Finding Yourself
Disclaimer: I do not own Hidalgo.
Chapter Eight: Sandstorm
On the second day of the race, Kaitlin became separated from Frank. On the way back from a well, a sandstorm appeared out of nowhere. Kaitlin froze, afraid. Then she remembered what Frank had told her about sandstorms and she kicked Zodiac into a gallop and laid down low on Zodiac's neck.
"Come on boy! We can beat it!" she urged Zodiac, her fright apparent in her voice.
Kaitlin knew that she had to find some shelter from the sands. Finally she saw an old ruined building and headed for it. Once Zodiac reached the inside, Kaitlin threw herself off to the left side of Zodiac and covered her face and Zodiac's with a jacket. Sand swirled all around them but Kaitlin still kept them covered, fighting the winds that threatened to rip the little protection they had from her grasp.
The sand began to slow down as rapidly as it had begun. Once it had stopped swirling and the wind had died down, Kaitlin removed the jacket. Yuck, her jacket was covered in sand, as was everything else. Kaitlin shook her jacket free of sand and scowled.
"At least we are alive," said Kaitlin, as she patted Zodiac on his sand-covered neck.
Zodiac snorted and shook himself, getting sand all over Kaitlin.
"Hey! Is this the thanks I get for getting you out of the sand?" said Kaitlin as she brushed the sand off her and glared at her horse.
Zodiac nodded yes.
Kaitlin shook her head and led Zodiac out into the dessert. There was so much sand. Any and all tracks were covered. Just her luck. Now she was stuck in the middle of the dessert without any help. Why hadn't she turned back when she could have? Then everything seemed so clear.
She was going to die in the dessert. She'd never survive the race. It was all over and it seemed so final. She was going to die.
Frank lost track of his daughter on the way to the well for water. Kaitlin had just vanished. But Frank didn't have time to think about it. He heard howling winds and saw the sands stirring. A sandstorm was coming!
"Come on brother!" he cried to Hidalgo.
Hidalgo looked behind him, saw the sandstorm and took off running. He hadn't forgotten about sandstorms. Frank's eyes searched wildly for shelter as they fled. And he found it. An abandoned ruin that would be perfect! He turned Hidalgo towards it and they raced into the ruin. Frank covered their faces with a jacket, which keep the sand off their faces. Then the winds stopped and the sand stopped swirling.
"Well, brother, have you seen enough sand yet?" Frank asked, jokingly.
Hidalgo snorted, stirring up sand. Frank laughed as he patted Hidalgo's sandy neck.
"Well, we'd better keep moving," he said, shaking the sand off this jacket and then swung back up into the saddle.
Hidalgo snorted again and trudged off through the sand.
"Brother, do you think that Kaitlin found shelter?" Frank asked his horse once they were on their way and Hidalgo nodded his head.
"We should find her," he said and Hidalgo snorted and nodded and turned in a different direction.
Frank gave Hidalgo his head and Hidalgo took off at a trot. Hidalgo must have smelled either Kaitlin or Zodiac. At least that's what Frank hoped. Then Hidalgo came to a halt and swung his head around, looking for something. Frank too looked around and saw two figures in the distance. And they were heading the wrong way. They were heading deeper into the sand.
"Come on brother," said Frank, turning Hidalgo's head towards the two figures.
Hidalgo picked up a trot then at Frank's command, broke into a slow lope (or canter if you ride English) and headed towards the two figures. Frank was certain that the figures were of Kaitlin and Zodiac. They had to be. Who else would get lost in the dessert if it wasn't them? Everyone else was an Arab and they knew where they were going. So, it had to be her.
But when Frank caught up to them, he realized that it wasn't Kaitlin and Zodiac and he quickly urged Hidalgo to headed onwards with the race. His only hope now was that she would find the rest of the riders. There was nothing else he could do but hope.
Author's Notes:
I'm trying to make the chapters longer but it's hard. Hopefully with time they will grow. I make no promises though.
Next update should be posted: Wednesday, November 3rd.
Reviewers!
(Chapter 1)
Sylvia.S – I'll try but sometimes it's hard to do. The first two chapters are pretty short but from there on they seem to be longer. Or at least I hope. All to often, I don't have much time to write so if I can get a short chapter up, then it's better than waiting a week to write a really long chapter. But I'm trying to make them longer. Before I was writing on the bus so I didn't have my DVD to watch for help. Now I'm using it and hopefully that will help. Glad you like it though!
(Chapter 7)
Soccer-Bitch – Glad you still like it! At least I'm hoping that I'll update more often! Probably about every other day.