The Last Colony

Part 6

They were approaching the house, when Mark squeezed his legs and nudged his heels into Barney's ribs, asking him to trot. At first Barney resisted, but Mark kept trying and eventually Barney complied. He wanted to pick up the pace. They needed to get out of here before they were spotted. Behind him, Sean looked terrified. He was grasping the horn of his saddle and looking like he was going to be sick. Despite the fact the Sean wasn't giving the horse any commands, she followed Barney at a slightly brisk walk. Once they were around the house and mostly out of sight of the barn, Mark held his breath and moved his had to the left of the saddle horn. Barney side-stepped to his left enough to clear Sean's horse. Then putting his hand at neutral before the horn, he pulled back a bit past the horn and Barney backed up until he was next to Sean's horse. Sean shook his head, mumbling out. "I can't do this, Mark... I haven't ridden since I was a kid... and it didn't end well."

Mark watched Sean's horse closely. The horse had its ears back listening to Sean but was hanging its head in a way that made the mare seem... unsettled by him. Reaching out with his free hand, Mark told him in a serious low tone. "Alright, swing over quickly." Sean grasped Mark's hand in a death grip, roughly adjusting to swing himself over behind Mark. Flipping the mare's reins over her head, he told Sean over his shoulder. "Hang on." Keeping the reins slack for the mare, he looped the reins around the horn of his saddle and coaxing Barney back into a trot. The mare jolted in surprise but kept up alongside Barney as they trotted out to the road. Behind them, voices started to sound off as someone yelled out. "Two of the horses are missing! Look around! Find them!" Sean's arms tightened around his waist as they reached the main road, but Mark stayed focused on the task at hand. He had to stay alert. Turning Barney onto the main road, he nudged Barney's ribs and huffed out. "YA!"

He had only done this once with Barney and prayed that he didn't fall on his ass. Barney sprang forward into a gallop and Mark held his breath. Chica whined loudly, but Mark kept his eyes on the road ahead. He wasn't a bad rider, but he was still nervous. Barney and himself hadn't really bonded as much to be doing a trip like this. He could only hope that Barney wouldn't be too upset with him. Mark guided Barney between a few abandoned cars a little offset, but they cleared them. Mark felt bad, but he pushed the horses to keep going for as long as they could. He didn't know how experienced the riders were back at the ranch, but he wanted to try to put some distance between them. The only thing that played into their favor was how dark it was getting.  After a few hours, Sean's breath warmed the back of his neck, when he asked a bit worried. "Mark... it's getting really late. We need to find shelter. And I have to go to the bathroom..." Mark slowed Barney down on the road, glancing around for anything that might house them.

They were on an open road that didn't appear to have anything in any direction. Mark coaxed Barney to keep walking, telling Sean softly. "I don't see anything. We might be safe just camping out here tonight." Sean squeezed his waist tighter, mumbling out. "I don't like it..." Mark noticed a sign ahead and coaxed Barney into a trot to reach it faster. Getting close enough to read it, Mark tried to sound upbeat as he said. "There's a truck stop ahead. It will be risky... but we might find water for the horses there." Sean shifted uncomfortably behind him, grumbling out. "It'll have to do. Let's go." Mark coaxed Barney to keep walking at a brisk pace. He could tell by the way Barney panted that he was tired, but sweetly he told him. "Hang in there for me, Barney boy. Just a little way more and we'll stop for the night." Mark patted Barney's neck to comfort him. Then reached out to pet the mare a little. Behind him, Sean asked him curiously. "We could have tried talking to the people back at the barn... Maybe stayed with them?"

Mark patted Sean's thigh, telling him grimly. "I thought about it, but I just didn't want to risk it. Odds are that they would hoard the horses for themselves. Horses are now more valuable than gold. Besides, they might not even be the people that ran the place originally. Did you see how the main house was all open? No. Something happened there, and my instincts told me to get out." Sean chuckled against the back of his shoulder, whispering sweetly. "You surprise me, Mark..." Mark glanced over his shoulder, asking a little confused. "What do you mean? Did you think I'd get us killed? Cause that could still happen." Sean smiled brighter, chuckling out. "No. When the world went to hell... You kept it together. I don't know how you do it..." Mark cleared his throat, admitting honestly. "I'm not. I just refuse to go without a fight. For as long as I can... I'll keep fighting. Even when all hope fades away and I have nothing left to protect. I'll keep going. Because it's better than sitting still and despairing over everything I lost. If I go out... I want it to be because I wasn't afraid to live."