Wild Horse

Nighttime Ride

Brianna looked just as surprised when she saw me. But she quickly smiled a smug smile. "Oh it's you. What are you doing here?" She asked. Her tone went from sweet to poisonous in a matter of seconds. She hated me already, and for what I'll never know. Before I could respond, I heard someone call out from behind me.
"Bri who's that?" My heart skipped a beat. It was Jacob.

Brianna smiled. "Hey Jacob. This is Kate you remember her don't you?" Jacob, like Brianna was wearing his riding clothes. He smiled at me. "Ya I remember her. How are you Kate?"
I looked back at Brianna. This should be fun. I smiled brightly. "I'm good how are you?"

Jacob looked back at Brianna. "So Kate what are you doing here?" I smiled. "I came to sign up for the equestrian Club." Out of the corner of my eyes I saw Brianna make a face.

Jacob grinned. "You ride?" I nodded. "Wow nobody cares," said Brianna. Jacob frowned. "I think It'll be good to have Kate on our team." Brianna opened her mouth to respond but I heard someone call out, "Bri you finished?"

We all looked up to find my father and another man whom I assumed to be Brianna's father walking towards us. Brianna smiled and walked over to her father who was bald and had a bit of stubble. He was wearing a cowboys hat like my father. "I'm finished and Mary was perfect today." Brianna's father looked over at me. He held out his hand. "Hello you must be Kate." I shook his hand.

Robert looked over at me. "So you wanna sign up?" I looked over at Jacob who smiled, and at Brianna who looked furious. I nodded. "Sure I'll sign up."
Richard smiled. "That's great. We'll add your name to list and then can pick your own horse here or you can use one of yours. We compete with other teams in competitions so you need a good horse."

I looked over at my dad and said, "I have the perfect horse." Robert raised his eyebrows as he seemed to understand my meaning.
Richard nodded then turned to my father. He shook his hand. "Always a pleasure seeing you Robert." Robert tipped his hat and said, "same to you Richard."
Richard and Robert turned to leave. Jacob smiled at me and said, "our first lessons for the summer start Monday. See you there Kate." I smiled.

Jacob turned to leave. Brianna immediately rounded on me. "Listen here Kate I don't know what your trying to prove but  Jacob wouldn't look twice at you." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not trying to get Jacob." Okay maybe I wanted him to notice me but that wasn't why I had really signed up for the club.

We stood for a few seconds glaring at each other. Then Brianna hissed, "Don't you have to leave?" I walked past her and said, "I'm leaving happy?"

Finally we were in the truck and on our way home. Robert immediately turned to me. "You're not thinking of taking that mustang to the club are you?" I laughed. "Spirit? Oh no I was joking. Dad why didn't you tell me Brianna was Richard's daughter?" Robert stopped at the traffic light. "Why?" I sighed. "I don't know. I guess she just hates me."
Robert raised his eyebrows. "Why would she hate you? She seems like a nice girl." I remained silent. I couldn't tell my dad about Jacob it would be too complicated. If my mother was still alive I could have told her. The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

At dinner I was silent too. I wanted everyone to go and sleep so I could go out and ride Spirit. Alison asked me questions about the Equestrian club and I barley answered her. Somehow she was annoying me. Since when did she become so interested in my life? Finally dinner was over. I pretended to go and sleep, but every hour I checked on Robert and Alison. They were up watching a tv show that lasted past 11:30. Finally 15 minutes to twelve they retired to their bedroom.

I grabbed my jacket and ran down the stairs. I quickly pulled on my boots and ran outside towards the stable. The moon shone full and bright on the ground as I raced toward across the lawn. I silently opened the doors and walked towards Spirit stall. He was wide awake. He nickered softly when he saw me.
I opened his stall and grabbed a bridle. "Hey boy." I rubbed his muzzle. Spirit seemed to sense my excitement. He pawed the ground impatiently.

I quickly pulled the bridle over his and hauled myself up. I led him out towards the path I'd taken for the trail. Spirit tossed his head. He wanted to run. I smiled as we passed the trees. The night was silent and cool. Dozens of stars were scattered in inky night sky. I saw no sign of woodland creatures. Occasionally there was the hoot of an far off owl.

Finally the trees spread and I nudged Spirit into a gallop.
He immediately took off galloping. Spirit picked up his speed with amazing swiftness. We thundered past trees, the cold wind was making my eyes tear up. Spirit seemed to sense that he was free, that he wasn't caged in a pasture. If it was possible his speed picked up even more. I desperately clung to his neck. This wasn't what I'd expected. I was losing control. Spirit plunged straight into a thick line of trees so that the light of the moon was lost overhead. I begun to lose sense of direction. Desperately but gently, I yanked on the reins, enough to let him know that it was time to slow down. Spirit completely ignored me
Spirit stop!" I yelled but my words were lost in the wind.

Spirit paid me no attention. He galloped faster and faster. All I could do was hold on for dear life. The reins to cut into my palms. I wish I'd brought a pair of gloves.
For what seemed like an hour Spirit continued to gallop, never showing signs of slowing down. I was numb with cold and the branches overhead cut my face, so I buried my face in Spirit's mane.

It was no use trying to get him to stop. So I decided to just sit and stay balanced and try not to fall off which was difficult since I was riding bareback. I pressed my face into Spirit's mane. I felt a jolt and lifted my head. I felt Spirit's legs muscles strain as he gathered himself for a jump. I was still unprepared when Spirit suddenly sailed through the air. I could dimly make out a large log underneath. Then the world tilted as I slipped from his back, Spirit had not yet landed when I hit the ground with a loud thud. There was a loud ringing in my ears and I felt pain shout throughout my body, then everything went black.