Chapter 26: Dangerous Rides–2
I didn’t mind this abrupt shift in demeanor. In fact, I found this blunt honesty
+8 Points
preferable to the forced intimacy she had displayed earlier. At least now I knew where
we stood.
“For beginners, posture matters most,” I explained, maintaining my gentle tone. “Sit upright in the saddle.”
I handed her the reins, continuing my instruction. “To make the horse walk, don’t pull back hard. Loosen the tension so the horse feels less pressure–it will then move forward naturally.”
Vanessa complied, lightly gripping the reins with her left hand while keeping her right hand tightly closed. Moonbeam responded to the subtle cue, obediently walking
forward at a leisurely pace.
“That horse’s name is Moonbeam,” I said softly, stroking the mare’s neck
affectionately. “She’s very gentle, so don’t be afraid.”
“Is that so?” Vanessa’s voice was icy, tinged with a strange undertone that made me
glance up sharply.
“Don’t worry. I’m right here, nothing bad will happen,” I reassured her warmly,
choosing to ignore the odd note in her voice.
Vanessa curled her lips into a faint, unreadable smile. “Well, thank you so much.”
The words dripped with false gratitude, but I chose to ignore that too. This was about teaching her the basics of riding, not about becoming best friends.
“If you want her to move faster, gently squeeze her flanks with your calves,” I continued with my instruction. “The more pressure, the faster she’ll go. When she starts running, remember to relax your legs.”
I looked up at Vanessa, noticing that she seemed distracted, her attention focused on something I couldn’t discern. Her right hand remained suspiciously closed, as if
holding something.
“Understand?” I asked, seeking confirmation.
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“Yes,” Vanessa answered succinctly, her attention clearly elsewhere.
We gradually moved farther from our starting point, following a gentle path that
curved around a copse of trees. Vanessa grew increasingly focused on something I
couldn’t see, her posture tense despite the gentle rhythm of Moonbeam’s gait.
“How does it feel so far?” I asked, trying to engage her. “Isn’t riding exhilarating?”
“Mm, it’s alright,” Vanessa replied perfunctorily, barely acknowledging my question.
The sun had begun its descent toward the horizon, casting dazzling hues of orange and pink across the sky. A soft breeze swept across the vast grassland, carrying the sweet scent of wildflowers. I found myself relaxing into the moment despite
Vanessa’s cold demeanor.
“What a beautiful day,” I sighed contentedly, admiring the sunset.
After we had walked for about fifteen minutes, I decided it was time to return. Vanessa had mastered the basics of sitting and guiding the horse, and Moonbeam had been perfectly behaved throughout the lesson.
“We should head back now,” I said, gently tugging on the bridle to turn Moonbeam
around.
Vanessa’s lips curved into a cryptic smile, her demeanor shifting to something that made me suddenly uneasy. There was a predatory gleam in her violet eyes that sent a
chill down my spine.
In the next instant, chaos erupted.
I caught a glimpse of Vanessa’s quick movement toward Moonbeam’s flank, but before I could react, the normally docile mare suddenly reared and bolted uncontrollably. It was as if she had gone mad, charging forward wildly with a
panicked whinny.
Vanessa clung desperately to the reins, her terrified screams piercing the air. “Ah! Help! Help me!”
I froze in shock, my mind blank with disbelief. How could gentle Moonbeam suddenly turn violent? The mare had never behaved like this in all the years I had known her.
The entire incident unfolded within mere seconds–too fast for me to grasp the reins
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+ Points
or intervene in any way. Moonbeam was already galloping away at full speed, with
Vanessa bouncing precariously in the saddle.
As my brain rebooted from the shock, I quickly pulled out my phone and called the stable’s emergency rescue team, my heart racing with panic and guilt.
“Emergency at the east field!” I shouted into the phone. “Runaway horse with a beginner rider! Send help immediately!”
Vanessa, after being recklessly carried for some distance, finally released her grip and tumbled dramatically onto the grassy plain. She rolled far away from the crazed
horse, which kept galloping in panic toward the tree line.
She appeared to land hard, her body limp on the ground as I watched in horror. Even from this distance, I could see that she wasn’t moving..
“Oh my God,” I gasped, breaking into a run toward her fallen form. “Vanessa!”
The rescue staff arrived swiftly in an all–terrain vehicle; medical equipment at the ready. They reached Vanessa before I could, quickly assessing her condition and hoisting her onto a stretcher.
Connor and the others must have heard the commotion, as they came galloping over the rise, faces dark with worry. Connor dismounted in one fluid motion before his horse had fully stopped, rushing to his foster sister’s side.
Seeing Vanessa’s condition–pale, seemingly unconscious, with a trickle of blood from a cut on her forehead–Connor’s brows knit tightly. His jaw clenched as he spoke quietly to the medical staff.
Then his gaze turned sharp as he fixed on me. The intensity of his ice–blue my stomach drop with dread.
eyes
made
I returned his look in a daze, my eyes clouded in confusion and helpless panic.
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