The sun had been up for a few hours by the time Elizabeth dragged herself out of bed. She was normally an early riser but wasn’t used to staying out late. The lingering perfume of smoke and sweat called for an immediate shower. The warm water felt heavenly against her skin and had her completely awake within a few minutes. She was looking forward to doing some work on the house since it was her day off.
After the shower she ate a late breakfast and slowly got to work. There wasn’t too much for her to do until the electricians were finished but she could at least clean up and strip the floors. By late afternoon she was exhausted and surprised to hear the sounds of tires crunching on the gravel. Walking outside, she saw a small black car drive up. It parked carefully next to hers and a familiar figure climbed out.
“You got a new car?”
Pausing for a moment, Claire looked at the car then looked back at Elizabeth. “No, I’ve had this one for a few months. Where have you been?”
“Oh,” Elizabeth said. “I don’t remember it being black.”
Claire shrugged her shoulders absently. Walking up to the porch she sat on the steps next to her friend. Running her fingers through her hair, she let out a long yawn. Elizabeth didn’t mind the silence but could tell Claire had something on her mind. Her eyes darted around the yard, unable to focus on anything. Finally, giving Elizabeth a hard look she said, “You look like shit.”
Laughing, Elizabeth looked up. The old trees towered over the house blocking out most of the sky. The light filtering through the canopies played on the grass below, dancing with the gentle breeze. Smiling at Claire, she said, “Alright, out with it. We both know you didn’t come all the way out here to tell me I look bad and smell worse. What’s up?”
Looking down, Claire hung her head between her knees. Running her hands over her head she stammered, “It’s Nicole. She’s… she’s dead.”
The words didn’t register. “What do you mean? We just saw her last night.”
Claire ran her hands over her face. Looking at Elizabeth, she had tears in her eyes. This wasn’t the first time she had cried today. Elizabeth hadn’t noticed earlier, but Claire’s eyes were red and puffy. She looked exhausted and was staring out into space again sniffing excessively. Holding back what tears she could, she explained between sobs. “I know. She was fine when I brought her to my apartment.” Sniffing, she wiped her nose with her arm. “She was supposed to spend the night. I… I left her on the couch with Rachel. But… some point during the night she… she… she must’ve got her keys and left.”
Wiping her eyes violently with her hands, Claire cleared her throat and let out a deep sigh. Taking a deep breath she regained her composure and said, “When I got up she was gone. I thought she left this morning, but then her parents called. They hadn’t seen her, said she hadn’t come home yet.”
None of this was making any sense. Scratching her head, Elizabeth stared into the trees. Claire ran her hands over her face again. Shaking her head, she continued, “They found her car a few miles away in a ditch. She ran off the road and didn’t have her seatbelt on. The police said it wouldn’t have mattered. She was going so fast she would’ve died anyway.”
Tears were streaming down Claire’s face. She was having trouble accepting what had happened. Shaking her head, Elizabeth was having an equally hard time with it. Putting an arm around Claire, she held her friend for a minute. Choking, Claire said, “I should have… I… I should have…”
Shaking her head, Elizabeth held her tighter. “No, don’t do that. It’s not your fault. Don’t do that.”
Wiping her eyes, Claire sniffed, “But… she was at my apartment. I should’ve taken her keys. I should’ve…”
Fighting back her own tears, Elizabeth cut her off. “Don’t!” Wiping her eyes, she glared at Claire, “Don’t do it! No good will come of it. It won’t change anything. It won’t bring her back.”
Wiping her face, Claire shook her head. “But…”
“No buts,” Elizabeth said. “I beat myself up for months. If I had slept in. If I wouldn’t have brought them to the airport. If I would have stopped them from going. But I didn’t! I had no reason to. They’re gone and nothing’s going to change that. Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You hear me?”
Nodding, Claire tried to smile but failed miserably. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I forgot about… you know.”
Nodding, Elizabeth knew. She didn’t like talking about it. Sniffing, she looked away. Focusing on an oak tree, she watched a squirrel race up the trunk then stop and rest on a knot. It sat, fluffing its tail, completely unaware of the angst and remorse they were feeling.
“When’s the funeral?”
Shaking her head, Claire sniffed a few more times. “I don’t know. Her parents went to identify the body a few hours ago and the police want to do an autopsy since there was a wreck. It may not be for another week or so.”
Nodding, Elizabeth looked back at the knot on the oak tree, but the squirrel was already gone. It was all too surreal. Standing, she looked around aimlessly, and then focused back on Claire. She was staring blankly at the yard again. It looked like she was in shock, although it was really hard to say. “You want me to drive you home?”
