The Night When They Arose

When we lead the horses out side their ears perked up. “How often do the horses get exercised Lance?” I asked him.

He lead Thunder forward, I did the same. “Once a day. ―Thanks to you I’m killing two birds with one stone.”

I giggled. “Ya huh okay. Where are we going?”

He grunted, as he hoped up into the saddle. “Pretty far out,”

I mounted as well. “Oh alright,” I looked over at him.

He flashed a smile. “You ready Alice?”

I shivered once again. “Sure, sure.” I clicked once and Bay Berry started to walk.

Lance did the same. He caught up to me with in a few steps. “Are you up for a gallop?”

“Always.” We both encouraged our horses to gallop.

They broke off into a canter then finally started to gallop. It was exhilarating, with the wind against my face. I closed my eyes and let Bay Berry take control for a quick minute. ―When I opened my eyes Lance was ten feet ahead of me. The forest was approaching quickly. The clouds were also approaching quickly.

“Lance!” I yelled into the wind.

He looked back at me. “What!”

“That storm is coming fast!” I yelled once more into the wind with my eyes set on the dark clouds.

Lance slowly pulled back on Thunder, and paced himself with me. “What, are you too scared to go on?” He asked me, with a grin across his face that instantly made my heart flutter like a humming birds wings.

“No.” I stuttered. “I’m just concerned that we’ll get caught up in the storm.”

He casually rolled his eyes. “Fine we’ll go back if you’d like.”

“Thank you.” I said as I turned my horse around.

“Race you back.” Lance declared. He smiled at me again, which gave me more goose bumps.

“You’re so on.” I put Bay Berry to the test. I kicked her in the flanks. “Run like there is a big tub of oats in the stable with your name on it.” I encouraged. She thrust forwards with great speed.

Lance once again was ahead of me. I knew he thought he was all that, or if he wasn’t he was sure putting on a good show.

Up ahead I noticed a log. I moved the reins slightly to the direction of the fallen tree. Bay Berry noticed it and started to speed up even more. I was soon close to Lance. The log was getting closer I eased up on the reins. Bay Berry slowed down an insignificant amount. The log was now in jumping range. I inhaled quickly as I realized that I wasn’t using an English saddle, I had only done jumping in an English saddle. Not the smartest thing I’ve ever done...

We soared over the log, and landed softly with a thud, and a oomph. Lance looked back at me I smiled to let him know I was okay. As I smiled lightning streaked across the once blue sky.

“Hurry!” Lance yelled at me from behind.

I rolled my eyes. “Giddy up!”

The stable was now in clear view. As a moral rule, you were never supposed to run a horse to their housing, because it would teach them to run home all the time. About fifteen meters from the stable I slowed Bay Berry down. Lance whizzed by me not stopping until he reached the doors, then he dismounted.

“Show off…” I muttered under my breath.

Lance looked back at me, with the slightest bit of irritation on his face. He grabbed the reins from Thunder’s neck, and led him to the tack room. As they turned the corner I dismounted and followed in the same suit.

I sighed as I entered the tack room. Lance already had Thunder unsaddled.

Lance looked at me for a brief second. Then he went back to brushing Thunder’s coat. “Nice landing.” He huffed.

“Mmmm,” I nodded.

“Look,” he said abruptly. “I am trying to be nice, the least you can to is acknowledge that.”

“Okay!” I whined. This friendship would never be an actual friendship.

”Just shoot me already.” Lance said in a low voice.

“Why should I shoot you?” I asked.

“Not you,” he said harshly, almost hurting my feelings. “Your brother.”

“What’s wrong with the blow head now?”

“He was watching us; your dad is coming…”

I sighed while I rolled my eyes. “What’s wrong exactly?”

“ALICE!” My dad shouted from the front of the stable.

“Lance,” he looked up at me. “Could you take care of Bay Berry for me?” I asked. He responded with a quick nod.

“Yes daddy?” I asked as I walked towards the front doors.

“What in hell’s name do you think you were doing?” He shouted at me some more.

Travis was by his side with a triumphant smile on his face.

“Well, first of all I have no clue what you mean by that. And Travis you better wipe that smile off your face!” I shouted at my brother, who is a blow head…

“I mean it’s storming out there and you were jumping?”

“Oh, yea I was just trying to get ahead of Lance, I didn’t know Thunder was that fast.” After I spoke we all heard two sets of hooves on the stable floors. “Thanks Lance!” I called over my shoulder.

I heard him sigh. I just had to giggle.

“A-”

“Shut up Travis!” Then I remembered that Travis was snooping again in my emails. “Daddy may I say something?”

“Sure I guess…”

“Travis was reading my emails again!” I pouted.

A dark booming laugh came from Lance who was now on this way over to us. “He reads your emails?”

“Lance this is not your discussion.” My father scolded.

“Yes sir, sorry sir.” Lance looked down at his feet. “Mr, O’Brian, sir, may I go home now?”

“Sure I guess so.” My dad dismissed Lance.

“Daddy may I go too, please?” I slightly begged.

“Yea yea… Travis get into my office, now.” My dad pointed towards his office that was built into the stables.

I smiled, and skipped off, humming to myself.

I didn’t realize Lance was beside me until he spoke. “We The Kings?”

“What about them.” I skidded to a stop.

“Well your brother told me that you weren’t particularly fond of their music. But yet here you are humming one of their song.” Lance pointed out.

“Well,” I stuck up my chin. “What do you know about me?”

“Not enough.” He looked to his left as he mumbled to himself.

I rolled my eyes. “Are you going to school tomorrow?” I asked morbidly curious.

“Why should you care?” He snapped at me, bringing his face no more than a foot from mine.

“Well sorry if I was curious!” I snapped back, narrowing the distance between our faces. We were less than six inches apart. His breath was not as disgusting as I thought it would be, it was slightly intoxicating. I leaned in.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He asked me.

“Mmmm?” I inhaled his sweet intoxicating breath.

“Alice?” He stood further back now.

I opened my eyes, and almost fell flat on my face due to shock. But Lance caught me. “Thanks,” I said shyly.

He grunted, and stalked off towards his car.

“Lance! Wait!” I called out to him.

“What?” He said very flatly.

I tried to think of something to say to him, but being the little sheep that I am I couldn’t say what I wanted to. I flipped my hair around. Then I noticed his eyes change from a really dark gold to onyx. “See you tomorrow.” I said confused, yet shyly.

I watched him leave, and then ran into the house.