PART 1 — THE HORSE THAT REFUSED TO LEAVE
The old gray horse had every reason to leave.
The chain that had held him and the other two horses together was finally cut, the trailer was waiting nearby, and Del had already cleared a safe path toward it. But instead of following the others, the gray horse kept his body turned toward the ditch, standing between Del and whatever was hidden in the tall grass. He looked exhausted. His coat was dull, his shoulders were sharp, and his muzzle had gone almost completely white. Yet there was something remarkably focused in his eyes. Del had seen frightened horses before. She had seen stubborn ones, injured ones, and animals too tired to care what happened next. This was different. The old horse wasn’t refusing to leave because he was afraid of the trailer. He was refusing because he believed there was something behind him that he couldn’t abandon.
Then Del saw a tiny movement in the grass.
