Chapter Two: Country Mice and City Horses<\/b><\/p>\n
He gently tapped the small hammer against the brass bolt.\u00a0 Little tinks<\/i> resonated outward, carrying from the table like dandelions on the wind.\u00a0 The sun shone down on that piece of furniture, and the cottage not far from it.\u00a0 The scent of summer was strong upon the air.<\/p>\n
Every few moments, the young man would look up from his task, peering into the distance.\u00a0 Fierce yells flew out from the man in the field, followed by snorts of protest and the occasional whinny.\u00a0 The slap of a riding crop also echoed out past the fence, so loudly that the young man believed even the people from Greenwood would likely hear it.<\/p>\n
A sigh passed by his lips, and he shrugged.\u00a0 There was nothing that he could do to settle his father\u2019s temper.\u00a0 Looking down, he withdrew back into his work.<\/p>\n
The long wooden table was covered with what looked like various pieces of junk.\u00a0 Some mangled old tools lay scattered about, beside piles of brass tubes and copper wires.\u00a0 Small gears were stacked into tiny towers, the only equipment that seemed to be organized in any manner.<\/p>\n
Beside the man\u2019s work bench, four poles were covered by a mildew-stained old sheet.\u00a0 The odor was powerful, even among the breeze that carried forth from the west.<\/p>\n
That smell didn\u2019t bother him.\u00a0 Whenever he had a tool in his hand, he was oblivious to the simpler things in life.\u00a0 The scent of a recently passed storm, the savory taste of buttermilk biscuits, the passing of a nearby dragonfly \u2013 all those things were lost to him.<\/p>\n
The slap of that riding crop pulled him from his focus.<\/p>\n
He looked up, hearing the harsh words that his father shouted.\u00a0 The black steed rose high in the air, kicking its front hooves out, forcing the man back.\u00a0 As the horse landed, the man stepped to the side, grasping the steed\u2019s mane fiercely.\u00a0 When he steadied that animal, he stopped and looked back toward the cottage.<\/p>\n
Eye contact was only made for a second before the son hastily turned back toward the table.\u00a0 He thought he could hear his father contentious grumbling, but from that distance, there was no way to be sure.<\/p>\n
Once again he focused on the tools before him.\u00a0 He picked up his small hammer and gently tapped at the piece of brass until it finally pressed through the leather strap.\u00a0 The young man swept his hands over the table, moving parchments to and fro.\u00a0 He stopped then, noticing the equipment he was looking for.\u00a0 A small, yet dense vise sat on the opposite corner of the table.<\/p>\n
Grinning, he reached into his pocket and produced a shining object, not much bigger than the palm of his hand.\u00a0 He set it down, sweeping away his tools.\u00a0 When he moved back, a windup mouse was before him.<\/p>\n
He leaned forward again, pressing one hand on the brass rodent.\u00a0 He spun the dial that protruded out with his other hand, until the device protested.\u00a0 A subtle click announced his intentions, and he let the gadget free.<\/p>\n
The mouse zipped forward, remaining perfectly in the lane that the tinkerer had created for it.\u00a0 The scraps and tools on either side were just far enough away for the clockwork critter to finish the duty it had been tasked with.<\/p>\n
With a miniscule pop<\/i>, the mouse reached its destination.\u00a0 Its nose struck the vise firmly, and briefly, it stopped.\u00a0 Only a moment later, it began spinning around, turning to face back the way it came, without any margin of error.<\/p>\n
Chugging forward, the gadget barely slowed despite the added weight.\u00a0 Though the vise was larger than it, there was no significant delay in its return.\u00a0 As it reached the inventor, he smiled.\u00a0 He grasped it in one hand, letting the gears within finish their momentum.\u00a0 Once the subtle buzz subsided, he pulled the vise away from the mouse\u2019s nose.<\/p>\n
Setting down his crafted assistant, the young man flinched when he heard the sudden, loud crack.\u00a0 He began carefully inspecting the rodent when he realized what had happened.\u00a0 Another crack resounded as his father\u2019s riding crop landed upon the black steed\u2019s hindquarters.<\/p>\n
Sighing heavily, he forced himself to keep his attention on the table.<\/p>\n
He took the vise and placed it around the brass bolt he had so delicately tapped through the leather strap earlier.\u00a0 Tightening it, he set it down upon the table.\u00a0 Finally, he gathered up a larger mallet.\u00a0 He steadied the vise beneath it as he lifted the hammer high.\u00a0 After a score of hefty strikes, he stopped, looking intently upon his work.\u00a0 The end of the bolt had become flattened and wide.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t pull from the leather, of that much he was sure.<\/p>\n
When angry shouts carried over from the fields, he gnashed his teeth together, and hurriedly set to work on the opposite side of the strap.\u00a0 The same way as before, eh carefully nudged the bolt through the strap before flattening the end.<\/p>\n
Once both bolts were firmly in place, he held the leather out before him.\u00a0 He pulled it out wide, eyeing it over with great effort.\u00a0 Content, he placed it upon the bench, and hammered the other sides of the bolts as well.\u00a0 Unless a wider slit was cut into the leather, none of the brass could ever be tugged free.<\/p>\n
