Equus Page #3

On either side of me

stand two assistant priests,

wearing masks as well...

Lumpy, pop-eyed masks,

such as were also found at Mycenae.

They're enormously strong, these priests,

and absolutely tireless.

As each child steps forward,

they grab it from behind

and throw it over the stone.

Then, with a surgical skill

that amazes even me, I fit in the knife,

and slice elegantly down to the navel,

just like a seamstress following a pattern.

I part the flaps, sever the inner tubes,

yank them out and throw them,

hot and steaming, on the floor.

The other two then study

the patterns they make,

as if they're reading hieroglyphics.

It's obvious to me that I'm tops,

as chief priest.

It's this unique talent for carving

that's got me where I am.

The only thing is,

unknown to the others,

I'm beginning to feel distinctly nauseous.

And with each victim, it's getting worse.

My face is going green behind the mask.

Of course, I redouble my efforts

to look professional,

cutting and snipping for all I'm worth,

mainly because I know

that if those two others

so much as suspect my distress,

and the implied doubt that this repetitive

and smelly work

is doing any social good at all,

then I'd be next over the stone.

And then, of course,

the damn mask begins to slip.

The priests both turn and look at it.

Their gold pop-eyes

suddenly fill with blood.

They tear the knife from my hand, and I...

I wake up.

Mrs. Strang,

have you any idea

how this could have occurred?

No, Doctor. It's all so unbelievable.

Alan was always such a gentle boy. Always.

And he loves animals, especially horses.

Thank you.

- Especially?

- Yes.

He even has a picture of one,

up in his bedroom.

His father gave it to him a few years ago,

off a calendar he'd had printed,

and the boy's never taken it down.

And, uh, when he was, uh, seven or eight,

I used to have to read the same

book to him, over and over again,

all about a horse.

Really?

It was called prince,

and no one could ride him.

You say he kept the picture of the horse

in his bedroom?

Yes.

Could I see it?

Yes. Oh, yes. Yes, of course.

- Uh...

- Thank you.

It's, uh... Uh, please, it's this way.

Uh, I do remember telling him

one very odd thing.

Did you know, Doctor,

that when the Christian cavalry

first appeared in the new world,

the pagans thought that horse

and rider was one person?

- One person?

- Yes.

Of course.

Actually, they thought it must be a God.

In here, please.

This is Alan's room.

Remarkable.

Yes.

Mrs. Strang, is there...

Anything else you can remember

you told him about horses?

Anything at all?

Oh, well, they're in the Bible of course.

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