The Fire Horse (On Hold)

Chapter•6/95•

I didn't want to deal with mother. I need sleep. Clay's house is closer to the barn so I pull up on the side of the road, hitting a tree a little bit. The slated house is dark and I let myself in. Its pitch black but I know my way around, we've been friends for years. I hop down the flight of stairs into the basement. Its one big cement room, the stairs cut it in half. The bed is to my left and to my right is a couch and a door to go outside to his stable. He's in a deep sleep, still wearing his work clothes. I plunk down next to him and take off my boots and jacket.
'IM STAYING AT CLAY'S TONIGHT TELL MOM NOT TO FREAK OUT' I quickly text to Jason.
'WHAT DID YOU LEAVE TO DO?' He replies. Why the ish is he awake?
'TELL YOU IN THE MORNING DUDE IM EXHAUSTED LET ME SLEEP!'
I throw it into my bag and kick it across the room. I groan into Clay's pillow.
"Shut up! Go to sleep" He mumbles. The next forty-eight hours will be havoc.

"Clay" I murmer.
"Yeah"
"Will you go make me food?" I plead.
"No"
"Why not?"
"Because I told you to stay away from the Fire horses and then you went out and caught one" His tone is agitated. Like my mother, he has strong opinions about the horses.
"There harmless" I joke.
"They kill. They killed your father and they're gonna be the end of the you"
I put my arm on his shoulder.
"Stop worrying. My Fire horse won't be the end of anyone or anything. I promise"
"Pinky?"
I clutch his pinky in mine, a reoccurring joke from when we were kids.
"Well I have to go out to the barn all day, but do you wanna sneak a trail ride first?" I taunt. He has to agree. We never have time to ride together. I jump up and put my coat on. He changes and I go upstairs.
"Good morning Cass" His mother says in a sing song voice.
"Good morning Mrs.Charice" I say politely. She's used to seeing me often, me and Clay have been best friends for six years. She has a plate of toast, eggs, and bacon out on the circular cedar table. I grab a slice and smear on some homemade strawberry jam. Minutes later Clay comes up wearing a green jacket over his brown hoody. He pours two glasses of coffee and does his caffinated magic. I steal one from beside him as he sits at the table.
"Wanna go down to the lake?" He asks.
"I thought we could take the back trail and then go through town. There's some stuff I have to get" I offer. He agrees. We finish off the coffee and head outside. Its a humid day, the grass and trees are soaked with dew. He shoves his hands in his pockets as we walk toward the small paddock and leaning outdoor shelter. My phone buzzes irritably.
'WHERE R U?'
'RELAXE JASON IM GOING OUT WITH CLAY. DO YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM TOWN?'
'I DONT BELEIVE U'
I roll my eyes and snap a picture of me and Clay.
"What are you –"
I click send on the blurry image and stuff the device in my jacket pocket. I'm wearing a blue T-shirt and it becomes hot from the humidity. A mare trots happily to my best friend as we near the fence. Her bay coat glistens in the sunlight. I climb the short fence and pat a dark brown pinto gelding. They're delighted to be ridden. We tack them up in worn western saddles. As I take a form grip of the leather horn and hoist it into his back all I can think about is Labsent riding the friendly Fire mare. He had said he rode in the western division but nothing more.
Galligur, the exitable pain gelding's saddle pad is short and dark blue. It takes awhile to tack them up but we're eventually in the saddles. Their other horse, a dun Clydesdale is solem to be left behind. He understandably can't be ridden due to his exesive size. I press lightly with my legs and bunch the reins in my left hand.

