Adrenaline -- editing

Chapter 16 [Auction]

Holly gripped the bars of Vagabond's new-to-old stall. One more day until she's actually gone. Gone... Holly shivered at the thought. After what Kim had said about her past, Holly was afraid that she would get sold to another abuser...or worse.

Kim walked over with a carrot. Vagabond seemed as if she didn't care, but took the carrot anyway and allowed him to pet her. "I'm really gonna miss her." Holly sniffed.

"I missed her anyway. Whenever she had to be reassigned-like the girly baby I am- I cried. You would think a cowboy like me would be tough and be a man. But real men cry."

"I know..." She mumbled.

"Bye Bondy..." He rubbed her muzzle and walked off.

"Bondy huh? VV? Everyone has a nickname for you but me."

The chestnut blew air in Holly's face, as if saying 'goodbye,' or maybe even 'what are you still doing here?'

"Well, buh bye VBond...sorry, that doesn't sound right." She smiled and kissed her nose. "I'm gonna miss you."

*****

Today was the day. Allisa stood by Vagabond by the small round pen, a gem halter on and all cleaned and washed. Holly stood behind the audience, certain to cry when VBond was sold.

But she cried anyway. Had she really earned a bond with Vagabond?

"Next up, Vagabond at seven years, former owners: Piper's Worldwide Flat Racing Academy!" The auctioneer spoke into the microphone, a bit of laughter in his voice.

Allisa entered the ring, going to the middle to lunge Vagabond for the last time.

"Price starting at four hundred..." The auctioneer spoke his auction language and people yelled, or the volunteers, for a higher price,

"Going once, going twice—"

"YEAAT!" A volunteer shouted.

Once again, no one else yelled. "Going once, going twice...SOLD! Twenty nine hundred thousand dollars to those couple right there!" The auctioneer pointed to a couple who looked nice and decent. "Next up is Chewie at ten years, former owners: Piper's Worldwide Flat Racing Academy!"

"Well Piper must be really eager to let go of all these horses. I mean, more than twenty horses to sell? Pfft! Pa-lease!" The woman in front of Holly flicked her wrist and laughed at how dumb the horses look.

She rolled her eyes and looked at Chewie cantering in the circle pen, his ears back and forward, confused. "Going once...going twice...SOLD! Eight thousand dollars to the woman right here!" He pointed to a woman, about in her thirties, wearing a cowboy hat.

Holly slammed the weak iron stands, scaring the people in front of her, and walked off toward the exit. "Well ex-uuse you!" The first woman rolled her eyes.

She wiped a tear off her face, Vagabond is gone, and it's all because of me. They wanted me to feel the pain. That's why they assigned her to me...

"Hayley?" Piper put his hands on her shoulders.

"You did it because you hated me. You did it because you wanted me to feel the pain. You did it because I'm...I'm nothing to you." Sniff.

"Hayley, you are something to us. Your a miracle to us, and we did it because Allisa needed help. We do not hate you, we did not want you to feel pain...we thought you would understand."

"YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!"

Piper stood still, sliding his hands off her shoulders. He sighed deeply and turned a bit. "Troll Soul."

"What?" Holly gulped.

"I'm giving you Troll Soul. And if you do well, I'm giving him to you as a gift."

"That dumb horse won't replace Vagabond."

"And you said you'll never love her. And look, your crying for her. I promise you'll love Troll Soul too."

"He. Won't. Replace. Her." She gritted her teeth.

"And he never will. Hayley, please don't try to put him away." Piper nodded once, and walked toward the people who bought horses ten minutes ago, including the couple who bought Vagabond and Chewie.

Holly closed her eyes, and let her feet wander. When she opened them again, she was in Piper's and Julia's truck where she traveled with them here. She wiped the tears away and laid down on the black, backseat seats. She closed her eyes once again, and thought about

Vagabond.