too great. One misstep and I'll be the one having to fight off the enraged male. He could be armed and then what, a shoot out? There must be a better way.

I looked down at her. She had such an incredible sense of hearing. I shifted on her back, putting a hand to my ear, hearing nothing. How much better her ears were than mine. If I could only hear a tenth of what she could.

"Can't we take another path?" I asked. "Go around them?"

She glanced down the road. "Afraid not, human. That would be putting you at risk and I can not chance that. Machines do roam the larger streets."

"You think they are in the local militia?" I fidgeted, keeping my hands on my lap.

"From my eyes earlier, the man could be though they did not seem the type to join a band of men." Elly said.

Or radio we were in the area. I gulped. Don't need to have a weapon, if you got contacts that would love to know an american soldier is riding past your street.

I leaned forward, helmet strap digging into my chin. "We can gallop right past them. By the time they know we are there, we'll be long gone." My Texan accent showed itself.

Elly snorted, turning her gaze onto me. "You are in no condition for such a thing. It is too dangerous in a dark narrow street and what if I hit something and stumbled? What will happen to you then? A horse must look out for their rider." She huffed and turned her head away. "I will not risk it, not with you as you are on my back."

Says the horse who had her own part in it. Dejected, I sat on her back pondering. Her ears rotated then came a rush of air.

"They have finally gone quiet."

I smirked, that is a good thing.

"They must be leaving then." I remarked. "Or asleep."

"By my tail, certainly not. They are young and will be back at again soon enough." Elly kicked the ground. "We will need to be ready."

I winced at the kick. The size of her hoof was bigger than both of my hands. To be under her hoof again, I shook my head driving the thoughts away. Best not think about it. My hand moved to my waist.

"Bother my ears." Elly's entire body swung to the right. "Once they start I can't hear in their direction. There is an echo off the buildings that hurts my hearing. Are you sure you can't hear them?"

I shrugged. "My hearing is fine." My hand slipped into my pockets on the hunt.

Elly snorted. "Considering the position of your moon." She glanced at me. "We will have to walk past them. Bring yourself into my spot and on the lookout for, I will warn you, this is the most dangerous time for us."

A corner of my mouth went up in a smile. If I wanted to, I would have joined the military police. Those MPs would have many stories to tell of heavily armed grunts showing up for the performance. Nothing like crashing someone else's party at their expense. My hand came out empty. Most dangerous time indeed and no damn ear plugs.

I had four magazines, about 27 rounds average totaling 109, with two shots fired from our first meeting. So the current magazine has 25 rounds and the rest has 27. I should keep a note of that. Along with a knife, and one single grenade, I was not in the best of shape but this was better than I expected. I had my own transportation and a warm body to keep me comfy. I yawned, releasing the bolt and it clanged shut.

I checked my grenade on my belt and flicked the knife's handle. Looks good so far. I patted one of the pouches carrying food from the old man. Pretty soon I'll be enjoying you. Slightest hint of hunger pangs were inching up in my gut. My eyes fell onto my right bandaged forearm. I'll have to change it another time. My body scooted up her back into her spot.

"Move your legs back, they aren't in my spots." She eyed me.

My legs slid back as ordered. I was only off by a bit.

"Have both hands holding my mane in case I bolt." She mentioned. "Assume the worst."

I nodded, cradling the rifle in my lap between my arms and taking hold of her mane.

"I can work with this." I rubbed the long strands of mane between my fingers.

"Good." She replied, stretching her neck.

A jolt shot through my body. I turned to glare behind me. Did she just kick with her hind feet?

"Are you ready?" Elly asked.

My head yanked back. "Ready as I'll ever be." I bit my tongue. I should be careful. Sarcasm cuts both ways.

Her head swung to the front. Her legs started moving beneath me.

At the end of the street, we turned into a residential area. Rows of two story homes with tiny yards and not a living soul in sight. Clean road, dead street lights, and no signs of looting. Where did they go and why would they abandon a perfectly safe place like their home?

Passing house after house, windows blacked out, kept yards, trash cans still on the curb, we were late observers to the earlier evacuation of the neighborhood. People were in such a hurry to leave here before the fighting started that they didn't think they'd be coming back anytime soon. Elly swerved to avoid a full sized refrigerator, cord included, dumped on the middle of this residential street with a cracked door. I don't think she has the foggiest idea of what it is. It is just a machine to her.

