Summer Dreams

Chapter Six

Remi woke me up with a series of really sharp barks and pawing at my shoulder. I shooed her away, half asleep. She barked again and jumped down and ran towards my door and scratched at it. A groan escaped my mouth as I moved the blanket off of me and walked after her. I grabbed my phone from the Iphone dock and stuffed it into my pocket before walking towards the door and reaching for the knob. My hand wrapped around the door and twisted the knob. Remi nosed it open before I could even move it, and she bolted down the steps and towards the back door. I yawned and used my fingers to slightly unknot my hair as I walked down the steps and to open the second door for Remi.

The glass screeched as it moved in the rut, and the border collie ran outside once she was able to fit through the opening. I shut the door behind me, then forgot that I needed shoes to walk around. So the door opened and I let myself in again and walked towards where we kept our shoes. I found my Converse next to a pair of old boots with a note that said 'For Marley' on it. I sat down to put my shoes on, but picked up the boots before my converse. I looked them over and tried them on. They had my name on them, so they had to be mine, right?

The boots were a perfect fit. So I tossed my converse to the side and just walked outside in the clothes from yesterday and my new boots. I found Remi was still sniffing around in the grass, trying to find the perfect spot. I laughed and walked out of the mini yard and onto the actual ranch. I needed to find Luke, and I needed to find him before I forgot what the topic I needed to talk to him about was.

My feet carried me towards the barn and corrals again, thinking and hoping that he would be there again. Long story short, he wasn't in or around the barn. I sat down outside of Hustler's stall, talking to the horse on the inside. He would occasionally nicker back, but nothing else would come from him.

"Do you know where he is, Hustler?" I leaned my head against the wooden stall, and loud whinny came from his stall. I scared me, so I jumped up and turned around to see him through the bars. "You okay, dude?" He breathed and bobbed his head before turning to the water in his stall. I shrugged and turned around, figuring I would just go search again. But when I turned around, I saw that Emily girl with a horse connected to her by a rope. I rolled my eyes and just walked away. She yelled after me, small insults hitting my back. I raised my hand with the middle finger raised high and directed it back to her as I walked out of the barn.

I walked around the corral and walked down a path with large hoofprints on it. They were faded but looked slightly new. But I figured I would just wander as I looked. The trees above me loomed high, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves on the branches. The light made the ground mottled in sun. My right foot fell in a hoofprint and twisted, dragging me towards the earth. I yelped and reached my hands forward to catch myself as I fell. The dirt hit my hands and I rolled onto my side. I lied there for a moment, feeling no pain. I sat up and looked around, seeing if anyone saw me fall. As if anyone would actually be in these trees.

I put my knee up and pushed on it as I stood up. I brushed the dirt off my pants and butt before walking off again. I found a blue flannel folded neatly on the ground, and I recognised it as Luke's. I yelled out his name, wondering if he was over here.

"Luke! Luke?" I cupped my hands so I sounded louder, and all I got was a neigh in response. I walked forwards, seeing a large white shape with something on it's back. The trees cleared out and there was a large opening with a huge square track. In the middle was a massive white horse, a little taller than Hustler. It's mane fell over on both sides and around its hooves had a plume of fur that covered its feet. The horse's tail was long, and barely touching the ground, but it was brushed recently. On its back, was Luke in a white shirt and blue jeans. He held the reins to his chest and he was breathing deeply.