Shaking her head, Claire finally stood. Wiping her eyes again she said, “No, I’ll be okay. Thanks.”
Nodding, Elizabeth watched Claire trudge back to her car. Tapping the roof with her finger, she stared at the gravel. “I’ll call you if I hear anything about the funeral.” Without looking up or waiting for a response, Claire slid into her car.
Staying on the porch, Elizabeth watched the car pull away. Scratching her head, she walked back into the house. The drive she had earlier was now gone. Working on the house no longer sounded appealing. Trudging up the stairs, she walked straight to the bathroom. Turning on the water, she set it excessively hot. The steam quickly fogged the mirror but that was the way she liked it. Pouring in some bath salts, she took in the aroma and carefully stepped into the scalding water.
Her skin turned a bright shade of pink, and the heat and steam soaked into skin, relaxing her muscles. Closing her eyes, she rested against the back of the tub. Sliding down slowly, she laid down in the water, soaking her hair.
She stayed in the bath until the water was cold. Drying off slowly, she settled on towel-drying her hair and decided to put her pajamas on early. Plodding over to the make-shift kitchen, she made a sandwich for dinner. Sitting at the table, she stared at the blank wall in front of her, chewing her food slowly. She was numb and knew it. She’d had this feeling before, but this time it wasn’t as intense.
Cleaning off the table, she washed the dishes. Leaning over the sink, her legs felt tired and her head hurt. Turning towards the window, she realized that something didn’t look right. It was getting dark outside and the trees were casting strange shadows in the yard. Squinting, she saw him-a man standing at the edge of her property. Rubbing her eyes, she looked again but saw nothing. She was more tired than she thought.
Staggering to the room next door, she plopped onto the couch. Hugging a pillow, she turned the TV on. Flipping channels, she stopped at the local news. The weather forecast was just ending. It was supposed to rain in a few days. The temperature would go down a few degrees. That would be nice.
Staring at the ceiling she rubbed her hands over her face. Stretching, a long yawn escaped her mouth. The couch was old but it was extremely comfortable. Turning back towards the news she zoned out until the final story of the night. Picking up the remote, she turned up the volume.
“… And finally, a tragic story. In the early hours this morning Nicole Branch’s body was found after she apparently swerved off the road and into a ditch. Miss Branch was a Lafayette native and friends told police that they had been out the night before drinking. She was supposed to be staying at a friend’s hous
e when she decided to drive home without telling anyone. She was twenty-four years old.”
Turning off the TV, Elizabeth slowly stood from the couch. Everything was a blur. She couldn’t take it anymore, and in a fit of rage, she threw the remote. It crashed into the wall, making a small dent in the drywall, causing the back of the remote to fly off. Tears streamed down her face and her legs slowly gave way. Sinking to the floor, reality came crashing down, hitting her like a ton of bricks.
That night she was bombarded in her sleep with images of her parents. They started out happy enough but eventually took a turn for the worse. They were at the airport boarding a plane for Europe. Reaching for them, she was too far away. Running, her legs felt like dead weights. No matter how fast they moved or how much she tried, she couldn’t catch up to her parents. Smiling, they boarded the plane, waving at her happily. Screaming, she tried to warn them, stop them from going, but her voice was mute. The plane took off.
She was floating. There was nothing below but water as far as the eye could see. The plane came into view. It was flying through the clouds but then the engines caught fire. It fell from the sky in a fiery mass. She could see the faces of the people inside screaming and praying. Then she saw her parents. They were holding each other, screaming when the plane plummeted from the sky. Impact.
Shooting out of bed, she was disoriented and drenched in sweat. Her heart was racing and her breathing was labored. It was so real. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand on her chest. Trying to slow her breathing, she glanced at the clock. It was still dark outside and the neon red numbers read 5:12 am. Lying down, she stared at the popcorn ceiling until the alarm went off. She had slept through the night but felt more exhausted than she had been when she went to bed.
Crawling out of bed, she shuffled to the kitchen. Opening a can of biscuits, she placed them in the convection oven, and then headed to the bathroom to get dressed. The biscuits only took roughly ten minutes to cook, so by the time she walked back to the kitchen they were ready. Grabbing a plate, she brought her breakfast into the central area near the top of the stairs. Sitting down at a desk, she checked her email while eating.
She never had many emails, mostly junk, but today there was one from Claire. Clicking on it, she scanned through the message. It was short and to the point. Nicole’s wake was going to take place all Friday and the funeral would be held Saturday morning. She’d have to ask off, but didn’t see it being an issue.