A few inches from her right ear, a tiny speck of yellowish light flashed into my eyes before it disappeared. I rubbed my eyes and strained them to see if it would reappear. It did not.

Tugging the mane, I leaned over her withers. "There was a flash of light on the second story window, four homes. down on the right of the street." I whispered, pointing it out.

She made a sideways glance to me as we continued down the forlorn street. Her head gradually rose to the direction of my pointing, ears laser focused on the suspected house. Was there someone inside, watching us? My finger caressed the trigger.

We passed by the suspected house with not even a single note of interest. The only odd thing was the gate to the backyard was left open, other than that there was nothing that needed to be said. I may have been worried for nothing. Finger off the trigger, a sudden yawn caused a hand to sprang for my mouth to cover. Must I be tired?

The city itself dying as we rode by, life disappearing from inside homes before the war came. Not a soul seen on this block. Maybe they had the right idea of leaving before the US army came. If they remained, would there only be corpses here? Food was always in short supply in a siege.

The militias for weeks, refused to lay down their arms. Their shocking lighting fast 'suicide runs' outside the city attacking our supply convoys gave our generals plenty of concern. That is why my division, the first infantry division, big red one, was sent in a couple days ago to dig them out if possible, contain them inside their urban fortress and let our boys pushing up north a break.

Our commanding officer mentioned that we were going to be relieved soon by another brigade and sent up north to push onto the drive to the capital of Iran, Tehran. Yet nothing has come down from above, the brass must be too busy fighting this war to worry about us grunts.

Elly made a wide turn into a narrow gap between two houses. I grimaced as she slipped through the gap fearing for my knees as they barely scraped against the clay brick walls. What the hell was this route? It seemed dangerous for the both of us and what if she were to get stuck? I wondered as she walked out of the gap into a side street without missing a beat. My knees, a bit worse for wear.

Bugs scuttered away as her hooves came down upon them, scattering them in all directions. Further up, larger shadows with tails danced past us, squeaking at our trespassing. Piles of trash bags cluttered the path. The smell of rotting garbage saturated the air. The foul odor went up my nose and down my throat onto my tongue, the taste beyond description. I begged her in my mind to go faster and she did. Her trotting left the unbearable stench far behind us.

"We are coming into their sight." She whispered, slowing down. "If you sense danger, give me a kick and hold on for your life."

Chin up, shoulders straight, act like you're in charge for once. I assumed a dominant posture, one hand on the rifle in my lap, legs relaxed. I tugged her mane to acknowledge.

Her head lowered, pace slowed, ears darting to every direction. Her once brash energy left, leaving behind a nervous, insecure horse, unsure of its own surroundings.

We stepped out from the shadows into the moonlight. To our right was an abandoned brick house with opened and broken windows. A nervous whinny came from Elly. Her ears sprang up before it reached me.

A soft femine moan came directly inside the darkened house. My neck cranked to get a glimpse inside the pitch blackness. The moaning grew in pitch and noise with the steps of Elly's hooves. I shut my eyes for a brief moment and the moaning ceased. I glared into the windows. Shit, did we get discovered?

The moaning arose again the second we were half way through. Elly's ears focused at the source. Her body rigid in her walk, no doubt playing her part. A pit of shame grew as the moaning rose in passion and volume. My neck cranked itself. Unable to peel myself away from the calling. Yearning for something more. I bit my lip. One kick is all I needed to escape from this torture but orders are orders.

One sound and they'll hear you and you'll know how dangerous that will be. Not if I drop the young man at the spot. My hand gripped the rifle's grip. I can get him in three shots if he shows his face. My eyes scanned the windows, searching for an outline of a human-like figure or the slightest of movement. There was nothing but blackness.

A woman's scream shattered the illusion of peace. Clenching the mane, the next scream rattled my eardrums. A short pause and the third scream touched my nerves. The fourth scream was cut short. A passionate cry came from a seemingly abandoned brick home with opened windows. My cheeks grew hot as my eyes darted about.

