Chapter 4
Seriously?
"Hey, Archer." Gordie stuck his head in the kitchen. "Get your punk-ass out here, Goddamn Churchill's loose."
"Crap." Emma set the dishes she'd been washing down. Her mind had been racing with worry for too long. Needing to do something constructive, she had volunteered to help with dinner clean-up.
She was not in the mood for a Churchill problem. Grabbing an apple off the counter and stuffing it into her pocket she followed Gordie outside. "Where is he?"
"This way." Gordie tossed a lead shank at her. Without looking to see if she'd catch it he stomped off. Emma had to jog to keep up with his long stride.
"How'd he get out?"
"Dunno." Gordie led her out of the parade square and down into the dry moat. "Damn near ran me over though."
They rounded a corner and saw Churchill cropping grass. The horse looked up when he saw them and snorted. He was a challenge to handle, but worth his weight in gold when it came to walkers.
"Okay, I've shown you where he is. Now he's your problem." The burly man shook his head. "Good luck with that."
"What, you're not going to help?"
"Do I look like I was born yesterday?" He turned and walked off, leaving Emma and Churchill alone in the moat.
"At least close the gates so he can't get out!" She yelled after him as he disappeared around the corner. She was rewarded with a grunt. When she turned back Churchill was watching her intently.
"How'd you get out, anyway?"
The gelding swished his tail.
"Right." Emma stood there, lead shank in hand, looking at the errant horse. If Churchill didn't want to be caught, it wasn't likely he'd let her approach.
Finally deciding on a course of action, Archer leaned against the stone wall, crossed her arms and stared off at the other side of the moat. Pulling out the apple she'd stuffed in her pocket, Emma took a bite.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Churchill's ear flick forward at the sound. She made a big deal of biting on the apple as noisily as possible. Churchill stood back, swishing his tail and watching her.
Emma chewed thoughtfully on her apple. Although she'd stopped arguing with Rick, she had a feeling he knew she hadn't given up yet. When the crews went out to search for Daryl, she'd seen a few nervous glances sent her way. They were expecting her to pull something.
They couldn't keep their guard up for long though. If she played along, sooner or later, she'd have her chance.
Speaking of letting your guard down… Churchill, too tempted by the delicious treat, had been casually making his way over to her.
When he was close enough, he stretched out his neck to sniff at her. She held the apple close to her body so he couldn't just nab it out of her hands. The gelding took a few more steps, placing his head right by her body. When he lipped at the apple, Emma snapped the lead line onto his halter.
"Sucker." Emma led the beast back to the stables. Just like Churchill, she would wait them out.
-{O}-
As luck would have it, the stable was empty when she brought Churchill in. The sun was beginning to set and night watch would be on the wall soon. Emma leaned against the stall door and went over her options.
She'd never move fast enough on foot, cars were too easy to track. With Churchill she could follow the game trails, cut across fields and hide in the wooded areas. He'd also offer her some protection from walkers.
If Daryl was hurt, she couldn't get him back without help. Emma looked skeptically at Churchill as he overturned his feed bucket with a hoof. Churchill would probably carry Daryl if she kept a firm rein on him.
Emma rubbed her eyes. She was tired, but experience told her adrenaline would buy her a few more hours. She was still in her bloodied paddock boots and breeches. The outfit was serviceable enough for what she had in mind, but the walkers might smell the blood. She'd need some walker camo fast.
The clock on the stable wall told her it was very close to shift change. That would be her best time to get escape. She'd need to work fast if she was going to get Churchill's equipment on in time.
Emma wondered idly how to get the gates open as she entered the tack room. She left the lantern off so as not to tip her hand. She peered into the darkened room and frowned.
Something was definitely off.
Emma's eyes made out the familiar shadows of the brushes, blankets and armor. Aside from a few pads, the saddle racks were empty. So were the bridle hooks.
"Goddamn fucking Sal." He'd hidden her equipment.
All of it.
-{O}-
Archer returned to her quarters more frustrated than ever. A soft knock at the door interrupted her pacing. "Yes?"
"It's us. Can we come in?" Michael's voice.
"We bring tea!" Joel chirped.
"And chocolate!" Michael added.
"Chocolate?" Emma blinked as Michael opened her door.
"See?" Michael hobbled into the room on his crutches with a bag slung over his shoulder. He set it down on the small round table near the doorway. "I told you, chocolate is the secret password."
Joel followed, his brown hair clearly shower-damp, carrying three mugs of tea. "Are you sure? Tea is a balm for the soul you know."
"No." Emma peered into the bag, spotting a familiar gold box. "It was the chocolate. Oh my God, how did you get this?"
"From the stores." Michael's grey eyes smiled, taking Daryl's seat at the table. Joel shoved a mug in Emma's hand and passed one to Michael.
"Does Sheila know you have this?" Emma opened up the box and popped a Godiva chocolate truffle into her mouth. It was a bit stale, but still delicious.
"It's not from the main supplies. This was in the infirmary stores." Joel set his mug down and popped out the door, returning with the rocking chair Emma kept outside.
Emma frowned. She'd made a covert trip to the medical stores earlier and hadn't noticed any gold boxes. "Why the hell are you keeping chocolate there?"
Joel shrugged. "It's medicinal."
Sensing she wasn't likely to get a straight answer Emma abandoned her questioning and plunked herself down in her chair. "Are you two my sitters then?"
Joel raised an eyebrow at Michael as he pulled the rocking chair up to the table and sat down. Michael retrieved a stack of cards from his bag. "Think of us as a distraction." He shuffled the cards.
"I don't need distraction." She frowned, sipping at her tea.
"Now now," Joel chided. "We brought you chocolate and tea. You're obligated to entertain us."
"I am?" She raised her eyebrow at Joel.
Michael dealt out the deck. "Yes, you are. We'll keep it simple. Crazy eights?"
"Crazy eight countdown." Joel decided. "Let's go for a long game."
"Fine." Emma sipped at her tea and picked up her cards. It was essential to her plan that she not be a giant pain in the ass. If she acted like she was up to something, they'd throw her in the jail cells.
So she sat back and played cards, participating in the inane chatter of close friends.
In time, as it often did between Michael and Emma, the conversation turned to horses. Joel rolled his eyes, he'd long ago given into their obsession with riding. It had been what had formed Emma's friendship with Michael.
Emma played an eight. "Spades. How are Carl's lessons going?"
Michael had been teaching the young man how to ride for several months. "He's doing well, still a bit behind the vertical but he's pretty solid."
Emma played the queen of spades, forcing Michael to pick up. "I saw you've moved him onto Black, is that working out?"
Michael reordered the cards in his hands. "Yes, they get along. He wants to learn to jump now."
Emma's brow furrowed, Michael had never learned to jump horses. "How are you going to teach that?"
"Actually," her friend leaned back in his chair. "I was hoping you'd help?"
Emma tried very hard to sound indifferent. "Sure. When?"
"Come out with us tomorrow." Michael tossed a card on the table. "Miss a turn."
Emma yawned. "Sure, tomorrow."
Joel's cognac colored eyes strayed to her. "Drink you tea before it gets cold."
She rolled her eyes. "Yes mom."
-{O}-