With his work completed, he braced his hands on the wood.\u00a0 Without the hammering to distract him, he couldn\u2019t remove the horse\u2019s painful protests from his ears.\u00a0 His body grew rigid, then, as he heard another loud shout.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaximus!\u201d the man yelled.<\/p>\n
The young man wondered, then, if his father had tried to summon him earlier, but couldn\u2019t because of the continuous pound of the mallet.\u00a0 He swallowed hard, and turned to the field, where his father leaned over the fence.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet out here, boy!\u201d he cried.<\/p>\n
Bowing his head, Maximus subtly nodded.\u00a0 He gathered his latest creation before reaching under the table and retrieving two other leather objects.\u00a0 One housed a brass bar, but the other was more akin to a sack.<\/p>\n
Wary of making his father angry, the young tinkerer began heading toward the field.\u00a0 Perspiration marred the older man\u2019s brow, and his skin was flushed red.\u00a0 Maximus was well aware that the heat had not caused that fiery tincture.\u00a0 His lower jaw protruded past his upper lip then, a sure sign that he was not pleased.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many damned times have I gotta tell you to stop playing around with those toys and help me break these new horses?\u201d he called out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re not toys,\u201d Maximus grumbled.\u00a0 He immediately regretted his tone more than the words, and bowed his head even further.<\/p>\n
His father slapped the riding crop against the fence.\u00a0 He gnashed his teeth together so hard that the horse beside him shook its head in agitation.\u00a0 \u201cIf those gadgets you make don\u2019t help out around the farm, they ain\u2019t nothin but toys.\u00a0 It\u2019s just you and me here, and I can\u2019t have you lazin around all day.\u00a0 Not with those new neighbors we got.\u201d<\/p>\n
Far beyond their field, almost farther than either could see, a pristine cottage had been erected.\u00a0 The humble beginnings of a life were noticeable there.\u00a0 The newcomers that arrived were putting up a fence as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese fields used to be all ours,\u201d his father grumbled.\u00a0 \u201cNow that those city folk decided to put down roots out here, they\u2019ll be encroaching on our land.\u201d<\/p>\n
A brief silence persisted before Maximus reached his father, who stared off to the east where the unfamiliar people had settled.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you really think they\u2019re from the city?\u201d the son asked.<\/p>\n
His father spit on the ground.\u00a0 \u201cSure as the sky is grey,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re either born country or you\u2019re not.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why they left the city, but I\u2019m not much for caring.\u00a0 They\u2019ll come here with their so-called better, industrial ways.\u00a0 In due time, they\u2019ll taint the land and move on, like a pack of damned vultures.\u201d\u00a0 He ripped the gloves from his hands and tossed them on the ground just outside of the fence.<\/p>\n
Maximus could only shrug.\u00a0 He looked away as his father climbed the fence and hopped to the other side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell get in there, boy,\u201d he snarled.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we\u2019ve got competition, this ain\u2019t gonna be a free ride anymore.\u00a0 You want your keep, you\u2019re gonna earn it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Again, the young man lightly nodded.\u00a0 When his father stared at him with wide eyes, he climbed over the fence, and landed beside the strong black steed.\u00a0 The horse kicked at the dirt and snorted.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you be careful in there,\u201d the father said.\u00a0 For a moment, Maximus felt caught off balance by the kind words.\u00a0 \u201cIf you go and get yourself hurt, you\u2019ll have to set it yourself.\u00a0 I\u2019ve not got time to send you to a proper cleric.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bowing his head again, the young man grumbled to himself.\u00a0 He could feel his skin flushing red, and had to fight against the moisture rising to the rim of his eyes.\u00a0 He squared his jaw and looked up, and he was surprised to see his father walking away.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s his name?\u201d Maximus called out.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s it matter?\u201d\u00a0 He never turned around, but he did shout again.\u00a0 \u201cCalling him Charcoal, cause he\u2019s naught but a big lump of stone that won\u2019t be good for anything other than burning.\u201d<\/p>\n
His father reached their small cottage then, and swiftly entered it, slamming the door behind him.\u00a0 Maximus could see his papers rustling on his workbench, and witnessed as one blew away in the gentle breeze.\u00a0 His foot was upon the bottom rung of the fence in an instant, but he hesitated, fully aware of the punishment for shirking his duty.<\/p>\n
