It had only taken about ten minutes to stitch me back up after I had opened my wounds, and after Jesse and I had had our conversation we remained relatively quiet. Jesse had made me promise to keep my hands to myself, he didn't care what happened to Talon, he just cared about getting us all to the camp in one piece.
"If you undo your stitches again, I refuse to fix it" He threatened. I didn't know if I believed him or not, but I wasn't interested in finding out.
Eventually the others came out front, joining us. They were on edge, prepared for another fight, watching with anticipation as to what move I would make next. I looked toward Jaxon and Ronan, giving them a small smile each to assure them I was going to behave
"Are we all good here?" Jaxon quirked an eyebrow, needing verbal confirmation
I nodded, standing and pulling my singlet strap back into place. Blood was sticky against my skin, I needed a new shirt, I needed a hot shower
"Jaxon" Jesse warned, standing as he shoved his medbox into his cousin's chest "Don't"
Jaxon held his hands up in defeat, quickly giving me a wink
"We need to get moving" Jesse told us, adjusting the sword on his back
I nodded in agreement, moving to follow him from the empty street where a poignant smell lingered. Silently, the others followed.
I wriggled my shoulders, cringing as I scrunched my nose up.
There were so many things replaying on my mind, so many things that I could have avoided if it had not of been for Coby who cowered behind a car nearly 3 weeks earlier.
My emotions were eating me alive, something I had spent so long forcing out. I didn't want to think anymore, I didn't want to be so involved with these people. It was driving me crazy.
"So, how do you know him?" Ronan walked beside me
"Long story" I told him, uninterested in talking about it in any sense
"We have time" He pushed
"How about you go first?" I shot, frustrated
Ronan looked at me, his eyebrows creased in the middle "What do you mean?"
I turned the tables around, acting casual "You and Jesse, why do you hate each other?"
"Oh" He stumbled "We just, we have a bad past"
He was full of shit, and I knew it.
"It seems pretty bad.." I sighed, watching Jesse's sword pouch swaying with his movements ahead of me
He shrugged, avoiding my face "We... we fell in love with the same girl"
I feigned shock "Really?"
"Yeah, it got pretty messy" He was being shy on information, a tactic that told me Jesse's version of events was more than likely the truth
"Do I know this girl by chance?"
Ronan shrugged "Tricia"
I turned to look at his face, again, practising falsity "Tricia?" I repeated
He nodded "Like you said, it's a long story"
I felt angry at him. He was being untruthful, he was being sly. He reminded me of Talon in certain ways.
I kept my mouth shut. Hoping our conversation would be over. I had no further interest in talking to Ronan, nor anyone else.
-
Hours later, we had travelled through two small towns. It was becoming clear to me that we were getting close to the border. The roads were widening, the lines in the middle of the road becoming invisible, eventually disappearing. Houses were fewer, farms passing every half hour. I kept my eyes ahead, avoiding any conversation.
Every so often, I could feel someone watching me, whether it was Talon or Ronan, I wasn't sure, but it was uncomfortable.
As sunset neared, I found myself walking beside Jesse at the front of the group. If I was near Jesse, Ronan wouldn't talk to me, and I doubted Talon would too.
Orange and red swirled in the distance, end of day near. The weather was warm, which meant Creatures distanced themselves from the open road. My shoulder hurt, and I didn't need to put any more pressure on it by fighting off Creatures.
I was in my own little world, thinking about Leo, about his smile, his laugh when he and dad wrestled on the living room floor when a body appeared alongside me, dragging me from my happy memory
"I think we should talk" Talon remarked
I sighed and kept my gaze ahead "I don't" I told him bluntly
I had nothing to say to him, not now, not ever.
"If we're going to be travelling together, I don't want it to be like this" He continued, signalling between us
"I don't care what this is like" I spat back, signalling between us like he had
Talon gave a sigh and unexpectedly, he grabbed a hold of my bad arm, pulling me back
I grit my teeth and pulled my limb from him, but he only tightened on me, keeping me in place
Jesse had fast noticed and had stopped, turning to face the confrontation, and soon the others had too. Jaxon looked bored, as did Talon's friend. Ronan was ready to step in, but before he could, Jesse did
"I suggest you let go" He warned, standing beside us both
Talon looked up at him briefly before looking back to me "We need to talk" He urged again, this time with more force
"Let go of me Talon or I swear to god I'll-"
"Now's not the time or place, we need to find shelter before the sun sets" Jesse cut in, sensing my threatening tone and stiff position "Now, let her go"
Talon stared directly at me, his eyes firm as I readied myself. I placed my right hand on my belt where my knife sat, waiting for the moment his nails dug into my skin. I wasn't afraid of hurting him, in fact, I would take pleasure out of it.
