lost ~ the gone series

three

Blair Ellis had often been scolded by her older sister for leaving the ranch without permission. But today, Blair had convinced Kathlyn to join her for a Friday morning ride. They weren't that far from the Ridge, a nickname given to their parents' ranch by most of the townies, those who lived in Perdido Beach to the south.

Briar Ridge Equestrian Stables was way too big a name for the 100-acre ranch her parents owned. Blair often wished she went to school in the town, but her parents insisted she be home-schooled so she could help out on the ranch.

Fourteen years of isolation from other people her ago taught Blair how to ride very well, and she often rode the ranch's most prized stallion, a chestnut Hanoverian named Nova. But today, Nova was being a pain in the ass.

"Is this a good place to eat lunch?" Blair asked her sister, already tired.

Kathlyn turned her horse around to face Blair. "It's too early, I want to get to Trotter's Ridge by noon."

"But Nova's tired. I can tell. He's slow on the turns and he's staggering." Blair hopped off her horse and led him to a small well. The wells were dispersed on most main trails, since the Ridge often held summer camps.

"Maybe you're the one who's tired." Kathlyn called. Blair ignored her and focused on filling the bucket. She set it on the grass in front of Nova, and he drank greedily. She pet his neck as he did so.

"Do you need water for Arion?" Blair asked as she filled a second bucket when Nova was done. Kathlyn didn't answer.

"Kathlyn?" Blair asked again as she turned around, ready to give the water to her sister's thoroughbred anyway.

Blair saw Arion, but not Kathlyn. Suddenly, Arion reared, throwing up his front legs and neighing loudly. Blair was so startled, she dropped the bucket of water, soaking her jeans. Her sister was nowhere to be found.

"Kathlyn, this isn't funny!" Blair yelled. She groaned and brushed some excess water off her jeans.

Blair tied Nova to the well and looked around for her sister. She almost wanted to turn back and ride to the ranch, but she knew her parents would be pissed if she left her sister out in the woods. She searched everywhere in a 50-foot radius, then gave up and tried calling her. She got the dial tone.

"There's literally two bars of service." Blair tapped her screen harder, as if it would make the call go through.

Getting worried, Blair walked over to Arion. Inside Kathlyn's pack was her cell phone. Awesome. She picked up the horse's reins and mounted Nova. She'd have to tell her parents Kathlyn had disappeared. Just like that, she was gone. That didn't just happen.

Blair was too freaked out to stay in the woods. There could have been a serial killer, or something. She started Nova at a slow walk so Arion could keep pace.

She heard a twig snap, and she wanted to start galloping more than anything. But she wasn't going to leave Arion. He would be killed by whatever got Kathlyn before he died of thirst. There was no water around the mountains of Trotter's Ridge.

Another twig, and Blair kicked Nova hard as a reflex, and he took off, Arion running wildly beside him.

Twenty minutes and they were back on the ranch's main road. Blair struggled to hold onto the reins as the two horses bumped into each other. She loosened up Arion's reins as far as she could go without letting go of him, and this gave him a little more running room.

"Whoa!" Blair yelled and pulled tightly on both sets of reins. Directly in front of them was a grayish wall, almost opaque. She dismounted and left the two horses to watch her idly.