Girl on the Bridge — A Horse Story

The Village of Codsall, Staffordshire, England, September 12th, 1980

“A canter is a cure for every evil.” – Benjamin Disraeli

Victoria rode her bike up to the railway bridge. The bridge was one of the old humpback bridges you will find scaling railway lines, rivers, and canals all over England. You could not see over the top from the road, and it was narrow enough that two cars couldn’t pass simultaneously. Both vehicles would usual- ly beep to let the other know they were coming. Then a game of chicken would ensue where one would have to give and reverse to let the other by. Victoria got off her bike and leaned it against the three-foot stone wall that ran across the top of the bridge. Then with little effort climbed onto it and looked down at the railroad tracks. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and it was warm. Green fields bordered both sides of the tracks. To her left was a field of cows. To her right, she could see a couple of horses off in the distance.

She loved horses, always had ever since she was a little girl. She had a room full of every type of horse figurine made from china, plastic, and wood. Before her parents died, they bought her one every birthday, Easter, and Christmas. She loved the horse shows on television as well, Black Beauty, White Horses, and old American reruns of Champion the Wonder Horse…