"Come on Cass!" Clay calls from further along the trail. Galligur is exited to be out. I can only imagine the last time he was ridden. I push him into a steady canter. Clay looks like he belongs. I forget how skilled a rider he is. If only he could be in the saddle more often, out under the shade of the trees. Where only the distraction is the birds. We soon catch up with him. I do not belong here. On the back of this horse, or any horse for that matter. I want to dance in flames. Clay grins wildly. Something my eyes have been deprived of for months. And now we're both faltherless. I can only imagine the pain of seeing me go through what he went through two years ago. We trot along the dirt, forming a trail from decades of hoofprints. I can see the backs of buildings already through gaps on the trees. The sound of clinking hooves on the cobble and peoples voices carries through the bramble.
"C'mon Ria" Clay coos. We turn onto a short wooden bridge. Galligur becomes uneasy under it. I click him on and pat his neck reassurintly even though this will not calm his taut nerves, or mine for that matter. The path turns to the flattened rocks separated by mortar. I sigh. I never did like downtown Skarsmoth. Shops and store fronts line the sides of the roads. Lanterns line the side of the streets, hanging from poles and signs, anywhere really. Of course there's no need for them at this hour.
"What do you need to get?" Clay asks. I don't want to damper the mood.
"I took all our pay from last week, I'm gonna buy some stuff from the bakery and make a cake or something" I explain. He nods and follows me through the hoards of people lined up outside of the fabric shop. I also need to get in there, dye and yarn will be to expensive at the festival. We park the horses outside of the bakery. I tell Clay to stay with them. I throw some oranges and all the other stuff I need to bake a cake in a saddlebag. Its three coins for it all. I reluctantly hand over the money. Our spending money is slowly decreasing, dads crops used to pay for most of it all but I fear since that's no longer option that we may have to sell the house. It seems everything is falling to ruins ever since his funeral. I scurry to shove the supplies into Galligur's saddlebag.
"Hey I think I might poke around down there, you don't mind?" He raises his eyebrows.
"Course not. I'll meet you at the bridge say, eight...forty?"
He nods in agreement and swings into the saddle, trotting off in the opposite way. I pull out my phone, letting the pinto gelding pick at the grass growing from cracks in the stones. I sling his reins through my arm so they rest in the crook of my elbow and I don't have to worry about him wandering off. The device springs to life.
8:12
That gives me plenty of time.
'IF YOUR REALLY IN TOWN PICK ME UP SOME CINNIMION STICKS'
He'll do anything for the fresh delicacy of his. Even if he can't spell it right.
I bring Galligur around the corner and tie him up outside of a shop. The windows are big and round so I can keep an eye on him, even if they are coated in a layer of dust. Its a small place, shelves and cuboards jammed into every possible open spot. I throw some cinnamon sticks into a bag. They're long and fresh. With delightful savoury brown sugar on the top. My stomach groans at me greedily. I buy some apples too, even though I can't afford it. There's apples and carrots every where, horses are hungry creatures. Galligur shakes his mane in delight. I put the fruit in front of him so he doesn't get bored as I enter the next shop. Its fancy. The smell of fresh leather lingers in the air. Helmets and gloves line the walls neatly. I pass them by without stealing a glance. I stop at an open room of saddles. I sigh and look at the prices. To expensive. The seat are made from some fire proof material and they're customary.
"Cass?" A voice calls. I whip my head around. A pretty girl stares back at me. Her wavy ginger hair frames her freckled face. She's wearing a toothy grin.
"Hi Stacy" I say politely. She slides over to me.
"Why are looking at-oh my god! You caught a Fire horse!" She chirps.
"Shhhh!"
She whispers an apology.
"What's his name?" She pesters. She's such a sweet girl. Ive not often found myself alone with her when Jason's not around but they've been dating for a few months and we're pretty close friends.
"I don't know yet" I say truthfully.
"Ooh this ones pretty" She comments, gliding her fingers across a charcoal black one. I can already tell it would fit me perfectly. I wince and glance at the price.
"Way to much" I say.
"But its perfect! It'll look great with red" She's right. It is perfect.
"Fine!" I cave and pull it off the shelf. I have barely enough to pay for it. As the fair haired employee is taking my money Stacy disapears. She returns moments later with a saddle pad draped over her arm. Its majesticially black like the saddle with red lining.
"Whoa, I cannot afford that too" I hold my hands up in defense. She pulls some cash out of her skinny jeans pocket and hands it to the cashier.
"Stacy-"
"No, let me, as a...gift for catching a horse" She flashes me a genuine smile. I then realize I have no where to put these. She buys a new blanket as well, a striped red one for her Arabian Veenita who will be one of the dressed up horses prancing around in the festival celebrations. We walk out together. Honestly its nice to hang around with another girl but only once and awhile. We both look around confused, she doesn't have a car and I left mine at Clay's. She takes hold of Galligur's reins and leads him a long the rode.
"Cass!" An accented voice chants. I turn to see a familiar face. He waves and ushers me over.
"Hey Labsent" I greet.
"Need help with that?" He offers, gesturing to the open truck window. A big steel trailer is hooked onto the back. An engraved picture is lasered onto the side.
An image of a fire and underneath is written in big bold letters:
FLAMES
He takes the tack from us and puts it into the passenger seat of the shiny black car.
"Nice choice" He observes, taking the saddle gently from my hands.
"I'm Labsent" He informs, facing Stacy.
"Stacy" She says. A shrill whinny pierces the air.
"I gotta go, Thiz is in the back, we're bringing her to the barn's arena to practice. I'll stick around to help you with your stallion if you want?" He offers casually, scratching the back of his neck.
"Yeah that'd be great" I say with an involuntary smile. He hops into the seat and revs the engine. We wave him off.
"Uhhh excuse me" Stacy begins. I turn to face her.
"Details please! Who was that! He was absolutely gorgeous"
I chuckle.
"Wait why are you checking out some guy when you have a boyfriend?" I grin in a non hostile way.
She rolls her bright green eyes.
"Not for me, for you!"
"And girl your lucky, he totally likes you"
"Pffft!" Imagine that, a boy actually liking me.
"You'll see it eventually" She shrugs and walks off. I quicken my pace to follow.