{open} The Thunder of Justice

[Charlie Parker]

Huge heavy hooves pounded on the earth in a rhythmic beat as a massive horse made his way up the trail. His massive body rocked forwards and back as his powerful hind legs propelled him onwards and upwards. His heavy feathered hooves left deep imprints in the ground behind him, marking the incredible distance the giant animal could cover in a single stride. His mane was cropped fairly short, but his tail was still long and wild. The saddle he wore was made of black leather, and was sort of an English style, but heavier, and had a sort of holster built in positioned right in front of where the rider's leg would be positioned. The blanket beneath it was a dark navy blue, almost black, with a gold border. On the back corners of the light fabric was embroidered the words, Mounted Police Force. The breast strap was all fastened together at the center with a badge bearing the same words surrounding the seal of the mounted police.

The rider on his back was currently not adorned with the navy blue of a mounted policeman, but had donned the regular jeans and T-shirt for this outing. He had a calm and collected cool about him that seemed to shout the fact that he was, in fact, an officer of the law. He might be currently off duty, but you wouldn't want to cross someone like him and make them mad. He guided the large horse with an expert hand down the trail. There was a light froth built up on the horse, and a good amount of sweat on the man, most of it in his curly brown hair. Yes, he was riding a massive giant of a horse without a helmet on. Most people would call him crazy, but he didn't care...the only time you got to wear a helmet as a mounted policeman was when you were either breaking up a mob, or working night shift. Besides, helmets drove him crazy, always got in his way.

Charlie Parker and Brigadier's Image were the latest additions to the Pinewood justice force. Sure, Pinewood was a small town, but there were a lot of bad people out there still, and they kept the police busy. Now in a town this horse oriented, it was only natural that there be a mounted police force. Usually the mounties are only in big cities like New York, and that was where Charlie had worked as a mounted policeman before this. But since there were so many horses in Pinewood, the government decided that a small team of mounted policemen would be a good idea in these parts.

Charlie and Brig, as he was called by those who knew him, were on their way back from a bit of off roading. Brig was still in training, and as such, Charlie had to do a lot of strenuous work off of the trail where unexpected things would be expected to happen. Brigadier had to be bomb proof. He couldn't spook at silly little things, he couldn't shy away from obstacles. He had to dive right in without a second thought. So far, he was pretty good at that...as Charlie and his friends would say, Brig was kind of stupid like that. He never questioned his rider, just did as he was told. It was a good thing for working as a police horse...but not so great otherwise.

Charlie slowed the 18 hand horse down to a walk as the returned to the trail, and the thunder of justice ceased. He leaned forwards and patted Brigadier's neck, wiping away some of the froth on his neck as he did so. Brigadier was a good horse, and his size certainly made him intimidating enough to be a police mount. Not many people would threaten the command of anyone who sat astride this beast, and if they were smart, they would do whatever the rider told them to before he simply ran them down, and then made them do whatever he asked of them. It was a job for the man, and a game for the horse. They both enjoyed it, and were both perfectly suited for it.

[hayleywilliams]

Chuck Mathews squealed as his mother tickled him about under his arms, as she giggled with him as well. Chuck pouted and turned away from Hayley. Hayley frowned, and out her hand on his shoulder, trying not to let him see the smirk that had formed onto her face. His pout was so adorable, but what he was about to say was not. “Mommy, I miss Daddy.” Mommy. She froze when chuck had called her that, though this wasn’t anything new, but for some reason Hayley felt heart broken. Maybe this was because she couldn’t do anything about her child’s pain. Hayley picked him up and kissed his for-head. “It’s ok Chuck. I’ll tell you what. Let’s go riding today.” When Hayley mentioned this, he jumped out of his arms and ran up-stairs to put on his cowboy boots. Hayley chuckled, and followed him at a slower pace. She needed to get ready as well even if she wasn’t as eager.

Hayley walked forward and turned left into her room, heading straight to her closet. She wasn’t going to dress up. It wasn’t like she was getting ready for the VMA’s or anything. She pulled out some red skinny jeans, and a plain white top. It matched, and Hayley began to pull off the tee shirt she currently been wearing and replaced it with the new top, and did the same with her pants. Hayley threw the dirty cloths starting a pile on her bed. She’d take care of those later, she was sure. Before Hayley could check on chuck – it seemed as though he came running in to check on her. “Mommy I’m ready!!! Can we go, can we go?” The mother gave him a nod, and paced after him downstairs. The floor creaked, which made Hayley jump slightly and nearly fall down the stairs, onto her new cat Pringle which chuck had found much interest in lately. On chuck’s mission to get into the car, he patted the female cat and kissed her. Hayley wasn’t paying all that much attention to chuck at this point and stormed off to grab the pair a water bottle and carrots for the horses (bribery was the best way to get them to behave, after all).

Because Hayley considered the weather to be so warm, the cold regiderator air felt so well on her pallid face, she could have stayed there for hours on end if it wasn’t for the six year old pulling on her shirt. She rolled her eyes in a friendly manner, grabbed the water bottles and shut the door which belonged to the regiorator. Along the way she grabbed her car keys. After a stressful estimated ten minutes she was out the door facing the white trail blazer before her. She opened the door for her son and closed it as well, as she watched carefully as he buckled himself. Before, he’d just trick Hayley into letting her believe he was buckled so when she started driving he’d “play dead” and switch to the other seat. She started up the car; backing out of the driveway was easy work. The rest of the car ride was pretty normal, stopping at that one stop light and rolling down the window’s enjoying that virgin breeze. She turned back to check on chuck who had fallen asleep after a long hard day of preschool. He was so cute; she had no choice but to smile.

