We Care (MGMT: Bendrew)

Chapter 4: Two For Chocolate, Zero For The Cow

"As if going alone with him isn't enough, you're even going by horse!?" James asked me as if I was crazy. "Do you even know anything about horse-back riding?"

I was back in the room James rested in. I wasn't exactly asking permission, but I just wanted to let him know that I was going to ride on a horse and not his car. I was about to return his car keys to him when he ambushed me with a lecture.

"I know the basics." I said honestly.

"You should just drive, or--wait for me--I'll drive." He tried getting off the bed. I walked over to him and pulled his blanket over him.

"Don't be such a father, James. Since when did you worry about me so much?" I asked him, showing how annoyed I was. Though, I was genuinely curious.

"Dude, it's my fault that we're stuck here, in the middle of nowhere."

I sighed.

"Hey man, no sweat!" I patted his shoulder. "Stop blaming yourself. Besides, this is my choice. And I'm going to practice on one of Ben's horses before actually riding all the way to the Crater. If something happens, I'll just go take your car."

I could see the guilt in James' face.

Even though I hate being lost too, I felt sorry for him.

On my way out the door, I looked back and smiled.

"Don't be mad at yourself." I told James before leaving.

The heat outside was almost unbearable. It was unbelievably different from the temperature's inside Ben's house. I almost stepped back inside, but I tried to bear the heat. I had to get to Barringer Crater. I was already horribly late.

I raised my hand over my squinted eyes. Ben told me he would be by the horse shed, so I headed towards the building beside his house that I recognized as "The shed".

I found Ben tending to two horses. One was was chocolate brown all over, the one Ben was riding when we first saw him. The other one was white with patches of black and gray, like a cow. I was ready to practice.

Like I told James earlier, I really did know the basics. But to actually ride a horse, I was yet to find out.

• • •

"I'm sorry" Ben was breathing heavily.

I was lying on my back, on the hot, rough sand. "Don't worry." I said, getting up. The horse I was supposed to ride on ran around wildly.

"He's very cautious of other people." Ben said, as we watched his horse ran back into the shed on its own. I shook the sand off my clothes and stretched, checking for any broken bones.

So maybe being an instant Equestrian wasn't cut up for me.

"Don't take it the wrong way," Ben suddenly said, as if he heard my thoughts, "That's Lily's horse, she hasn't really met other people, she's just shy."

"That's okay, Ben." I said. "It was cool."

I decided to drive James' car instead, as promised.

I sat on the driver's seat and started the engine. It refused to start. I got back out to check on it.

"The heat." I finally concluded.

I sighed.

In the end, Ben offered a ride on the same horse he was riding. I couldn't really refuse the offer anymore, seeing that it was the only way I could get anywhere.

I decided to let James know about it.

• • •

James looked at me. "The car didn't start?"

"The engine refuses to." I dangled the car keys on my index finger. "I'm riding on the same horse with Ben." I tossed the keys over to him, and he raised a hand to catch them.

"Wait-- take this." James pulled something from his bag. "You only brought your beanie."

It was a denim cap.

"Wow. Very thoughtful of you, 'Dad'."

I thanked him before heading back out again.

Lily was standing by the door. "I'll take care of James."

I wore the cap James lent me before answering. "Thank You very much, Lily. For everything." I smiled.

"It looks good on you." she looked at James' cap.

"Thanks."

• • •

"Ready?" Ben said, looking forward, concentrating on the horizon.

"Yeah." I put on my shades and held unto the handle on the horse's saddle.

When we started, we seem to be moving, once again, in a straight direction. No maps, No compass, Not even a single turn. I imagined Ben looking at some kind of road that I couldn't see. He seemed so focused and so sure, that I decided not to bother him with conversation.

The hot winds danced over my exposed skin: on my wrists, hands, neck, and my cheeks.

I felt my allergies reacting. The itching sensation was spreading over me, but I was already used to these, and I my hands remained gripped to the saddle.

Just a few centimetres in front of me, Ben still remained silent. It was obvious how used to travelling he was, because he never showed any reaction to the heat. His cowboy-like outfit had more layers of clothing and were way thicker than my long sleeved polo and jeans, but the heat failed to affect him.

Occasionally, a strong gust of wind blocked our vision with sand, but the horse didn't stop, and neither did Ben.

I was quiet, too, but eventually, after what seemed like half an hour (but maybe it was really less), Ben was the one who started talking.

"By the way, are you and James tourists?" he said.

"You could say that," I tried to get a view of his face, but his hat was in the way. "We're working on a documentary."

"Oh," Ben's voice got louder as another gust of hot air surged towards us. "Documentary about Craters?"

"No, The Barringer Crater isn't our main subject."

"Really? Then what's your documentary about?" Ben sounded very interested.

"The Wonders of the Solar System." I said with a professional tone in my voice. The way I always read it on the script.

"Solar System, really!?" Ben sounded weirdly excited.

"Hey, cool, I never thought you were a Astronomy Geek." I joked.

Ben laughed, maybe it was out of embarrassment. "Sorry."

"Yeah, man, it's.. Great!" I said happily. "You really like space?"

"I love it a lot."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I always study about it."

I realized that just earlier, I saw him reading about Geography. The book looked ancient and was very thick, as if it had professional information in it. Like in one of the observatories I worked in.

"You study about Geography too, right? Are you a Scientist?" stupid question. But I figured it could also be the reason why he and Lily lived in such an isolated place: to study.

"I am not." Ben answered dreamily, as if he was wishing upon a star or something. "It would be great to meet one though. A Scientist, I mean."

"Do Astrophysicists count?" I said.

"All Scientists. Especially Astronomers and Astrophysicists."

"Well, if it 's such a dream to meet one, consider it a dream come true."

"What? How come?" I couldn't see Ben's facial expression, but he sounded puzzled.

"You're already talking to an Astrophysicist."