Buried

Chapter 3

Whine

Scratch-scratch

Whine

Scratch-scratch-scratch

I sat up and looked at Digit. He was scratching the hell out of the door and whining at me."Potty?" He immediately responded by barking making me wince at the loud sudden sound. I threw the covers off of me and swung my feet to the edge of the bed. My feet touched the cold wooden floor as I started walking across the room. I walked down the hallway an into the kitchen and opened up the door releasing Digit.

I stepped outside sliding on my boots and walked to the barn anxious to see Justin. The warm air greeted my skin giving me goose bumps as I slid open the barn door and my eyes locked with the open stall door.

"How did you get out of your stall?" I said examining the lock on the stall door. Justin was too engrossed in the hay to even acknowledge me. I closed the stall door locking it into place and pulled it but the lock refused let it open. I shrugged it off and led Justin back into his stall and headed into the tack room.

The tack room was an old small room with nothing much in it. There was a shelf laying against the wall holding grains and vitamins. The only light I had was the green light shining through the small window. There was a western saddle sitting on a saddle rack and bridal hanging next to it with a grooming bucket sitting on the ground.

I looked up at Justin and wondered if he was trained. My dad's friend always said 'before you ride or touch a horse always get the owner permission first.' But in this case the owners were dead so I have to get to know this horse all on my own and so far he was really gentle and playful. When I get him all tacked up I'd probably walked him around before getting on just to see how he reacts to the saddle on him I thought to myself.

I grabbed a bottle of leather oil that was sitting on the shelf and found and found a dirty rag. I grabbed the bridal hanging it on my shoulder while hoisting the saddle up into my week arms. I walked out of the tack room I sat on the floor gently rubbing the oil on the saddle cleaning it so it was rideable.

Boom

I looked up at Justin to see his teeth on the lock and leaning against the stall door. He lifted up the lock and the stall door flew open. He walked out and headed straight towards the messy pile of hay. "So that's how you go out," I walked over and led him back into his stall locking it again.

After I was all done oiling the tack and shaking the saddle blanket outside I grabbed the groom box and set it over the stall door. I slid the halter down from my shoulder and slowly slid it over Justin's face. When he didn't react I latched the halter and started to gently groom him.

When Justin was groomed and tacked up I through the reins over his head and walked inside the pasture. Digit had come in a couple times while I was tacking up Justin but now was lying by the fence sleeping.

I leading Justin around the small pasture only hearing the sound of boots and hooves hitting the ground. Besides everything being charred the cabin and barn were beautiful. I could imagine waking up every morning looking out the bedroom window seeing nothing but pure country. Trees would have there green leaves swaying in the fresh air along with the grassy valley. Justin would be peacefully grazing while squirrels would be chasing each other in the trees, birds would be singing and flying as happy as can be. I imagined the peaceful air hitting my face and took a deep breath. My heart sunk when I got lungs full of dust and smoke. I looked up and Justin wondering if he felt the same way. I broke from my depressing thoughts and finally decided it was time to see how good he rid.

I guided the reins back over his head and laid my hand on the saddle horn while my hand was on the skirt of the saddle. I put my foot in the stirrup and hoisted my self up slowly while watching Justin's ears. When your working with horses you always have to watch their ears to determine if there okay or not ok with what your doing. Justin stood still and calmly as I got my other foot in the stirrup. I kicked his sides and he started walking. I took the reins into one hand and started reining him around the pasture and got him into a trot soon after.

After a long joyful ride I put the saddle back on the rack and hung up the bridal. I gave Justin hay and walked into the house with Digit. I walked inside and stopped to looked at the pictures and portraits that hung in the living room. There was a huge portrait of a herd of horses and foals galloping along side their mothers through a beautiful valley. The next was an old black an white picture of a young woman in a wedding dress and a young man dressed in a tuxedo, the young couple smiling happy at the camera. I assumed that they were the old couple that used to live in this house. The next picture was of the woman sitting on top of Justin holding up a blue ribbon, smiling proudly. Justin was just as proud he stood tall with held high. I smiled remembering all the competitions me an Domino used to compete in.

A feeling of dread washed over me as I thought of Domino. Was he gone with my parents. Or did he happen to survive like Justin did. My frustrations came out as I thought of Domino. I had to find out where I was and find a way to get back home.

I walked back into the kitchen and opened up the cabinet realizing that we only two cans of fried beans, a can of corn, and two can of peas. I stared to panic wondering how I was gonna be able get food. I put my hands on the counter worried, looked out the window and froze. Looking out towards the village an idea started to form in my head.