BENEATH MY SUFFERING

The final moments...

""Get in!" Masters' voice was frustrated and impatient. I refused any opportunity of getting in the trailer. I reared high, flailing my legs through the air. I landed and pulled him back, causing an instant tug-o-war. Suddenly, I catch sight John parking his bike at the gate. "Thunder!" Master screamed as I ripped the rope out of his hands and trotted over to John frantically. "Woah!" Surprised, John grabbed my lead and patted my neck. "Hey boy."

Master stormed up to John and snatched my reins away. He tried to pull me along but I did not budge. "What's going on?" John asked innocently. "What's going on! I'll tell you what's going on!!!" Master raised his voice with every word. "Thunder needs to pay for his crimes! His little circus act yesterday has put a spanner in my reputation and that can never happen again!!" John grabbed Master's arm swiftly. "Where is he going?" John inquired with a hint of a shake in his voice. Master turned to him and replied devilishly. "Where all horses should go! In dog meat!!" The next moments were all blurred. It happened so fast. "NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I remember John screaming as he grabbed my halter. I flew wildly into the air threatening to Master to let me go. John still gripped me tightly. "JOHN!!!!!! Let go! Or else you are going to loose your job!!!!!" Master finally finished.

The next thing I know John has been pushed to the floor and I'm being forced in the trailer by Greg and Master. "You're making a mistake!" John cried. "Thunder didn't mean any harm!" But they didn't listen to John. In no time, I gave up. I knew I was digging my own grave by lengthening my journey to my final moments. The gun shot rang in my ears as I stepped onto the trailer. As Greg tied me in it I imagined my lifeless body being tossed away like trash. Then I imagined dogs chewing me down with delight. I turned and screamed to John out of the windows, my final goodbye. As the trailer continued, I caught sight of John on his knees crying his eyes out. This was it, my final moments.

20 minutes later.....

As the trailer slowed, I knew it was over. My life that is. Master's voice was heard suddenly, talking to another man but I couldn't care less. I missed John horribly. "Ex-racer." I hear Master say before unbolting the ramp and retrieving me. The unfamiliar man clipped a new lead line on to me and Master removed my own. He dug into his pocket and handed money to Master before leading me away...

I did not refuse to follow him. I felt shameful about my race. If I had ran... The thoughts continued to swirl around my head like a tornado. The man led me towards a massive shed. This was it. As he pulled the heavy sliding door open I had the surprise of my life. Horses, of all shapes, sizes and colours, were crammed together in tiny fenced off areas. The vibration of a booming microphone suddenly made me realise, I wasn't at a killing farm. I was at an auction! Mum warned me about this...

He handed me to another man before closing the door again. The previous man whipped out his notepad from his back pocket and read "Thunder. 9 months old. Ex-racer." Another man wrote something down on his pad and ripped a sticker like paper off. He stuck it to my rump and I was led to join the rest of the horses. A boy helped open the gate and kept all the other horses from escaping with a long whip, tapping the odd horse occasionally. After he shuck the gate, I could barely move I was squished up against horses, old and young. A palomino horse kicked the side of the pen in an attempt to break free. Another horse, a chestnut, forced his way around worriedly.

I stood crammed by the fence and a short dappled grey horse. I wondered to my self. When was this nightmare going to end??

"Very shortly?" the boy almost answered my thoughts. "Yes, soon" one of the other men announced. "Ok! Now!!" The man at the opposite end to me pulled a lever. It opened a gate to a small walkway that led to the arena. Horses raced to the gate to release the tension of being so tight together. It was a tiny fenced hallway type thing that only one horse could fit through but the others queued up to. I had to stay in the pen but at least now I could actually move. The horses chatted amongst themselves as the auction begun. The first horse was deployed from the walkway into the arena.

Now it was a waiting game..."