The tinkerer dropped to his knees and gathered the leather sack.\u00a0 He reached inside, and pulled out a small brush, wiry bristles tightly gathered within an old wooden block.\u00a0 When he turned toward the horse, he seemed bigger than he remembered.<\/p>\n
The tall steed\u2019s ears were pointed backward, and his head was held high.\u00a0 Every breath was loud, almost unpleasant.\u00a0 Maximus wondered if it was a good idea to climb into the pen with the powerful beast.<\/p>\n
Still, he knew the one that he lived with could potentially make his life far worse.\u00a0 He took a deep breath and a step forward, the brush held firmly in his hand.\u00a0 With every foot he advanced, the horse backed away, his ears flicking in protest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to hurt you,\u201d the young man said.\u00a0 \u201cI just want to brush you and make sure you don\u2019t kick me in the face.\u201d<\/p>\n
The steed snorted at that statement, and the tinkerer halted for a brief moment.\u00a0 He blew out a large sigh, and kept pressing forward, reaching around the side of the large animal.<\/p>\n
Charcoal jerked his head to the side, pushing the lad away.\u00a0 He stamped the ground fiercely, and slapped his tail to either side.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, I don\u2019t like the situation you\u2019re in either,\u201d Maximus said.\u00a0 \u201cBut it\u2019s only going to get worse if you don\u2019t cooperate.\u00a0 My father isn\u2019t a pleasant man.\u201d<\/p>\n
That admission seemed to calm the horse.\u00a0 The young man swallowed hard again, and reached out with his empty hand, placing it upon the horse\u2019s muzzle.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t expect the sudden rise.\u00a0 Charcoal reared, lifting high into the air, his hooves just missing Maximus as he skittered away.\u00a0 He breathed heavily, throwing his hands up to placate the animal.<\/p>\n
Maximus shook his head, then, and turned around, peering out at the setting sun.\u00a0 He walked away from the horse, kneeled beside the fence, and grabbed the leather sack.<\/p>\n
Without the brush sitting within it, the scent of cut grains wafted outward.\u00a0 The young man didn\u2019t really care for it, and barely noticed it.\u00a0 He began to stand, but hesitated.\u00a0 Instead, he fell to his rump, crossing his legs.\u00a0 A pronounced sigh left his parted lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou and I aren\u2019t so different, I\u2019d wager,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cBoth of us would probably rather be in the city.\u00a0 Ever since Mother died, this hasn\u2019t felt like home anymore.\u00a0 I can\u2019t stand it out here, with all this emptiness and not a friend in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of these days, I\u2019m just going to get up and go,\u201d he continued.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll leave this place, and never \u2013\u201d<\/p>\n
He was silence then, when Charcoal dipped his head over his shoulder.\u00a0 Maximus grew tense, until the horse buried its face in the leather sack, chomping away at the grains within.\u00a0 The young man reached up with one hand, gently patting the feeding animal.<\/p>\n
When Charcoal didn\u2019t shy away from that touch, a weak smile crept to the lad\u2019s face.\u00a0 He sat there and shrugged, a little chortle rising into the air.\u00a0 He simply stared ahead, allowing the horse to continue eating.<\/p>\n
After some time, the black steed rose up, away from the feedbag.\u00a0 Maximus stood as well, and turned around, a grin still wide across his face.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe you and I will end up getting along after all,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cTwo city lovers all the way out here in the wilderness, we\u2019ve got nothing to lean on but each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the young man spoke, the horse turned its head to the side, its large eye pointed at Maximus.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe if we both do well enough, Father won\u2019t have any reason to complain.\u00a0 In time, perhaps even he\u2019ll have a soft side.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached out, his fingers inching toward Charcoal\u2019s face.\u00a0 Again, the horse began to take steps away from the tinker.\u00a0 He noticed, though, that the steps had become much smaller.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d Maximus said, shrugging, \u201cthat\u2019s still some <\/i>progress.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chapter Two: Country Mice and City Horses He gently tapped the small hammer against the brass bolt.\u00a0 Little tinks resonated outward, carrying from the table like dandelions on the wind.\u00a0 The sun shone down on that piece of furniture, and the cottage not far from it.\u00a0 The scent of summer was strong upon the air. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-ai","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=638"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":648,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638\/revisions\/648"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=638"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=638"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=638"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}