Chapter Six

Saturday morning, Sam awoke well before five thirty. She lay in her bed trying to calm her jumping stomach. But it wasn't working. It had taken a long time to convince her father that she could go out early this morning. Of course, she didn't tell him the truth. Jen had decided that they would tell their parents that she needed a sample of water from Aspen Creek early in the morning and that it would go faster if she had someone there to help her. They didn't tell them that Jake would be going too. That would just be too suspicious.

Sam sighed, there was no way she was going back to sleep now. She threw back the covers and got up. She pulled on an old pair of jeans, t-shirt, her boots and pulled her hair back into a ponytail and hurried downstairs.

"You're up early for collecting water,"

Sam froze at the door and turned slowly around. Her father was leaning against the window, watching her.

"I couldn't sleep," Sam said.

Wyatt nodded, but didn't say anything else. Sam turned back towards the door, expecting him to stop her. He didn't. Sam opened the door and started through it when he spoke up.

"Just be careful, Sam," Wyatt told her. "Your mother died trying to save those animals."

Sam gulped, did he figure it out? He couldn't have, Sam reasoned. "I will, dad," she assured him. With that, she left the house and walked out to the yard. Ace gave a loud whinny when he saw Sam and galloped towards the fence. Sam picked up the lead lying by the fence and hooked it to the gelding's halter. When she led Ace through the gate, Sam looked back into the pasture, debating if she should bring another horse for her mother. No, that would definitely raise questions from Dad, Sam told herself.

She led Ace into the barn and groomed the gelding thoroughly and picked out his feet. She tacked him up and led him back outside. Ace snorted and pranced excitedly at the end of the reins.

"I'm sorry, boy," Sam said to the gelding. "We're not going to see him today, we got something important to take care of."

Sam mounted swiftly and turned Ace toward Aspen Creek. They picked up a nice slow jog, but soon they were galloping across the range. She had only been riding for about ten minutes when she saw a black horse and rider loping towards them. Sam slowed Ace down to a nice gentle lope and then halted as she waited for Jake to approach.

The look on Jake's face, when he pulled up Witch next to Ace, told her that he thought they shouldn't be doing this. But Sam knew that there was no time to come up with another plan.

"I'm going to do this, with or without you," she told him.

Jake gave a long, suffering sigh as they turned their horses into a jog towards Caleb's house.

-

Jen was already there waiting for them when Sam and Jake arrived. Silly whinnied at the sight of other horses and Sam tensed up and accidently yanked on Ace's mouth. The gelding stopped abruptly, snorting his frustration.

"I'm sorry, boy," Sam said to her gelding. "I guess I'm a little nervous."

"So, what's the plan?" Jen asked trying to hold on to Silly, who had suddenly became frightened of something.

"Well, my mom should be out in the garden and Caleb is out hunting, so I'm sure she'll come with me once I explain everything and I was going to let her ride Ace." Sam explained.

"Well, Ace can't carry double, so you can hop on with me and Silly," Jen said.

"Thanks," Sam replied. She dismounted and ground tied Ace. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Jake doing the same to Witch. She didn't argue with him, in fact she was glad that he would be coming with her. It made her feel more confident in what they were about to do.

"I'll stay with the horses," Jen said as she and Jake started toward the ranch.

Just like Sam had said, her mother was tending to the garden. She didn't look up or seemed to have heard them approach. Sam walked ahead of Jake and knelt down beside her mother.

"Mom?" she whispered.

Louise whipped her head around, her eyes wide. "Sammy, what are doing here?" she asked in alarm.

"We've come to bring you home," Sam explained.

"I thought I told you not to come back here," Louise said getting up and pulling her daughter up too.

"I know, but I couldn't stay away," Sam replied. "Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad, I'm just worried," Louise told her daughter. "Caleb will hurt you if he catches you here again."

"That's why we have to get you out of here now," Sam said, taking her mother's hand and started back to where Jake was waiting. She stopped when she felt her mom not following. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Sam, no," Sam looked at her in shock. "If I leave, then Caleb will kill someone and I don't want it to be you. If I stay here, then at least I know you're safe."

"We can get Sheriff Ballard to arrest him, if he tries anything," Sam tried to convince her, on the verge of tears.

"Sammy, what about your father..." she was interrupted by a loud shot piercing the calm serenity of the morning.

"It's Caleb!" Jake shouted over to them. He started running back to the horses with Sam and her mother not far behind. Sam grabbed a hold of Ace and told her mother to ride him and as soon as she was in the saddle, Sam started toward Jen and Silly. But the pair was farther away and Silly was giving Jen a hard time, rolling her eyes and threatening to buck. Another rider would send her over the edge. Sam looked behind and saw that Caleb was closing in on them. She was sure they wouldn't make it, until a big, black mare came to a sliding stop in front of her. Jake kicked free of his stirrup and held a hand down to her. Without another thought, Sam grabbed his hand and pulled herself up behind him. She quickly wrapped her arms around Jake's waist as he kicked Witch into a gallop.

Sam didn't know how long they have been running for, but every time she looked behind her, Caleb was still there, closer each time. Why won't he give up? Sam thought to herself. Just then, Witch stumbled and Sam gripped Jake harder. But the mare quickly righted herself and regain her stride.

River Bend had just come into sight in the not to far off distance when another gun shot split the air. But it wasn't that that made Sam turn her head, no it was the sound of a loud whinny. As soon as she looked behind her, everything seemed to go in slow motion. The small bay mustang fell onto the soft alkali dirt. Her mother was pitched from the saddle also.

"Ace!"

I'm really sorry for the incredibly long wait. It will not happen again. That is if anybody still likes this story. Please review if you do.