Greatest Love Story

Chapter Five

Sang's ears were bombarded with nickering and stomping hooves the moment she pulled the barn doors open. She breathed in the old, musty air, and instead of grimacing, she let her teeth bare in an excited smile.

She looked through the stalls in hope that she'd find a familiar looking horse she received as a gift from her mother, but all she came across were horses she'd never seen before. Sang came to the conclusion that despite all of her insight and advice, her grandfather still continued to board. 

Heaving a sigh, she wandered over to the nearest stall and got a quick peek at a spunky white stallion. Dancing on his hooves, Sang figured that he wanted to be let out to the pasture, but she  gave the giddy stallion a sad smile and left the task to the ranch hands. She knew nothing of the horse's history so she figured it would be safer that way. Strolling down the concrete walkway between stalls, she opened the barn doors at the far end and revealed a fenced pasture full of healthy green grass. She let her eyes travel as far as they could without causing too much strain and finally caught site of a powerful black mare grazing right beside a tree.

Sang's excitement bubbled enough to make her giddy. Whistling loudly, Sang hollered, "Asraaa!" The mare hesitantly strolled forward, cautious of the voice calling out to her. Asra probably couldn't make out her face from so far, so Sang walked further into the pasture until she felt it was close enough.

Tears soon glistened in her eyes when the black horse took off at a full dash in her direction. Opening her arms up wide, Sang steeled her stance and welcomed the semi-harsh impact of Asra colliding with her. The mare neighed in content as Sang stuck her face in the horse's mane, giving it a soft hello tug. "Hey there, girl," Sang cooed, determined to keep the happy tears at bay. "I missed you so so much."

Nickering was heard after her words, and Sang imagined it as an intelligent statement of agreement. She could still remember the day she received and named her. Asra: travel at night. The name had been in one of the storybooks her mother used to read her before bed, so when little Sang saw the mare's smooth and dark coat, she knew it would fit her perfectly. 

The two spent hours in the pasture catching up on lost time, and even though Sang wanted to stay out there forever, it was about time to start on lunch. She led the horse into the barn and went in search for her favorite treat: apple slices dipped in honey. Pa used to raise hell when Sang would sneak the sugary concoction to the horses, so she was pleasantly surprised when she found the fridge still stocked with the two ingredients. 

Sang gave Asra a quick kiss on the nose and went to exit the barn, but something caught her attention—the ladder leading up to her old sanctuary. There was only a few seconds of hesitation before her feet hit the wooden rungs that led to the loft platform. Memories started to whisper and sing near the edges of her mind, trying to tease and seduce their way in, so throat tight, Sang braved the incoming storm and continued upward. 

As soon as she reached the top, she inhaled a shaky breath and took a look around. Nothing had changed. A sole twin bed sat at the center of the room, covered in a dusty thrift store quilt. A shaded lamp sat crookedly upon a dresser at the corner of the room, and a shoddy black rug laid flat against the wooden planks that made up the crickety floor. Sang took a shuddering breath before she sat on the edge of the bed, a memory hitting her with full force.

Sang didn't believe in true love, but she did believe that if you wished on a shooting star, the wish would come true as long as you were able to pass a small test: rub your belly and pat the top of your head at the same time for two consecutive minutes and your wish will come true.

Pa insisted that it was a myth, but she told him it was true, and that it was also science. It even worked for her that same night when she wished for ice cream. After she told him about her success, he said that it was only because she was in his good graces, not because of that ridiculous subject they teached kids in school. Sang had rolled her eyes and stomped out of the room, not knowing where she was going. Mom decided to go out with Dad for lunch, so Sang  decided to escape to her happy place.