The World- How It Ends

Chapter 4 - Jenna

I sigh as I rest my hand on the black gelding's black. It's spring and Buddy is shedding his winter coat. I take the curry comb and run it across his side. Hair comes out in the clumps. I feel him nudge my arm.

"Your not getting anymore grain, so go back to licking the bowl while I finish making you look pretty" I say. Buddy is a black paint gelding with white socks on his back feet and a white strike down his nose. He is my life. As one of the few who owned horses before the world decided to kill itself by going to this dang war, I already had horses after the city was bombed. Even though I'm only 15, I'm trusted more for the travel for supplies on horseback. Flaky, my 30 year old appaloosa finishes her grain and comes over to cause trouble by trying to see if Buddy has anymore.

"Ready for another trip guys?" I say as I look at them. Ma and Pa would be proud. They were killed in the first bombing, and thank god that it was the east that bombed us not the west, or no one would be left by their Killers they drop. I go and grab my saddle for Buddy.

"Only him ol' girl. You gotta be good now, Farmer John will come an feed ya while I'm gone. We'll be just a few days. That's all. I promise. You take care ok, I don't want to come back to an empty pasture." I tell Flaky. The Townsfolk think I'm crazy, and quite a few want to take me and teach me to be a proper lady, but I'm content finishing my Pa's business. I throw on the blanket then the saddle. I roll up my jeans so they don't go down past my boots and then pull my brown hair back out of my face into a pony tail. I put my hat on and mount. I sit onto him and walk him to the gate, which I open from on top of him and walk through then shut it. I have my saddle bags waiting by my house, so I canter up to the small one room house I call home. I dismount and grab the bags, then tie them behind the saddle. I have orders to put in, so no supplies to be brought back. I get back up and head off towards the town.

It's not more then a 10 minute ride at a canter to the town. As soon as I enter, a group of people come over to give me their orders. I put the pieces of paper into a satchel and promise many times to make sure that the paper got to the shop keeper. Buddy seems to get anxious.

"Last call! Any one else have orders? " I call also anxious to leave and get away from all the looks I'm getting from the ladies of the town. I'm the only rider willing to take the trail to the other town, it's rumored that the Enemy hides in the woods.

I turn Buddy to leave. "Wait! Wait! Jenna wait!" I hear a voice call. I stop and turn Buddy back around. A semi-best friend is running towards me carrying a bag and waving a paper. "Here, ma's order and some cookies for your trip" Sarah Ann said.

"Thanks, and tell your ma thanks for the cookies." I say. She nods and holds her hand above her eyes to shield the sun from her eyes. Her Brown eyes mirror mine.

"I gotta go. Don't want to get caught up to late on the trail" I say. I turn Buddy and spur him towards the forest. This is where I feel the most at home. In the forest alone, with only Buddy and the wind.

I'm only on the trail a few hours when the weather turns from good to bad to worse. The wind picks up to the point that I'm almost blown off of Buddy, rain is falling from the sky so hard it felt like hail, and the skies darkened till the day looks like night. I dismount and lead Buddy to the shelter of a large pine. Now it isn't water tight, or wind tight, but it takes the edge off. We stand under the pine for what must be an hour before the storm lightens up. I hear the distant sounds of thunder. I mount Buddy and start riding back towards the town. I have another 2 hours to the town at a canter, but the fastest I will go with all this mud is a trot.

"We will be lucky if we don't have to camp in the woods for the night" I tell Buddy. We ride on, I look around every now and then. Buddy starts acting like he's going to spook. It isn't long before I come upon the town. It is a smoking pile of depris. I dismounted carefully. Buddy starts wanting to leave.

"Easy boy, easy. Easy." I sooth. I slide his reins over his head to lead him. Before I take a step away I feel someone grab my arms. I scream and lunge forward, Buddy rears and pulls the reins out of my hands. I jerk my arm backward and elbow the person in the stomach. With one arm free I spin and punch the man in the jaw. He stumbles back, shocked and holding his jaw. I take off after Buddy, who is being chased by some men. Buddy turns and runs in my direction. I run into his path.

"Woh!" I yell. Buddy stops, and trots up to me, neighing. I reach out and grab his reins. "Easy, easy" I say. He puts his nose into my chest and I rub his neck. With him this panicked, I won't be able to ride him. I look I to his terror filled eyes. "We have to go." Within the few minutes it took me to catch him, the group of men have gained ground. I turn away from buddy and run, leading him into the woods. I run until I hear sounds of the chase closer. I pause a moment, Buddy stopping as soon as I do, and take the chance of getting knocked off. I mount Buddy, and spur him into the forest. We are off the path and I have a hard time ducking the low branches and avoiding the trees. I force him to a trot, and then a slow trot. I hear the people getting closer. I turn him left, and then urge him to canter only to pull him to a stop.

"Get off your horse, girlie." A man holding a shotgun says as he stands in front of me.

"Or what, you'll shoot me? You would have a terrible time hitting me through all these trees." I say getting ready to turn buddy and take off.

"No, he won't, Da this ain't one of them. It's Jenna, from the next town over." I hear a boy say. I glare to my left as he comes out of the thick foliage.

"Well, I'll be. It is Jenna isn't it. Sorry girl, my eyesight ain't so good anymore. Mike, be a lad and tell them to quit chasin' the poor girl around." The man, who I now recognize as Greg, say lowering his shotgun. He comes over to help me down. I except his help and stand next to him. I walk over to buddy. He is breathing heavy and his eyes are still filled with terror. I rub his neck and ears.

"Easy, your ok." I murmur. He slowly relaxs, and so do I.

"John, you shoulda known she was gonna fight back, don't do anything stupid now" I hear a man say.

" I won't, I'm just gonna kill her" I hear someone say. I hear the group of men walk into the clearing. I recognize the name, John. He had an issue with my father when he used to do this, and has an issue me now too. I hear someone stop behind me. I turn around.

"Hello john, having a nice day?" I say sweet and innocently.

"I will be" he says and swings at me I dodge to the side and kick out, pushing his leg out and causing him to lose his balance. I duck away and grab buddy's reins, walking towards mike.

"Hold him please" I say handing him the reins.

"Sure um..." Mike says giving me enough of a warning to duck the punch.

I turn and back away, he follows me. I can see the anger in his eyes, and quite honestly I am having fun beating him, because he is always is causing trouble. I move nimbly away from him, ducking and dodging. I don't once swing at him, but I do just enough to encourage him to continue to try to hit me. I look around at the circle of men the seem to be having a good time watching. I duck another punch. He stumbles and falls forward, I spin to avoid being caught under him. I stop and feel his hand close around my ankle. He yanks and I fall. I land on my back. He kneels on my chest and pins my arms to to ground. I smile.

"What are you smiling for?" He asks.

"Oh, no reason" I say then bring my knee up hard. His face pales and he sucks his breath in. I push up and then roll over and get up. I walk over to Mike.

"Thank you" I say. I take buddy , open up the satchel and take out the handful of paper and hand them to each shop keeper.

"Now I should be on way" i say. I turn and pull the reins over his head when I hear Mike suddenly call out a warning. I start to turn and duck when I feel something slam into the back of my head. I don't even feel hitting the ground, but that's the last thing I see be I past out.