Finally, as the air around us grew thick, Talon let up, releasing my arm as I pulled away dramatically
"Touch me again.." I warned him shaking my head, my fingers tapping on my knife suggestively
I wasn't one to make empty threats, times had changed, and so had I, Talon was yet to discover that. If he dared touch me again, I would not hesitate in using force
A minute was spent in stare-down mode before we moved. Like earlier, I kept by Jesse's side, hoping it would deter any kind of conversation. Jesse didn't like conversation, and neither did I, which made us the perfect pair.
-
"There" Jesse spoke, lifting the silence with his words
He was pointing into the distance, towards the right of the wide street
"What is it?" I asked, squinting through the darkness
"A farmhouse" He responded, leading the way
I didn't respond, none of us did. We had found sanctuary for the night.
Personally, I would have continued through the night. It was hot, sticky, which meant there would be small chance encounters of Creatures. They hated the heat, in all forms. But with the others, it seemed impossible. If it weren't for Jaxon having the cure, I would have waited until they were asleep, and taken off on my own. But that cure, it was my responsibility. I needed to make sure it got to the Canadian camp in one piece.
I stood on the rickety wooden porch, the house boarded up with planks on the windows of both two floors. I could hear wind chimes, probably from the back of the entirely rounded patio. They were soothing, yet I knew they needed to be taken down.
Sound attracted Creatures.
Jesse stood in front of me, turning to signal me back, and one with swift movement, he had forced his side strength into the wooden front door, urging it open with immense power as it flew back on its hinges.
Standing aside, I allowed the others in before myself. If there was a Creature inside, or worse, I didn't want to fight them, my arm was too weak. Besides, if there were going to be an attack, I knew Jesse, Ronan and Jaxon could handle their own, they'd be okay.
Talon and his friend on the other hand, I didn't mind dying.
It was as I stood on the porch, listening to the wind chimes, listening to the boys enter the home, that I heard another distinct sound. It was one that I hadn't heard in a long time.
I looked towards the left side of the farmhouse, towards the wooden lined fence where it separated paddocks. On the very edge, even through emptiness of the night, I could see a barn, some of the wood on the roof collapsed and hung off, and then the noise begged again, catching my entire attention.
I pulled my gear off my back, placing it down on the porch. I slipped my knife out of my belt and moved down the stairs towards the grassy paddock in the distance.
I kept low, quiet and vigilant. I didn't want to spook the noise, not if it was what I thought it was. I edged closer and closer, my eyes planted firmly on the barn and what lingered behind it.
The moon was full, giving me just enough light to avoid large sharp rocks and broken tree branches on the ground below. The long grass made it hard to manoeuvre through the area, and I was well aware that the heat would attract snakes in such a place of silent desolation.
The closer I became, the more I heard the sound of the animals ahead. I knew what I could hear was useful, and I was determined to reach it.
Passing around the barn, I saw five tall horses, their tails reached the ground, knotted and tangled with thorns. Their heads flicked around towards me, their eyes large and beady black in the night.
It was easy to determine that the horses being so close to the barn, healthy and plump from the wild grass, meant that they could be ridden. These were once pets, cared for and loved. It also meant that we didn't have to walk anymore. It would make our journey quicker, something I needed.
"Hi there" I spoke towards the curious animals. I slipped my knife back into place on my belt, moving closer with my hands out.
Three of the creatures were a deep brown with small white markings on their faces and legs. The third, lingering behind, was a paint, brown and white splashed over its coat. The last, the furthest from me, slowly backing away, was black, a single white sock on its front leg.
"Easy" I soothed, stepping closer, my boots crunching down on the grass, bending it sideways under my pressure.
As I closed in on the three horses at the front of the group, they barely budged. They were unbothered by my arrival
"If you help me out, I'll help you out" I told the gelding at the front, lifting my hand towards its head. Instead of it flinching away, it pushed its long face down, pressing its forehead against my open palm. I hadn't expected it to be so friendly. It had probably been years since they'd had human interaction. It had been years since I myself had had human interaction, and I was barely able to be in the same room as my own species for longer than half an hour. It reminded me as to why horses were considered to be so loyal to humans.
They could trust and I could not.
Feeling the warmth of the horse beneath my hand brought back a memories, memories from a life that seemed so far gone. I wished that Leo were here, I wished that he too could feel the warmth of companionship from my new friend. He loved horses, he loved farms.
I leaned my forehead on the horses head, closing my eyes as images danced through my mind. I could see Leo, he was sitting on Star with a big smile on his face as my Grandmother stood beside him, walking alongside the pair just in case Leo fell off. He was so proud of himself as I eagerly awaited my turn, sitting on the steel fence watching.
The world I dreamt of, seemed so real, so close. I wanted it to be real, more than ever, but I knew that the moment I opened my eyes, it would disappear, along with the memory that almost had crinkled edges and a faded centre. I clung to the images, eager to remain entranced for a few more minutes, until the horse gave a small whiny and jerked backwards.
