One Stride Away

Chapter 11: A Turn In Events

The wind throws my hair back as we fly over the gate. The flower fence lies ahead. It's the second day of cross country training and I am so close to beating the record. Ms. Nicholson said that we are moving onto a harder course tomorrow. I cluck, allowing Olympia to gallop across the stretch of grass.

The water jump approaches and I sit deep into the saddle, giving a small tug on the reins. Olympia's ears flick and she stays completely harmonised with me. I count the strides in my head. Three, core locked and hands still. Two, eyes up, heels down, shoulders back. One, squeeze and up! Olympia launches off and we fly through the air. Her front legs land unbalanced, I can feel that something is wrong and I pull back instinctively, but it's too late. In a split second she trips, I try to steady her, but fly forward instead. My foot is stuck in the stirrup and pain stabs through it. Olympia's bay coat, the log jump, the sky, all flash before my eyes and then I am falling. I am swallowed by the murky water, and slam right into the bottom of the pond. The water encloses me from all sides, I don't know which way is which. It stings my eyes and fills my ears. I catch a hazy glimpse off Olympia's feet, struggling to regain her balance frantically. Suddenly, I am pressed down to the ground by something heavy. I gasp for air, but my lungs fill with the muddy water instead, the weight is too much, it presses me down. Panic overcomes my body. Pressure builds on my airless lungs. My chest burns. I kick and trash, until I can't, I gasp and more water floods into my throat. Then everything goes black.

My eyes fly open with a jolt and I gulp for air, shooting up into a sitting position. But I am no longer under water, I am in the school's clinic.

"It's okay. It's okay! You're safe." A doctor reassures me. My hair is still wet, as are my riding clothes that stick against my skin, I must have just arrived. I cough, wheezing as I attempt to breathe and my foot still throbs with a small amount of pain. I look to the doctor, she is a lady with short brown hair tied back, and glasses propped up on her nose. Her name plate is attached to her white coat and it reads Bridgeson. I keep coughing and it's a struggle to inhale. Suddenly the memory of what happened comes rushing back. Olympia!

"Is Olympia okay?" I croak in between coughs.

"Your horse? I am not sure, you just arrived a couple minutes ago." She sees my horrified expression and attempts to assure me. "But i'm sure your horse will be fine. Now, can you tell me what your name is?" She asks, testing for brain damage.

"Alina Allison Briar." I say, reluctantly, wanting to hear about Olympia.

"And do you know where you are?" The doctor continues.

"Yes. In the Collin's Equine Academy clinic." I reply in between coughs. The doctor nods. Right now, I am so glad the school has their own clinic, otherwise i'd be stuck in a hospital. That would be worse. So much worse.

"Take your time when speaking okay, there's no rush. Can you continue? Are you in pain?" The doctor asks, examining my expression for any signs of it.

"I'm fine." I reply, despite my throbbing foot.

"Okay. Do you recall what happened?"

"I was doing cross country...I approached the water jump and..." The rest is a bit blurred in my mind. A jumble of water, fear and panic. "And I fell." I conclude.

"Yes... anything else?" She writes onto a clipboard. I survey the needle that is pinned into my hand. I'm connected to a machine as well, and there are tubes near my nose, helping me breathe I assume. 

"I was in the water, and I couldn't get out..." It's getting easier for me to breathe now, at least I don't have to keep coughing every other second. The doctor nods and takes a moment to listen to my lungs.