Love Never Gives Up (Changed) 1

Chapter Sixteen

The next morning I throw on one of Jake's hoodies and get up early to check on the filly and to go for a small ride by myself. Once I reclean and rebandage her wounds I head out on the same path where we found the filly. I hear another horse neigh and turn in that direction. I wanna see the wild horses that run through here everyday. I see them. Mixture of paints, and chestnuts. Beautiful horses no matter what. Then I notice the same mare from yesterday. I tie my horse up to a nearby branch and I start walking towards the herd. I carefully climb down a small cliff. I only wanna get a closer look. I promise myself only looking, yet I know I'm lying to myself right there. I'm gonna wanna connect with at least one of them. It's what I always do.

Ten feet away from them. I feel my heart pounding and I have this crazy thought that the horses can hear it. I hear a earth splitting crack. I drop to my knees and look everywhere. My eyes notice two guys on atv's with some type of rifles. One dude has a yellow atv, very scary looking gun, and eyes that could burn a hole in your head. The other dude is the same way, but he has a beard, red atv, and as not a scary gun. They're about fifty feet away from the herd and I. I don't need them spooking and running towards me or any of them getting shot. I stand up and get in the men's point of view. I scream at the top of my lungs, "Leave them alone!! Don't you dare shoot them!!!" The guy with the scary gun sees me and tells the other guy. Oh shit. I turn and start running towards the cliff. I hear them accelerate and it feels like they're right behind me. I quickly sneak a quick look behind me. They're a good thirty, twenty feet behind me. Yet I'm still a good distance from the cliff. I hear another crack, then I feel a sharp pain in my right shoulder and then I feel a bullet go right past my head. I pump my legs faster and I immediately feel a burning pain in my shoulder. I tighten my jaw and run as fast as my legs let me. Finally I get to the cliff and start trying to climb. Then I feel someone's hand on my ankle. I glance down and see the scarier guy smiling at me. His smile is evil and nerve racking. I try to pull my leg outta his grasp but he has a strong grip. I start to climb down then kick him in the face. He lets go for a second and grabs hold of his face. "You little bitch! Randy, what are you doing? Shoot that fucking kid, she can't get away. She'll tell everyone what we're doing." The other dude, apparently Randy, drops his rifle and quickly tries to load his gun yet jams it and that is my gateway to get outta here. I hear the gun get cocked, then I quickly climb faster. I make it back on top when the guy shoots. I jump and feel the adrenaline and fear run through me still. I get farther away from the edge and look back towards the herd. Thankfully with the atv's, and the guns going off they bolted. I'll need to tell someone about what these men are doing.

I mount back on my horse and head back to camp. I rub my shoulder and that burning feeling return and I take the hoodie off and I see a deep dark red spot on my shoulder blade. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck. I've been shot and now I'm bleeding cause I was stupid and had to see the herd. And now I'm injured and Jake's gonna find out and he'll worry and I'm starting to freak out and can't control my anxiety, holy cow I've never been shot. Oh my God, this hurts like hell. Shit. I carefully slip the hoodie back on and continue riding back to camp. I've made up my mind, I won't tell Jake or anyone else. Soon I arrive back to camp. The pain gets worse and I feel a little dizzy. Jake is loading everything for us to go. He looks at me and smiles. "Good morning beautiful, how was the ride?" Despite me being shot in the shoulder, I blush and smile. "It was ok. And good morning by the way." He chuckles and smiles also. "Ready to go? I packed all of our things, I just was gonna wait for you to get back so we know about the filly. I'm suddenly back in that field running for my life from those hunters.

I stumble backwards and trip myself. As I'm waiting for the impact of the fall with my messed up shoulder, I don't hit the ground. Jake's arms are around me holding me up. He reads my face easily. "What happened Lisa? Did you hurt yourself on your ride?" I feel the tears waiting to come out from behind my eyes. I blink them away. Jake doesn't need to see my messed up side. He's waiting for a answer. I stutter one. "Uhh, well, I found a spot where the wild horses graze and I went and checked them out and" He cuts me off and I see the worry and protective side of him show. "None hurt you right?? You were smart and didn't get too close?" I shrug and when I lift my shoulder immediate pain rushes through me and for a second I see lights. Jake's grip gets tighter and I brace myself against him. He accidentally without him knowing, puts his hand on my shoulder and I howl in pain. He bring me over to a bench and tells me to take the hoodie off. I shake my head no and wrap my arms around my waist, hugging myself. "Lisa please take the hoodie off, I need to know what happened." I give in, thinking I won't be able to fight him. He helps take it off. Once he sees the blood he pales a little yet asks me to lift my shirt up. I hesitate at first, I jump a little when I feel his hand on my lower back. "I'm not gonna do anything. Please let me check the wound." I nod, and I notice my trembling fingers as I lift my shirt up. I only go to right under my bra and turn my back towards him. He lifts it so my shoulders are showing and I hear him gasp. "How did this happen? Who shot you?" I shake my head and don't answer him. I hear a bottle shake and feel a liquid on my shoulder. "Just water, only getting the dried blood off and gonna see how deep this is." I let him clean it then I feel my shirt being pulled back down. "Not very deep, but the bullet is bigger than a normal one so you'll need stitches, and who knows of any bone or muscle is fractured. I'll bring you to the hospital. I nod and I decide that the filly will find her mom. She needs a mom at that young of age. I clean her wound the best I can with one completely working good arm, and I notice little small hairs, I smile. She's gonna make it. I decide it's time to let her go back to the wild and I let her out of the pen. I have to guide her through but then she takes off. Jake helps me mount back on my horse and he makes sure I'm right next to him so I don't fall if I get dizzy. An hour later we're back on the road toward the hospital. I must've passed out in the car because I wake up in a hospital bed. It's morning, I turn and look around. Jake is sleeping on three chairs pulled together and as for a pillow, he uses his jacket. I look down and try to uncover myself from the heavy blankets. I see a bandage wrapped around my ankle where the guy grabbed me. I rotate my ankle to see if it's broken but I feel a little pain and I realize I must've sprained it while in the field.