Dreams by Linda Chapman

Author:Linda Chapman
Language: eng
Format: epub

Ellie stayed with Merlin until the tractor arrived from the local kennels to take him away. She left then. She knew to the men involved that Merlin was just a piece of meat, and she didn’t want to see him being hauled on to the trailer, manhandled. It seemed utterly wrong for a pony who had given so much to people all his life. She walked slowly back to the gate, her face stiff with dried tears. Lucifer was grazing now with short unsettled bites. She had never hated an animal in her life, but for an instant she hated him for what he had done.

She breathed out. No. Even with the grief still throbbing through her she could sense the unhappiness and fear in him. There was something wrong with him, she was sure of it. She couldn’t hate him.

Climbing the gate, she felt numb. The thought of Joe still at the show, not knowing what had just happened, twisted her up inside. How would he feel when he found out? All thoughts of their argument had gone; it seemed so petty now. I’ve got to call him, she thought.

She went to Spirit’s stable. Luke had put him away and untacked him. The gray horse whinnied when he saw her. She leaned against him, drawing strength, and then, taking a deep breath, she reached for her phone. Her fingers trembled as she found Joe’s cell phone number and pressed the call button. The call went straight through to voicemail.

“Hi, I can’t take your call right now. Leave me a message and I’ll call you back.”

Ellie swallowed as she heard the beep. “Hi. It’s…um…it’s me. Ellie. Look, can you call me when you get this?” She hesitated, longing to say something more, longing to tell him how much she cared. But what could she say? She clicked the off button. Then she texted him: “Call me PLEASE. E x”

Slipping her phone back in her pocket, she wondered what she’d say when Joe rang. Spirit nudged her and, shutting her eyes, she let herself open up to him, telling him what had happened. I wanted to stop it. I couldn’t. Uncle Len wouldn’t listen.

She felt his sympathy. Words came into her head. Do not be unhappy. His pain is over.

But he’s dead, Spirit.

Horses walk in the present. Spirit breathed softly on her hands. Keep your love for the living.

He sent her a picture of Lucifer in his stable.

Ellie tried to push the image away. She didn’t want to think about Lucifer right then. But the picture stayed. Ellie turned away from him, breaking the connection. When she looked back, Spirit was still watching her.

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