"Let me in!" I shout.
The side of my fist is growing angry from how hard I am pounding the door.
There is silence on the other side. I bang the door louder the heat rising in my cheeks.
"I swear to God, let me the hell in!"
The doorknob starts to turn but I don't stop banging, not even when it starts to open. A slightly confused Alex stands in the doorway. He raises an eyebrow to speak but doesn't get the chance as I barge past him.
"You're meant to be at the show, why-"
"Shut up!" I hiss, walking to the centre of the room. "Both of you."
I shoot a glare Elias's way, who is sat in the middle of the carpet.
"Wanna know why I'm not at the show?! I'm not there... wait-what is going on?"
The red haze in front of me starts to fall as I spy the card game set out in front of Elias. He attempts to cover it with his legs as I give a look over to Alex.
"You guys were... playing a card game? Together?" I ask, almost laughing.
Alex rolls his eyes.
"Yes," he grumbles.
"So you are getting along then?" I look from Alex to Elias then back to Alex.
"No," Alex sighs, crossing his arms.
"We aren't getting along," Elias grunts from the floor, finishing Alex's sentence. "It gets very boring being locked inside four walls for three days."
"Right..."
Elias then smiles. "So why has our loyal Princess come to visit the poor commoners down here instead of riding all high and fancy at the show?"
The rage I felt just moments before returns and I remember that I am here is to kick Elias's arse.
"Acting like you don't know?" I spit.
Elias scrunches his blonde eyebrows together. "Am I missing something?"
My fists curl into tight balls at how Elias is acting innocent. He is disgusting and just looking at him fills me with rage at what he has done, and he can't even give me the decency to admit it.
"You son of a bitch," I yell, diving to the floor so I meet Elias's eye level. "Admit it!"
Elias freezes, leaning back to get away from me. I stare at him intensely, hoping he will say something, but he just looks back at me with wide eyes and confusion.
"Madison..." Alex murmurs my name from behind me. I ignore him.
"Admit it!" I yell again, repeating myself.
"W-what? I don't k-know what you mean!" Elias stammers, rubbing at hand through his hair.
"You know what you did!"
I slam the floor with my fist. He scared me once, threw me against a wall, and pinned me down. Now it is my turn to intimidate him.
"You hurt my horse! You vile, disgusting, shitface, pig!" I scream.
Elias still looks at me, stunned. I feel my throat start to close as tears threaten to appear but I don't let them. I won't be weak, not anymore. Alex is then at my side, a hand on my back.
"Maddie, you have to explain," he soothes, pulling my face so I look at him.
I grimace and pull away.
"Virgo!" I spit. "He's hurt and Elias did it!"
Alex looks between me and Elias with a baffled look drawn onto his face.
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Elias shouts.
"Liar!"
"Elias, what did you do?" Alex growls.
He puts his arm further around me and pulls me into him. I try to pull away but his grip is strong and slowly the tears start to fall.
"You-you took him last night," I sob. "Tied him to a tree so tightly he c-couldn't move. He had no water and was cold and scared all night."
"Shit..." whispers Elias under his breath.
"He nearly hung himself you bastard," I shout into Alex's chest. "He is covered in cuts and scratches."
Alex pulls away and looks down at me. He starts pushing my damp hair that has clung to my tears, off my face.
"Maddie, I swear I knew nothing," Elias mutters
"Don't say that, you did it as you said you would!" I shout.
Elias looks down at his hands and bites his lip. My breathing quickens as I feel Alex's fingers continue to trace my face. He truly is a Swedish monster. I hate him, so, so much. He has to pay for what he has done to Virgo.
"When I got to his stall and found him gone Elias, I thought my life was over. You are disgusting for doing this! You are meant to love horses not hurt them! What did I do for you to do this to Virgo and I?" I choke.
Elias looks back up at me, his features soft, and opens his mouth to speak but closes it again.
"Maddie," Alex says.
I look back up at him, my heart still rushing.
"Elias was here all of last night," Alex explains. "He couldn't have done this to Virgo."
My fingers ball around Alex's shirt and my jaw tightens. Alex hates Elias, so why isn't he letting him take the fall? There is no other person it could be.
