3.
Claire went to the bathroom and washed her face with cold water. It was a hot afternoon and she had to face up to Alex pretty soon. Tess and Dave had organized a "Drovers Flag Competition" - a race between teams to collect flags hidden in various areas of Drovers Run. The teams were pairs, and Claire was paired with Alex.
"Right o! Take your marks!" Meg yelled at the top of her lungs. She held a flag in the air and waved it above her head like a mad woman. "Flags are located at the North, South, East and Far West end of each paddock. First team to collect the most flags wins the best piece of lamb for dinner tonight!" She smiled " - Cooked by the lovely chef, me!" Tess and Dave were one team, Becky and Nick were another, Terry and Jodi, and of course - Claire and Alex. They all sat tall on their horses. Claire held the reigns tight - she knew Drovers in every corner so she was determined to win. She HAD to win. Claire looked at Alex. He didn't look back. They hardly said a word since the fight and the tension was growing.
"Get set!" Meg screamed.
"God, mum's so embarrassing!" Jodi hid her head in shame.
"Go!" Meg waved the flag crazily and Nick grabbed it off her as he rode past. "Thanks! - That's our first flag!" He laughed. Meg scowled at him. "Cheaters!"
"Alex!" Claire yelled the first thing to him since their fight. "Take a left and go north!" She ordered them towards the gulley. Everyone else rode off in different directions. Soon it was just them, alone, racing individually now for the prize.
"Claire! We're a team! Wait up! Phoenix is slowing."
"Race ya there!" Claire had a jolt of energy. She sped up and galloped her fastest, Alex must have been far behind her now. She loved the wind in her hair and the smell of the grass. The sun was starting to set and she wanted to beat the rest back to the house before it got any darker. "Alex, hurry up!" Claire looked around but couldn't see him. "Shit!" Where the hell is he? She traced her previous steps back down the hill. Then she saw him -
Claire went to the bathroom and washed her face with cold water. It was a hot afternoon and she had to face up to Alex pretty soon. Tess and Dave had organized a "Drovers Flag Competition" - a race between teams to collect flags hidden in various areas of Drovers Run. The teams were pairs, and Claire was paired with Alex.
"Right o! Take your marks!" Meg yelled at the top of her lungs. She held a flag in the air and waved it above her head like a mad woman. "Flags are located at the North, South, East and Far West end of each paddock. First team to collect the most flags wins the best piece of lamb for dinner tonight!" She smiled " - Cooked by the lovely chef, me!" Tess and Dave were one team, Becky and Nick were another, Terry and Jodi, and of course - Claire and Alex. They all sat tall on their horses. Claire held the reigns tight - she knew Drovers in every corner so she was determined to win. She HAD to win. Claire looked at Alex. He didn't look back. They hardly said a word since the fight and the tension was growing.
"Get set!" Meg screamed.
"God, mum's so embarrassing!" Jodi hid her head in shame.
"Go!" Meg waved the flag crazily and Nick grabbed it off her as he rode past. "Thanks! - That's our first flag!" He laughed. Meg scowled at him. "Cheaters!"
"Alex!" Claire yelled the first thing to him since their fight. "Take a left and go north!" She ordered them towards the gulley. Everyone else rode off in different directions. Soon it was just them, alone, racing individually now for the prize.
"Claire! We're a team! Wait up! Phoenix is slowing."
"Race ya there!" Claire had a jolt of energy. She sped up and galloped her fastest, Alex must have been far behind her now. She loved the wind in her hair and the smell of the grass. The sun was starting to set and she wanted to beat the rest back to the house before it got any darker. "Alex, hurry up!" Claire looked around but couldn't see him. "Shit!" Where the hell is he? She traced her previous steps back down the hill. Then she saw him -
