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Ben smirked, but urged Ghost into a canter to follow Emma. Ghost was a smooth ride, but Ben could tell she had buttons. He wanted to see what he could do with her, but for now he had to follow Emma to get the cows moved. He entered the pasture and closed the gate behind him. Ben hardly had to touch her with his boot for Ghost to side pass up to the gate. Ben smiled, already loving the mare. He trotted around the herd of cows, making sure none escaped him or Emma. Ghost didn't mind the loud and clumsy cows, and Ben was glad. He'd had his share of spooky horses, and wasn't ready to fall off just yet. He manuevered Ghost around the pasture, keeping the cows in check and moving them to the other pasture over. It didn't take long to get them all settled, and Ben waited for Emma to tell him what to do next. |
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"Two more pasutres to go." She said, riding toward the next and completing the same unlocking gate order as before before starting to corral them |
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Ben nodded and followed her, closing the gate behind him. Though Emma hardly spoke, Ben was having a good time. He learned that Ghost was very responsive to body language and leg pressure, and less responsive to rein movement and bit pressure. She kept herself rounded easily enough, but liked to stretch her neck out when she was running. Ben was ready to try to break her of that habit. They worked until about 9:30pm, corralling all the cows into fresh pastures. |
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Emma sighed once they were done, clearly drained. She checked her phone and noticed the time. "Crap! I forgot to start dinner..." She said, remembering the fight that had broken out between a very drunk Brock and a protective Jeremy after Brock tried to hurt her. She began breaking down, panicking, her horse antsy beneath her as Emma's heart and breathing raced in time. She couldn't see, she was dizzy, it was..all...dark. Emma fell from her horse, River sidepassing anxiously away |
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Ben turned to her, confused. "But you already made dinner..." He trailed off when Emma got a strange look on her face, went pale, and slid sideways off of River. Ben's stomach flipped, and he rushed to dismount and run over to Emma. He let go of Ghost's reins, trusting that she would stand still. She did, and he knelt down next to Emma, trying to see her face in the darkness. The small bit of moonlight reflected off her face, and he saw her pale face was damp with sweat. Ben was freaking out internally, but he tried to keep his voice calm. "Emma," he said, trying to wake her. His voice wavered a little with fear. |
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Emma was stuck in a mental black hole, her heart staccato as she tried to claw her way back into consciousness |
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"Emma!" Ben said, louder this time. He shook her a little, but she didn't move. Ben looked around in panic. River was a few yards away, calm now, and grazing contentedly. Ghost was standing next to Ben, eating grass as well. Ben didn't know what to do. He couldn't just leave Emma here to go get help, and she was in no place to ride. He didn't even know what had happened. Finally he decided that he should keep trying to wake her, and if that didn't work he'd find another plan. He called her name again, shaking her shoulder. "Emma, wake up! Please wake up." |
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Emma could hear his voice but couldn't respond, couldn't get her lips to move. Her phone was still on the ground, unlocked |
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Ben kept shaking her, but stopped when he heard a quiet buzz. He looked down at her phone and saw a text from Jeremy. He didn't bother reading it, but snatched up the unlocked phone and forced his shaking hands to call Jeremy's phone, praying that he would pick up. |
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Jeremy picked up, unsuspecting. "Hey" he said cheerfully |
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Afternoon Storms, then Clearing