"What? No, he must have snuck out, only he could have done this," I press.
I see Elias shake his head and Alex wraps his arms around me tighter.
"I'm sure, love. He didn't leave," Alex replies.
I scoff and shake my head. Why would he be defending him? He hates Elias and apparently, Alex knows the stuff Elias is willing to do, so why protect him?!
"You don't get it!" I spit. "He said that he would hurt..."
My words trail off into nothing. I can't tell Alex what Elias's threat was. Otherwise, something much worse would happen.
"Maddie, I didn't do that. I would never," Elias says.
Ruthless liar.
"Then who hurt my boy?!"
I jump off the ground and out of Alex's arms. I feel him try and grab my wrist but I'm too quick for him. I fling the door open and rush out, the warm air stinging my wet face. To steady myself, I grab the balcony and start gasping for air.
The door suddenly bangs again and I look to see Elias leaving it behind.
"Don't come near me," I shout, taking a step away as he approaches.
"Just listen to me okay!" he replies, desperation instead of anger in his voice.
"Why would I? You lied in there, saying you would never hurt Virgo when just a day ago you threatened to," I scoff.
Elias slaps his arms by his side. "Okay, fine. I promise though Maddie, I didn't intend for this to happen."
"What did you intend then?" I chuckle. "For a sign to appear around Virgo's neck saying 'Please do what I want because otherwise me, a big Swede, will come and throw you against a wall again.'"
Elias sighs. "Well it worked and you agreed to my plan right?"
I bite my tongue and shake my head. I can't believe the nerve of this guy.
"Just admit it; you did that to Virgo!"
"I swear I didn't!"
Elias's face isn't its usual smug and arrogant, snot pile. He actually is looking at me with sympathy. I think he even looks sad.
"Fine. But you got your little slave, Sienna to do it, right?" I grin.
Elias starts to shrink and his face goes pale.
"Didn't think I'd find that out, that you two are working together? Then you really do think I'm stupid."
He goes to open his mouth but when I glare at him, he doesn't end up saying anything. He just looks at me with his big dark eyes.
"You disgust me, Elias Nilsson. I can't believe you, and I can't believe I am helping you," I spit.
I flick my hair and turn around, hoping to get some of it to hit his face. Elias is a psychopath, a narcissist and a liar. The worst things in the world are all wrapped up in one.
"Maddie, wait!"
I keep marching towards the staircase when he catches my forearm. I am spun to be right in front of him again.
"I'm sorry, okay," he cries.
The words nearly knock me off my feet.
"I know you are mad at me and I deserve it but..."
Elias trails off and I wait with a look of disgust on my face as he tries to find his words.
"That day when I said you're the most gorgeous girl, do you remember that?" he murmurs.
"Yeah because, oh, that's right, it was also the day you revealed to have stolen my dead sister's necklace. You made me want to gag when you said that," I spit.
Elias winces. "Yeah, well I meant it okay. Truly."
I look up at Elias and jut out my chin. Is he really thinking that I would forgive him for calling me attractive? God, how manipulative is he?
I take my hands and give Elias a shove right in the chest, sending him into the balcony railing. In a perfect world, he would have toppled right over the edge.
"Leave me alone, Braceface," I hiss, before running down the stairs to hopefully never see him again.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lily and I stand, jittering and silent, as we watch for a car to come down the dirt road. I gulp and tug at my jumper's sleeves. We haven't said a word to each other since Lily got a text from Justin ten minutes ago saying he and Katy were nearly at the stables.
I don't know if I can face her again. Do I apologize to her? Or do I say nothing? I feel like I am about to meet a stranger. When actually I'm just seeing my friend who has just gotten out of the hospital.
Who you put in the hospital.
"Wait, I see them!" Lily shrieks.
I look up from the ground and see a SEC car rumbling down the road towards us. My stomach starts to inflate like an emotional and nervous balloon. I look over my shoulder quickly and stare into the stable.
Earlier the vet had been called to look at Virgo but they have stayed long after finishing with him. I saw them with Antonio and Cobra a few minutes ago and by Antonio's face, the news wasn't good. Katy does not need that right now.
The car stops in front of us and the left-hand door swings open and out pops Katy.
