A thick layer of sweat covered my body as I awoke and jumped from my bed. The windows only allowed darkness to shine in and as my eyes locked onto the clock, I realized it wasn't even five in the morning. My fight or flight switch has been turned on and my body is reacting with adrenaline cursing throughout my veins. I refuse to believe that my Cheyenna was in that dream, only a demon was, and it was trying to tempt me, but it failed for I have resisted far greater temptations than its games.
I rub my hands down my face in an irritated manner as sleep is a precious commodity to me, but that demon stole most of it and with emotional wounds bloodied once more I fear even if I tried my eyes wouldn't close for all I see is a little boy sitting in a darkened room while crying as he couldn't understand why nobody could love him. For over fifteen years I have successfully pushed my nightmares to the back of my mind, locked away in a wooden chest and the key long forgotten. However, this demon had found it and brought forth imagines that no mind should be haunted with.
I cross the room in a stalking motion before opening the closet door with a slam. Pushing inside, I begin to grab clothes. Most of what I own are suits for I can never wear anything that does not reach at least my wrists and ankles. I wouldn't want to cause anyone nightmares because of my skin. Dry laughter bubbles out as I wouldn't even consider what cloaks my body skin for it's far to disfigured and cut-up to have any complexion.
Do you really believe that a stunning woman like Olive would ever want a hideous monster like you?
A snake-like voice hisses in my head and my hands slow as I cuff my sleeves. Only five witnesses have seen my skin and three of which were the monstrous creatures who caused me to appear this way. But it does not please me to imagine Olive's innocent eyes seeing such disfigurement. She would run for the hills claiming to have seen a monster far more hideous than Rumpelstiltskin.
And possibly the devil himself, for he is the ugliest of them all...
While my breath echoes with growls, I storm out of my room and run down the stairs like a wild animal in a fit of rage. My destination unknown, but the pulsing feeling of needing to escape this cage drives me from the manner and onto the dirt path that will lead me to the horse stable.
The moon provides enough light to guide me along the path without stumbling. But my mind is clouded, my ears appear to have headphones on, and the music is a replay of a young boy begging and screaming as they held him down. My eyes clouded with the images of the boy telling his social worker about the abuse and begging the older woman to believe him. However, this older woman already drew a picture of who the boy was and did not believe his cries for help. The boy was me, and I went on to endure two more years of abuse that should have only existed in history books when describing the Nazi concentration camps.
My head slumps towards the ground while I pull at my hair, ignoring the pain and fear of ripping the roots out. My appearance is that of a homeless crazy man as I stumble my way down the path, and I wonder if anyone would truly question a crazy man in a three-thousand-dollar Kiton suit. Through the thick canopy of trees, lights soon begin to shine, and in a few steps, I was entering the barn through the side door, but the action causes me to frown as this door should always be locked as you never know who or what is lurking in the dark shadows of the night. I make a mental note to have a talk with the stable hands about having the safety of the horses at the top of their priority lists.
The malodorous stench of horses burns my nostrils as I enter the dimly lit barn. Horses snort at me as I pass, most of them not even knowing I was the one who saved them from their intended futures as dog food. Despite this, I don't regard myself as the master of them. My worth in this world might as well be beneath them. Humans judge me for I am rich, the devil hates me because I am a child of the almighty God, the demons fear me for I can rebuke them with a simple flutter of my lips and so that leaves only the animals to have soft hearts and open minds towards me, as I to them.
Only that demon who sought me out seemed to forget just to whom I belong too; may God's wrath fall upon it without mercy, and may the deepest parts of hell forever be its cage among a pool of hot lava that boils in excitement for its awaiting it's forever prisoner. May the lava grin as the demon falls into it and it's screams of agony sound forever in hell. As hells' personal theme song.
Suspiring, I amble down the gravely stone floor that makes up the terra firma. The barn itself is entirely made out of a dusty shaded hemlock wood with the first level having only twenty-two horse stalls, each with black steel bars that ensure the horses heads will not be hit by passing objects. Although it was important to me to ensure that the horses would be able to hang their heads out and so above the stall doors it is indeed barless. When I saved this small herd of wild mustangs from Nevada, I had no intentions of ever caging them as their previous owners had for months on end. However, with the threat of a coyote attack I only instruct the handlers to bring them in at night and when their lives are in danger.
Clicking my tongue, I glance up at the wooden ceiling above me, through the wood, looms the storage room and two bedrooms to house the on slight handlers the rest must make the hour commute to work. But I ensure they're driving expenses are covered to the last dim.
