More Than She Bargained For

“What the hell was that all about?” asked Vicki, a bit pissed off. “I fell over something,” Kate informed her firmly. “What’s new?” Vicki laughed. “Now move whatever it was, and let’s put up these horses and get out of here before we wake the dead and get in big trouble.” Kate did a fast brush-off of her clothes and turned to find out what had tripped her in the dim passage. Kate let out a shattering scream. Now she was hysterical, and both horses were going wild in the narrow aisle. Ireland slammed into Vicki as Merlin tried to turn around in the small, dark space. Vicki tried to calm the horses, afraid for her life in the ruckus. “What the hell are you screaming about? Stop before I get killed,” Vicki yelled. Kate’s screams turned to sobs—uncontrollable sobs. Vicki was able to calm Ireland, and Merlin grew quieter as the gray settled. “What is it?” Vicki asked more softly. Among the sobs, Kate was able to get out, “It’s a leg! It’s a dead person’s leg in the aisle. I think it might be Mr. Bastian. I think he’s dead. He’s not moving. What are we going to do?” Kate was hysterically sobbing and screaming again. “Move his leg and get these damn horses in now. We can’t stay around here. Put the horses away, and we’ll decide what we’ll do then,” Vicki commanded. The girls moved carefully into the main aisle. The light was a little better, and Vicki could see Kate shaking, though at the moment she was nearly silent. Just as Vicki started through the doorway she peered down and squinted to see the body. It was hard to tell much, and it was just instinct that made her tap the dead person’s shoe with her foot as she passed by. The leg gave no resistance or recoil from her light kick, and now an eerie feeling overcame her as she approached the open stalls. “We need to get these horses in and decide what we’re going to do,” said Vicki. “What do you mean, what we’re going to do?” asked Kate in her trembling voice. “We need to see if we can help! Are we sure he’s dead? We need to check him out before we run off. What if he’s not dead?” “Fine Kate. You go check him out. After all, you already have blood on you from falling on him. Look at your sleeve.” Kate let out another scream and started sobbing hysterically again. Vicki tried to calm her enough to intelligently decide on a course of action. Kate was in a state that wasn’t going to change easily. The girls quickly put the horses in their stalls and hung the bridles back in the tack room. Then Vicki tried to take Kate by the arm and lead her down the aisle to the door where they’d first entered the barn. Kate dropped to the floor to stop Vicki from leaving. “What are you doing?” Vicki hissed. “We have to know if he’s dead,” Kate replied. “It’s not right to just walk out, not knowing. Just come with me to help, and I promise I’ll do the checking.” Vicki agreed and helped her up. Kate rattled off her list of what they should check to be sure the man was dead. She always fancied herself as knowing about medicine, mainly because of all the health issues she and her family had experienced. Once they were back, Vicki asked if they should move the body into the better light of the main aisle. “No!” Kate blurted. “We could create more trouble for ourselves by tampering with the body. I just want to know if he’s dead or not.” “Then get it done. I’m getting creeped out,” Vicki declared. Kate lowered herself close to the body. It was very dim, but she was suddenly acting the part of physician in charge. “His whole chest seems soaked—blood I’m sure,” Kate said. She groped for his hand and tried to find his pulse. She kept adjusting her hold. “Well, does he have a pulse or not?” Vicki asked. “Not positive,” Kate replied. She began to try other methods, bravely positioning her cheek near his mouth to feel for even a hint of breath. Nothing. Then she took her hand and pressed it against his blood-soaked shirt, feeling for a heartbeat. Nothing again. Kate sprang to her feet, pushing off from the dead man’s shoulder. She wiped her hand vigorously and exclaimed, “He’s dead, all right, and we need to get out of here.” The girls made their way to the main entrance, where they’d started their big adventure. Once they left the barn they ran like hell. As soon as they hit the muddy field they’d crossed before, the pace quickly dropped. With the sluggish footing, the girls started to shiver as the cold air penetrated to their sweat-dampened underwear. As they struggled through the mud, their bodies reacted to the exertion of the stolen rides and the hysteria of discovering the body. The mud seemed deeper now, sucking against every step. Suddenly there was a loud cracking behind them, followed by a thump and what sounded like galloping hooves. “Did you latch that horse’s gate?” Vicki asked. “I know I did,” Kate replied in a shaky voice. The answer came in a minute. The young stallion, caught outside in his pen, had tried to jump his six-foot paddock fence but instead had blown through it. As he ran after the girls, they realized that the thump they’d heard was the stud colt hitting the ground, since his side was covered in a fresh coat of mud. He raced past them and slid to a halt in the muddy field, turning to face them. He snorted at the girls as if to reprimand them for leaving. They stood frozen in their tracks as the colt marched slowly toward them, snorting. Vicki started to wave her arms and shooosh him. The colt halted. Then he reared, pawing at the sky, and gave a shrill scream as only a stallion could. “Stop it. Where are you going to chase him to? If he runs he could get hit on the road or lamed and tangled in some of the old fencing. We have to see if we can take him back,” Kate said. “Are you crazy? Aren’t we in enough trouble already?” Vicki asked. Once again Kate won out and convinced her they had to at least try to take him back. They didn’t realize that as they discussed the issue the colt had been walking toward them again and was now less than ten feet away. The young stallion nickered in his deep voice, as if he needed them and had come after them. Kate walked slowly toward the colt. She whispered that he was fine. He stood quietly, then blew out his nostrils as she took her last step toward him. Kate was startled by the abrupt noise. To Vicki it looked as if Kate was catapulted back about six feet. Her expression was priceless, but she again reassured the colt that everything was OK. She slowly extended her hand toward his muzzle. He snorted again, but this time she held still and waited for him to make the next move. He stepped forward and sniffed, then nuzzled Kate’s hand. “He’s obviously been handled a lot. He seems like a gentleman, doesn’t he?” Kate asked proudly. “Yeah, but he also doesn’t have a halter, and unless you know some magic, I don’t think he’s going to follow you back to that barn like a dog heeling.” Kate took off her favorite pink-and-black sweatshirt and rolled it into a thick rope. She slowly slipped it over the colt’s head, just behind his ears, then stood still to see if he had any strong objections. The colt seemed all right with it, then she wrapped one sleeve around his muzzle, creating a makeshift halter. Kate turned to Vicki with one of those cocky smiles she gave whenever she thought she was hot stuff.