Mustangs to the rescue

"Amma", said the sleepy child. "Can we read the horse story, please?"

It was right after the second nebulizer treatment, and the 10-minute patdown of her lungs, to help her cough up whatever lies there. The child's flu had turned into pneumonia, and she was on antibiotics and breathing treatments to help ease out the virus and bacterial combo. The time was 1 Am.

"Do you really want the horse story?"

She nodded. "Please, Amma."

A big, hopeful smile lit up her face. Ah, anything for that. What's a mere story in the wee hours if that'll lessen the misery of the last few days? The child has been through a lot.

"Sure, honey."

So we read one more chapter of the children's novel featuring wild mustangs, our special bedtime shared treat. It talked of a child getting rescued, after being out exploring caves on a Wyoming mountain. The caves turned out to be resting places of some wild mustangs. Spooked by them, her horse had reared up and bolted, throwing her off - and leaving her alone in the forest. A search party had been out looking for her, and she was finally rescued. But not before a hair-raising escape from the mustangs who had faced her with open hostility, suspicious of her motives.

The novel had a lot of detail about horses. About their body that's all muscle, their sleek, graceful build. The way they slept standing up to escape predators at a moment's notice; the powerful way they would rear up and trample any predator. It had captivated the child, and her eyes shone as she took in every detail. When the chapter was over, I closed the book.

"The rest we'll read tomorrow, ok?"
"Ok. Thanks, Amma"

There was the million watt smile again. Its been days since I'd seen her smiling like that. That gave me hope.

Long after she fell asleep - I lay awake, visualizing. The horse story had gotten to me too. Her medications were turning into wild mustangs....strong, powerful creatures that would rear up and kill every germ that's been troubling her. In a few days, cleared of these vermin, she will emerge fresh and strong, and become her bouncy self again.

My eyes start to close. Now that the mustangs are out, it is time to sleep.