Destiny

Chapter 16

        When I awake the dogs are gone. I throw my covers off and stumble as I hit the ground that suddenly feels uneven. I make it down to the living room where my dad is watching the noon news.

        "Wait is it.......noon?" I ask still groggy from sleep.

        "Yeah. You slept in a lot" Dad says without looking up from the TV.

        I walk out to the front porch and sit on the steps. Boomer and Daisy dash towards me from around the corner and bark wildly and pant. They come sit next to me with their tongues lolling out. They drool all over me as they try to get me to pet them.

        I stand up and walk towards the barn. Daisy and Boomer trot along behind me and then run ahead when they figure out where I am going. I try to move quickly towards the barn so mom doesn't find me but  I'm also trying not to get sick in the middle of my trek.

        I finally make it to the barn, breathless even though I barely worked at all. I swing the large door open and look into the dim barn. My eyes haven't ajusted yet so all I see is darkness. My eyes begin to grow acustom to the dimness and I move forward.

        Horse heads look over stall doors as I walk down the aisle looking for Destiny. Then I see her. She neighs as I jog towards her and I wrap my arms around her neck. She burys her muzzle in my hair and breathes in my scent.

         I am so out of shape." I say 

        My breathing comes in gasps and I seem to have a hard getting oxygen to my lungs. I"m still breathing heavily when I open her stall door  and slide into the straw. Destiny nuzzles my shoulder as I try to catch my breath.

        "I feel like I ran a marathon!"

        Destiny just stares at me and then starts eating hay off the ground. I guess she assumes I am fine now that my breathing isn't so labored.

        Only I don't feel fine. Stupid headache again. I focus on my breathing. In, out, in, out. It works a little at easing the pain especially around my temples.

        I stay in Destinys stall for a long time mainly because I don't feel like walking back to the house and also i find her stall way more entertaining than my room.

        Daisy and boomer begin barking their crazy happiness barks.

        "DAISY, BOOMER, HUSH!" I yell

        Then I hear footsteps walking briskly down the barn aisle and my blood goes cold. Oh please don't be-

        The angry face of my mother peers over the stall door and directly into my eyes. I wish she would yell at me or something but instead does something worse.

        She just calmly states "Nicole, get back to the house"