Trustfall || Sanders Sides Equestrian AU

Chapter 31 - Heart Horse

For the first time in his life, Roman couldn't predict what he would find as he shut the car door closed and rushed into the stables. The anxious pressure in his stomach bubbled faster and faster the closer he got to Nexus's stall, until it was in front of him – empty.

Just don't freak out. They must be-

"Roman!"

Patton's face peered at him from the indoor arena. He waved frantically, and Roman picked the pace back up.

"I wasn't sure you got my text-"

"Where is she? What's going on?"

Patton gestured his head behind him, and Roman's eyes followed. Nexus stood on stiff legs on the other side of the arena, together with the vet, Laura, and Virgil.

"She was looking... not great the past couple of days," Patton said, eyes fixed on the mare. "I think it started at the show. Her legs were stocking up this morning so Laura tried to lunge her and she just collapsed."

"What does Dr Marshall say?"

"I'm too scared to ask."

Roman tilted his head in sympathy. "That's why you're hanging back here?"

"... Maybe."

His friend gave the mare another quick glance before averting his eyes. Roman reached out and grabbed his hand, and Patton's eyes wandered back to him.

"Let's go together, okay?"

The boy gave the smallest nods. "Okay."

Roman internally psyched himself up and set off through the arena, hand still holding onto Patton's. He was so sure he was okay and confident about going there until Virgil's head twisted at their direction, and his eyes made Roman's heart nearly burst out of his chest.

Just be cool.

"Hey, Doc," he chirped when they arrived. "What's going on?"

Dr Marshall unplugged the stethoscope and rested it around his neck. "Oh, look, my main source of income." He patted his shoulder with a smile. "How's your disaster of a horse doing?"

Roman couldn't help the giggle, until his eyes shifted to Nexus and it died away. He'd never seen the powerful beast so dull and quiet. "He's-... he's doing okay, thanks. And Nexus...?"

The Doctor sighed beneath his breath. "My guess at the moment is that we're looking at a cardiovascular issue. What she went through just now was most likely heart failure."

Patton squeezed Roman's hand so tight he couldn't feel it.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"We're going to have to dig a little deeper for a precise diagnosis. Have you called her owner yet?"

Laura tapped Virgil's shoulder. "Virge, can you get on that?"

"Um..."

Almost as if on instinct, his eyes locked together with Roman's. Roman scurried to pick up the jumbled pieces of his brain in order to put together a coherent thought through the eye contact. Virgil was a disaster with phone calls and a disaster with bad news – it would be a miracle if he didn't break down doing that.

"I'll call him," Roman blurted out. "Give me a second."

Virgil's eyes softened in a silent 'thank you'. Patton stuck by his side as he took a few steps away and grabbed his phone, as if as long as their hands stayed together, everything would be fine.

They waited in the semi-silence of the phone dialling. Every beep felt like a beep too many, until the inevitable message that the number was unavailable. Roman hung up.