Without You

Chapter 10

"Who is gone?" I asked, more like screamed at Deborah.

"A-Alan and M-mark." She sobs.

"What!? Where!? What the heck happened?!" I yelled.

Deborah just keeps sobbing so I sit up and pat her on her back, until I feel a sharp pain in my head. I lay back down. When Deborah finally stops sobbing and my head stops pounding, she speaks.

"Okay Allison we need to talk."

"Okay."

"So well we have always had a rivalry, us Reeds and the Siez'. Mark and Phil went to high school with each other, and hated each other for some reason, Mark wouldn't tell me. He just warned me to stay away." She let out a loud sob, "I heard Phil was feeling threatened by you and Leah so he sent his son after you. Victor I think his name is. Phil hired some men and they shot Mark, Alan, and James at the same time-"

"Who is James? And why was Alan here?" I said shakily.

"James is the youngest brother. He was in northern Cali at the time. Phil sent someone out to where Alan's stable was and he shot him there. All men were killed on spot. You were supposed to be amongst them. Victor was supposed to knock you off the horse and then you were going to get trampled but miraculously you stayed on Leah." She said and then let about another sob.

"Why did they want to kill me? Why did they kill them?" My mind was spinning. I felt dizzy and angry and hatred and sorrow all at once. I'm not special, why do you want me dead?

"Allie this world is a dark place if you haven't realized. You were a threat. You were supposed to get the spot into the Kentucky Derby but they wanted their family horse, Keen Pharaoh, to win. They thought without a trainer and without back up trainers you and Leah wouldn't be able to succeed."

"Why? Why me?" I yelled. "What happens now?"

"You and Leah won and didn't get DQed. You have a secured spot in the Kentucky Derby. The world thinks you are in a coma still in a hospital in LA. You have been out for 4 days. I took you saying you were going to go to the hospital but took you back to the house and paid the hospital to say you were there. I had a private doctor come here, well more of a family friend and he said he didn't think it was that much of a problem. He had an IV and stuff so he got you hooked up. You are in our other guest room." Deb rushes out the words and looked into the distant with a hollow face. She was talking a lot for someone who should be consumed by sorrow.

"Oh okay." I did miss my birthday. That was the one happy day of the year. I was important. I was me. I was proud. But I missed my 16th birthday. I was in a coma. Why the heck wasn't I in a hospital. What if I just died?  What was Deb thinking? She was protecting my identity... but my life is more important. "I used your phone to text a friend," I said.

"No problem yell if you need me." She says shakily and walks out of the room crying again.

I look on my phone and I had 30 missed texts not from Jason, mostly from Jessie and some from Camden.

AllieC: Hey Jess

YourBestFrandJess: ALLISON WHERE IN FREAKIN HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!?!?!?

AllieC: Sorry, I was visiting my aunt and then I got a concussion and have been in bed rest for a few days.

YourBestFrandJess: I missed you!!! <3