Fate

Chapter Four: Meet The Priors

Wow! I haven't updated in like 2 months! But this has been the most busy, most dramatic months of my entire life... I'm not even exaggerating.. so I hope some one out there still remembers this story.. sorry for the wait :P But here it is:

chapter 4

I wake up and rub my eyes, sighing. The dream I've been having was more vivid than any of the others I've ever had. The dream seemed more complete, and somehow more lucid... Then reality come crashing down that wasn't a dream, not even an extremely lucid one. The sweat country accents, the peaches, Tris all real. I lay back down and let the reality sink in.

Tris finds me like that. She would probably assume I had a heart attack if it weren't for the huge smile stretched across my face.

"What's got you so happy at seven in the morning?" Tris asks, her southern accent heavy with drowsiness. It only makes me smile wider.

"You don't realize how good you have it." I say, repeating my line from last night, but without the venom. She smiles and jumps onto the bed near my feet.

"So." Tris starts shortly. "Because you will be staying here- for no charge may I add- you will be expected to pull you're weight around here." She looks up at me, as if expecting me to argue. "You will have a choice between helping my mom with house duties-" she raises her eye brow at me, silently asking if I wanted that option. I smirk in reply and she gets the message and continues. "You could help my dad in town- he cuts lumber until noon and then he works at the vet office until six. You could be his assistant. Or you could help Caleb and I on the farm. We do whatever needs to be done, caring for the livestock, working in the garden, stuff like that. So, your choice."

Without forethought, I reply, "I'll work with you and Caleb."

She smiles at me. "Good. You start now. But I have school and so does Caleb. You can just go around, get a feel for things. I'll help out when I get back." She turns to get up but looks back at me. "You could go to school with me." She says in what I understand as a hopeful voice.

"I have online courses." I say somewhat disappointingly. I would love to spend the day with Tris but truth be told, I've never been to public school, only online courses. I have no people skills and don't want to start learning now.

"Oh okay, well see you later then." She closes the door softly, leaving me with her smile.

I do as Tris told me, and look around the property. Everyone's gone except for Mrs. Prior. She tells me to look around as I please, and that's what I do. I go out into the back of the house, where there is a small flower garden with flowering trees and walk ways of stone and mini windmills lining the rock. I didn't realize how much land they own, but it must be at least 50 acres. About a quarter mile to the east lies a thin, shallow river with a wooden fence on the opposite side, separating it from rockier terrain that must belong to someone else. in the distance I see four horses grazing and a barn and several off buildings. After five minutes of walking I reach the barn. It's a clean building with five stalls to my left, each filled and each at least ten feet by ten feet, and the my right two alcoves with cross ties hanging from the walls, with hoses in reach. A tack room lies next to the alcoves, filled with around ten saddles and even more saddle pads and bridles. Next to the tack room is an office, with many papers stacked on the desk and pinned to the cork board. On the farthest end of the barn is the feed room filled with various kinds of hay and alfalfa and a large assortment of supplements and mineral blocks. Oats and grain bags are stacked high against the wall. Right above the entrance to the feed room is a pull down staircase, which I climb into. It seems already set up for a living place, but it's obvious no one lives here. A wooden dresser and a metal bed frame sit in the small room. A window takes up the majority of the west side wall, with shutters that can be opened and closed.

I climb out of the loft and go back outside. Right outside the barn is a small outhouse, which is somehow charming. The other off buildings are locked but inside them I can see machinery like tractors and lawn mowers.

I walk farther into the pasture and all of the horses' heads fly up to see me. After recognizing that I'm not a threat they lower their heads, except for one. A dark brown horse with lighter mane and tail. He walks towards me and I have no idea what to do. I've never been outside my city, barely even ever out of my apartment, much less had experience with horses. The brown horse is now right in front of me and he bobs his head at me. I reach out and pat his fore head and he looks right at me. There's something in his eyes I can relate to. I can see that he's young but I can also see he's been through a lot. Some how I feel a connection to him.

By the time Tris comes back I've ventured back to the house and got lunch from Mrs. Prior. I'm stuffing my face with something Natalie calls a BLT sandwich when Tris walks in. She smiles at me and I put my hand over my mouth to hide my lunch, but I can't hide my laughter.

Tris looks at me with a devious smile. "After you get that down your throat, come with me. I'm showing you how to be a ranch hand."

So that's that. I thought this was fun and I'm glad I'm getting back into writing after my two month break :P well thanks for reading please review :D

-annades49800