The horses' coats seem to burr together as I pass them. Each coat is unique and not one shares the same shade nor complexion. A loud snicker reverberates from behind me and with a turn of the heels I see the white mane and golden coat that only one could own and it is none other than Paylay, a twelve-year-old palomino mare who doesn't act a day over two, for she at times appears to be in her terrible two's.
As all mares do.
Simpering, I saunter over to her and gently begin to stroke the length of her face. "How is my Belle fille doing tonight?" When my eyes first fall upon Paylay or rather X0, as the owner so dumbly named her. I envisioned my Cheyenna abroad her back, galloping through a field of blue roses looking as if she were a princess from a long-lost fairytale. But how my life is turning out, I doubt Olive even knows how to handle such a beast.
If she broke a nail, I wonder if she would scream like those girls in Hollywood movies...
Paylay leans into my touch but before she could relax loud snorts pass through the air like bullets. A smirk pierces my lips as I glance over my shoulder to see Paylay's four-year-old filly and colt twins'. Bagheera and Nasdaq, both share the coruscating midnight black coats along with white manes. Their stalls neighboring one another. When I rescued Paylay and her herd, I soon discovered that instead of twenty horses I was going to have twenty-two. The handlers urged me to sale them for they feared Paylay's genetics were inbred but I shot them down for forcing children away from their mother left a sour taste in my mouth. One I couldn't just rinse out with water. And opposed to their herd members, all three are green broke for I dream one day that Cheyenna will ride Paylay, I, Nasdaq, and our daughter Bagheera.
Having children is something I always have pushed out of my hand of cards, but I could never deny my Cheyenna the dream of having a family. My only wish would be that it is a girl for I would not make a suitable rule model for a boy. If it were a girl, then she will take after her mother, and I would simply be there for support and to spoil her. But if it were a boy he would be tainted with my blood and he would grow up to be as damaged as I am. I couldn't live with myself knowing and watching as his life fall apart in the same ways my did. Plus, what do I have to teach a son? I don't play sports, flirting with girls is out of the question, and I never had a father figure so how can I mold him into a young respectful man that will be useful to society?
Sighing, I rue the thoughts that cross my mind. Bidding the horses, a goodnight, I slip out through the side door and slither into the darkened shadows of the night. My steps were leaden as I was in no rush to return to the manner as the sun has yet to make itself known and I do not wish to wake the maids with my ponderous feet. They work themselves until they drop and whatever sleep they wish to have should be peaceful and undisturbed. Deep down I envy them for having the ability to sleep the full night without waking up soaked in sweat and heart pounding.
The loud sound of a twig snapping shoves me from my thoughts and out of instinct I propel myself behind a Ceniza blackbrush. Light footfall descends the path towards me, and soon a crestfallen voice appears along with Olive's darkened form.
"Hey...So I know it's early, but I haven't heard from you in a few weeks, and I just wanted to let you know I got the job! The pay is amazing, but the boss is like a rogue animal. He is so rude and blunt I swear even a wolf has more manners towards a woman then he does."
My lips pull into a tight smirk as her words did not hurt my pride instead cause me amusement for, she distains me as much as I do. She comes to a stop while I peer through the bush's branches. She began to walk around in a large circle while she listens to the other person's voice. Nonetheless, a protective feeling grips me as why would she be out at this hour? She should be tucked away in her room where the monsters of the night cannot lay their blood-soaked hands upon her. That thought alone urges me to burst through the bush and man-handle her back to the manner, but I doubt she would appreciate me throwing her petite form over my 6'2 shoulder and storming into the estate like a mad man gone wild.
"Of course, he's hot Addison, I told you he's the typical rich prick. Mansion, maids, lavish cars, and as of right now a personal chef. There is, however, a woman in his life and one I couldn't compete with even if I wanted to." She bites roughly on her lip hard while her eyes drift slowly up to the sky.
The impulse to pull her lip from between her teeth is one that I can barely stop myself from doing. I am stunned by her words, though. My home is not lavish by no means, it's basic at that. The maids are getting more in return then money could ever give them. And I would hardly consider my Chevrolet Colorado a 'lavish' car by any means. Howbeit, it is the fact that she called and acknowledged that I was attractive that has candidly left me speechless. It was no secret in the dreams that Cheyenna liked what I offered to her for a view, but Olive never gave away her emotions.
Partially due to her lack of time spent actually liking me...
