Wide Open spaces

Chapter 7

“How did you get down here and why did you break the pot?” Noah asked me as he ushered me inside.

“Well one, I got stuck on my balcony so I had to climb down, and two there is normally a key in that pot.” I shot back at him. I shoved passed him and sat on the couch. I flipped on the t.v and the news came on. 

“It is believed that the attack on Senior Sergeant John Brown was deliberate and Seth Adams is the accuser. If anyone is able to identify the where about of this man please let your local police know. A memorial service will be held on the 28th of April at the state police station memorial site. It is a tragic loss and we need to commemorate the honor of this great man.”  Said the reporter. A picture of my father in his uniform appeared on the screen and my eyes became blurry. The Television turned black and I looked over to see Noah standing behind me with the remote in his hand. He put the remote back on the table and came and sat on the edge of the couch.

“I was going to tell you tomorrow about the service. They are wanting you to say a speech in memory of you father.” I looked at him horrified. “Unless you don’t want to it is your choice.” He said really quickly. I chuckled lightly at the way he was concerned about me not wanting to speak at the service. 

“I would love to.” I said smiling at him, but then it faltered. “I can’t though, I can’t speak in front of people.” He gave me a sympathetic look and stood up.

“Thats ok, I am sure your father would have understood.” He said walking out of the room. The way he said ‘would’ made my heart clench at the fact that I was to scared to respect my father. I quickly got up off the couch and ran to my bedroom. I turned the nob however it wouldn’t open. I cursed at myself for locking my bedroom door from the inside when I went out to the balcony. I banged my head against the door a couple of times repeating to myself how idiotic I was. I slid down the wall and put my legs out in front of me, I let out a big sigh trying to figure out another idea. I ran my fingers through my hair frustrated, I felt a bobby pin in my hair so I pulled it out gently. I turned around and knelt in front of my door. I put the bobby pin into the lock hoping to be able to pick it. 

After many attempts…failed attempts I stood up and kicked the door. I stormed down the stairs and into the kitchen, I ripped open the pantry. I searched for food and grabbed a packet of crackers and then some cheese out of the fridge. Cheese is my lifesaver, if you haven’t tried cheese you haven’t lived is the way I think. I sat on a stool next to the counter and placed my food on the table. I dug in eagerly and stared at the clock. The clock had a chicken on it, my mum loves chickens. I bought it for her three years ago for mothers day. The clocked ticked every second snapping me out of the memory of when my mum opened the present. I moved my hand along the table looking for my cheese. I looked down to see that it was all gone and sadness dimmed upon my heart, no more cheese. I sighed and walked into the lounge room, on my way there I looked out the window and saw nothing but blackness. No stars are shinning tonight, I saw lightning flicker in the distance and low growls of thunder, a summer storm. 

I decided against watching t.v but instead walked outside and sat on the deck. The thunder grew louder and the house started to shake and lightning strikes hit the ground not far from home. The door slammed closed and I looked over to my right, Noah walked out and sat on the stairs next to me. We sat there together in comfortable silence until he broke it. 

“We have to leave early tomorrow, 7 o’clock at the latest.” He said looking over in my direction. I stiffly nodded my head and could only wonder about what happened to Jay. 

“Where is Jay, I need an answer.” I said looking back out into the sky. Noah sighed heavily but didn’t show any means of telling me.

“Why is it so important that you can’t tell me where my best friend is?” I growled at him. 

“Because unless you want him to get hurt even more, you nor anyone else can know.” He said to me. 

“So I will never get to see my best friend again basically.” I glared at him.

“Not never Just until Seth is caught.” He replied, i nodded my head sadly but I would rather Jay safe. Rain started to patter on the roof and I felt drops fall on my face. I got up and walked out and stood in the rain, it started to heavier and I laid down on the grass. The rain hit my face, the cold rain cooled my body down and I started to relax. The thunder was  above me and it kept on clapping, and lighting lit up the sky. The wind was howling all around around me and you could hear loose branches snapping of the trees and falling to the ground. 

I was now covered in rain so I sat up and looked around. No lights were on in the house or in the barn, I stood up and walked towards the barn in search of the power box. I walked through the barn feeling my way through it until I found it. I opened the box and flicked the switch that connects all of the power to the house. Lights brightened up the barn and horses all around started to neigh and whinny from the instant change of the light. I walked slowly past each stable checking up on each horse. I got to the last stable and looked in it sadly. Timba still hadn’t come back and I missed him so much. He would be terrified in the storm. I thought of the chances of finding him before I left for the academy. 

I made my way over to Dallas’s stall, I took her out of the stable and walked her over near the tack room, I grabbed a lead if we found Timba and Dallas’s bridle and put it on her and jumped onto her back. I wasn’t going to wear a saddle in this weather because I don’t want to ruin the saddle. I rode out into the storm in search of my foal. I had no torch making this a lot harder than planned, I weaved in and out of trees looking for Timba. The rain had lightened but thunder was still sounding above my head. Lightning flickered letting me able to see where I was just that much easier. 

I rode practically blind through my property looking for Timba, from all the rain our small river that splits the property in two was now wider and running fast. I rode Dallas up to the river and hoped off her. I walked over to a tree, grabbed a stick and held it in the water. The water pulled the stick but not to hard. I let go of the stick and it floated down the river. I got back on Dallas and walked her to the side of the river. Hesitantly she walked through the water, we made it to the other side with ease and continued looking for Timba. The lighting and thunder slowly started to fade into the distance leaving me in practically darkness. I rode Dallas down the hills and finally came to the back boundary fence. 

“Timba.” I yelled out, even though he was a horse he could still hear me...I hope. I rode around the fence line looking for a silhouette of Timba. Clouds from the storm started drifting away leaving me with the full moon shining down upon the farm. A clump of trees came into my view, as I got closer one of the moved. I stopped Dallas immediately and looked back at the ‘tree’. Ever so slowly I slid off Dallas’s back and walked towards the all of the trees. I moved quickly hiding behind trees. As I neared where the movement came from I stopped and listened for any sounds there weren’t, but I was lucky because there was a voice. 

“Yes boss I have found her.” The voice said. I heard him mumble another response and then the snapping shut of a phone. I peered around the tree to see it was a woman pacing back and forth, shaking her head in frustration. She was saying something over and over again. I took steps backwards hoping not to make any noise. I turned around and swiftly walked back over to Dallas and rode back in the direction I came. 

I walked on Dallas through the trees and bushes. Once we rode back through the river I took a different root home. I walked Dallas over to the lake that was over the other back half of the property. When I got to the lake I went to put Dallas in the paddock but was amazed at the sight that was in front of me. There was Timba standing in the middle of the paddock eating grass. I got off Dallas as quickly as I could and ran over to the paddock. Timba lifted his head and let out a small neigh as I ran over to him. When I was about 5 meters away I stopped running and walked over to him. He took steps forward meeting me half way. I grabbed his halter and walked him over to where Dallas was peacefully eating the grass. I took the lead that I put on Dallas’s bridle and clipped it onto Timba’s halter I walked with a lead in each hand back towards the farm. When I got back to the farm I placed both horses back in the stables. I grabbed a rug for each horse and placed them on both of them. I closed the barn door and made my way back to the house. I walked up the front steps to come faced to face with Noah. A very mad Noah.