Cleaning up quickly, she finished getting ready and was out the door within twenty minutes of getting out of bed. That left her ten minutes to drive to work. Plenty of time. Driving down the road at a leisurely pace, she pulled into a long gravel driveway a few miles down the road. A large sign hanging over the entrance read “Cedar Grove Stables.”
Driving down the tree-lined path, she passed a large manor and several empty pastures before reaching an immaculately kept barn at the back of the property. Parking under a large oak tree, she took a moment to stretch. The horses were impatient. She could hear them neighing from in her car. Smiling, she climbed out of the vehicle and entered the stables.
There were eight horses under her care: five mares, two geldings, and one head-strong stallion. Scooping feed into the buckets, she distributed breakfast, and then brushed all of the animals. They were used to the routine and ate quietly while she went about her work.
The only one who’d give her trouble was the stallion. Today was no different. He quickly inhaled his food and, swinging his head around, chewed at her hat and hair while she brushed him. Pushing his head away, he’d circle back around, forcing her to chase him around the stall until he got what he wanted. Giving up, she pulled the hat off her head and handed it to the horse. Instantly taking it, the animal gnawed on the brim of the hat. Letting out a sigh, she finished brushing him down and cleaned his hooves before wrestling her hat away from him.
Taking the stallion first, she led him out to a nearby pasture to graze for the day. Next she grabbed the geldings, and lastly the mares. The stallion whinnied at the mares when he saw them. Nodding his head, he pawed at the ground trying to catch their attention. Elizabeth had to keep the mares in a separate pasture from the stallion and geldings. Their owners didn’t want any fights to break out much less any unwanted foals being born. They bred the horses, but were particular about it.
Now that the animals were out of her way, the real work could begin. Cleaning out the stables only took a few hours. Afterwards she walked the property looking for anything in need of repairs. She’d seen one of the fences near the front of the property needed some work, so walking out to it, she assessed the situation. The horses put a lot of tear on the fences and this one was no exception. The top boards were loose in several sections and needed to be braced.
The heat was killer. She was sweating profusely in the sun, but didn’t take a break. While she worked she could hear several cars passing behind her. Her employer was having a luncheon or something. Not paying them any mind, she finished working on the fence some point around noon. Taking a break for lunch, Elizabeth found a secluded spot under a large oak tree.
Wiping the sweat off her face, she ate quickly and inhaled the water she brought. Lying on the grass, her eyes closed. There was a welcoming breeze every so often. It kissed her softly, cooling her skin. The sweet smell of wild flowers wafted on the breeze and the chirping of birds filled the air. She was so relaxed that she didn’t notice when her employer walked up, and nearly flew off the ground when she started talking.
“Elizabeth, there you are.”
Standing quickly, Elizabeth dusted her back off. Turning towards her employer, she was shocked. Standing behind her was a face she was becoming too familiar with. His blond hair appeared to shine in the light and his pale, blue eyes glistened. His skin was flawless and looked as soft as snow. He was even more gorgeous up close and had Elizabeth completely enraptured.
“… It’s just so tragic! And wasn’t she a friend of yours?”
Blinking, she was jolted back into reality. She hadn’t noticed that her employer had started talking again and had missed half of what she had said. “Oh… um, Nicole? Yes, ma’am.”
“It’s just so horrible, and so young. Do you know when the funeral will be?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s Saturday morning.”
“Well, you take the day off. We’ll be going too. Her mother was a part of our Mardi Gras crew a few years ago. I’ll have one of the boys let the horses out that morning so you don’t have to worry about it.”
Elizabeth was relieved that she didn’t have to bring up that topic and nodded in response. Her employer paused for a moment, staring blankly at the ground. She had something else she needed to do and couldn’t remember what. Looking behind her, she suddenly remembered that they weren’t alone. “Oh, how rude of me. I almost forgot you were there. Elizabeth, this is Benjamin Clark. He just moved here a few weeks ago and is working with my husband. Would you mind taking some time and showing him around? He used to show horses and I think he’d really appreciate Champion Warrior’s Gold.”
Nodding, Elizabeth smiled weakly. “Yes, ma’am. Not a problem.”
“Wonderful! Well, I’ll leave you in good hands, Benjamin. Take your time and just come back to the house when you’re done.”
He didn’t say a word and just nodded when she left. Elizabeth was having a hard time adjusting to what just happened, and wasn’t quite sure what to say or where to begin. He was dressed in what appeared to be designer jeans and a pressed collared shirt that looked equally expensive. Looking at the ground, she saw his shoes were shiny and black and didn’t have a speck of dirt on them.
