A Long Way From Home

Chapter 5

Maddi

I jolted awake as I felt the car come to a stop. Not all the way awake I hear Liv mention burgers and my stomach grumbled. Opening my eyes I started to panic because I realized I was still in the backseat of the car. I couldn't breath and I was fumbling for the handle to open the door. Yanking the door open I fell face first out of the car and then crawled away while still panicking. I felt a hand on my shoulder which made me jump about ten feet in the air. I turned to my right and seen Liv beside me pulling me into her and whispering sweet nothings into my ear to calm me down and to get me grounded. We sat there in the middle of the parking lot looking like idiots but I didn't care because she was helping me through this. I NEEDED her at this moment so I clenched her shirt into my hands and buried my face into it, inhaling her scent and instantly calming me down.

After I calmed down and was able to talk I looked up at my Pap and Liv and said "so how about them burgers?" The three of us busted out laughing and it felt so good to give an honest laugh. I smiled and real smile for the first time since the accident. I needed to have emotions because It is just the three of us against the world now. I got off of the ground and we made our way into the diner. I look at Pap and ask "so how much longer until we reach the farm? I miss Spartan." Spartan is a solid black Stallion. Pap had gotten him for me when I turned 16 because I didn't want a car. I never did. I grew up saying I will never need a drivers license because I would ride my horse everywhere.

My sister has a horse as well, her name is Freya. She is a Black and white paint. Pap had gotten her for Liv the same time he gotten me spartan. Pap looked at me and said "About 45 minutes. Will you be okay to sit in the car or do you need to take your pill again?" I thought about it for a second. I didn't think I would need it because the thought of seeing Spartan made me excited. I gave him a smile and said "I'll be okay. The thought of seeing Spartan will keep me grounded." He gave a small chuckle. We ordered our food and ate and then we were back on the road.

I was okay with sitting in the front seat this time around. After 45 minutes had passed I look out into the pasture and see Spartan and Freya running side by side. Pap had stopped the car. I jumped out and went right to the fence. I whistled for him and yelled out "SPARTAN!!" He stopped in mid-run and turned his head towards where I was standing on the fence. He let out a loud neigh and started to sprint towards me. I hopped over the gate and started running to him.

Once he was a few feet away he stopped and then walked to me. He placed his nose into my outstretched hand as I placed my forehead between his eyes. I looked into his black eyes and said "I'm here for good boy." He reared up and then dropped back down and turned his body so I could jump on his back. I jumped up and gripped onto his beautiful, soft black mane and gently touched my heels into his sides and we took off through the field towards the barn. I turned my head and seen Liv do the same thing with Freya and before I knew it we were racing back to the barn just like old times. In that moment I had forgotten about everything that had happened and just enjoyed the normal racing Liv and I always did when we were here.