Swim

When I arrived at the meadow where the herd usually grazed, I saw nobody. Alarmed I ran to the beach, and there they were, running and frolicking in the sand.

‘We have been waiting for you, ‘Epo-Na said, let’s go for a swim.’

But I am not a good swimmer’, I said.

‘Then hold on to me’.

So the whole herd with the great white stallion in the lead ran into the water, me running next to Epo-Na till my feet did not reach any more the floor.

‘Hold on’, she shouted over the noise of the water and the herd splashing around.’

I did, holding on to her as best as I could. I felt like a water-skier that had fallen in the water and the boat not noticing anything and just continuing. Or like one of those cowboys being dragged along behind the horse in the desert by the villain.

‘How are you doing?’, she shouted over the noise of the splashing and the waves’

‘Great!’, I shouted back.

‘Tell me when you get tired’, she shouted.

I already was but I did not want to tell her – it was such a glorious feeling being dragged along by this magnificent being.

But then suddenly I lost her; my hands were numb.

She turned around and with her teeth caching my jeans she dragged me back towards the beach, shouting at the herd: Let’s go back’.

Once in the sand all the horses rolled and rolled till they were dry.

I also rolled, and then, with my jeans full of sand, and my heart singing, I embraced Epo-Na.

‘You feel better now?’, she asked.

I did, and I embraced her as strong as I could.