Author's Notes~
This is my first fic on this account. :) Please read and enjoy, and let me know if you feel that this should remain a oneshot or become multi-chapter.
Deliverance
Nobody spoke much of the Lockhart family, but everybody around had each one memorized by face and voice. However they know little of her, the foster child, who took on more of the role of the servant girl. They fed her, they clothed her, and they sheltered her, but they didn't love her. She didn't care. She didn't love them either.
Night was in a fury these darkened hours with brutal winds and pounding rain that hammered almost soothingly in your ears splat, splat, splat. It was this night that Lucas Lockhart stood in a run-down stable with the thin sixteen-year-old Angela who, next to the sophisticated Lockhart, appeared as a mere rag doll. He was clean and wore fine clothing while she in contrast wore old hand-me-down clothes that bore holes and faded colors. There were dashes of dirt on her hands and face from earlier when she was covering Mrs. Lockhart's rosebushes.
Not the homiest of places, this ranch. Mold was beginning to spread from the corners, the wood was splintered and old, hay laid scattered on the broken ground and the supplies were in a messy array on the shelves and surface areas.
Angela's brown eyes were drawn away from the pitiable condition of the building to look towards the owner of the ranch, or temporary owner that is, for the ranch was poor and declining, soon it shall be demolished entirely. The owner extended his hand for a shake, which Lockhart not even looked twice at making the owner awkwardly withdrew it, "Mr. Lockhart," he finally spoke, "It's about time I found somebody to take this horse off my hands, I can't tell you how grateful I am."
"Not in the best of conditions?" Lockhart assumed.
"No…" the owner admitted, "But…I'm sure you can find some good use for the old bloke."
"Meat," was Lockhart's harsh reply, "Kill what you can't find use for."
Just the word meat had Angela shudder with disgust. It was one thing when she ate a hamburger or hotdog, but to actually buy a living creature only to slaughter it?
"What are you standing there for, Angela?" Lockheart demanded as he turned to her, "Go get the beast! I have business to do." He pushed her towards the stalls, causing Angela to stumble slightly. It took every ounce of her will power not to turn and throw the closest object at Lockhart. She resisted.
The splintered wooden door to the stalls opened with an echoing creak. Angela stepped in the dark row of stalls and began to move down the line, looking to see which of the filthy stalls hosted the last horse. She wrinkled her nose at the awful smell that burned her nostrils; obviously cleaning was no longer a priority for this ranch.
He was in the last stall, the horse. Angela stopped before it to get a good look at the poor creature. The horse was in the far corner of his stall as though to cloak him with the shadows, seeming to know the fate that awaited him beyond the gate. The dark corner prevented Angela from properly seeing the characteristics of him, but she didn't encourage him to come near her, she could not find herself to be able to.
A clash of thunder startled the horse, causing him to throw his head back with a neigh and jump up a little with his legs flaring wildly in front of him. Angela gasped as he did so, falling back away from the frightened horse.
The light from the lightning outside allowed Angela to get more of a look at the horse. She could see only part of his face…and the fear that was evident in its eyes. It was alone…it was alone in this lonely place…much like her.
"Don't be afraid…" she said softly, reaching her hand out through the bars, "You're okay…" the horse backed just slightly at her outstretched arm, "No, I'm a friend in need of a friend. I think, you and I, we make a good pair."
The horse outstretched his neck towards her first, and then he cautiously began to come towards her, revealing him to the light. He was a fine dark brown stallion with white knees that, removing the dirt, were the color of snow. When his nose was close enough, Angela gently rested her hand against the white cross on his nose and began to gently stroke him, which seemed to bring calmness to the stallion.
"We're the same." Angela was saying with her eyes closed, more to the heavens than herself, "You and I…we're the same." Another bolt of lightning caused her eyes to flash back open to meet the gaze of her new friend's.
She almost forgot why she was here. "Nothing will become of you."
The gate to the stall then began to open and Angela stepped in, approaching the horse that no longer feared her as an enemy. Together…they were one. They were the same. They were as apart and as together as black and white. Gently Angela tugged on the worn reins, "These that restrain you," she slid them off, "No longer do." She tossed them aside and smoothed out his fur.
