Isabel trekked up towards the Warehouse. She listened to the cicadas singing and breathed in the cool evening. Tasting dry desert dust swirling with the humid air, she turned towards the blackened smudge in the distance: the desert that was freedom, freedom to roam the Wilderness as wild, unpredictable animals.
“One day, I will be there”, Isabel promised herself. Turning her head back to the Warehouse, she continued her trek.
At last, she arrived, sweaty and breathless but bursting with adrenaline for this. The sky had changed, a boiling ocean of cloud and mist raged above them, briefly illuminated by a flash of lightning.
“You came”, Katy observed, stepping out of the shadow of the abandoned Warehouse. Isabel turned and faced her, feeling a twinge of jealously and trepidation for Katy was immaculate.
Katy stared at Isabel, waiting for a reply. She tilted her head to one side so that the wind would blow her golden curls out of her face. Shivering, Katy pulled her red coat around her, wishing she had something warmer on her legs than just black tights and boots. Keeping the contempt in her eyes, Katy raised her eyebrows, impatient for a response.
“Why did you do that”, asked Isabel.
“Do what?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Katy sighed. “Please enlighten me to this slight I have done to you.”
“Let’s see. You figured out my Dad was having an affair, you photograph him doing that and proceed to blackmail him to give you money.”
“Seriously”, Katy taunted, “of all the crap I’ve done to you and you focus on that.”
“What?”
“Who do you think planted test answers in your locker? And sent photos of you and your interesting choice of hook-up to your parents. And placed those drugs in your room.”
“You’re lying.”
“And why would I do that?”
The sky broke above them with a massive crash of thunder. Rain screamed down upon them with lightning flashing across the raging sky. Neither of them moved.
“Why?” Isabel screamed, struggling to make her voice heard above the cacophony. The storm lulled.
“Beautiful creatures horses are, aren’t they? So graceful. And strong. And obedient. They’ll do whatever you want once you’ve broken them in. It’s the breaking them that’s the hard part, and yet it’s the most fun. You find their spirit, their heart and crush it into ash to watch it scatter in the wind. Then you know they belong to you.”
“You were the one who drugged me, made my family believe that I’m an uncontrollable addict and turned everyone against me.”
Katy smiled.
“What did Ms. Sci Omnes say to you in that school in England?”
The name reverberated around in the air, increasing the sense of unease. Both girls looked around uncomfortably, as if expecting this woman who had changed their lives with a few words was lurking about. Turning her head back to Isabel, Katy made sure her contemptuous smile was back in place.
“Well not everyone.”
Katy’s smile faltered.
“Excuse me?”
“Heath still likes me.”
Katy’s smile turned into a snarl.
“Stay away from him, he’s mine bitch!”
“He’ll never be yours, slut, not now!”
“Ha! You’re now angel. Who was it who found out that Calvin had slept with his mum’s boyfriend and asked me to use this secret to drive him out of town so Heath wouldn’t lose interest in us, hmm?”
“I did do that, but you went to far.”
“I went too far? You’re the one who cut his brakes which lead to his death.”
“Me! You did that!”
“Err, no I didn’t.”
“Err, yes you did.”
“Why would I do that and then deny it when I’ve just admitted everything I’ve done to you?”
“We’re the only people who wanted him gone and it sure as hell wasn’t me who cut those brakes.”
Katy groaned in exasperation and turned her head to the side.
“Heath!” she gasped. He stood there, frozen. Lightning illuminated his motionless form, playing across his chiseled features, tanned body and rippling muscles.
“Oh my god”, he whispered breathlessly, “You two drove away the boy I was sleeping with because I was exploring which made you jealous.”
“No!” Isabel exclaimed, “Katy did it, she . . .”
“Bitch, it was you! She’s always been jealous of us Heath.”
Heath curled into a ball, rocking back and forth, head in hands. The storm broke again, with howling winds and needles of rain drowning out the screaming.
A gunshot echoed out through the storm.
Heath, clutching his abdomen, stumbled backwards with blood seeping like liquid fire through his fingers. He stared at the girl left standing with a look of shock and betrayal before he fell, seemingly in slow motion for the survivor, backwards in a chute, lost forever. The girl was left shaking, the gun trembling in her hand. The other girl lay dead in front of her, married to Heath by death. Heath, who was killed by a ricocheting bullet.
“What have I done?” she breathed. “What have I done!”
She stood, shivering in shock, her eyes still reliving the moment she fired that thing. Why, why, why, why, why, why had she brought the gun. And now they’re dead. Separated forever. Breathing in, she closed her eyes. Tilting her head back so that the wind blew her hair out of her face, she opened her eyes, making sure the contempt was in them. Turning around, Isabel walked towards the desert plains, a smoking gun in her hand.
