"Hey spot, how are you feeling boy? Good boy! I'll miss you!" Pam crooned patting the bay's head softly. The horse snorted in pleasure and gazed at her adoringly.
"I love you boy, i will always! Don't you forget me, ok? I don't want to leave you but you see i have- " Pam stopped as she caught a sign of Alan. She waved at him and turned back to her horse. She slipped inside the stall and hugged the big bay tightly like she did not want to let go. Like her life depended on it. Her vision got hazy. She saw a man hugging a giant black horse the horse stamped his foot and you could see the whites of his eye, smouldering fire was buring in the black' eyes. The man legs gave away and she plopped into the ground his breath was shortening and his face was pale and cold. The horse lowered his face to the man's and huffed in his face. Then the man gently whispered something to the black horse. The black horse was hesitant but the man coaxed him to go on. The sense of freedom overwhelmed the horse and he galloped...galloped wild.
Pam legs gave away and she dropped down and clutched her head. She was shaking and was feeling cold. Spot looked at her frightened. She took Spot's support but could not get up, her breath was coming short as the scene ran again through her mind. Sweat poured down her back. Pam breathed faster, her vision going hazy again and was about to blackout. A strong pair of hands pulled her out of the stall. A splash of water was thown at her and Pam blinked and looked. Alan was looking at her wierdly with a puzzeled look on his face.
"Hey man! Thanks! I was going to faint!" Pam said taking control of herself.
"Faint? Because of my handsome face, eh?" Alan joked. Pam shoved him and went back into the stall. Tiger's bark was heard out side the barn. In a second, Tiger flung himself on Pam and lavishly licked her face. Pam giggled as she pushed the collie pup away. Alan laughed with her but the laughter subsided almost immediately. The look of unhappiness came back into her face, Alan sobered almost as immediately as her.
"Atleast you don't need to compete with me anymore to be the best worker," Pam said trying to crack a joke.
"Without you, who am i gonna bug? Not Harid for sure!" Alan said laughing half-heartedly. Harid was a grumpy and big muscled trainer at Sweet Meadows, the place where Alan and Pam and loads others worked at. Pam chuckled. She'd miss this place, the sheep, the horses, the panorama and Alan too. Pam sighed again. Spot's breathed into her face making it warm, Pam swiftly caught the horse's neck and hugged it. A tear rolled down her cheek , she buried her face into the mane so that Alan won't see her cry. Alan's hand laid heavily on her shoulder comforting her. Pam smiled despite herself. She wiped her face, kissed her horse and hugged Alan one last time.
"Goodbye Alan, bye Spot! I'll promise i will visit you guys! Come on Tiger! heal!" Pam said. As Pam made her way out, she patted each horse whose head was stuck out, she waved at Alan one last time and trotted out.
The sheep was sleepily munching on the hay she had given them and after saying goodbye to Roddy and the rest she walked back to Mrs. Popkins cottage to say goodbye to her.
Mrs.Popkins eyes glistened as she saw Pam. She patted the girl's back and kissed her cheeks.
"Bye Mrs.Popkins! I'll see you sometime! Bye!" Pam said as she walked out after a while. Mrs.Popkins nodded her head at her.
Pam and Tiger reached their own house. She ran into the house with tiger trailin after her. As she ran, she nearly knocked into Henry.
"Sorry Mr.Dailey! I'm just so frusterated, i haven't packed yet and all! And we have to leave tonight! Arrrgggghhhh! " Pam cried. henry chuckled at her worried face.
"call me Henry! I saw your mom pack your clothes so don't need to worry!" Henry said. Pam face didn't change.
"Well, she couldn't have packed stuff in my hide-out could she?" Pam said indiantly. Henry drew his breath in surprise.
"Come! Let me show you! It does not matter anymore, does it? Hurry up! Help me pack!" Pam said motioning him to follow. She lead him through the coridor and down a flight of stairs into the basement. The basement smelt musty anf old. Obviously not used at all. She switched on her torch and walked over to a little box in the darkest corner. She opened it and withdrew a rather old fashioned key. She moved to the rusty door in the end of the basement and put her key through the key hole and twisted the lock. Then a small box of numbers opened. Pam arranged the lock to a chain of numbers. The lock gave a swift shutter noise and a small shutter flew open on the lock. Pam put her key through and opened the lock finally. She slided the door and the door made hardly any noise at all! Pam grinned at Henry's astonishment. She led him into the chamber and closed the door behind them and led him into a sort of tunnel. They crouched low and slide down the smooth surface. Pam banged into a metal frame. She gave the knob a twist and jerked at the door and it gave away. Henry gasped. Pam chuckled proudly.
"So? What do you think? Is it amazing or what?" Pam said happily. Henry nodded and the spell of the secret hide-out had caught his attention.
You wanna know what is the hide-out, read the next chapter! The next chapter reveals the magic of Hopeful Farm and Alec's mysterious death and the runaway legend's secret!