“Don’t say it’s over when it didn’t even start yet”

“Again raining,” thought Albert, looking through the window at the purple sky, which unloaded relentlessly above the Earth, but when he felt the wet and warm snout of Bachaco, he understood that he’s not alone in this world: not anymore.

“How’s life?” Albert talked to the horse, who caressed his forehead with the man's coat, and instead of a logical answer, Bachaco softly whinnied, looking for something tasty in Albert’s pocket.

“Again, after sugar, my friend. Well, sorry to say it, but there's nothing left there. Tomorrow. You must wait till tomorrow for another slice” and Albert’s hand passed all over the horse's body, making him close his eyes in delight.

That night, Albert decided to spend in the stables and not because he didn't have a warm room in the house, but because he wanted to feel that somebody cares about him and the single creature that loved him unconditionally was, without a doubt, Bachaco.

This kind animal has been with him for better or for worse: they passed through harsh battles, they ran when they had been chased, and also, they had been together when life was sweet. And because of this, they became brothers of soul in time and they will love each other unconditionally till the life of both will be ended in this world.

“It’s a harsh life, my friend,” Albert talked to the horse, sitting down on a log, put in the animal’s stable, especially for such conversations, and Bachaco calmed down because he felt that a sad story it’s about to be told and he felt it when he looked into the man’s eyes, that were so lifeless and so hopeless.

And this was definitely so because Albert felt like nobody loves him, even if his heart is completely and irreversibly given to Emily, but she never showed him that she feels the same or that it will change someday.

“She won’t change her mind, isn’t it, Bachaco? She will never love me, even if I’m able to die for her.” But what kind of answer could give him a poor animal that doesn’t understand humans’ stuff? He could only be next to him, comforting him with his soft breath, showing him that he is there and nothing more, because it was what horses generally do: are next to their owners, become in time their friends and confidants, but never answer them, with wise advice.

But Bachaco was different. Even if he was just an animal, he knew when his Master needed some love and he just bent his snout and put it on Albert’s shoulder and the two friends stayed like this for a while, thinking about what had been and what was coming.

***

It was also pouring, when Bachaco saw the light of this world for the first time, but inside his mother’s stable was warm and full of straw that was sticking to his wet body, making him feel how lots of fingers were dancing on his black skin and it made him puffing with both nostrils.

“He felt the scent of straw,” a voice had been heard somewhere and the little colt lifted his glance and looked around, trying to find the intruder.

And the intruder was there. Actually, there were two: an old man about 70, named by many as “cowboy” and a young one about 35, who was looking with love at that new life that had just started to know the world.

“He will be a beauty,” the young man said and in his voice was heard a shade of melancholy and he softly smiled when he noticed that the colt is forcing to stand, on his skinny and shaking legs, but it wasn’t an obstacle for him, and when he succeeded and for the first time faced the life from above, came the reward: his mother tasty milk, that warmth him to the bottom of the limbs, filling him with life and strength, and when the meal was finished, was the time to explore the world.

First, the colt approached the straw and checked why it was so spiky, but after a few puffing without any answer, the little animal got bored and looked for something more interesting there, but then in the stable wasn’t anything else to catch his eyes and because of this, when he heard the young man calling for him, he approached … not too close, however … as he decided that it would be safer to wait a little bit till to believe in the stranger.

“It’s a thoroughbred,” the “cowboy,” said again, praising his goods. “Just look at his black skin. He inherited it from his father. He’s a pure Arabian and with a Frison, how’s his mother, couldn’t be an animal more precious than this young man. Look at him. How wise he is. Other colts, in his place, would not have separated from their mothers for days, but this one, with only an hour of life, is already exploring the world. And he will be tough. You will see. He will bring me a lot of money when he grows up. I bet on whatever you want.”

“Then sell him to me. I’ll pay for him the price you will ask.”

“Sell? What is selling?” the little colt thought, looking with curiosity at the two men and the funny movement of his ears, made the young one smile and he could lure him with a cube of sugar.

“It’s tasty,” said the younger one, but the colt didn’t think the same. He tried it, with his wet lips, but even if it had a sweet liquid in it, he told himself that it will better remain at that sweet one, which he earlier tasted, from his mother’s chest, but he continued there, waiting for something and when a hand caressed his mane, he understood that it was called “pleasure” when somebody entangles the small strands of hair you have above your head, similar to needles, but at least these ones don’t pinch.

