Lillian's POV
I nearly tripped over my own feet as I scrambled to Ophelia's side, her breathing laboured as she struggled to escape the tangled enthrallment of the razor sharp wire.
"Ophelia," I breathed, pressing a hand to her neck, willing calm into my veins. I had to cut her loose before she tore through her tissue to the bone. Blood oozed from where the wire was imbedded in her flesh, some of it not even visible because of the blood. "Derek!"
I needed wire cutters at best, but I was willing to try anything. I just had to get her out.
"Ophelia, you're okay," I soothed, stroking her neck as she tried to prance around, away from the pain. "No, no-- Stay still--" I needed to call Alan, or dad, or somebody. I needed wire cutters to get her out of this mess. I needed them now. Why the fuck did people use barbed wire?
Ophelia staggered back, her hind legs buckling as she tossed her head, letting out a strangled neigh. I could see the whites of her eyes. She was absolutely terrified. She wouldn't calm down unless I was.
I took a breath, reaching for her bridle. "Easy, girl. Don't move," I eased the reins over her ears, attempting to gain more control. Ophelia's ears were still flat against her neck as she spooked to the side, the wire slicing into her chest. "Whoa, whoa, whoa--"
The damage would just keep getting worse if I didn't get her off her feet--
With a final stumble to get out, Ophelia's front knees caved into the mud, the rest of her tumbling down along with a thud. She landed on her side, thrashing her legs against the wire, grunting breathily. I dropped to the mud with her, my hands instantly at her neck. "Ophelia, you're okay, easy, easy--" I got in front of her, her wide eyes meeting mine. I took hold of her bridle and begged, "Ophelia, stay still, you're okay."
For a moment, she stalled, her breath quieting, and I looked over her shoulder to where Derek stood, likely assuming it best that I dealt with this. His face had turned paper-white, his eyes frozen wide. "Derek, take my phone, call 'Alan Deaton'. He's the vet I work with. Tell him-- Tell him I need wire cutters and to bring a horse trailer. As fast as he can."
I slid my phone out of my pocket, Derek cautiously moving towards us, eyes flicking to Ophelia. I nearly screamed at him to hurry, that now was not the time to be afraid of her. When he got close enough to reach for my phone and took it from me, the world seemed to pause for breath.
Ophelia exploded.
She wrenched her head away from me, but I was still holding her bridle. The mere force threw me hard against the ground, and before I knew what was happening, before I could scramble away--
As she tried to get up, Ophelia's front hooves came crashing down on my chest.
I couldn't remember a time I'd screamed like that, as pain blazed through me like a forest fire. I barely registered the groan of my bones under those hooves, under the sheer weight, the power of her. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think--
Derek yelled my name, but I lifted my arm from the mud, the hand he'd just barely touched. "D-don't--" I breathed. He was the trigger, for whatever reason. He was why Ophelia lost her mind. He couldn't come any closer or she might kill me. A split second later, Ophelia shifted her hoof to the ground, and I sputtered, rolling away, coughing violently.
I gasped for breath, turning back to my horse, back on her side and heaving. Ignoring the burn in my chest, the pain ebbing ever-so-slightly once the pressure was gone, I crawled over to her face. "Shhhhhhh," I whispered, stroking her neck, my voice a wet rasp. I slowly covered her eyes, rubbing smooth circles on her cheek. She gave one final thrash before sighing, her movements slowing and her noises of distress dying down. I nearly sobbed in relief, continuing the comforting touches.
"D-Derek," I gasped, glancing at him through tears. "Call him, a-and wait b-by the, by the road."
He looked for a moment like he'd dare argue, uncertainty and worry swirling in his eyes, but reluctantly moved to do as I'd asked.
I sagged with relief as Ophelia's breathing evened out, and I leaned down into the mud, my arms trembling too much to keep me upright. My lungs hissed with pain against every breath I took.
But I just lay there beside her, keeping her eyes covered, waiting as a fat droplet of rain hit my cheek. Waiting. And waiting.
