Broken Trust

                                    

                                          

Twice I woke throughout the dark night. The moon's glow was blocked by the trees overhead. I lay on the grass, still. The night was cold and I was freezing. My whole body ached, but I could feel something warm pressed against my back. Dazed I drifted off again. 
                          
The third time I woke, the morning sun was rising steadily. I tried to sit up but couldn't due to the intense pain in my left side. So I just lay there on the grass like a helpless doll, waiting for someone to come and find me. 
                          
I raised my head trying to look for Spirit but I couldn't find him. He was nowhere in sight. 
My stomach churned. What if the reins had caught on a tree branch? What if he was tied up all alone? My thoughts turned to the mountain lion. No Spirit was strong he could fight one off. I was more worried about myself. 
I decided to call for Spirit. "Spirit!" I called. 
                          
Silence. I slowly lifted myself up. I was laying in the middle of the woods. Closely packed trees surrounded me. The grass was green. Several different wildflowers covered parts of the ground. 
As I took in my surroundings I heard a twig snap somewhere to my right. 
                          
I whipped my head around and peered in the direction of the sound. There was a large bush at the base of a large pine tree. Whatever it was, was hiding behind that bush. Maybe it was Spirit? But i doubted it. Spirit was too large to be hidden behind that bush. 

                          
Suddenly a pair of amber gleaming eyes appeared between the bush branches. And a low feral growl sounded. The mountain lion. 
                          
I held my breath and started to slowly drag myself backwards. After a few seconds I stopped. The effort of dragging myself was too much for my bruised and exhausted body. I lay back down on my back, clutching my side. 
                          
I looked towards the bush again. There amber  eyes had disappeared for now. All i had to do was wait. Wait to die or wait for someone to come and fine me, which was highly unlikely. 
I lay my head back against the tree bark dozed off again, drained and exhausted. I woke again this time to someone calling my name. I blinked thinking it was dream when I heard that same voice call my name again, not far from here. 
                          
I slowly sat up. With all the energy I could muster I called, "Dad! I'm here! Here I am!" 
"Kate I'm coming!" called Robert.
I slumped back down in the grass in exhaustion. A second later I heard footsteps. "I found her!" It was Tom. 
                          
He bent down. "Hey Kate. You're gonna be okay." He placed his arms under my back and lifted me up. "Where's Spirit?" I asked. Tom shook his head. "We don't know." I looked back as Tom carried me towards my father. 
                          
"Is she okay?" I heard a female voice ask. Alison was here! My blood boiled. What was she doing here? I didn't have the energy to argue i lay my head against Tom's shoulder. I awake for most of the ride back home. I could see Robert's worried and frustrated expression. I decided to close my eyes and feign sleep. I was not in the mood to be questioned and lectured by Robert or Alison for shag matter. 
                          
Eventually I did end up falling asleep.  This time when I woke I was in my bedroom. The curtains were closed tight, my room was warm.
                          
I looked around and saw someone lying on my beanbag. It was Alison. Great. She was here too. "You know you can leave," I said. Alison stood up. "Kate you're awake? How are you feeling?" Before I could respond my bedroom door banged open. Robert entered and he looked furious. "What the hell were thinking? Riding that mustang in the middle of the night? Did you know injured yourself? A few of your ribs were are bruised badly. You're lucky you didn't break anything!" 
                          
I knew it would come to this. I sat up. "Dad the least you could do is trust me. I can ride him!" 
Robert slammed his hand against the wall. "That's another thing! You ask me to trust you? You who told me you would never ride that horse. Do you know how worried we were?" 
I looked towards Alison. "I don't need you to worry about me!" I snarled.  
"Don't talk to her like that! We'll Kate let me make a few things clear you will never ride that mustang again, you won't go to the equestrian club. For the rest of the summer you'll help Alison with her chores. Is that understood?" 
                          
My mouth hung open. This wasn't fair. I wasn't a little girl anymore. Did he think he was going to lose me the way he lost mom? Tears blinded my vision. 
"I wish you would trust me dad. Nothing happened to me. I'm okay." 
Robert turned and walked out. "I don't wanna hear it Kate!" 
Furious I yelled, "I hate you!" I rounded on Alison who was rooted to the spot. "Get out! Get out of my room!" 
                          
Alison slowly walked out, shutting my bedroom door. I lay back against the pillows. "I wish you were here mom, you'd understand," I whispered. 


                          
~next update Friday happy early new year everyone. Do you think Robert will forgive Kate ? And do you think she'll ever go back to the Equestrian club?