“Bachaco,” whispered the man and smiled again. “It’s a precious name for you. Bachaco! This is your name, my friend and you have not to forget it never” and the colt never forgot it, as he never forgot the first caress of Albert’s hand that touched his forehead the day he was born and this made them both be best friends forever.

It had been already 7 years since Bachaco, the colt, and Albert met for the first time and they both grew old, in their own way.

The passing of time was more visible on Albert, who’s now 42, but the harshness of years made him look older by about 4 or 5 years. But he’s still handsome: the shade of gray that can now be noticed in his hair, gives him a kind of virility and attraction, but the man can’t see the women’s glances, because his eyes are only focused on Emily and she can’t see him.

And his eyes. A kind of blue-gray, with blinks of sadness in it, made him look gorgeous and also are hiding in it secrets that can’t ever be revealed to the world, but Eva is the only one who discovered, in time, the biggest secret which Albert wanted to hide.

It happened the day they went to Central Park, accompanied by Emily and Lorenne. Then, Albert looked at the beauty of the trees that were awakened after the winter and sighed, and right away his glance was headed behind him and this slow movement couldn’t remain unnoticed by Eva.

“Why don’t you tell her about it?” the girl asked him. “I don’t think that Miss Davis will deny it to you. She also lacks love.”

“But, not all the feelings in this world are to be reciprocal. Are feelings that remain hidden forever.”

“Even if it makes the heart vibrate like the guitar strings under the wave of sad music?”

Albert smiled. He liked that feeling and he thought that it was only his and of Bachaco because he told only the horse about what happens inside him, but it seems that his eyes always betrayed him.

“Do you think she knows about it, Miss Stonebridge?”

“I don’t know what Miss Davis thinks, but I’m sure that every woman in this world dreams about the love of man only for her” Eva stared into his eyes once again and she smiled at him.

“She also suffers, because of love,” Albert thought. “And you? Did you tell what your heart whispers, to the one who you always think about?”

“He knows,” Eva whispered and touched her belly. It was what her heart was telling her, that Brian loves her and that he will love the baby too, but days were running behind and he wasn’t coming for them.

“He knows,” Eva’s words spun in Albert’s head, but what does Emily know about his feelings?? He’s afraid to ask her about this. He’s afraid to be rejected and to lose the last possibility he has to be with her, even if it means to kill for her, because it was the last Emily asked him to do: to kill two people. And he did it.

***

In the envelope, which Emily gave Albert, were written the names of those who should die soon, because they were an obstacle in Emily Davis’way.

First on the list had been Alfred Stonebridge and when the teamster read it, he shuddered. “Why?” his lips whispered. “Why did Miss Davis decide to remove this person? He’s Eva’s father and even if he sold her and never cared about his daughter, his blood flows in the girl’s veins and it won’t change ever. Also, Albert knew that Eva didn’t hate her father. They talked once about it and she said that she had been made with him at the beginning, but after finding out what love means, she never cared anymore about what happened about a year ago.

And yet, Albert couldn’t question the orders and he first went to Stonebridge’s house, but he didn’t know yet how to kill this man. “I’ll decide when the time will come,” Albert thought and jumping on Bachaco’s back, they galloped away, but when he got at Stonebridge’s house, he had been surprised to find a strange man standing in front of the house and when Albert asked about the owner’s location the stranger sent him to the cemetery.

“Alfred Stonebridge died? Why? What happened to him?”

“Pneumonia. It killed him in only a month and this because nobody had been next to him to take care of him” the stranger said and spit with disgust.” The children nowadays are so ungrateful. I heard that he had a daughter somewhere, but she didn't even come to say goodbye to him. What a shame!” and the man moved away, leaving behind him an abandoned and empty house.

“If you knew what he did to his daughter,” Albert whispered, and, jumping off Bachaco’s back he approached the entrance in the house, but he couldn’t get in, because of the big iron lock that was hanging on the massive wooden door.

Albert still remembers the day when he and Miss Davis came after Eva. This door was open then, but even if there wasn’t anybody to receive them and the house looked empty, it wasn’t so cold. It wasn’t, because he saw Eva’s smile that day, when he left the house without looking back and even if that smile wasn’t because of love or happiness, it was warm and it was beautiful and it reminded Albert about the moment he saw Emily for the first time.

She had the same age as Eva. And she also smiled at him that day, and the heart of the 20-years-old man melted in seconds and remained warm for about 20 years after that moment.