Rain was splattering against the windows above and it soothed Angela, it brought her confidence rather than dismay. She walked to the side of the horse, reaching out to her other side and grabbing a bucket, turning it over and placing it down. Angela stepped up on it and threw one leg around the horse, lifting herself up on his back. The horse swayed a little at first, but pulled through with his trust and stilled himself once more.
Angela stroked the horse's soft hair, leaning downwards and getting a good grip around the base of his neck, "To freedom then…Raijin."
At the sound of his new name, a clash of thunder struck again and the stallion gave one loud neigh before galloping out of his stall and down the row towards the gate on the other end. With one giant leap, they were over and on the outside where the beating rain greeted them with a downpour.
Raijin's hooves thundered against the ground and splashed in the puddles of rainwater. They were off towards the distance wherever that may lead, neither of them knew. Angela looked over her shoulder at the lights of the ranch, faded due to the dense rainfall.
She heard shouts from there. They had been notice. Angela could recognize the furious wrath of Lockhart calling out. His calls were to be futile; she was never returning, and when she looked back towards the rainy path ahead, she would never again gaze behind her.
Angela was drenched, but she willed herself to keep holding on to Raijin as he pressed through the hammering storm, putting great distance between them and the prison they had. It felt like they have been escaping forever though the night neglected to end.
Into the mountains they escaped with Raijin ignoring the path of cliffs and leaping down the ones he could. No boulder would block this stallion, this stallion had a mission, a goal, and nothing could stop it.
But the storm would not go easy on them. Eventually Raijin would have to come to a halt. And he would. The rain was too dense, too difficult to properly see through. Too little too late did Raijin or Angela become aware of the steep cliff before them. With an alarmed neigh Raijin attempted to skid to a stop before the edge, but at his previous great speed he came to no easy end.
His hooves had gone over and at another clash of thunder they fell. Even then, Angela refused to let go of Raijin's neck, even as she screamed. But her hands slipped from him and she fell alone until the cruel landing that left her sprawled on the stone ground.
Angela tried to open her eyes, but they were blurred. She felt a body, a warm body, kneel and wrap his neck around her.
"Raijin…" she whispered weakly, her hand trailing his brown fur. Her friend…her companion…the only one she could trust in this world, he was still here for her.
Her eyes slid closed with the rain drizzling down her face. She was quick to black out.
The rain was gone. She was dry. There was something soft underneath her to replace the stiff stone. Nobody was beside her. She knew the fall and cold had taken her from the earth. At least she was free.
Opening her eyes, however, she found herself in a room. It was an occupied room by the looks of it with some scattered books and collections of gems and valuable stones and rocks.
Her hand was bandaged up, as was all her wounds as she gradually discovered. Slowly she lifted herself up with a small struggle. She…where was she?
Forcefully she rose from the bed, staggering before catching herself on the desk. Slowly now, she had to take this slowly. Angela spotted the door nearby and groped for the knob, turning it and opening it. The appearance of a blue-haired boy wearing a bandana on the other side startled her and she fell backwards.
"Hey! Watch it now!" he said, reaching forward to catch her before she slammed against the floor, "Dad! She's awake!" he was calling from over his shoulder. He then looked back down at her, aiding her back to the bed which she obliged to, "You alright? You suffered a nasty fall/"
She tilted her head at him as she leaned against the pillow, "Who are you…?" she asked in a cracked voice.
"Luke. What about you?"
She did not answer him. "Raijin…Where is Raijin…?" Suddenly she was panicked.
"Your horse?" he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder to calm her, "He's at Horn Ranch safe and sound, though it was difficult getting him to leave you."
At this, Angela couldn't help but smile softly to herself, "My friend…" she murmured, looking again to Luke, "And…where are we?"
As he placed a wet cloth on her forehead, Luke smiled and answered, "Welcome to Harmonica Town."
Harmonica Town…It was a place she's never heard of. It was perfect. It was a perfect way to start fresh.
Angela then looked away from Luke and out the window where the sunlight was streaming in, "Harmonica Town…" she repeated as she thought she heard Raijin's call in the distance, "I'm home."
Author's Notes~
Please review and tell me if it should be continued or not~ :)
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