*
I didn't know how long we laid there for. Long enough to get drenched with rain, even though it wasn't raining exceptionally hard. All I really took in was the splatter of the drops on my skin and the sounds of the trees swaying in the breeze.
I didn't have the energy to lurch up when I heard the truck and trailer roll up on the road. I slowly slid my hands under me, painfully aware of Ophelia's movements as I sat up. Calm, thankfully. Alan was there moments later, approaching us carefully. He let Ophelia know he was there, and she had no reaction save for a relaxed nicker. Another blessing.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly, taking his blessed wire cutters to the wire wrapped around Ophelia's front leg. It took me a few moments to respond, to register his words.
"I've been better," I admitted. "N-nothing a shower and a good night's sleep can't fix." I offered a smile that I knew didn't reach my exhausted eyes. Alan did not look convinced, and nor was I. I pushed away the slightly dulling pain in my chest. I had bigger problems to deal with before I considered taking painkillers. I had to make sure Ophelia was okay first.
Alan made quick work of cutting off the wire, and once it was all off Ophelia, Alan gave me the go-ahead to let the horse stand up.
"The damage isn't too severe," Alan remarked as I coaxed Ophelia to her feet. The tired mare's head drooped as she slowly got up, swaying a little. "I'll stitch her up and bring her home tomorrow, is that alright? I would like to let her rest tonight."
I nodded weakly as my head spun. I needed to sit down. "Yeah, that's a good idea." I glanced at her muddy saddle and bridle. "If you don't mind bringing her tack back, too,"
"Of course," Alan replied. "Just go home and get some sleep."
I swallowed thickly, barely able to comprehend how I would get home. I had half a mind to slump against a tree and sleep. "Yeah."
I shuffled after Alan as he led Ophelia to the trailer he'd brought, when I realised I didn't know where Derek was.
"Where's the guy you met when you got here?"
"Across the road," Alan said, gesturing with his chin. I could hardly see Derek in the dark, I was just glad he kept his distance. I prayed he was far enough away that Ophelia wouldn't react. Alan wrapped O's legs with gauze and opened the trailer doors while I held her. As though someone had decided to cut us some slack, Ophelia stepped into the trailer with no difficulty, though her head was low with exhaustion. I didn't blame her.
Once safely in the trailer, Alan said goodbye and got into the truck, promptly driving away. I didn't move for a few moments after, my mind slowly bending around what had just taken place. I looked down at my hands, muddy and flecked with blood. I wiped the tears still clinging to my face with the back of my hand, no doubt smearing mud on my cheek in the process.
I didn't remember when I'd started crying, I just knew I hadn't really stopped since. My breath was coming in garbled pants. "Derek--"
He was by my side seconds later. "Jesus, Lillian, are you okay?"
"I just need to go home... Take a shower and sleep."
"I saw the way Ophelia landed on you, I really think I should take you to the hospital--"
"No!" I snapped, my heart shuddering at the idea of being in the hospital. "No, I just want to go home."
"Lil, you could have broken something, or worse," Derek insisted, laying a hand on my arm.
"No. I need to go home, I'm fine," I'd be damned before telling him I hadn't been in a hospital since my mother died. I shut out the memories, shut out the images of the lights and the instruments and everything I hated in the world. "My dad can look me over once he's back from work. Please just take me home," I begged, cursing my voice for trembling in the last few words.
"Lillian..."
"Derek," I coughed, then cleared my throat of something in it. Probably just mucus. "I want to go home." I coughed again, but that time it came with the feeling of something rising in my throat, past the pain in my chest. My panic rose with it as I coughed up the warm whatever-it-was onto the road, it splashing against my boots.
Derek jumped forward to support me if I needed it, and I held his shoulder to steady myself. I hastily wiped my mouth on the back on my hand, my stomach twisting, knowing what I'd just coughed up wasn't vomit.
It was blood.
A/N: AHH that was fun! What do you guys think is going to happen?? I have some fun stuff up my sleeve!
Let me know what you thought!
Cheers,
- TAAF_