The Sisters McFadden

Chapter 25 - My Dearest Josephine

Ashley and Octavia found themselves alone in the McFadden mansion after their parents went out to dinner with old friends of Warren's. Every external light on the property was illuminated. The alarm had been set, the gate closed and Ashley was making popcorn for her and her little sister. The plan as usual was to climb into Ashley's bed, get under the covers, tell stories and watch television until Octavia fell asleep. Ashley was excited to tell her little sister all about Dalton. While still in the enormous open kitchen, Octavia worried about her newly arrived horses, especially her favorite, Oscar.

            "Can we please go down and check on Oscar?" pleaded Octavia.

            "We're not supposed to leave the main house after the alarm has been set," said Ashley. "Papa was serious."

            "But he gave you the code. Please, it's Oscar's first night in America."

            Ashley thought hard about it. She knew it would mean a lot to Octavia and help her sleep through the night. With all the police activity in the neighborhood, she concluded it should be safe. But the police could do little to protect them against the things Ashley worried about. Before she tried to overthink it, she acquiesced, disarmed the system and led her sister outside. Her father had let her drive a Mule many times back home on their vineyard in Stellenbosch, but she struggled to stay on the path down to the barn and stables in the moist fog. It was much darker down in the canyon below the main ranch house but the stables were partially lit.

            Octavia went inside the open-ended stable that could accommodate many more horses than the eleven Arabians her family brought over from Africa. She found Oscar, a light grey stallion, with whom she shared a strong bond. Beneath a single spotlight mounted at the crest of the roof, Ashley stood at the entrance to the stable fiddling with her new cellphone. She wanted to text Dalton but worried Chelsea may see her text on his phone. She also wanted to send him a nude selfie in the middle of night that he could wake up to but she doubted she'd have the guts. An idea she never would have even cooked up a week ago in Cape Town.

            That is when she felt something approach, something sinister. Something not of this earth. The sound she heard was familiar, a person riding up on a horse at a slow trot. The smell was foul. She looked inside and saw Octavia stroking Oscar's brow. When she turned to look outside, she saw an imposing figure on a horse break through the mist. She froze, trying hard not to panic. The horseman rode up to her, halted his stead and climbed out of his saddle. When he dropped to his feet on the ground, it felt like the earth shook. A good chunk of his left shoulder was missing, covered in vile dried blood, but it did not hinder his movement. Ashley did not want to run inside the barn and draw the stranger closer to Octavia. Still holding the reins with no axe in hand, he stared at Ashley with his black eyes through his dirty hood. It felt almost as if he was taking a moment to admire her. In a deep, gruff voice, he spoke.

            "Josephine," the horseman said.

            Ashley did not respond, too confused and terrified to form words.

            "I never thought I would see you again," he continued. "We can be together again. I will never let Victoria hurt you again. I will never let your father hurt us again. You have my vow."

            The horseman dropped the reins and seemingly moved in to embrace Ashley. In that instant, Octavia ran up and hugged her sister in fright. Once she did, the horseman could no longer advance. As he bumped up against the formidable field of energy emanating from Octavia, he was pushed backwards a few paces. The horseman was visibly stunned. He slowly stepped back to his horse. It appeared as if he was now afraid. Without taking his vengeful eyes off the two sisters, he remounted his horse.

            "I will return for you, Josephine," the horseman said. "I know what must be done. We will be together, but Charlotte cannot join us where we are going. I am sorry but that is how it must be. I love you with all my heart, my dearest Josephine. They will pay for what they did to us. I will make them hurt."

            And with those final words, he spun the horse and galloped into the foggy night. Ashley finally exhaled. She was not sure before but she was sure now. It was happening again. Her father had promised it would be safe in America. He was wrong. What had The Stir unearthed, she thought.