Chapter 2- Horse Power

I suddenly didn't feel so up to going to school after what was left of the conversation between Jacob and myself. "I'm sure their not that bad." I said slowly, my glance wandering off to the side as Valentine slowly stepped into the barn. Her pale nostrils were fairing and her soft chestnut ears were twitching to our every word. She was just as anxious as I was, but not nervous enough not to try and nibble on Jacob. Jacob's body suddenly went rigid as Valentines thick demanding lips started pulling at the loose fabric of his sleeve. "Ah!" I snapped at the curious mare, poor Jacob stood at her mercy. Valentine turned and looked at me as if I were spoiling her fun, but she shoved off to inspect the stall. "Nothing quite like horse slobber." Jacob said brightly, as he rubbed his now damp sleeve off on his jeans. I could see the relief in his face. "Sorry," I snickered. "She has a thing for long sleeves." Jacob rolled his sleeves up.

"No, there not bad." Jacob said after a pause. "Just different." He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know them well enough to be a judge." He stiffened once again as Valentine's head butted him in the back from the stall window he was no leaning on. He turned his head slowly. "I think you like picking on me." He said as he gently rubbed her blazed head with easy hands. I could tell, he was being brave right about now. "Not much for horses are you?" I said trying desperately to hide the laugh in my voice. He shook his head as he patted Valentine on the cheek. "Horse Power,Yes. Horses Not so much. "

"Ah." I should have known. My father and brother were mechanics. Cars had to be a guy thing. "You like putting them together or just taking them apart?" His tanned face lit up in shades I didn't know existed. "Both." He confessed. There was such an enthusiasm in that it was easy to put my fears to rest. Strangely enough we had both opened our mouths and just as we both started to speak at once, Billy's voice was cutting through the moist air as he called Jacob's name. The vowels that formed flopped out of our mouths as if they were dead in the air. Jacob flashed a smile and shook his head as our chaos of words fell to an awkward silence. "That would be my cue to go." He said, staring out at the rain like he wasn't quite ready to get wet. As he turned away I felt compelled to say something. Anything! I couldn't let it just end on that weird awkward tension that swims around new faces. "See ya 'round Jake." I said. To my satisfaction he looked over his shoulder, nodded smiled that smile that I guessing his trademark look and he darted into the rain.

I watched him start to run to the gate. That didn't go too bad I suppose. I cursed as rain began to poor, beating hard against the new barn roof. I could only see the rain and nothing more. "I'll have to get you feed in the morning." I murmured to Valentine as I quietly groomed her, my voice was nearly nonexistent against the rain. I just hope I made the right choice. As soon as the rain had lightened up and Valentine was settled in I raced through the pasture trying not to get too wet. I shrugged off my jacket as I made it to the safety of the porch. My mission to stay dry was futile. I was soaked. Gram met me at the door as I kicked off my goulashes.

"You look like a drowned rag-muffin." She mused as she handed me a towel as I stepped through the threshold. "Gee, and here I thought you said I was beautiful." I mocked as I dried my hair. I could smell the aroma of oregano and garlic in the air. I surveyed the house Gram's room and bathroom was off to my right, to my left and a step down was the living room that seemed drenched in rainy day light. It was probably the largest room in the house. I headed straight for the kitchen. "Something smells good, Gram." I said as I quickly tossed the towel on top of the washer. "Making spaghetti." She said. I watched as her aged hands trembled as she slowly and carefully sliced the onions and garlic on the counter. A surge of pity ballooned in my gut. "Let me help you." I said helping myself to a knife and the garlic. Thankfully she had kept everything in the same places that I remembered. When I found her blue eyes looking at me, all of a sudden it was like she didn't know who I was. After a moment of the awkward stare, realization came to those glorious blues eyes of hers. I fell into her pattern easily, listening to her old stories as I stuffed my face with the wonderful taste of fresh pasta and garlic tomato sauce. I didn't want to lose the feisty woman who was sitting across from me, but the truth was...I was here because we were slowly losing her.

After Gram finally retired to her room, I tip toed across the carpet of the living room and up the stairs where my room and bathroom were.

I sighed when I found my luggage on the landing. I hoped her neighbor, Jack, didn't have to do that. I wheeled the bag into my room. I sighed as I looked around the room. The walls were a pale ocean water blue, the curtains where the color of sand. She had made an ocean retreat out of my room. The nightstand, desk and dresser were all as deep and dark as the hardwood floors under my feet. Seashells were elegantly carved into the sleek polished wood. I set my laptop on the desk, not even wanting to pull it out of it's case. I opened my suit case just long enough to find my pajamas before I left it on the floor. I slithered into the bed, giving a sigh of relief as I sank into the deliciously comfortable blankets. It didn't take the rain long to sing me to sleep with it's drumming.

a loud piercing scream drove me from my dreamless slumber, filling me with fear as lightning cracked through the air, flooding my room with seconds of the eerie light. My brain felt fuzzy but as I heard the cries again I found myself stumbling quickly out of bed. Valentine was the one doing the screaming. I stumbled down the stairs in my flight for the front door just as gram's room became bright with lamp light. I shoved my galoshes on. "Is everything ok? What's going on?"

"I don't know," I said quickly as I ripped my jacket off the coat rack, I didn't even wait to fix my hood. "I'll be right back, stay there Gram." I said as I flew onto the porch, not able to pay mind to the frosty air as I rushed through the screen door an into the pelting rain. The rain came down like icy needles, but I found myself not able to care as I ran around the side of the house, splashing through the puddles as Valentine came in view with a sudden crack of light. Her heavy body had risen in a rear, she was trying to fend off a cougar. Fear flushed through my heart. I opened the gate just as the determined mare flung the creature off.

"Valentine!" I screamed, my voice grating against the thunder. The trees behind the barn crackled and crashed as something large came steaming through. I had no time to pay mind. I was going to get Valentine one way or another. I grabbed her halter as she came running toward me. My eyes were frantically looking for the mountain lion. The creature must have known I was thinking of it, because just as I shoved the gate open the cat sprang up into the lightning filled air. Valentine reared up at the creature, causing me to fall. Just then an inhuman hiss came to my ears. A large mass came shooting through the dark, leaping boundlessly over the fence and into the air he tackled the mountain lion to the ground. I watched horror as it snapped the cat's neck. Valentine's shrill voice filled the air. The mare's body wading over me, separating me from the animal. From between Valentines legs and in the sudden flash of light I saw what it was. A man, one that seemed more beast the human when I realized he had sunk his teeth into the cougar's flesh. I don't know what caused him to look up the moment that he did, but in that instance his eyes met mine. He dropped the animal suddenly, as if shock had rolled through his body. With a blink he was standing. My hands sunk into the dirt as I tried to pull myself backwards, away from him, away from this thing but in the seconds of darkness that came after the lightning I lost him, slithering backwards until I hit Valentine's leg, I searched the lighting, fighting to sharpen my vision as it blurred and then…went black completely.

Okay! I lied about the "Chapter Every other day thing." I took out the "Car" conversation that Rissa a Jake have, and threw in some more tension instead. Why? Because I have plans. BIG plans. ^.^ Share your opinions I'm all for 'em. 3