Equus Page #6

"frowns in people, slouches."

I'd say to them,

"Worship...

"All you can see...

"And more will appear."

This boy,

with his stare,

he's trying to save himself through me.

I'd say so.

What am I trying to do to him?

- Restore him.

- To what?

A normal life.

Normal?

It still means something, you know.

You mean, a normal boy has one head.

A normal head has two ears.

- You know I don't...

- Then what do you mean?

Oh, stop it.

I want to know.

Look, my dear,

you know what I mean by

a normal smile in a child's eyes,

and one that isn't, don't you?

Yes.

Then we have a duty to that,

surely, both of us.

Touche.

I'll talk to you.

Martin.

You're going through a rotten patch

at the moment, I'm sorry.

I suppose one of the few things one can do

is simply hold on to priorities.

Such as?

Children before adults.

Things like that.

You're really quite

splendid, you know that?

Famous for it.

All right.

The normal is the good smile

in a child's eyes.

It's also the dead stare

in a million adults.

Both sustains and kills,

like a God.

It is the ordinary made beautiful.

It is also the average,

made lethal.

The normal is the indispensable,

murderous God of health.

And I am his priest.

I'm sorry about our row yesterday.

Yeah, it was stupid.

Yes.

Yes, it was.

Would you like to play a game?

What kind?

It's one I invented myself.

It's called blink.

You fix your eyes on something,

say, that little stain

on the wall over there,

and I tap my pencil on the desk.

First tap, you close your eyes.

The second, you open.

Close, open, close, open,

till I say "stop."

What's the point of that?

Well, relax you.

Make it easier for you to talk.

Stupid.

Well, you don't have to

if you don't want to.

I didn't say I didn't want to.

Well?

I don't mind.

All right.

Start watching that stain.

Now, put your hands by your side,

your fingers open wide.

The thing to do is to...

Feel comfortable and relax,

absolutely.

You watching that stain?

Yeah.

Right.

Now try and make your mind

as blank as possible.

That's not difficult.

No more talking.

First tap... close.

Second, open. Ready?

My tools are very delicate.

My compassion is honest.

I've honestly assisted

children in this room.

I've talked away terrors,

relieved many agonies.

But beyond question,

I have cut from them

portions of individuality,

repugnant to this God, normal,

in all its aspects.

And at what length.

Sacrifices to Zeus took, at the most,

60 seconds each.

Sacrifices to the normal...

Can take as much as

60 months.

Can you hear me?

Can you speak normally?

Say "yes" if you can.

Yes.

Good.

Now raise your head.

Open your eyes.

Now, Alan,

when you wake up, you're going

to remember everything you've told me.

Understand?

Yes.

Now, I want you to think back in time.

You're on that beach you told me about.

You're six.

Above you, staring down at you,

is that great horse's head.

Can you see that?

Yes.

You ask him a question.

"Does the chain hurt?"

Yes.

Do you ask him aloud?

No.

And what does the horse say back?

"Yes."

What do you say?

"I'll take it out for you."

And he says?

"It never comes out.

They have me in chains."

Like Jesus?

Yes.

Only, his name is not Jesus, is it?

No.

What is it?

It's Equus.

Equus.

Does he live in all horses, or just some?

All.

Good.

Now you leave the beach.

You're in your bedroom at home.

You're 12 years old.

You're looking at Equus from

the foot of the bed.

Would you like to kneel down?

Yes.

Go on.

Now tell me,

why is Equus in chains?

For the sins of the world.

What does he say to you?

"I see you.

- "I will save you."

- How?

"Bear you away, two shall be one."

Horse and rider should be one beast?

- "One person."

- And?

"And my chinkle-chankle

shall be in thy hand."

"Chinkle-chankle," that's his mouth chain?

Yes.

All right.

You can get up now.

Now tell me,

what is the stable?

His temple? His holy of holies?

Yes.

Will you wash him, and tend him,

and brush him with many brushes?

Yes.

And there he spoke to you, didn't he?

He looked at you with his gentle eyes

and he spoke unto you.

Yes.

What did he say? "Ride me?

"Mount me, and ride me forth at night"?

Yes.

- And you obeyed?

- Yes.

How did you learn? By watching others?

Yes.

Must've been difficult. You bounced about?

Yes.

But he taught you, didn't he?

Equus showed you the way.

No.

- He didn't?

- He showed me nothing.

He's a mean bugger.

Ride or fall, that's straw law.

Straw law?

He was born in the straw

and this is his law.

But... But you managed? You mastered him?

Had to.

And so you rode forth in secret?

- Yes.

- How often?

Every three weeks.

More, people would notice.

On a particular horse?

No.

Let's do it.

Let's go riding.

Now.

You're there now,

in front of the stable door.

Go on, open it.

Now go in.

Shh! Quietly now.

Dalton may still be awake.

Quietly as possible.

That's a good boy.

Are you in yet?

ALAN; Yes.

Can you see all the horses?

ALAN; Yes.

Which one are you going to take?

Nugget.

What do you do, first thing?

Put on his sandals.

The sandals of majesty.

Made of sack.

And then?

Chinkle-chankle.

He doesn't like it so late.

But he takes it for my sake.

He bends for me,

stretches forth his neck unto it.

And then?

Buckle,

and lead out.

No saddle?

Never.

Where are you now?

The path.

He's quiet.

Always is, this bit.

Meek and mild legs.

Gentle Equus, meek and mild.

At least, till the field.

- What field?

- Ha-ha.

What?

The field of ha-ha then there's trouble.

- What kind?

- He won't go in.

Make him go into it.

Come On.

Come on.

Ls it a good field?

It's perfect.

Full of rubbish,

electrical and kitchenware.

It's covered with nettles.

Burn your feet.

Take your shoes off?

ALAN'. Everything.

All your clothes?

Yes.

What do you do now?

Hide the clothes.

Get the man-bit.

Man-bit?

Stick for my mouth.

- Your mouth?

- To bite on.

Why? What for?

So as it won't happen too quick.

Is it always the same stick?

Of course.

Sacred stick.

Keep it in the hole.

The ark of the man-bit.

And now?

What do you do now?

Touch him.

Where?

All over,

belly,

ribs.

His ribs are of ivory,

of great value.

His flank is cool.

His nostrils open for me.

His eyes shine! They can see!

His eyes!

Go on.

What then?

Sugar.

- Lump sugar?

- His last supper.

- Last before what?

- Ha-ha.

You say anything when you give it to him?

Take my sins.

Eat them, for my sake.

Now he's ready?

You can get up on him now?

Yes.

Go on then, Alan.

Mount him.

Into my hands, he commends himself...

Naked in his chinkle-chankle.

Equus.

Equus.

Equus.

Take me.

Whoa.

Whoa, down.

Whoa, down, easy, boy, easy, boy.

Easy, boy.

Equus, the godslave.

Faithful and true, that's it.

He's good. He's good.

He's good.

Equus, son of Fleckwus.

Son of Neckwus.

Walk.

Here we go.

Here we go.

The king rides out on Equus,

mightiest of horses.

Only I can ride him.

His neck comes out of my body.

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