"Oh my God!" Lily cries.
I hang back and watch as Lily runs up to Katy and the two girls embrace like they haven't seen each other in years.
"Be careful, she is still fragile," I hear Justin say as he climbs out the driver's side.
Lily and Katy pull away and laugh. I take a few hesitant steps forward. Katy then looks over Lily's shoulder and smiles when her eyes land on me.
"Oh my, Maddie!"
She parts from Lily and dashes up to me, her dark brown curls bouncing.
"Hey," I mutter as she hits me with a hug. "How you are?"
I already probably know the answer from how she looks. Katy looks like she hasn't slept in a week but I can't tell if the dark rings around her eyes are from sleep deprivation or if they are bruises. I see a fresh line of stitches running up her calf and a few of her fingers are taped together.
"Shit," she laughs into my shoulder. "Luckily only a few fingers broken and my ripped calf ripped open. They are still meant to be monitoring me for brain damage, fun fact."
"Brain damage!" Lily shouts.
Katy pulls away from me and nods. "Yep. I was under for so long, they say my brain could be screwed."
Lily swears under her breath.
"I'm so sorry," I mumble.
It feels like the appropriate thing to say, I've decided.
Katy shrugs. "Don't be, it was my own stupid fault."
Ouch.
"I'm just so happy you're okay," Lily says, pulling Katy back into a hug.
"Me too. How's Cobra doing?" Katy asks.
My heart sinks and I feel my palms start to sweat. Lily throws me a look over Katy's shoulder. She must not know how badly he has been doing. Oh, this is getting worse.
"Katy..." Lily sighs. "Cobra isn't great."
I see Katy's muscles tense and I want the Earth to swallow me whole.
"What do you mean?"
Lily grabs Katy's shoulders and I see the look of sadness and confusion on her dark complexion.
"He's been really struggling, Kate. They pulled him out of the water and he could hardly walk," Lily explains.
Katy looks down at her feet and I see her eyes start to well with water. I bite the inside of my cheek and try and suppress any sadness growing in me.
"He collapsed in his stall when we brought him back here and they have had to give him a lot of stitches and medication," Lily continues.
"This-this is horrible," Katy sniffs, her voice becoming higher and higher.
"I know, but he is fighting it I promise you, Katy. Cobra is young and isn't going to..."
"What? Die!" Katy snaps, looking up again. She puts a hand to her mouth. "He's hurt because of me. He is going to die and it is my fault."
I can't stand this anymore. I rush to Katy's side and put a hand on her shoulder.
"No, no, no, Katy. We didn't know this would happen," I stress.
"But I could have stopped it," Katy chokes, still not letting her tears fall.
I look at Lily and I see her face is starting to flush. We don't say anything. I mean, what can you say to a girl whose horse is slowly dying?
"Can I see him?" Katy whispers.
Lily doesn't reply and just sighs. I look over my shoulder and see Justin leaning on the car door. His eyes are crinkled and his mouth frowns. He just nods.
"Sure," I say with a fake smile. "He'll be happy to see you."
Katy removes herself from Lily's grasp and makes her way through the stable's entry. Lily and I both look at each other and I draw in a breath and go after her. I have to do this for Katy.
I keep telling myself as we walk that Cobra will be okay and that it is all just a few injuries that will take a few months to heal. Deep down in my stomach, I know that can't be true, though. I would do anything to make it true.
Lily grabs Katy's hand when we are only a few stalls away from Cobra's. My heart seems to be pounding like a drum in my chest as we reach Cobra's stall. Katy gasps when she looks over the door and I squeeze my eyes shut. It takes a lot of strength to open them and join her side at Cobra's stall.
Katy's hands shiver as she grabs onto the door and watching her reaction to Cobra curled up in his bed of shavings is torture. The tears start to flow from her eyes and her chest starts to shudder. I prepare myself for a wail to leave her mouth when she opens it but it is just silence.
"Katy..."
I look and see Antonio standing in the corner of the stall, a hand rubbing his neck.
"We were about to come and get you."
A man, the vet I saw earlier, turns around to face the three of us. He is crouched to the side of Cobra, inspecting the long line of stitches running up his neck. The man frowns with a sigh.
