You won't hyde

Lost Raven

Several weeks passed since Xavier and I stopped talking to each other. The only contact between us were darty little glances.

Enid was discharged from the hospital but her parents decided to take her out from Nevermore at least for this semester.

Since Ava left the school I stopped having any nightmares. All got to its norm. It was obviously for me now who left the note near my typewriter and how the stalker could take photos being invisible. It would not be very difficult if you were a witch.

Since spring came Rosenberg organised riding lessons for Nevermore students. For my attack on Ava I was sentenced to clean stables every Saturday. I was quite astonished that the principle did not use this chance to expel me as she promised for my every misstep. However, I did not mind.

I got a friend in the stables - a young horse Raven. Our teacher called him in a different, ludicrous way so I sticked to my own version.

Raven was a badass. He did not follow the orders if he considered them irrelevant. The only person whom he obeyed unquestionably was me. And he was the only horse I wanted to ride.

Raven listened to me. He would never tell anyone that I felt lonely and lost.

That evening I came to clean the stables and talk to my friend. But when I approached the stall I did not find Raven there.

Suddenly I heard strange noise somewhere behind the gates which led to the field where horses usually grazed. I came closer to take a look and saw a silhouette in the dark. I said:
- It is in your best interests to surrender. Otherwise I cannot guarantee your safety.
- Everything changes. Only Wednesday Addams remains the same.
It was a painfully familiar voice:
- So we talk to each other again? What are you doing here? - I asked Xavier.
- I was helping the teacher with feeding horses, - I could feel uncertainty in his voice.
- Raven is missing.
- You mean the black horse you usually ride?
- Exactly.
Xavier checked the stalls where Raven should have been.
- I swear he was here half an hour ago.
I glimpsed the open gates and it was not difficult to guess what had happened: Raven had gone away and lost.

I peered into the darkness and addressed to Xavier:
- Today I am in a good mood. You can choose your way of execution: stabbing or hanging. I recommend the second option. It is quicker.
- I will find Raven.
- No, Xavier. It will be me who finds him. And you will stay here.
- No way. I lost Raven so I will need to get everything back.

Something told me that Xavier was not only talking about the horse.

- I think it will be faster if we ride, - suggested Xavier.
- I am not going to look for the next horse that you will lose. What is more, that will mean that I am going to spend more time with you which is not highly appreciated by me, - I added a sarcastic comment.
- Spending time with you brings me no pleasure as well.

These lines were not nice.

- So that will be a torture for you to spend time with me? - I clarified.
- Kind of.
- Then I will go with you, - I saddled a white horse whom Xavier called Dove.  - It will be logically to take one horse so when we find Raven we both could return riding different horses.
- At least some of your words make sense, - Xavier fended off. I rolled my eyes. - Let me be the foremost rider.
- Alluring. If you are the foremost rider, we will break our necks and turn into the sweet embrace of death. But unfortunately, I did not add it to my to-do list for today so my answer is "No". Try tomorrow.

In a minute Xavier saddled Dove and was just behind me. His hands carefully embraced my waist. I got a feeling similar to slight electrical shock. I enjoyed it so did not give any comments.

We moved in high pace sometimes making pauses to get a better look at the area where Raven potentially could be. Sometimes I heard Xavier screaming behind my back because of a high speed and risky tricks but I did not listen. My only goal was to find Raven as quickly as it possible no matter what. In an hour of a search we finally found him grazing.
- Raven! - I exclaimed and dismounted. - I found you. - Raven recognised me and let me pet him. But when the horse noticed Xavier he tensed. - Xavier's silliness can be harmful sometimes but he is not a threat.
- Thank you, - mumbled Xavier with sarcasm. - For humiliating me in front of the horse.
- Next time I will do it in front of our classmates, - that was my answer. - The difference will not be big.