"Yeah, she has this hair that is curly but still has some waves to it. And somehow, it's in the color of the sun. A sun kissed glow appears on her skin and her teeth are as white as snow. I can't even begin to try and describe her earthly green eyes and luscious body that even Claudia Schiffer can't be compared to."
I blink slowly trying to take in her phantasmal words. Did she not look into the mirror her whole life? Her eyes may not hold much light nor life, but they still shine a sapphire green. Despite her non-pencil-like waist, she still has a body that would put any man on his knees. She has a lighter complexion than I dreamt of. Withal, she still shows signs of the sun's once-great love for her upon her skin and the sun spent much time descrying her. This woman could bring me to my knees if she wished and with a flutter of her lips my heart would be hers. She appears to be a young unblemished woman, but I see the truth, beneath all those walls she tries to block everyone out with.
She's as broken as a forgotten doll...
Following her speech, I was moved by her words to expose myself from the bushes shade. So, with a sigh I stood and trudged out of the bushes.
"Addison, I don't like-"
She freezes as my shadow looms over her. She made the mistake of turning her back towards the darkest part of the forest.
What an incredibly stupid mistake that was...
"The big bad wolf would use you as his toothpick if he caught sight of you out here all alone and helpless...." I whisper into her ear and watch in both delight and concern as her screams of fright fill the misty night air causing a tree full of Mexican free-tailed bats to spring into the darkened sky. The night is soon filled with deafening screeches, and I flinch back as my ears begin to ring, without a doubt if there was glass around it would be broken.
Olive whips around so fast she nearly topples over if. And if I had not acted fast and caught her in my arms. She falls against my body as terror cloaks her lovely face. Our eyes lock and for just a moment there was a connection between our souls that I could not describe.
"What are you doing out here..." She trails off as she is breathless from her live-action horror movie scene. Her eyes show such helplessness that it brings forth a protectiveness within me. However, an ear-piercing voice interrupted my efforts before I could act out my emotions. In Olive's outstretched hand, laid her phone and the voice indeed belonged to it.
"Olive! Olive! What's going on! Hello?!"
A growl escapes my lips as I grow irritated and it drives me to grab the phone and bring it to my ear, before I jerk her hand away from it's grasp around it.
"While calling yourself a friend, you allowed her to put herself and the life of her unborn child in danger, you have no business being around Miss White." With that I hung up the phone and a tight grip is formed on her wrist by my hand as I begin to drag her down the path back to the estate.
Her shock having subsided, she begins to thrash around like a shark caught in a fishermen's net. "I don't understand why you are speaking to us like this!"
A dark chuckle sounds beneath my breath. She doesn't know why I speak to her like this? How mindless she must truly be.
"As you are on my property, I will interact with you however I wish. And It will be my pleasure to show you the door if you have a problem with this."
Truth be told, the feeling of needing to discover if she truly is my Cheyenna would never allow me to fire her nor allow her to quit. My obsession with finding answers to my madness might just be obsession, but to me it's needing answers.
My hand continues to hold onto her forcibly as she scoffs and attempts to free her hand. "Your behavior is so reprehensible!" When she begins to shout louder and louder, I turn sharply and come face-to-face with her.
"I do what I want when I want, no one controls me but God." I murmur as our noses brush against one another.
Her eyes begin to cloud and her lips pout, "You are not above the law."
Upon her words my hand falls from her wrists and I take a step back. She's right I am not above the law but that does not stop me from forbidding myself to ever allow another flawed human to control my actions. In an effort to calm myself, I rub my hands down my face with a sigh. We fight like cats and dogs, but I truly wish to figure out if she is indeed my Cheyenna or simply an evil doppelganger sent by the devil himself to kill what is left of my sanity.
"Is shopping something you enjoy?" I grumble out as I assume that's one of the only things women like, besides spending countless hours and ungodly amounts of money in a hair salon.
Her speech seems to be stifled by shock as her eyes widen as big as clocks. However, Olive shakes her head and stutters out, "Um-m yeah?"
"Very well, meet me in front of the estate at seven sharply." My quick nod cuts through the air and before she can tell me her thoughts on the matter, I traipse away. But I couldn't just leave her out there to be the next meal of a hungry beast. So as my body disappeared into the night. I quickly hid myself behind a tree and watched with narrowed eyes as she made her trek back to the manner. For I was not concerned about my own being because I might as well be one with the monsters of the night.
Dear God, what trouble have you gotten me into now?
*********************************************************************
French: Belle fille.
English: Beautiful girl.