Meant for Me | ✔️

26) in debt

Monday, 4th September

Z A C

She's got to come back some time. And then I'll tell her how sorry I am for my part in the argument and I'll apologise for getting involved but assure her that I meant no harm. Who knows where we'll go from there but I sat waiting patiently by the paddock gate, flinging stones at the small tin shed for hay. It dinged. Ding, ding, ding.

This wasn't the most productive use of time but I couldn't concentrate on much else when I knew that she was out there, pissed off at me. Probably hurt because I told her to get a fucking grip. I winced and dropped my head into my hands, feeling like an asshole.

The sun beat down on my body, sweat caused my T-shirt to cling and my jeans were thicker. Suddenly, I heard the quick pounding of hooves on the grass, the whinnies of Lavender and the distress in her neigh. I stood up fast and spun around, watching her gallop toward the fence line at a pace I'd never seen from her before.

She came to a skidding halt right in front of me and I watched her, stunned as she twisted in circles, crying, agitated and restless as she ran back and forth.

"Woah, girl, what's the matter?"

She stomped her hoof, started running back to the field, stopped, came back to me and repeated.

Did she want me to follow her?

She came to a complete stand still, a statue, she didn't move for a split second while she stared at me and then she started back toward the paddock.

She wanted me to follow her.

In a matter of moments, I was on the dirt bike, tearing after her. She'd made a head start while I got the bike out but I caught up and trailed behind her, her hooves kicked up dirt and grass, her pace was steady as she galloped, fast, faster than I thought she was capable of going.

We came up to the fence line and as we approached, I watched her stance change, the focus in her strong frame right before she jumped it. So that's how she'd be getting loose without damaging the damn fence. I had to stop and unlatch the gate but we were off across the next field in no time. We broke the clearing and ended up on a narrow trail, trees overhead blocked out the harsh sun and the stream ran high after the rain on the other side of the thick.

It wasn't long before Lavender was slowing, trotting off the trail and through thick leaves and branches. I left the bike running and hopped off it, following her through bush and across dirt, closer toward the edge of the cliff face and of course, closer toward the water. My stomach felt tense, knotted. What the hell was near this cliff face?

My mind didn't even want to go there.

It couldn't be.

Fuck, it was.

When lavender stopped at the edge of the cliff and started stomping her hooves in distress again, I peered over and saw Addie about seven feet down on a lip of rock that jutted out. She was unconscious and a black and orange cat was pacing beside her.

My voice hitched as I grabbed a tree branch and shouted. "Addie?! Ads, wake up!"

She was too damn close to the edge of the lip. It was narrow, maybe three or four feet wide, unstable looking. Another six foot drop and she'd be in the water.

"Shit," I gasped and leaned over again. "Addie!" This was doing me no damn good. I pulled my cellphone out of my jeans and squeezed it. Hallie was at the house, but it could take her a damn long time to find us.

I didn't want to leave Addie in case she fell, but if I jumped down there with her, we could both end up in the water. My breathing was sharp and harsh as my hands trembled, dancing over the screen. Lavender was still making all sorts of noise and it wasn't helping me one damn bit.