The Beach

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Hannah tensed all her muscles while she stared at the shore. She squeezed her eyes to be able to focus on even the slightest movement in the far distance. She knew there would be more horses finding their way to the land. But she was only waiting for that one horse, that one horse that truly mattered.

And the more seconds passed, the faster her heart started beating in her chest.

She didn't notice that her body was shivering, not used anymore to the cold wind blowing in her face ever since she had left the isle.

The adrenaline and excitement rushing through her veins managed to keep her warm. The adrenaline and excitement and the body warmth of her brother, sitting next to her with his hip pressed to hers.

Daniel had left, murmuring something about finding souvenirs and such, although he probably simply wanted to give her and Charlie some time and space, a moment for themselves.

Even though she had been away for eleven months, it was as if nothing had changed and Hannah wasn't sure if she should be happy or sad about that. She and Charlie had always had an unique bond and she knew that all Charlie had ever done in his life was trying to make her happy.

His entire life had been about her. His entire life, even during the last eleven months when she had been away and living on the mainland, was still about her.

He had no exciting stories to tell. He had not made any new friends. He had not moved on.

Hannah couldn't help feeling a little guilty about leaving him on his own, about not noticing that he was still waiting for her, about not encouraging him more to live his own life, to find out what he liked to do, to follow his heart, to maybe run into a boy who could fill the hole she had left.

It wasn't too late yet.

She could still say all those things, she could still encourage him to move on. She hoped that maybe her stories had awoken something in him, some longing, some wishes, some itching.

But he was still sitting next to her, his hip pressed to hers, as if this was the only spot that really mattered to him. It was both the sweetest thing ever and a little suffocating.

Hannah had been the one holding him back. All those years, she had been the one indirectly forcing him to stay at home. She had not wanted to do so. She had not wanted to be that breakable little flower her mother and brother thought she was. But she had not wanted to be unthankful either.

Not after everything they had done for her. Not after everything they had given up for her.

"Charlie!" A slight movement in the far distance got her attention. "Look!" She pushed herself up a little to have a better look. "There are the first horses!" Quickly she curled her fingers around the iron of the hoops of her wheelchair.

This morning she had attached the special wheels, designed to ride the beach, and now those wheels would carry her towards the action, towards the horses, towards her horse.

She didn't realize that she forgot that Charlie's feet probably couldn't keep up with her new wheelchair, but as soon as she realized that he was not running next to her, she looked over her shoulder with a bright smile on her face. "It's nice to be back here."

Charlie smiled back at her, although his smile wasn't as bright as it used to be, although something about it was slightly different.

"Do you think Bud remembers us?" She stuck her tongue between her lips while she cocked her head and reached for her brother's hand. "Most people who catch a good horse never let it go..." Her voice trembled a little.

What if Bud wouldn't come back to her? What if he had forgotten about her? What if he had decided that visiting the island once was more than enough? What if he had moved on with his life?

"He'll be there, I'm sure about that." Charlie squeezed her hand, but it didn't calm her nerves.

Nothing could probably calm her nerves. Nothing apart from Bud.

"What are you gonna do when he finds you again?" Charlie licked his lips and he seemed a little uncomfortable, as if a thought was plaguing his mind.

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "Enjoying his company for as long as he stays?" She had thought about locking him up, about hiring a box at one of the barns, about making sure he would always be there if she wanted to see him. But she also knew how much she had hated being locked up, being limited, being caged. She didn't want to do that to anyone, and for sure not to a water horse who belonged in the sea. "Cuddle him until he has to leave again?" She swallowed, her voice sounding soft and dry instead of secure.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "You make him sound like a puppy!" He shook his head and Hannah couldn't help grinning a little. "It's a capall uisce. I know that capall uisce has never done anything to hurt you, but even Bud is dangerous."

Hannah grinned and bit her lip while she bent her head. "I know he's not a..." She stopped in the middle of her sentence and held her breath.

The brown horse that emerged from the sea saw her as soon as she saw him. He quickly started to walk towards her. His left hind was still limping a little, but he went faster and faster while he raced towards the girl that had believed in him when no one else had.

As soon as she could she wrapped her arms around him, touched his neck and eventually Charlie helped her to stand up so she could hug him more properly. "You're as beautiful as I remember." She pressed a soft kiss on his forehead and then she curled her lips up into a smile while her glance wandered over him. "It's a pity we can't see if you have gotten faster too." She tightened her grip on him and let her head rest on his side while she closed her eyes.

The sounds of the isle, of the screaming horses, the yelling people, the chaos, it all faded away.

There was no Thisby, there were no other horse, there were no other people, there was no chaos.

There was only Bud and Hannah.

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