My eyes darted open, my hand instinctively pulling at my knife as I spun around, ready for a fight
"Whoa there" Ronan said, wide-eyed with his hands up in surrender "It's just me"
I gave a sigh, and turned back to the horses, who remained in place, except for the paint which had moved a good distance away, its large eyes cautious.
"I'm surprised they're as healthy as they are" Ronan began, moving towards the horse I returned my hand upon
I shrugged, the more I thought about it the more it didn't really surprise me. They had endless amounts of green lush grass, and the unexpected rain storms near every night gave them fresh water. What more did they need? I remembered Gran giving her horses extra feed, and now I wondered if it were really necessary.
"They seem pretty tame too" Ronan continued, moving under my claimed horse toward the distant paint, attempting to persuade it forward
My hand dropped from the horse, my legs beginning towards the barn. There was no point in telling Ronan that I planned on us riding the horses until I knew there was adequate equipment.
I'd ridden a horse bareback before, and it was something that I wouldn't be doing again anytime soon, not in this lifetime, and probably not in the next.
"Where are you going?" Ronan's voice faded as I forced open the barn doors, the strong wood creaking, cracking as I pushed them wide
A part of me had expected to see stacks of bodies, maybe even a few Creatures locked inside. Instead, there were cobwebs and spider-webs, enjoying their free open home. I breathed a sigh of relief, my eyes noticing the saddles and bridles hanging in their necessary places in a corner of the barn. I couldn't help but smile to myself, listening closely as I heard heavy hooves behind me.
"Guess they missed the barn" Ronan spoke behind me, the horses passing us, roaming into the shelter
I couldn't blame them. There was no doubt in my mind they'd been standing in the blistering heat, and the raging storms for more than two years, and when they'd heard the barn doors open, I guessed it was similar to what the gates of heaven sounded like
I watched on as all five horses moved to their separate five stalls, each knowing exactly where to go. My smile widened. They were smart, smarter than the average person thought them to be.
"Well that's something you don't see every day" Ronan snickered
"Certainly not" I replied, my hands on my hips
"There is gear over there, do you think we could ride them to the border?" He assumed, taking the idea from my mind as he noticed what I had
I nodded "I think so"
"There's only one problem" Ronan creased his eyebrows as we walked towards the riding equipment
"What's that?" I asked, unsure
"There are five horses and six of us" He mused with a raised eyebrow
I hadn't thought of that.
"We'll figure it out" I told him, running my fingers along the black saddle's folds.
There were six saddles, which created wonder in my mind. Had one horse died, or had someone taken him? Or was the last brown saddle a spare? I wasn't sure, but I didn't care.
There were enough bridles and saddles for the five horses we had, which meant if the animals were willing, we'd use them to finish our long trek. My hands swept over the cobwebs glued to the gear, pulling the stringy material off before peeling it off of my fingers like I had with glue in high school. My eyes roamed over each piece of material and object, making sure they were all intact. All the while, the horses remained in place, refusing to move in fear of being locked out again.
I tried to concentrate on what recourses we had, but I could feel Ronan's eyes on me, lingering. I tried to avoid his intense gaze, knowing it would persuade conversation, but I didn't like the way he roamed over me, it made me want to run him over with a horse.
"What?" I lifted my gaze momentarily
He shrugged, his head tilted as he leaned on a wooden bench "You used to ride didn't you?"
I kept my eyes back down on where my hands pulled at the stirrups of each saddle. I didn't want to talk to him about my past. I wasn't in the mood. Besides, he had avoided telling me the truth of his own past, he was a liar, a manipulator and I didn't feel the need to express my own world to him. He didn't deserve that.
I shrugged, keeping my voice for more an honest listener
"Are you okay?" He questioned, unfolding his arms, leaning off his position "You've been really quiet with me, is it Talon?"
I scoffed "No"
"No?" He repeated, raising his eyebrows
"That rat doesn't deserve another minute of my time"
Ronan hesitated, thinking a strategy to entice information out of me. I could smell his brain burning.
"Tell me about him" He simply put, assuming we were close enough for direct questions
I shook my head "You want to know about him? Ask him yourself"
"Ouch" He pained "Okay"
I kept quiet, opening and closing the lids of various baskets and containers on a nearby shelf
"I won't push you, but you know I'm here for you, you know that I'll listen" His voice was soft. He was trying to be kind, and sweet. Little did he know I knew the real him, the home-wrecker him.
I just nodded, searching through a container holding brushes of all assorts.
Moments later, he was gone.
For the next half hour, I had squeezed halters on each horse - even the skittish paint. I attached each to its pole inside its stall, making sure they'd be easily accessible by morning. I lined each saddle to each stall, assuming height and fitting to the individual horse size.