Uncomfortable silence coming from the house on the right. Expecting more, I shifted my seat, keeping the place in sight. I waited, in anticipation, gripping her mane. My ears were hot and my breathing increased. If only she hurried up the pace so we could get the hell out of here.

The morning started once again, rising in passion. My ears ringed with the unwelcome noise, cursing myself for lack of ear plugs. The mare's ears turned away from the moans now spiking in volume. I resisted the urge to cover my own damn ears. This was more of an opera than a damn party.

We slipped back into the shadows, behind a concrete wall out of view. I sighed, feeling a great weight coming off my shoulders. The moans faded away as Elly put the distance between them and us. Her hooves clip-clop on sandy asphalt. We rode in silence except for occasional small arms fire far off in the distance.

"Are you ok?" Elly weirdly asked.

"Did they hear us?" I whispered.

"No."

I broke from my assumed posture and glared at her. "You know that was risky right?"

"It had to be done." She remarked, tossing her head like a shrug. So said the mare, her brash posture returning.

It could have gone worse. I sighed, far worse than I dare imagine. I wiped my sweaty hand on my uniform.

"James."

"Yes?" I answered, still in thought.

Elly stopped and glanced at her side. "Your legs." She spoke softly.

I blushed, looking away. Legs released their death grip on her sides. Tongue hid inside my mouth, never wanting to come out. The embarrassment evident on my exposed face. I slouched on her back, hands into fists. Sniffing the breeze, Elly moved on without another word.

The thump-thump of rotor blades sliced through the air coming from the northwest. Flares lit up the night sky in a long trail as the unseen helicopters flew undisturbed into the night. It had to be our apaches on a mission. A lone AA gun erupted in their direction. It's tracer fire zipping through the night sky. It soon ceased and the night became peaceful.

The side street ended to a two lane road no rich man would be foolish enough to be caught on after sunset. Numerous dark alleys dotted the way. Each building could be a drug den in the making. Remarkably, it did have the upside of being less trashy than the ones we trampled on. The road smelled of oil from an unknown origin. Elly paused to check both directions at the intersection then took a right, heading northward. High above, the north star guided our way.

"Can I ask you a question?" I blurted out.

Her ear twitched. "Say? You may speak clearly." Elly drew her head to me.

"Where do you come from?" I asked.

"Where I come from? I am from the land of Norria, east of the great Rutka river. I live in my herd on the endless steppe. I am considered a Norrian as true as any human."

Her ears moved to the right.

"I was born on the steppe to the rising sun. I have lived on the steppe traveling through the seasons as they have come and went, winter most of all. During the fall we adventure south to avoid the early snows and in spring we roam north to escape the rising heat."

"My herd is led by my sire who has many mares including my dam. He was a tall proud stallion on the steppe. One kick of his hoof would shake the ground beneath you. He fought the previous stallion for the rights of my dam and the herd. His name, Katar Tai, the boldest stallion I have ever known."

"My dam, Roteka, gave birth to me after her first foal died young. She raised me under her shadow though Katar Tai was too busy to notice much of me. When I grew into a filly I became aware I was bigger than others in the herd. For I was full blooded as was my sire and dam." She continued.

"The first colt to challenge me while my dam was away. I bit his nose leaving a deep scar for all to see. He never came near me again."

"He is the first of many to come my way." Elly flexed her neck, ears standing at full attention.

"You're actually part of a herd?" I asked.

Elly nodded. "Does that seem strange to you?"

"No, not at all, I mean it's how I imagine it would be." Come on, I can ask a better question than that.

Elly blinked and tilted her head. "My herd is on their way to the southern steppe as of this moment. The grass there is as tall as our bellies. So round we would be, that we would roll down slopes half asleep. When the sun rises, we gather together to feel the first sun's rays warming our bodies. The unlucky few who ended up in the cold creek, would make a big fuss with their shaking." She chuckled, giving her head a dip.

"Do you miss being with your herd?"

"Why? When I am here with you." She replied nonchalantly.

Taken back, I dropped my eyes to my hands holding the mane.

"Do I long to be with them? Yes but I do not miss them. They are my blood, and I will be with them. They are there and I am here. That is how I view it." She said.

"I feel the same with my family. I love them but I don't want to go back." I rubbed her mane on my finger tips.

"I see." She said, "Human, can I ask you for a favor?"

