Unicorn Hair

I groaned as I rolled over my bed and felt the worst headache ever. And if this won’t kill me than nauseous feeling will. I remember about bucket which, I think, Arnold did put next to my bed. I look down and yes, there it is in all its glory.

I think I should get up, clean myself and room as much as possible and get ready for my clients. I should get out of me every last bit of alcohol that it still left in me. That might help my sickness and as much as hate it, but there’s only one way to that and that is to purge. Yes, I have done that few times, but only on mornings like this and when you feel as shitty as I feel now, it’s not too hard to make your body to do that.

While getting up from bed I glance over to my clock and see it’s already 10am. Wasn’t I supposed to start on nine? Or maybe I am still sleeping and this is part of some dream. Whatever, I will find out that later. Now I need to take care of me and my room.

On my way to bathroom I pick up the bucket and some clean clothes. As fast as possible I wash bucket, then take care of myself. When I’m done with that I stick finger down my throat and there comes the rest of my evening. When I think I’m done I brush my teeth, get dressed and head downstairs to talk to Arnold.

“Hey,” I say in weak voice and Arnold looks up from his paper covered table.

“You look awful,” he has never been a liar type.

“Yeah…umm…wasn’t I supposed to start my work at nine?”

“And you’re able to do that?” he rises his eyebrows at me.

“Well, no but…”

“Listen, I’m not a monster and you’re free today, but no drinking okay. You can’t work when you look like that. All your clients will run away from you,” he adds a small laugh at the end.

“Thanks. I guess,” I lean against his table and feel my head pounding. God, I love this old man at days like this, “I think I need some air.”

“Go visit your horse! I’ve heard he’s gotten pretty aggressive to this guy who takes care of him while you’re busy with other things,” he yells after me as I walk outside.

Sun is burning new, brown holes in grass and it’s way too hot for this morning hour. Well, I can’t decide on that, but as much as I know weather, it is too hot. Slowly I walk over perfectly mowed lawn over to stable. It’s not too big, but it’s big enough to fit in eight our horses and there’s always some free space for our client horses. If they need to be taken care of while we take care of their owners.

Some of the horses are outside, eating grass (or what’s left of it, because of the burning sun) and trying to get rid of annoying flies all around them. I look around and see that my horse is not here. Obviously that guy is too scared of him now to even take him out, huh?

I walk inside and after few steps I’m grated by loud noises from other side of the stable. I know it’s him. I have no idea how he recognizes me every time I walk in here, even if I don’t say anything and he can’t see me. I can’t hide my smile as I walk closer. I’m greeted by two big, brown eyes and hard bump in my chest by his large muzzle,

“Hey, buddy! I missed you too. Sorry I left you here alone,” I pet his big head and he rests it on my shoulder and quietly neighs something in my ear. I enter his box and he steps aside a bit, enough to let me in.

“You know, I feel pretty awful. Not that I need to tell you this, because you probably can feel that,” he neighs an answer to me like he would’ve understood what exactly I meant by that. Well, obviously I felt like shit, because of my horrifying hangover and I probably smelled like shit too and horses can obviously feel that, but that wasn’t what I meant.

I sit down in sharp hay and can’t understand how horse can live in that. He lowers his head to my level and presses his forehead against my head, asking for more petting. I put my head over his head and sigh heavily.

“I shouldn’t feel like this. I always say this to my clients – that they shouldn’t feel this way, that feeling this way won’t change anything, it will only make everything harder, but now I’m just like them and it’s all because of those dark eyes, his hands, his laugh and just the he makes me feel. It’s so not like me. I mean, what’s so special about him!” I look over to my horse. He’s beautiful too. He’s big, bright red color with wavy mane and long, wavy, dark tail. On one leg he has white sock and small, white star is settled in the middle of his forehead.

He steps few steps back and takes some hay in his mouth and starts chewing it loudly. Just like he would be jealous that I was talking that way about someone else.

“You know you’re ridiculous,” I smile at him and lean my head against wooden wall. He looks at me, but makes no sound, just keeps chewing on hi hay, “yeah…if these feelings are true, I’m doomed…I’m fucking done with everything else then. I’m already not able to deal with my usual stuff. I’m drunk when I know I shouldn’t be and why? Because I don’t want him to get married? Because don’t want anyone else but him?”

Yes, I don’t want him to get married, but it’s not like I could do something about that. From what I have heard his father is strict with his decisions and if he’s decided that Jack will get married, than he will.

I close my eyes and listen to sounds around me. Heavy steps outside as horses changes their eating spots, wind and birds, and chewing beside me. It’s all so calming that I think I would fall asleep here. Not that it is a bad idea. I have slept in here before; it’s just really not comfortable for me. I feel horse’s big body coming closer to me and light touch against my arm.

I open one eye and look up at him, “do you mind?” he just look deeply in my eyes and I put all my strength in this one move to push him away. I mean, he’s a fucking horse, three times bigger than me and a lot heavier than me. He shook’s his head and keeps eating, “good,” I smile and close my eyes again.

My head is still pounding and I still feel sick, but this calmness around me really helps. I should really spend more time out here. Maybe go somewhere with this buddy. It was a long time ago when we went somewhere but town. I just don’t have time for that. House really needs money and, because I’m the one who gets the most, I have every free gap on my list filled with someone.

I hear steps coming in and look over to doors to see one of the stable guy walking in with brown horse. That’s the oldest one in here, almost twenty years and he belongs to Arnold. Two oldest guys in here stay together. I smile at myself and keep looking as the guy fills horses bucket with fresh water. That guy is actually pretty cool and I like him, but not in that way.

If it’s still true, he does like me. Few years ago he came onto me, but even back then he wasn’t my type and, as hard as it was, I rejected him. I tried to be nice to him then, but how can you be nice to someone if you’re telling them you don’t like them. He hasn’t talked to me since that. Just says an awkward “hi!” when walking past me. I really don’t mind, maybe it’s better. Maybe it’s easier for him.

What if some day I need to do the same to Jack? I don’t want to think about it, but it might happen. What will he do when he will be married? He wouldn’t come here on late nights, drink and fuck me. Now he can do that and his father probably doesn’t even see the weird loss of money, it’s nothing to him, but his wife might notice that. She will definitely notice the loss of husband at home and later on, the loss of money too. Shit, I need to stop thinking about that! It’s not good to you, Alex!

As the guy has finished with horse, he turns around and meets my gaze. An awkward “hi!” leaves his mouth and he quickly walks away, before I could even form this short word in my pounding head, “hi,” I say, knowing he won’t hear it anyway.

Horse raises his head up to look at me with puzzled look and pushes me with his head, like saying “the fuck is wrong with you today!”

I bring my hand over his head again and quietly whisper, “Tomorrow we will go out somewhere. For few hours,” he closes his eyes as I pet him and lets out quiet neigh as an answer.

Notes

awww, Alex and horse!!! I just have a thing for horses , you might notice that in next chapter (but I'm not going to say anything more...)
I was really tired when I wrote this..I didn't notice that until I reread it and discovered that there are missing not just some letters, but words ;D so if there's still some mistakes I'm really, really sorry about that.
Also, thank you to everyone who reads this!!! 600 views!!!! Thank you!!!! I'm sending out to everyone a cup of virtual tea ^^