My mind wandered to what the others would be doing. I was curious if they had taken down the wind chimes. If they had found food or dead bodies, was there a cellar with wine I could devour on in hopes of erasing my chaotic imagination? I didn't know what the inside of the farmhouse looked like, and a part of me didn't care. Houses were empty shells of a past that only ghosts relived.
Midnight drew on, the moon lifting to its highest peak in the clear night sky.
I should have felt tired, but I didn't. I was too focused on getting the horses ready for morning. Sleep could wait, sleep could always wait. Until I pushed my body to it's limit, I barely knew what it was capable of, and apparently, I could last a good two days without any form of shut-eye.
Smoothing out the thick rough hair of my self-claimed horse, I held back the urge to talk to him. He had his head bowed, his eyes closed as he breathed lightly, his nose fluttering with each breath.
Holding the brush hard in my hand, I made long gentle strokes along his neck, watching, listening to the calm silence.
I settled into the idea of owning a farm once this entire ordeal was over, away from people, owning many animals to keep me company. I would be that crazy cat lady sitting on her porch, swinging in her rocking chair as she vigorously stroked her black green-eyed cat.
Again, I seemed to drift off into my own little world, my eyes on each movement I made on the horse. My muscles were relaxed and despite my bullet wound, my body soothed itself into the empty silence.
And then, came footsteps.
I kept my eyes forward, my mind curious as to whom it was walking in behind me, yet uninterested.
I expected to hear Talon, the beginnings of his apologetic death wish. Or Ronan back for seconds, intent on weaning information out of me. Alternatively, from the corner of my eye I saw Jesse's tall body come into view, his movements slow, cautious.
"Ronan told us about your find" He began, his voice even, timid
"It'll cut time" I told him
He moved around the barn, towards the horses lined along the left-hand side "It's a good idea"
"How are things back at the house?" I asked, curious
If I was going to ask anyone about the house, about anything, it would be Jesse.
He shrugged, running his hand over the brown saddle I'd matched with the dark horse under my hands "It's a sad little house.."
"Sad little house?" I repeated, glancing up at him
"Belonged to a family of six, four of which were young children"
"I see" I nodded, not wanting any further description
I leaned towards the stall gate, shuffling around inside the bucket I'd placed on the end, and like I had with Ronan, I could feel eyes on me, only this time, it wasn't nearly as intimidating.
Swapping brushes I moved on to my horses mane, knots on top of knots. I held the top of his hair, pulling viciously at his strands below, careful not to hurt him and pull at his skin.
"You look like you know what you're doing" Jesse spoke, moving closer, entering the stall and leaning on the wall on the other side of me and the horse
I nodded slowly "I do"
Jesse averted his gaze in between my face and my hands, watching carefully
The silence was bliss, comfortable, but I wanted to break it for reasons I couldn't completely understand
"When I was little" I began, thinking over what I was about to reveal "We would go to my dad's mothers, my Gran's – for vacation. She lived on a farm, like this one" I started "Me and my brother loved it. My Gran had two horses, a dark one, like this one" I told Jesse, pulling gently at the animals mane "And a brown one. Gran taught us how to ride, she was so patient and kind and...." I hesitated, remembering the vision I'd had earlier "She taught us everything we wanted and needed to know about them. How to brush them, speak to them, train them, and then... when I was 12, she passed away" My eyes focused on the mane in my hands "My dad sold the horses, shortly followed by the farm. I haven't ridden since, but I remember every word she said, every thing she showed me"
Telling Jesse about my family, a family now deceased, constricted at my chest, but he listened politely, watching with genuine interest.
After I'd finished, silence reigned and I lifted my head, looking over the horses bent spine to Jesse.
Swiftly, our eyes met
"My uncle was a jockey" He said, breaking the silence, our eyes still interlocked
My mouth twisted up into a small smile. His tone had been casual, almost as though he was admitting something embarrassing yet, intriguing. The man was over six foot tall and I found it impossible to imagine one of his blood relatives to be a small frail-framed jockey.
"He was good at it too" He continued, his own lips lifting "When I was a kid, my dad would take us down to the track, watch him train, watch him race.."
My curiosity drifted from his uncle being a jockey to the fact he'd said 'us'. Did he have sisters, brothers? Where were they now? Were they dead or alive?
"Did you ever give it a go?" I asked, realising my hands were paused
"A few times" He admitted, nodding, pushing himself off the wall, sauntering towards the other side of the horse "I wasn't very good at the racing part"
"If you were as tall back then as you are now, I can understand why" I chuckled
His jaw seemed to shift, arching into a smile "We can go with that"
I bit my bottom lip, demanding myself not to smile too enthusiastically.
As I watched Jesse, his reaction changed, his smile dropping and his teeth gritting