The Sisters McFadden

Chapter 42 - The Abduction

Ashley helped Octavia get the last of the eleven Arabians out of their stalls and outside the stable into the adjacent riding circle. In the event the fire spread down to the stables, the girls could quickly lead the horses onto the bridle trail and away from danger. Still in her little white dress and barefoot, Ashley had been able to get Octavia out of the house, get to her father's Mule and drive down the muddy path to the stables in the canyon below. The ground and trees remained extremely wet after the heavy rains that drenched the peninsula that day. Maybe the dampness would help contain the fire to the main house and the guesthouses around the upper pool area.  

            "Saddle up Oscar," said Ashley to her little sister. "Be ready to ride with the horses down the trail if the fire gets too close."

            "Alright," said Octavia. "Did mum text you back? Where is she and papa? I hear the fire trucks."

            "I don't know. I don't have a signal right here. I am going to try calling mum from in front of the barn. Just focus on your horses and get Oscar ready to ride."

            Worried sick about her parents, Dalton, the guests and even Chelsea, Ashley cut through the now empty stables and made it to the front entrance. Outside now facing up the canyon, she could see the height and broad scope of the glaring fire that was devouring her family's historic home. The air smelt like thick ash. With one bar of service on her cellphone, she tried to call her mother. The call went directly to voicemail. Her mother had not responded to her texts either. Were her parents okay? She did not know but she saw that Dalton had returned one of her texts. The message unnerved her as she read what Dalton wrote: What fire? At the hospital. Chelsea hurt. Find my dad and call me. Love you. Watch out for horseman.

            Before the rag was stuffed into Ashley's mouth from behind, she never even saw or heard the horseman approach. Her struggles were futile. In seconds, the horseman used one long stretch of rope to masterfully tie the gag in her mouth as well as her arms, torso and legs together like a rodeo calf. Only able to breathe through her nose, she started to hyperventilate. The smokey air was hard to inhale. The horseman easily lifted her featherweight body, propped her face down over the back of his saddle and secured her like a saddlebag. The last thing Ashley remembered before she fainted was looking into the black eye sockets of the horseman's decomposed face and sensing both his love and fear. O must have been close.

            Octavia ran out from the main stable entrance and saw the horseman about to mount his horse with Ashley tied to his saddle. He faced her. She felt the sting of terror he felt as her energy started to crush him from within. As he flung himself onto the saddle of the stolen Arabian in one acrobatic motion, Octavia turned around and ran back inside the stable as fast as she could.

***

With red, white and blue rollers flashing against the backdrop of the orange fire, Rex drove with a fury down the dangerously muddy path that led to the stables. Aneke braced herself in the front passenger seat of the patrol truck sickened with worry. While still trying to process the brutal murder of her husband, the safety of her daughters took top priority. As the illuminated barn came into full view about 200 yards away, the horseman rode at full gallop through the path of Rex's headlights.

            "There he is," said Rex. "My god, he's carrying a body."

            "That's Ashley's dress!" cried Aneke.

            And then, a mere forty yards behind the horseman, Octavia, mounted on Oscar, rode past in close pursuit. Rex could feel the shockwave of her vengeful determination as Oscar's hooves tore up the loose earth.