X-Marks: Hiding Shadows

Reigns

I flinched as the bullet cracked through my bones and under the horse's hooves. The two horses stampeded around in a circle and knocked Rafi and me to the wet ground.

From the icy water of the rushing brook, all we could do was watch Jessie as he rode. Ray's helpless eyes pleaded back at us.

Rafi stood back up and hurdled back onto her horse. I tried to do the same but my wet palms slipped over the saddle.

"Just go!" I said, "I'll catch up!"

Rafi sped forward without another word, as the mud of her horse's hooves spattered into my face.

I tried to mount Mel's saddle just how I had been told, but Mel as she always did, led me and not the other way around.

Once Mel had allowed me on her saddle again, I raced after Rafi, trying to remember what little of her course I had seen. Every swift gallop followed the rapid pace of my chest.

But Mel knew what to do. Without following my direction, Mel had caught us up to Rafi who was just a few yards from Jessie and Ray.

"We're losing him! " I shouted to Rafi, "Use your gun!"

Rafi shook her horse's rein and steered off our straight path and into another fork in the trail.

"Stay behind him!" she shouted back to me.

"Wait!" I said before I could lose her from my sight.

Without Rafi, Mel seemed lost. Firing her legs with a sporadic pace. Maybe this was Rafi's plan all along.

Jessie looked back at me, his stare was more annoyed than alarmed.

I loosened my grip on Mel's reign.

"You're not getting away from me," I thought to myself.

I had gained on him, close enough I could see the blackened bruise on Ray's cheek and the steely grey barrel of Jessie gun, now aimed at me.

Mel continued to tread forward. She was barreling me to my own death, and there was nothing I could do.

Above the stampede, I heard the clack of the gun's hammer and held the reign until my fingers were numb.

Rafi, where are you.