Walker: Wish To Be A Walker

Chapter 8

The sun was coming up over the horizon as Skylar trotted into the ranch yard, Maddie bringing her to a stop out the front of the barn. ‘Good girl.’ She stroked her neck then slid off, leading her into the barn to untack her. It still didn’t seem real, that Skylar had been ‘given’ to her to care for. Her own horse… She smiled, the mare nuzzling her as she undid the cinch. ‘Yes, you will get your carrot before I turn you out.’

Her bags were placed down on a haybale, the heavy saddle taken from the mares back and hung back up on its rack. Giving her the carrot from her pocket she led her back out, turning her loose into the pasture. Skylar snorted as she closed the gate, tossing her head as she raced off to find the other horses and she smiled. There was nothing she loved more then watching a horse gallop across the field.

The mare turned out she collected her things from the barn then headed over to the small farmhouse where Cordell and the kids lived. Stella had said they were still packing and since she had finished, thought she would give them a hand. She knocked, the door being opened after a short moment.

‘Maddie.’ Cordell greeted. ‘Morning. Come in-‘ He moved aside, letting her come through. ‘Stella and August are still packing, would you like something for breakfast?’

‘I’ve already eaten, but thank you. I hope I’m not too early, I thought perhaps I could give them a hand?’

‘Sure, sure, just down here.’ He led the way to the kitchen where the kids currently had their camping gear spread about. ‘Look who’s here.’

‘Morning Maddie.’ Stella greeted.

August glanced up for a moment then looked back at his list. ‘Hey Maddie.’

‘Morning.’ She smiled, placing her bags down on the floor beside the table. ‘Anything I can do? Put me to work.’

‘I’ll leave you guys to it.’ Cordell remarked, heading to make himself a cup of coffee.

‘We’re just taking inventory of what we need.’ August explained. ‘Um, do we have all the headlamps?’

‘Uh-‘ Stella took a moment to do a count. ‘Check.’ He came over, beginning to count them over himself. ‘What is the point of doing this if you’re just gonna do it yourself?’

‘Look, I’m just trying to make sure we don’t repeat that 2017 fiasco, all right?’

‘Augie has a point.’ Cordell interjected. ‘Who thinks a picnic blanket is a hammock anyway, right?

‘Mom, mom did it.’ Stella protested. 

Maddie chuckled. ‘I feel a story there.’ Cordell’s phone started to ring and he took the call as she handed Stella the headlamps to add to the bag. ‘I really hope my coming along isn’t an imposition-‘

‘It’s not.’ She smiled. ‘We wouldn’t have asked you along if it was.’

‘Well, I’ve never been camping before, so I probably have absolutely no idea what I’m getting myself into.’

August laughed. ‘You’ll be fine, it’s not like we’re doing a Bear Grylls survival weekend. We are taking our own shelter and food.’

‘That’s good to know.’

‘Hey, uh-‘ Cordell started as he headed to the back door. ‘Emergency at the Side Step.’

‘Would you look at that.’ Stella sighed. ‘A last-minute case.’

‘There’s no case. I’ll be right back.’

‘I bet you five bucks he bails.’

‘Your on.’ August agreed. ‘Dad said he would be back.’