Pulling on her fingers, she decided a lingering silence would be awkward. Pointing to the back of the property, she said meekly, “The horses are back this way.”
Walking towards the stables, she didn’t look back o
r wait to see if he was following. Her entire body was stiff. He gave her the creeps as he was almost too perfect. Maybe his voice was geeky or whiny. That would make her feel better.
They walked in silence for several minutes. She continued to stare at the road, refusing to look at him. Keeping his hands half-way in his pockets, he walked casually next to his reluctant companion. Glancing down at her, he asked curiously, “How long have you worked here?”
His voice was like liquid gold. Elizabeth’s spine tingled and her breath grew still. It felt like she was back in high school and the popular boy had just noticed her for the first time. Not like that ever really happened. “Four months.”
Smiling, he glanced down for a moment. She still refused to look at him, and kept her eyes locked on the road in front of them. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the pasture the stallion was in. This was the horse her employer wanted him to see. Elizabeth felt his name was goofy and overdone, so she just called him Champ.
Normally the horses would come running at her approach, but this time they kept their distance. They stood stock still, ears pricked forward, completely at attention. Leaning on the fence, Elizabeth tried calling them, but they didn’t move. The stallion stomped its hoof on the ground a few times, its eyes never leaving them.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Clark,” Elizabeth said, “but I don’t think they’re going to come up. This isn’t normal. Something must’ve spooked them.”
“Ben.”
Glancing up at him Elizabeth saw his hands were still in his pockets and his eyes were locked on the horses. He had a sharp nose, almost Roman in profile. He was so handsome she was amazed that he wasn’t an actor or a model. “I’m sorry?”
Breaking his gaze, he looked down at her. His eyes were enchanting and she had to force herself to look away. “Just call me Ben,” he said. “I’m not one for formalities.”
She could feel him staring at her but she couldn’t bring herself to return his gaze. He was roughly a foot taller than her, which wasn’t unusual since she was a petite five foot two, but his aura made him feel more like a giant. She wanted to get back to the reason they had walked out there. “You want me to walk him up for you?”
“No, that won’t be necessary. Animals wisely tend to keep their distance from me. Besides, I need to be getting back.”
Something he said didn’t sit right with her but she couldn’t quite place it. Shrugging it off, she was ready to get back to work. Walking towards the barn she only took a few steps when he made an unexpected request. “Accompany me back to the house?”
Raising her head, she glanced up at the sky. Closing her eyes, she let out a deep sigh. Reluctantly, she turned around and began the long walk back to the main house. She was hoping that the walk back would be silent but had no such luck. After only a minute he decided to quiz her. “So how old are you, Elizabeth?”
She was taken aback. She’d never told him her name, but then remembered that her employer had said it earlier. She never would have picked up on that. He was not only attractive but smart too. “Twenty-six.”
Smiling, he continued to pry. “Do you have any family in town?”
Shaking her head at the ground, she whispered, “No.”
“What made you want to work here?”
Frowning, she tried to focus on anything besides him. She stared at the fences, then the grass, but nothing was helping. Her stomach was in knots and the muscles in her back were tight. “I like the animals and being outside.”
She could feel him staring at her. It was horribly unnerving. Crossing her arms she chewed on the inside of her cheek. Grinning, he wasn’t ready to let up just yet. “You don’t talk much. Or do I make you that nervous?”
She flinched involuntarily. Putting her arms down, she picked at her fingers. He did make her nervous. There was something not right about him, but she felt rude admitting to something like that. Looking away, she said, “I just have a lot on my mind.”
He didn’t buy it for a second. Smirking, he shook his head. He accepted the fact that she didn’t want to talk to him and allowed the rest of the walk to pass silently. Elizabeth was never more relieved to see the main house come into view. Her employer was already outside talking with a handful of other women. They were gathered in a loose circle and appeared to be laughing about something.
When she saw them approaching, she waved for Mr. Clark to join them. Elizabeth stopped near the tree where their journey began and watched him stride confidently to the women. None of them seemed nervous around him and just the opposite appeared to be true. Elizabeth was just glad she didn’t have to make an appearance, and happily turned to go back to work.
Chapter 4
“How are things going?”
“Not well.”
“Do I need to send someone else?”
“No, sir.”
“…. What about other family?”
“There are none.”
“Good. I’ve heard disturbing reports.”
“About what?”
“They’re moving. Do what you have to.”
“Yes, sir.”