"What's wrong with him?" Katy asks, her voice strained.
The vet gives a sympathetic sigh. "Not good news I am afraid, dear. I knew it would take him months to improve but... he hasn't changed at all."
As he speaks, Katy slowly lowers her head to rest it on the stall door. I take a hand and start rubbing her back.
"He is in too much pain for me to be able to move him to get a proper x-ray but," the vet draws in a breath as he speaks, "I believe he has fractured the fetlock."
I ignore the vet explaining something about swelling and just focus on the sob Katy chokes back. Pressure starts to rise in my chest and I watch as tears from Katy fall onto the floor.
"We're sorry Katy," Antonio says. "We discussed what this will mean with your parents a few hours ago."
"They didn't tell me!" Katy weeps.
I press myself closer to jer, even though it won't help. I look down at Cobra and want to throw up. This wasn't meant to happen.
"They say that they don't have the money to allow him to have surgery," Antonio continues. "Even if there was a surgery to help fix Cobra, his quality of life wouldn't be very good."
Katy lets go of the stall door and Lily pulls her into a tight hug, allowing her to cry into her shoulder. I watch and let Antonio's words just wash over me; I'm no longer listening. This can't be happening.
"We have to euthanize him, my dear," the vet says, his voice very low and quiet.
He pulls out a small needle from behind his back. The liquid inside is a light yellow and reminds me of the day when we had to have Margo's horse put down. My head is spinning now.
"No! I can pay for the surgery, I promise I-I'll get the m-money," Katy cries.
Lily hugs her tighter, tears now coming from her eyes too.
"Katy, this will be the best thing for Cobra," Antonio says gently.
"But what about the best thing for me?!" she shouts.
My eyes drop to the floor as I am wrapped in silence. No one knows what to say to that.
"He is in a lot of pain," the vet finally remarks. "I know it is hard, but you must do it for your horse."
Katy's cries and sobs start to slow. She sniffles a few times before lifting herself off Lily. The two hold hands as Katy wipes her tears. I am frozen as I watch Katy slowly nod then pull away from Lily. She opens the stall door gently and pushes her way inside. I take a step towards Lily and wrap my fingers around my neck.
"I'll need you to hold his head as I inject him," the vet says.
Katy just nods, wiping the snot from her face as she crouches down to Cobra. The horse lifts his head and gives it a little jiggle. Katy laughs smally and rubs his face.
"Hey," she whispers. "You have been the best horse to me okay."
Now tears are forming in my eyes and when I glance up I notice Antonio also has a tear rolling down his cheek.
"We've gone on so many adventures and shows. I can't thank you enough for teaching me everything," Katy continues, her voice constricted. "I just want what's best for you now. So I have to let you go."
Katy then starts to cry again and can't get any more words out. She rests her head against the gelding's and strokes his cheek with her thumb. My eyes squeeze shut. Fingers then start to wrap with mine.
"I can't watch this," Lily mutters to me. "Katy, we will be outside."
She doesn't respond and just continues to sob as she holds Cobra's head. Lily and I peel away from the door and the last thing I see as I leave is the needle going into Cobra's neck.
In silence, Lily and I walk down the aisle. Her hands cover her mouth and her eyes are wide with shock. I know how she feels. This mixture of sickness and disbelief is wrapped in my stomach and I feel like I'm passing through time slowly but everything at the same time is rushing by in a blur.
"We'll wait here for her," Lily says, her voice trembling.
And we do. We wait at the end of the stable. The time passes on and I don't know if it has been one minute or ten. I check over my shoulder every few seconds to see if there are is any sign of Katy. In my heart though, I don't want her to ever reappear because that means she has lost her horse.
"Katy," I hear Lily gasp.
I look up from the spot of concrete I've been kicking. In front of us, I see Katy, her arms folded around herself and her face a wet mess. She lets out a sob and puts her face into her hand.
"He's..." she trails off and can't finish her sentence.
The air catches in my throat. Lily throws her arms around Katy and I just watch in shock as the two tightly hug. Eventually, I pull myself together and take my arms and wrap both Lily and Katy close to me. Katy's sobs echo through the stable.
I'm not sure how long we stood there like that for either, but it felt like an eternity.