When they finally arrived at the stables she gave Mr. Mathews a shake and he woke up, screaming. “I want to ride Riot, mommy. We always ride Evanescence.” She wasn’t going to complain today, and gave in. “Ok son.” The kid went jogging off to find Riot rolling round in the dirt, grunting. Chuck laughed and asked Hayley for the carrots which she’d dug in her pocket moments before. Handing him the treats the mother’s heart lifted as she saw riot lick her son and take the carrots without any issue. There went another one of her worries.

After the horse was fully tacked up, brushed, and spoiled shitless it was ready to hit the trails. Riot was only about 16.2 hands, so it wasn’t like they were riding a mammoth. She lifted her son on the black leather saddle, which matched perfectly on the chestnut Arabian. Chuck squealed as Hayley threw herself up. “Come on boy.” She kicked Riot into a trot until she saw the trail then allowed him to run. His gallop was smooth and chuck was having a blast, until Hayley spotted a familiar face. Charlie. She kicked Riot over to his horse, and gave a big grin. “Hey baby” she said giggling as chuck waved.

[sucks ass]

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[Anthony Lovasz]

Being out alone on the trail with a massive horse beneath him brought back so many memories. Charlie had spent some of the best years of his life on the back of a horse, enforcing the law. Unfortunately, he had spent some of the worst years of his life on the back of a horse enforcing the law as well. He and Sebastian had been riding together since God knows when, in fact, it was Sebastian who first talked Charlie into getting up on a horse. Ever since then, it was quite obvious that it was meant to be. I'm not going to say Charlie never fell off, because everyone has come off a time or two. But I will say that he always got right back up on the horse...even that one time when he and Sebastian were out on the trail, his horse spooked, Charlie fell off, and broke his wrist, he still got right back up.

Then as a policeman, he went through training on the back of a Belgian Thoroughbred cross named Brigadier. After "graduation" Brigadier went with him into the active force. Charlie was riding him when he got shot. Charlie was riding him when he made his first arrest. Charlie was riding him when he had to break up his first mob. Charlie was riding that great big horse every time he did something for the first time on the police force. Everyone loved the amicable Brigadier, who would do anything that was asked of him, but for Charlie it was a whole different kind of "relationship."

The one time Charlie wasn't riding Brigadier for a first, was when his first comrade was killed. Charlie and Officer Walsk had switched mounts for the day, Charlie up on a horse even larger than Brigadier named Spencer, and Walsk was on Brigadier. The two of them were out on night patrol when they'd come across a stolen vehicle. The man who had stolen it was passed out drunk on the back seat. Charlie was arresting him, and Walsk was calling in for a car to pick him up. That was when it all went down. The screeching of tires echoed through the night, and as Charlie turned, he saw a van coming straight towards them. The van smashed into Brigadier and officer Walsk. Charlie didn't remember anything between Brigadier's pained whinny and when the officers showed up with an ambulance.

Walsk died shortly after impact, but Brigadier...he was still very much alive. His ribs were fairly well smashed in, and he had two broken legs, he wouldn't be getting up ever again. They told Charlie later that when they had arrived, he was crouched down by the suffering animal, his knee on the horse's neck to keep him from trying to get up, and holding his partner's hand. Charlie was only 19, not even 20 yet, and he was incredibly traumatized by the event. Even though Walsk was dead, they removed his body from the scene as people started to gather. Next thing Charlie knew, they were putting up those blue screens around them. Everyone knew what was happening.

Charlie silenced the horse who was again trying to get up. He told him that everything was going to be alright, and tearfully proclaimed that he deserved a better end, then stood and walked away, unable to watch the killing of his horse. When he heard the gun fire behind him, it felt like he had been shot again, but he kept right on walking, past all the staring people whose eyes were glued to the officer doused in the horse's blood. He didn't see any of them, he didn't care. The next day everyone was completely shocked when Charlie showed up at the office. They asked him how he was doing, and his reply was curt and to the point. As soon as we catch the bastards who did this, I'm turning in my badge. That was another shock. Charlie Parker...quitting, leaving the force? No one saw that coming.

He was true to his word, as soon as they were caught, he turned in his badge. He quit. That was several years ago now, and Charlie Parker was once more Officer Parker. Charlie Parker was once again up on the back of a massive horse bearing the blue and gold of the mounted police force. Some people called Charlie the last good man alive, and many people would agree. He wasn't like most policemen, Charlie was different...he didn't arrest people just because he could, he didn't cite people just because they were there. He took justice to a whole new level, he set the bar high...higher than most of the current officers could reach.

Charlie shook his head, sending sweat drops flying out of his hair, then ran his sleeve across his forehead to rid himself of the beads that had formed on his skin. As he did so, he heard another horse coming up the trail, and was about to pull Brig over to the side of the trail, but he didn't have to. The horse moved over on his own, and a smile lit up Charlie's expression. So Brig was learning something...perfect. He glanced behind him and the smile broadened when he recognized the horse, woman, and boy coming towards him. He leaned down as Hayley came along side him, and kissed her gently before righting himself in the saddle.

Nice to see you two out on a horse again. Charlie said with a smile. It had been a while since he'd seen Hayley on a horse, and it was nice to see her in the saddle again. Hayley had a lot of problems, yes, but in Charlie's eyes she was perfect. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and aside from his daughter, she was the only girl he loved. It seemed like winter was taking all too long to get there...he wanted to marry Hayley so badly he found himself getting slightly impatient...which for Charlie was a big deal, patience was something he was very good at. But it would come someday soon, and then it would be over all too quickly. The happiest day of his life was approaching, and he couldn't wait for it to get there.