A Chance for Change (now published so sample only)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Peggy walked diligently out of the stables as the sun was starting to rise but Chance had no idea which way to ride. He considered going back and asking Jim as he loosened the reins but he felt a bit foolish. Peggy took the lead and started heading in a defined direction with one puzzled Chance sitting on her back.

A small rather old looking cottage came into view and he rode down toward it. Peggy stopped outside the front door and looked back at him. He looked back at her sceptically until Bill rode up. Chance got off and approached Bill who snuffled him suspiciously.

He grabbed Peggy's reins and prepared to tie her to a tree when Bill head butted him. He cursed at the horse but Bill didn't back down. Great, he thought done in by a wild horse, what a way to go. Bill pranced threateningly around him and Chance just looked on confused.

"That's probably not a good idea. Just take the saddle and bridle off her. She won't go anywhere as long as Bill's here." A voice interrupted his bewilderment.

"Okay." Chance answered without thinking.

He followed the instructions until it dawned on him how random that voice was. He quickly turned around only to see a figure that was almost indistinct looking at him. The face looked unerringly familiar and it took him a second to work it out.

He looked at the apparition before him more closely as he felt his jaw drop and his head start to spin. He remembered the framed picture Sam had handed him that night that seemed so long ago. He felt his face pale and his jaw drop even further as he recognised the figure before him.

"You're...um...you." Chance pointed at Tony, he just couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him.

"Yeah mate, I'm Tony Thompson and yes I am dead. Now I'm just guessing here but you must be that Chance fellow my little sis keeps carping on about." Tony said jovially.

"Uh...yeah."

"Well it's nice to finally meet you. I do have a few questions though." Tony looked at his shocked face and grinned, there was nothing more fun than surprising people.

"Like what?" Chance asked quietly, finally finding his voice.

"Just what are your intentions with Sammy? Cause if you leave her heartbroken I swear to God I'm coming to haunt you." Tony firmly stated and Chance's eyes almost bulged out of his head.

"Uh..."

"Chill mate, it's okay. She's told me a lot about you. I wouldn't mind knowing what happened with that Luke jerk though." He looked expectantly at Chance.

"I don't think she would want me to tell you."

"You don't have to give me the details but did he rape her?" Tony asked seriously while Chance flinched at his forthrightness.

"No, but I believe he would have if Sam hadn't punched him." Chance told him.

"Thank God I taught her how to fight." Tony sighed looking incredibly relieved but at the same time immensely sad "How do you know about it at all?"

"She felt she had to tell me. Luke had insinuated he did something he shouldn't have and I punched him until Sam told me to stop." He explained and Tony grinned "I thought she told me everything but she didn't mention..."

"Yeah I didn't realise how down she was either. She can fake that everything is really good and nobody knows." Tony said quietly.

"Really I'm yet to see that." Chance said with a laugh.

"Well there's a good reason for that." Tony said with a mysterious smile and Chance rose his eyebrows in question "You should go wake her up, she's had a long night and you still have to get to school yet. She's out the back so just walk around. Tell her I want to see her before you go."