Finding Yourself

Disclaimer: I do not own the story of Hidalgo. I only own the creation of characters that you do not recognize.

Chapter Fourteen: Ocean of Fire

Kaitlin continued sobbing. She was quiet sure by now that her father was dead, as was Hidalgo. But she didn't want to believe it. Crawling away from the two bodies, Kaitlin herself collapsed on the dry, cracking ground. Zodiac walked over to her and nudged her, trying to wake her up.

Kaitlin moaned but she still listened to the horse and got up off the ground. She looked at Zodiac who looked sad. Then she looked towards her father and Hidalgo, neither whom had moved. Kaitlin pet Zodiac and then began to pray.

"Please, please don't leave me out all alone. Please, I know that this is my fault. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I never meant for him to follow me. If I could go back in time and change this I would. If I had a second chance I would never have done it. It was stupid and rash of me to run off and try to race.

"He tried to warn me. He tried to tell me about the dangers. He tried to talk me out it but I still did it anyways. I should have listened. I should have listened what he told me but I didn't. And this is entirely all my fault. It's my fault that he's lying there, unmoving when he should be at home with mom. And I should too…"

Kaitlin broke down crying again. "Please, spare them. Please… I don't know what to do anymore…"

Kaitlin continued to sob as Al-Hattal and his rider came riding up and halted next to Kaitlin. Al-Hattal's rider stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"I knew that you would never make it in the Great Race. It was a fluke that you made it this far. You would have never made it this far if you hadn't had help. Now your help is gone and it is only Al-Hattal now. Face it cowboy, you were beat before this race begun," said the rider to Kaitlin who stopped crying to glare at the rider.

"I was not beat before it began. And I'm not beat until I give up!" she exclaimed, angered.

"But you have given up. Look around you cowboy… You have given up. Why do you no longer ride if you haven't given up?"

"I no longer ride because my companion is hurt! As if you couldn't tell!"

"Then you admit defeat!" challenged Al-Hattal's rider.

Zodiac came over to her and Kaitlin stood up, petting her horse. Then she swung up into her saddle, putting her at the same height as Al-Hattal's rider. And she glared at him.

"I will never admit defeat until I'm defeated!"

"Can you see the Ocean of Fire? You will never make it that far."

Kaitlin took a look at her father and Hidalgo. Neither of them were moving. Kaitlin then turned to face the rider again.

"You will not defeat me. I am born of a great tribe. People of the horse," the rider said.

"Well, so am I and I will defeat you!" cried Kaitlin.

But before Kaitlin could cue Zodiac into a run, the Lady Anne's rider came flying by and Al-Hattal and his rider turned and broke into a run, going after the other horse. Kaitlin quickly cued Zodiac into a gallop, but not before taking one last look at her father and Hidalgo.

"I'm doing this for you…" she whispered as they took off across the desert.

Not too far up a head was the camp and the finish line where the Sheikh of Sheikhs was waiting. He was hoping and praying that Kaitlin and Frank would be coming across the finish line alive. But something told him that something was wrong, that something had happened.

Then the call came, from the watcher, "Al-Hattal! Al-Hattal!"

The Sheikh smiled slightly and then waited for the rest of the announcements.

Next the Lady Anne's horse was announced and then came the announcement that the Sheikh had been waiting for.

"Cowboy! Cowboy!" came the call and a big smile broke across the Sheikh's face. Kaitlin was still alive. But where was her father? Where was Frank?

Kaitlin raced after the two horses, staying close behind. She had to win this race. She had to win it not for herself, but for her father. It was her fault that he was dead. And winning the race might be the only way to make it up to him. Or his memory at least. Kaitlin rapidly closed in on the two horses that were racing side by side. Al-Hattal and the Lady Anne's rider were fighting it out over who would win. Then Al-Hattal pulled ahead and Kaitlin pulled ahead of the Lady Anne's rider.

"Let 'er buck!" screamed Kaitlin to Zodiac and Zodiac's strides immediately became longer and quicker, covering more ground than they had before.

Zodiac flew up next to Al-Hattal and then he pulled ahead, giving everything that he had and more to leave the Arabian and his stunned rider behind. Zodiac continued to widen the gap between them and Al-Hattal until they reach the water's edge. The water for which the Ocean of Fire had been named. Zodiac splashed into the water, slowing down as the cheering onlookers came rushing out to them. They had won.

Kaitlin was able to smile for a few minutes before she remembered her father and Hidalgo. Then the Sheikh came over to her.

"Congratulations on winning the race, Kaitlin Hopkins. Now tell me, where is your father?"

Kaitlin froze her eyes wide and then she fell off Zodiac, into the water, almost drowning before the Sheikh grabbed her.

Author's Notes:

So it is now a triple post day! Yikes! The next chapter, chapter fifteen will be the final chapter and it will be posted on Tuesday, November 30th.