The fifth had lasted nineteen seconds.
The sixth had lasted seven.
Daniel stood at the fence, his jaw tight.
A man named Travis Reed was preparing for another attempt.
Travis was thirty-eight.
Professional rodeo rider.
Six championship buckles.
A reputation for riding animals other men wouldn't touch.
He looked over at Daniel.
"You ready?"
Daniel nodded.
"Take your time."
Travis laughed.
"Time isn't the problem."
He tightened his gloves.
"That horse just needs to learn who's in charge."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"That's exactly what everyone keeps getting wrong."
Travis didn't listen.
He walked into the corral.
Midnight immediately raised his head.
His ears pinned backward.
His body stiffened.
Daniel noticed.
"So did everyone else.
But nobody moved.
The crowd wanted the show.
Travis reached for the reins.
Midnight stepped backward.
"Easy," Travis muttered.
The stallion backed again.
Travis reached for him.
Midnight's nostrils flared.
Daniel took one step forward.
"Travis."
The rider ignored him.
He grabbed the reins.
Midnight exploded.
The horse reared.
Travis barely released the reins before Midnight came down.
The crowd screamed.
Travis fell hard into the dirt.
Silence followed.
Then nervous laughter.
Travis stood, covered in dust.
"I'm fine."
Daniel walked toward him.
"You were warned."
Travis glared.
"That horse is broken."
Daniel looked at Midnight.
The stallion stood trembling in the far corner.
"Maybe."
Then Daniel corrected himself.
"Or maybe we're the ones who are broken."
Before Travis could answer, someone near the fence spoke.
"He's scared."
The voice was small.
Everyone turned.
A little girl stood outside the gate.
She couldn't have been more than eleven.
Her name was Lily.
Daniel knew her.
She was staying with her grandmother, Margaret, for the summer.
Margaret was the mother of Daniel's late friend, Thomas.
Lily had arrived in town two weeks earlier.
Daniel had seen her around the ranch several times.
She had never shown much interest in horses.
But now she was staring directly at Midnight.
Daniel walked toward her.
"What did you say?"
Lily looked at him.
"He's scared."
Some people laughed.
Daniel didn't.
"He's dangerous."
Lily shook her head.
"No."
She pointed toward Midnight.
"He's afraid of people."
Daniel crouched beside the fence.
"You know a lot about horses?"
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
Lily thought about it.
"Because everyone is standing around him telling him what to do."
Daniel looked toward Midnight.
The girl continued.
"Nobody is asking him what he needs."
Something about those words stopped Daniel.
He had spent three years trying to make Midnight obey.
Three years.
Millions of dollars.
Dozens of experts.
And this child had reduced the entire problem to one sentence.
Nobody was asking him what he needed.
Lily looked through the rails.
"Can I go inside?"
Daniel stood immediately.
"No."
She frowned.
"Why?"
"Because Midnight is frightened."
"So am I."
Daniel stared at her.
Lily shrugged.
"But being scared doesn't mean you want someone to hurt you."
The crowd became quiet.
Daniel looked at Midnight again.
The horse was watching Lily.
Not the riders.
Not Daniel.
Lily.
Daniel slowly shook his head.
"No."
Lily waited.
"Please stay behind the fence."
She didn't argue.
Instead, she sat down beside the rail.
And Midnight kept watching her.
For the first time all afternoon, the stallion stopped trembling.
The Girl Who Sat Beside the Fence
The crowd expected Lily to lose interest.
Children did that.
They became fascinated by something and moved on when something else caught their attention.
But Lily didn't leave.
She stayed beside the fence for almost an hour.
Daniel noticed because he kept looking at her.
The failed challenge had been forgotten.
The reporters had moved closer.
Several spectators whispered.
Some laughed.
One man said:
"She'll get bored."
She didn't.
Eventually Daniel walked over.
"You've been sitting there a long time."
Lily nodded.
"Yes."
"What are you doing?"
"Waiting."
"For what?"
"For him to stop being scared."
Daniel almost smiled.
"You think that's all it takes?"
"No."
"Then what?"