Brothers in the Flesh (Original Version
"Brothers, in the Flesh"
Tim and Todd liked to hike and by chance, I met them walking a forest trail in up state New York.
Now such a meeting as this was not out of the normal when hiking, but what happened shortly thereafter, was most strange.
Myself, I fancy as an artist using a camera to take pictures rather than painting them on canvas. So, as I clicked my camera shutter, we three walked the winding trails. My two newest friends talked just like brothers, both of the same flesh, but that was where the similarity stopped.
Todd was the adventurer, trying most anything as the thought of danger meant nothing to him.
Tim was far more cautious than was his brother, seeing the danger and planning for what might come; and not flying by the seat of his pants.
Our mutual trek took us to us up to a fenced boundary, not marked as with any "No trespassing," signs, but a hog tight, bull strong and maybe pony high wire fence. We conversed whether to jump it and continue on walking in the direction my compass suggested would bring us to the town of Kingsbury, or to take the long way around.
Foolishly, for some of us Todd and I found agreement and with tired feet from walking, we decided to leap the fence and take a shortcut.
Todd jumped over the fence first, landing easily on two feet and stepping along quickly to the nearby ridge overlooking the plush green valley below.
Tim readied to leap next as I stood there preparing to take a picture of the fateful jump. As Tim stood with both hands atop a wooden fencepost, Todd moaned as if in some horrible agonizing pain, crumpling into a heap and then sprawling out upon the grass.
Tim gave me a questioning look, and then with the strength and urgency of that moment of need, he too jumped up and clearing the short fence, did dash to the aid of his older brother.
He took but several striding steps before he too groaned in pain, falling to his knees, and turned to look my way, as if to warn me from following him into something very painful and strange.
Dumbfounded at what to do next, I stood my place on the outside of the fence, and looking at the brothers lie next to the other, they began to appear different. Different in an odd way, as their lightly suntan colored skin began to darken, turning quickly to some tone as almost a deep black color.
I called to them but receive not an answer or even a simple groan.
Scared for them and enough apprehension to remain where I was, I searched for my cell phone but had not one bar worth of signal.
Anxious for the two new friends I paced to, and fro, trampling down a twenty-foot long pathway of dried grasses.
Todd moved then slowly, wiggling himself closer to the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley below. His face appeared swollen, skin coated over with a dappled blonde tone of hairs, and what I could only say looked like the mane of a pony, then grew from his head, neck, and caused me a higher level of fear.
"Todd," I called to him but he just continued to weasel his body ever closer to falling over the edge of that sharp cliff.
Tim replied though with a moan, he lifting his head and turning to eye my direction, he allowed me to take note, as his face resembled that of a pony. As from his then broadened nostrils to the ears peaking the top of his elongated head, he, as did then Todd both looked as if bewitched.
I lost all track of time, it passing as did the very form and bodies of the two brothers, both remaining similar of flesh, if but then changing more to become equine of species. I could say much more, detailing how their clothing disintegrated, and wearing thinner by the minute, shredding, as would badly worn cloth, and becoming as a gray powder upon the dry ground.
Todd clamored to his footing first off, standing upon all fours, he had four legs, solid hoofs, and became to all outward appearance a Welsh Mountain pony type.
He stood for just a short while as if getting his mental bearings, then stretched out his body in a long and lean manner; maybe testing his joints and the massive new strength of his very stout pony body.
Tim repeated the same process, as had his older then pony brother. Both stood as if nearly identical ponies, the same colorings, and size as well.
The cackling laugh sounding quite disgusting to me personally came from an elderly woman who happened to come climbing up the far side of that steep hill. She crested the hill, pointing a crooked arthritic finger at Tim and Todd, laughing manically, as if filled with glee over their dehumanized predicament.
"Dare you to trespass on my land and you too will join them and lose everything you have short of your memories." The old woman grumbled at me, she pointing to the two completely changed brothers, and damning them under her breath, cursing the two of them to remain permanently as ponies, as both a stallion and part of her property.
I thought to argue in their behalf but considering of what I was a witness, the thought of her magical power leaping the fence line and doing something as bestial to me, seemed likely, if not completely probable.
The elderly woman walked between her two newest pieces of property, placing a crude and worn halter on first Todd and then over the head and face of Tim. The addition of these halters tended to change the demeanor of Todd, but left Tim acting as if he knew more of what it felt to be a pony and stallion, finding the change as something enjoyable, if but from his male endowment.
A very high-pitched whinny broke the thick cloud of anxiety and apprehension by all there that stood as males. One pretty slenderer form of a young mare topped the hillside, and stood up wind from the two then horny brothers.
I lifted my camera to take a photo of that moment in time, discounting any shot of the witch woman, and just of Todd and his slightly smaller but younger brother in the foreground. Tim gave me an odd sort of complacent look, as if what he had become then was quite to his comfortable ways of living. His other reaction matched that of his older brother, both became rather painfully aroused from the scent of the mare, erect of their shafts, and seemingly ready, if not willing to give up everything they owned to by as ponies and the property of the old woman.