Just a Little Bit of Love, Barrels, and Horses

Chapter 8

I have never felt so scared in my entire life. I knew what my dad was capable of. When he went to jail he was supposed to go for 20 years. Then somebody paid half a million dollars to bail him out. And that person was my mom.

FLASHBACK

When I heard the door slam shut at 3 am I knew that my dad was drunk and it wasn't safe. I was 10. My dad came to my room and yanked me out of my bed by my hair.

"Come on you little brat. Say a word and I'll beat you even harder," he said gritting his teeth. I tried to fight him, but even though he was drunk he was still stronger than me. He grabbed his belt off the wall and hit me with it. He hit me so many times that he even got sick of it. So he went to his fists. He punched and kicked me. My sister came downstairs. I was the only one that saw her. My dad was to busy punching me.

She motioned for me to be quiet and she grabbed her phone and dialed 911. She and the cops saved my life because right when the cops showed up he had a knife out and was ready to kill me.

BACK TO REALITY

"McKenna we are here," my sister whispers. I nod and quickly hop out. I get magic and Dakotah out and put them in their stalls. I give them fresh water and hay. I go back outside to clean the trailer when I heard voices.

"She's going to kill you dude. Do you know how feisty and tough she is?" The guy asks. I recognize that voice. I still grab my hand gun that I have and slowly creep up to them. I hold the gun to the dudes head.

"Who the hell are you? And what are you doing here?" I ask confident hiding the fact that I am freaking out on the inside.

"Jesus Christ O'Brien! It's me and jake!" Alec says clearly scared.

"You scared me!" I told them.

"You're the one coming at us with a gun!" Alec yelled.

"Touché. Now why are you guys here?" I ask them curious. They both look at each other. "Spit it out guys come on," I say impatient.

Alec sighs. "We need a place to stay. So we followed you guys home. Can we stay here just for the night?" Alec says all in one breath. I hesitate. I don't even know these boys very well. They might be serial killers for all I know.

As if they could read my mind jake says "we aren't going to kill you in your sleep," he says chuckling.

"Fine. Guest rooms are upstairs. Be quiet my sister is sleeping. I will take your horses,

I say.

"Kay night,"Alec says. As Alec is walking away he looks over and says "Thanks O'Brien," I just nod my head. After they leave I take their horses and put them in stalls. I give them fresh hay and water. I go to Magics stall and step in and lock the gate. I lay down and rest on his belly. He looks at me and nickers softly. I thought about all the events that happened today. Winning all that money, my dad showing up at the rodeo, and that text. How could my life be so awesome, yet messed up? As I was thinking about my life my eyelids started to get heavy. I welcomed the slumber that took me.