To be a Wildflower

Chapter 10

Chelseaville    December 1975

The winds howled and screamed maniacally through the night as the late storms rushed into Alabama a few weeks before Christmas. While it bought destruction, some believed it was the great showers of the heaven before the season, but Harrison reserved a couple of unholy references for the troubling storm that annually did not fail to ruin his ranch.

Grabbing his jacket off the couch he ran out to his chestnut mare to rally up the horses at the paddock who were now terrified and galloped misdirected further into the pasture away from the barn. When Harrison jerked his mare to a halt by the barn his face dropped in relief at the sight of the cattle mooing and bawling safely in a cluster. Grappling his reigns, while the cold winds scraped his cheeks like icicles, he rode into the pasture where he vaguely saw Rose, a black mare whose eyes were glinting as she neighed in horror at the winds circling the paddock fiercely.

Harrison squinted his eyes and saw a few more horses were whizzing around madly trying to escape the shrieks of the winds. He knew wading into the now lightless pasture was suicide with his fifteen horses galloping around in a frenzy. Harrison's eyes filled with discomfort and fear knowing he could not possibly rally up this terrified lot all by himself with the rest of the ranch workers gone away for the holidays.

The storm was worsening as he felt snow drops begin to pellet against his face and body. His mare, Nyx, brayed and swished her tail violently sensing Harrison's fear radiate through her. Harrison tightened the reigns and relaxed his shoulders realising the last thing he wanted was to be stranded in a wild storm with his own mare tizzy. He held the reigns on one hand and stroked Nyx's mane with the other,

"Hold on little bit longer, girl," he said sternly to her, but the mare who had learn to catch the softness in his undertones slowed the braying down to a low neigh. He did not have much choice hence without thinking further he kicked the side of his saddle lightly. Just as Nyx began to hop into a gallop, a sharp voice echoed through the storm that made Harrison pull back the reigns too soon, that Nyx neighed angrily. But he was too bothered by the voice that he pulled the horse around and saw only darkness and snow pelleting in a hail, blurring the dark void further. He assumed it was the wind and turned back towards the paddock, where the neighing was growing louder. Before he could make a move, a far off gallop became louder and clearer as it ascended towards his direction, until a shiny coated steed halted a couple of feet away from him. He could not make out who it was until the night glint fell upon the rider's face.

"Hope?" Harrison shouted over the howls as a face emerged. Pulling down a winter cape off her head, Hope trotted on her bay over to Harrison.

Before his mind could even articulate how she winded up in front of him, a maddening fury raged in him faster to find her amongst this deadly storm.

"What on earth are you doin' here?" He shouted over the screeching of the winds.

"I'll take the right, you go around!" said Hope ignoring his questions and nodded at him who was lost and infuriated.

"Wh-No! It's too dangerous, there ain't enough people to round em' up!" He shouted, feeling the pellets hit his face mercilessly.

"Which is why you deciding to walk in by yourself is such a brilliant idea?!" She spat back impatiently.

"Dammit Hope, now's not—

"We are not letting these creatures hurt themselves." She stated finally and before Harrison could stop her she galloped past him into the paddocks. The moment she disappeared into the darkness, something went off unconsciously in him like a fail-safe switch and before he could even think Harrison pulled the reigns and hurled Nyx after her.