Landmine - Post Malone

43

"Fuckin' snakes," Austin mumbles as he watches his heifer fall from his bullet. He knows Dillon will be gutted when he tells her he had to put the lame heifer down. She will cry. He hates it when she cries, it makes him emotional. Emotions have never been a thing for him, that dam woman has made him soft. But there is nothing he can do about it, he loves her. "What the fuck is wrong with your horse?" Louis mumbles. "I don't know," Austin hums looking over his shoulder. He had to tie Harriet up because she was acting up, restless and stamping her hooves. She has not stopped.

"Maybe the snake freaked her out..."

"Snake is long gone," Austin says lowering his rifle and walking back towards the horses. Harriet is bucking and trying to pull out of her restraints; she hasn't stopped since they arrived at the cattle, and her odd behaviour has affected Troy now, too, who has started stamping his hooves and neighing. "What the fuck man," Louis groans when they get closer. Austin had been taught to always listen to his horse; they have a sixth sense, but he is still trying to figure Harriet out, so he is not sure what her problem is right now. "What is the problem, Harriet?" he asks trying to calm her down as he reaches for her reins.

She continues to buck and he has to snap his hand back quickly when she almost bites him. "What the fuck?" Austin mumbles, then has to jump back when she almost tramples him. "Control her," Louis grunts trying to calm Troy down. It ain't working. Harriet almost bowls Austin over when she smashes him in his chest with her dam face and neighs so loudly it leaves his ears ringing. "I don't know what the fuck is wrong with her," he grumbles getting a firm grip on her reins and pulling tight. She calms somewhat and stops bucking when he grabs the saddle and starts to mount her.

But as soon as his feet leave the ground and before he can settle in the saddle, she bolts. Harriet is a massive horse, and her strength is insane; Austin knows he can only control her when she lets him, and right now, she ain't letting him do shit. So he swings his leg over the saddle and clamps down on her as she sends them forward at one hell of a pace. What the fuck is wrong with her? He contemplates digging his heels in and pulling back on her reins but she is making a beeline toward the ranch house. What the fuck is going on?

Then his heart drops.

Something is wrong, and Harriet has picked up on it; he can feel it now as he holds onto her. So he leans forward and moulds himself to her, allowing her to go faster as her hooves hit the ground like thunder.

Nothing seems amiss as the ranch house comes into view, and he can smell the home cooking in the air. The soft glow from the ranch house is comforting, but Austin can't shake the anxiety that has started twisting around his spine, so he scans every inch of the ranch house and its yard as Harriet continues to bolt. His eyes stop on an odd mound near the washing line. They are still a good distance away, and he can't quite make out what it is, so he squints and focuses on it. Then his breath hitches and he leans forward more. "Faster, Harriet," he whispers, his heart now hammering against his chest.

The odd mound is Mitch.

He doesn't know how, but Harriet manages to pick up speed. She is now so fast her hooves no longer make any sound, and it feels like they are flying as she barely touches the ground. It takes seconds for Harriet to get him to the ranch house and then she comes to a grinding halt, almost throwing him off. He jumps down and leans over Mitch. He has been knocked out cold and has a large nasty gash on the back of his head, but he is still breathing. He hears Troy's hooves hitting the ground as Louis bolts into the yard on the back of him. He hears Louis shouting Becky's name. He sounds panicked, but they are on the other side of the house, so he can't see what's going on. Then Austin's blood runs cold.

"Dillon. Baby..." he whispers then bolts to the kitchen door. It feels like the world stops spinning and caves in as Austin rips the door open and rushes inside.  The oven is still on and smoke is pouring out the top of it so he snaps off the safety switch and yanks open the oven door, pulling out a blackened roast that has been burnt to shit.