8 Second Ride COMPLETED

Chapter 23

 June 25, 2015 

Austin, Texas

Quietly, I sit on the porch, waiting for my dad to arrive. My legs are bouncing up and down as my nerves begin to get to me.

I couldn't believe I was doing this. 

I silently watched as the two horse's I'd saddled, graze in the front yard. Flash and Rebel. Both were oblivious to what was going to happen today. Not a care in the world. Every once and a while a small snort would leave their noses. Must be nice to be so care free.

Ryan and Dustin stood by the barn, tending to some of the other horse's hooves before they started bathing them.

My heart about stopped as I heard the gravel crunching under a vehicle. Not long after the car came to a stop and the engine turned off.

Both of the guys watched closely as my dad got out of the car.

"Alaina." He smiled and gave me a hug as I got to the bottom of the steps.

Awkwardly, I hugged him back trying to put some space between us. My father hasn't hugged me since I was thirteen years old.

"Hey dad." I smiled as he pulled away.

"I've been looking forward to this all week. I'm so glad you called me. I've been wanting to talk to you for so long." He smiled but it seemed like it didn't reach his eye's.

"Well, let's go for a ride and we can talk." I told him and handed him the reins to Flash, who wanted nothing to do with my dad. 

"He's crazier than I remember." He said as Flash snorted, shifting back and forth on his feet. Trying desperately to get as far away as possible from my dad.

"He's not too bad. He just needs to get used to you again." I replied with a shrug, hopping up on Rebel's back.

About five minutes later, my dad finally managed to get himself in the saddle. Flash had constantly kept spinning around in a circle, trying to avoid my dad putting his foot in the stirrup. He was desperate to not let him get on his back.

The two of us rode through the woods and I waited for my dad to talk but he never did. That was okay with me.

We stopped by the pond where Kevin's grave was and I watched him get down off his horse. Flash seemed relieved to have him off his back to be honest and stood as close to Rebel and I as he could.

Silently I watched as my dad walked over to Kevin's gravestone and ran his fingers over his name etched into the stone.

"I really wish he was still here." He whispered, painfully.

"Me too." I said sadly.

"It would have been better if you were the one that had been driving that truck." He said seriously. Making me still at his words.

This was a really bad idea. Pulling on the reins, I started backing Rebel up, away from him. Flash was already gone, sensing the situation, and no doubt half way back to the house.

"Your mother never would admit it, but I know she wished the same thing." He growled, his back was still facing me.

Although, I knew how he felt about me, what he said about my mom stung. Sure Kevin was her first born but she never showed any favoritism between us.

"Just so you know, I wish you had never been born. You were a mistake from the moment your mother told me she was pregnant with you." He hissed and turned to look at me.

There he was.

There was the monster I had come to know. He was never gone. Some where in the depths of his dark soul he'd been hiding from everyone. He was showing his true self to me once again.

"There's the cold hearted bastard I call father." I said coldly with a dark chuckle. "I knew he wasn't far away. I just hoped I would never have to see him again."

"I'm happy you did though. Cause he has one last thing for you." He grinned sadistically.

My eye's widened as he pulled a revolver out of the back of his jeans.

Eight seconds... That's all it takes...

One second.... I pull the reins turning Rebel around and urge him to start running for the tree's.

Two seconds.... I hear the sound of a gunshot carry throughout the forest.

Three seconds... Rebel releases a shrill neigh before falling to the ground from underneath me, taking me with him.

Four seconds.... Another gunshot goes of and I feel the pain in my back.

Five seconds.... His footsteps can be heard making his way over to my motionless body as it lays on the ground while my breathing becomes shallow. My blood pooling beneath me and filling my mouth.

Six seconds.... I can see them. My brother Kevin, my mother, Paisley, who are all gently petting Rebel's nose as he stands quietly beside between them. They are smiling down at me as I look up into that beautiful, clear blue Texas sky. There's not a cloud in sight today.

Seven seconds.... My father's body blocks them from my view and he sneers down at me, pointing the gun at my head.

"I'll see you in hell, Alaina." He grins.

Eight seconds.... Closing my eye's tightly, the gun goes off and darkness takes over.