I looked up, seeing her face partly covered in mane, ears lowered. I nodded.

Her tail whisked behind me. "It would be more comfortable for me if you moved off that spot." She gestured with her head.

I glanced down at my legs then back at her. "Isn't this where you wanted me at?"

"It is." Elly clicked her tongue. A sign of her frustration? Annoyance? Seconds past without her saying a word.

She curved her neck to look me dead in the eyes. "It hurts me."

"I'm so sorry." The words spilled from inside me. I slid off her spot, sliding down her back.

"Have no shame human, it is part of being a horse. We bear our rider's weight willingly." She spoke in that woman's voice.

"Is this better?" I asked, touching her back where I sat with my fingers.

"Much so." Elly tossed her head, mane flying. She brought her head forward as she walked.

Why are you helping her after she hurt you? Are you afraid of what she'll do? I gulped. I had every reason to be, as a prisoner. I looked away.

So eager to please her after she asks. You really do like her, don't you? I chewed my lip. That isn't true, that isn't true at all.

We passed what looked like a local tea house, empty with the entrance boarded. Signs covered the front in red writings unreadable to my american eyes. It seemed a cozy and inviting place before the war came. I wonder what happy faces inhabited the place long into the evenings. What did they discuss and what kind of people were they? If only I could stop in there to rest my wounded body.

"I fear that we may have delayed too much." Elly's ears spun towards me.

"What are you saying? Another trot?"

"Can you endure it?" She turned her head to me.

I shook my head hard.

"Right, a horse has to know their rider like I know you. You're not ready yet." She turned her head to the front. She sped up her walk, clip-clopping with her hooves on the clean road.

Some things are better left unsaid. My tongue wouldn't listen, not now, not then. We traveled past a small park with trees sandwiched between tall buildings.

"How can you know me? I mean we met hours ago, and you only saw me two weeks ago." I rubbed my hands nervously as I held her mane.

"But I do know you." She replied, not bothering to look in my direction.

"How? I haven't told you anything about myself." I said.

"You have no need to."

"I don't understand." I stared at the back of her head.

She flexed her ears as she drifted to the right side of the street. Her pace slowed to a shuffle.

"I do not want to say." She stared off into the opposite of the street.

"How come?" I asked, wondering. She seemed so hesitant. Is she afraid?

"What is there to worry about? Besides, the danger around us, the Iranian militia and civilians." I continued.

"It is not that." Elly turned her head to gaze at my face. "I am afraid…for you."

"Why don't you say it?" I demanded, surprised at my tone.

"I do not want to hurt you."

You already have, my hand touched the spot on my chest, on top of the armored vest. It is only skin deep.

"It is not going to hurt me, it is just words, so say it." I looked her in the eyes.

Elly halted on the edge of the street before turning her full attention on me.

"You are Corporal James Smelly of the 1st Infantry division, first brigade, second battalion, b company under the command of Captain Williams. Your best friend is Sergeant John Huntman in the same platoon. "

"You were born in Texas in a small town called Wilton to Loren and Jacob Smelly with two sisters and a brother. And for the reason you left your home to join; You couldn't handle the truth of a girl passing you over for another."

Anger raged, like a red hot coal burning through my heart and falling, falling down into my gut of regret. How did she know? How could she possibly know this? My hands clenched themselves white. My very being barely containing all the emotions ready to pour out.

Elly lowered her head, keeping me in her sight. "I can feel your anger."

I downcast my eyes to my legs trembling against her sides.

"I-I-..." I stammered.

This pain hurt…hurt worse than her hoof digging into me, more than bootcamp and being home sick, more than this whole entire war and all the horror it brought with it, this emotional despair.

I gazed up at the silver half moon. The stairs glimmered in the sky, unyielding.

My lungs inhaled the fresh night air. No tears came nor a sound from my throat, only anger, ever growing.

"Please…walk…on." I croaked.

Elly nodded, turning her head forward, moving her legs. She drifted to the middle of the street in a slow walk. My hands freed themselves from her mane as I sat quietly listening to the environment around us. Her ears swayed side to side like an unreliable fan.

In a flash of blinding lights bathed us, turning the gray darkness to all colors. An engine spurred to life and a pickup truck came roaring out of an alley filled with armed men.