CountryCore Series: The Ranch Hand (WLW)

Chapter Nine

The sun had finally fallen behind the trees and the pastures so that the only light that led Hayley and Sav back to The Barracks after an evening stroll were the lights on its porch and the moon. Their walk had been just what Hayley needed to keep her mind straight forward toward what she needed to focus on most. What was obviously most important.

It was exactly what she needed to get back on track and focus on herself as she and Sav had discussed possible future plans and the things they wanted most. Well, it had been what she needed until Sav breached topics Hayley would rather have left dead.

"I don't understand why you're being like this." She told Hayley as she shook her finger, then threw her hands in the air. "Both of you are so damn stubborn and it's infuriating. Why the hell not?"

"Because I said so, Sav. She obviously has other people she would rather be with and more importantly, I need to just worry about me." Hayley stepped onto the first stair of the porch and hesitantly turned back toward Sav. Her face wasn't covered by her previous, empathetic expression, but instead she looked stir crazy and was staring off into the distance. "What is it n--"

"Shhh!"

"Excuse me? What is the matter with y--"

"Quiet!" Sav reached up and latched onto Hayley's hand. Hers was shaking and Hayley could practically taste the anxiety leaking off of her in the air. It was so palpable. "There's something wrong..."

Hayley got down from her perch and peered around where Sav's eyes were transfixed, but couldn't see a thing past the light of the front porch. A faint pounding rumbled in the distance and at first, Hayley worried over a series of possible natural disasters but none would explain how Sav had seen any of it coming or why the night was so still. Aside from a slight breeze, everything was calm. Or at least, it was.

In an instant, the pounding grew so loud Hayley cringed behind Sav and began to shake. Sav relaxed her features and wrapped her arm around her, then ran them up the porch steps. She had no way of knowing just what that sound was until she heard a sharp snarl headed their way. Just as Sav pulled her into the house, Hayley looked over her shoulder and saw a wild, terrifyingly fierce looking pig run by.

Once inside, she looked out through the front door window just as she heard more hogs approaching and Sav running up the stairs to the second floor. There were around eight of the feral pigs and they bolted past The Barracks like they were on a mission. Hayley kept watching as they disappeared into the darkness toward the crops that weren't too far off from the boarding house. She turned around and found Sav climbing back down the stairs, her phone on her ear.

"Yes." She paused and mouthed a "You okay?" at Hayley. She just nodded, but she could feel her breath hitch and her temperature rise. She hadn't realized just how predatory or threatening pigs could look and the vast difference between them and the pigs in the barn, or even Hairy and Daisy, was staggering. That look they had in their eyes rattled her down to her bones and she wrapped herself up in her arms. "Yeah, about eight. You still on the ranch...? 'Kay.... No. Take care of the hogs first, then... Yeah. We'll be fine. See you in a bit."

Sav put her phone in her pocket, bent over and took in a shaky breath, then exhaled, visibly trying to calm herself down. Hayley hadn't noticed until right then, but Sav's hands were trembling and her eyes were dark. She moved toward her and ran her hand up and down her back and didn't stop until her breath was back to normal. She knew exactly what it felt like to become paralyzed with breathless fear and felt a sharp twist in her gut upon seeing Sav in such a state.

Sav gave her a weak smile and stood up straight. After several minutes of silent waiting, there was a knock at the door and Hayley opened it, curious who was brave or stupid enough to walk around outside. Dan stood with his hat in his hands and searched her face before looking over her shoulder at Sav. He moved past her and looked up and down Sav's body, checking every spot he could for signs of harm. Once he looked satisfied, he gave her a longer than normal, yet modest hug, then backed away.