But in time things changed. Especially after Emily became Luis Chesterman’s mistress and it broke Albert’s heart, but even so, he couldn’t leave. He couldn’t, because of his heart that was beating fast in his chest, reminding him of the warm feelings he had for her and he decided to wait. Yes, she will return someday. She will be back and then he will have a chance, but even after she said goodbye to Luis, she didn’t look at Albert and neither considered him a man worthy of her love.

“Is this the end?” Albert thought, still staring at the closed wooden door, but something inside told him that it wasn’t. That soon will be stormy weather and that it will change everything he knew for years.

He knew it, but nobody listened to him and he also didn’t dare to tell Emily about his worries. She must find it out by herself and if Albert should die protecting her, he will die. At least this way he will feel that he was with her, that she will remember him in her memories like the one who was next to her till the last breath left his alive chest. And Alfred sighed.

Bachaco answered with a neigh and Albert decided that it was time for the second mission. It was already dusk and the sky was colored in red-purple when Albert and Bachaco were galloping toward the forest next to the village and with the first rays of the night they hid their bodies in the woods.

***

“Who are you?” Edward asked Albert, after being dragged out of his carriage.

Albert took off the mask he had on his face and looked at the kneeling man in front of him. He had nothing against this man, but he was forced to obey orders and even if he didn’t know what for, this man should die, it was the time and the teamster squatted and looked into Edward’s eyes and in low voice said: “I’m the Angel of death” and a dagger cut Edward’s throat.

The dying man grabbed his own throat with both hands and shuddered while feeling the cold breath of the other world calling for him. And his eyes, colored red, were staring in front, at that unknown man that had cut the thread of his life without even doubting about it and his lips moved in a frightened whisper. “Why?”

“I don’t know why,” Albert answered and he cleaned the dagger blade from the man’s coat. “I know only that your death is convenient for somebody. Think about it while you walk on the path of death, to meet with his angels.”

While falling to the ground, still pressing the bleeding wound with empty hands, Edward saw Albert and another man approaching their horses and then leaving in a hurry.

Not far from Edward was his teamster, unconscious. He had only a small wound on his temple, after being hit with a bat, to not intervene, but it wasn’t deadly. And Edward had been envious of his worker at that moment, because the one had been lucky and that he soon will be again walking, and breathing and laughing, while he should die now.

And the question “why?” was still buzzing in his head, but he couldn’t find the answer. He didn’t know who hated him so much that to order his death and he sketched a sad smile and tears started to fall from his eyes, because he loves life. He dreamt about many things during the years of his life and he still had so many things to do until to end with his existence, but others had been faster than him and decided in his place.

That day had to be a special one. He lied to his wife that he was going to visit a sick friend in a neighboring village, but he was intending to meet Lorenne and spend the day with her. And maybe the night too, he thought, because that woman was driving him crazy. Especially the scent of her skin, the taste of her lips, that hadn't even been able to try them, but only with looking at their fleshy shape, he was filled with desire and the warmth of her arms. Oh, that warmth he tried only once, when they were alone in his carriage, after he brought her back home, made him that day the happiest man in the world.

Now, she will be someone else’s. Her lips will kiss another. Her skin will be touched by another man and it was the biggest regret Edward had before death.

And then came the revelation: a gun in his hand, a snowy glade in the forest, and a shot man, bleeding on the ground, with a wound in his head. And a yell that woke him up and a woman, calling the name of the dead one, passed next to him and approached the victim.

Edward was still with the stretched hand, aiming at the victim when he saw her face: that woman was Lorenne. She was crying, her husband’s death, and she was blaming Edward for this, while her shaking body was covering the lifeless corpus of the man, she had loved the most.

“She was there,” Edward’s awakened mind before death whispered inside his head. “She got revenge now. She’s the angel of death who sent after me his hatred” and Edward’s eyes closed forever, with a bloody palm falling in the wet soil.

A curse is always reaching you. Even if you try to escape, he will find you and the curse is always a woman, who will never forget what you did and Lorenne couldn’t do this, because her husband’s death had been unfair. He paid with his life for her refusal of spending the night with Edward and to pay this way the few debts her husband had.

To defend her honor, after finding out about the shameful proposal she received from Anderson Bell, her husband asked Edward for a duel and he died in the end, but at least he defended his woman because after that day Edward never returned to that town or asked for the payment.

And Lorenne let the time pass. She let the others forget about what happened the day when her husband died, but she never forgot about the revenge and now she managed to wash the shame of her past and to get the payment for her loss.