The Butler

17

Chapter 17

I felt like my whole body had been paralyzed for a second but as soon as the adrenaline went down, it became clear that my right hand took most of the damage. I tried to raise my arm but I felt a series of sharp pain from my wrist. It even took me a while to use my left arm to help me sit up. My horse is nowhere in sight. Great. I exerted all my efforts to stand up and I can also feel my shins aching to support me.

I tried to assess the situation. I have to make a choice whether to walk all the way back to the Hawthorne residence or to follow Richard and Andrea to the summit. Calling for an emergency would not be an option since I stupidly left my phone in the changing room. I don't know how much further is our destination but my body's too weak to climb an upward trail.

I made the decision to return to the house. I just hope that the two would see me on the road once they got back from the summit. I started to hobble, limping my way back for help. A few minutes have passed and I felt a trickle of water landing on my nose. The rain is already starting I see. I picked up my pace but I can't really do anything especially when the raindrops began to pour in buckets.

I continued walking. There's no sense in searching for some shelter since all my clothes are drenched anyway. The cold rainwater offered some relief in my body, alleviating the pain and inflammation from my arms and legs. I thought about the other two. Have they reached the summit? Did they found a shelter? I hope they did because the rain is continuously pouring down with relentless force.

I navigated the trail for about half an hour before the rain finally stopped. I know I should be grateful but I'm not because I started to shiver in my wet clothes. Not long after, I heard the sound of hooves approaching. I stood still and called Richard's name. He pulled the reigns commandingly to stop the horse from moving and dismounted the animal swiftly.

He approached me with heavy footsteps, his gaze filled with concern. "Are you alright?" he asked me. Almost in an instant, Andrea appeared by our side.

"The horse was spooked and I fell off." I responded, my eyes shifted briefly to Andrea. "I'm sorry I lost one of your steed."

"No worries, we can have someone to locate it for us." she replied.

Richard's firm hand found its place on my shoulder. "Let's forget about the horse for a moment. Are you hurt?"

Turning my focus back to Andrea, I expressed a sincere apology, "I would like to apologize for all the inconvenience that I might have caused." 

"It's fine. Really." 

"For crying out loud Carl!" Richard exploded, frustration evident in his voice. "I'm asking you if you're fine and you're still concerned about the horse? Really? Could you, for once, at least consider thinking about your own well-being?"

Andrea and I were both stunned from his sudden outburst. "Yes. I'm fine." I replied when I finally managed to find my voice. "But I think I sprained my wrist." 

He tried to inspect my hand but I involuntarily groaned in pain so he had to let it go. "I'm going to lift you up to the saddle. Are you ready?" he asked me and I nodded. 

I kicked my feet off the ground on his cue and he guided me onto the saddle with a gentleness that surprised me. His strong hands supporting my weight as I settled onto the mare's back. As he mounted the horse behind me, I couldn't help but feel a wave of awkwardness. The closeness of his body made me quiver so I shifted slightly to find a more comfortable position hoping to alleviate the burning sensation that his presence had ignited. He adjusted his body as a response by pushing his torso forward causing our legs to brush against each other.