The Journey

This story is by Sherri Lee Boyd and was part of our 2024 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

 

Sydney pushed her hair off her face, sipping her morning coffee, looking through the picture window. She felt blessed now that she was about to turn eighteen. This was all to be one quarter hers and Mitch’s left to them by their mom. The ranch she loved as a child, her home spread before her. The lake, a mirror smooth as glass, serene with a hint of color as the sun rose through the mountains. Seaweed, along the edge of the beach, washed up from the night.

A morning mist hung over the cedar fenced corral. Something just didn’t look right. Why were the horses grazing along the road?

Pulling on her jeans and t-shirt, she dressed quickly and threw on some runners, grabbed the shotgun sitting by the door on the way out, just in case she needed it. Threats loomed, and she knew it wasn’t safe.

Syd jogged to the corral with her loyal companion Misty trotting by her side, tail wagging, looking up at her with loyal adoring eyes.

The corral’s gate was open and many of the horses were scattered along the roadside. But where was the rest of the herd?

Approaching, Syd noticed a figure wearing mud covered ripped denim and a cowboy hat. Getting closer, she saw it was Luke, her uncle, causing trouble as usual. He stood in the pen with a stick chasing the horses out the gate. “H-Raaa,” Luke yelled.

“Hey! What do you think are you doing?”

Luke turned and jumped. She had caught him by surprise.

“Nothing,” replied Luke snapped.

“I think it best you get on out of here. I don’t want any trouble with you,” Syd locked eyes with him, determined to stand her ground.

“What are you going to do? Shoot me?” mocked Luke.

“Try me,” said Syd.

Luke scoffed at her. “Oh, you’re pretty tough, aren’t you?” he taunted.

With shaky hands and trembling nerves, Syd planted her feet firmly. She racked the shotgun and leveled it off at his chest.

“Get off my property right now! demanded Syd, her voice filled with authority.

Luke’s face reddened, his anger now clear. “You spoiled little brat. I’m coming to get my ranch back. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”

Syd stood firm. “I’m calling the cops. I’m going to tell them everything you’ve done. You’re not welcome here. Get!”

Luke’s smirk disappeared. “Like I said, I’m going to get this place back. I’ll see you in court.”

“Over my dead body. Syd retorted, venom in her voice. I’m gonna make sure you don’t get anywhere near this place. You’re an evil son of a bitch,” said Syd.

With a scowl, Luke stormed off towards his horse. He rode away, leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

“Don’t you come back,” Syd yelled.

Syd stood tall, her grip on the shotgun unwavering until he disappeared.

Her legs felt weak, but knew she had to stay strong. She needed to go get the horses and had to get Mitch.

***

 

The cabin door burst open, jolting Mitch from her sleep. Syd’s urgent voice pierced the air.

“Mitch, we got big trouble. The horses are loose.”

“Mitch.” Syd shook Mitch awake. “I need you to come quick.”

“Huh. What?” said Mitch, rubbing her eyes, uncombed long strawberry blonde hair lay over the pillow.

“We need to move,” said Syd urgently.

Mitch jumped out of bed swift as a cat, grabbed her jeans and t-shirt strewn across the floor and threw them on, ready sixty seconds from when she got out of bed in record time.

They hurried to the barn. Misty and Shadow running alongside them, tails wagging, ready for an adventure. Blondie and Red impatiently paced in their stalls, ready to saddle up.

“Let’s go,” Syd said, quickly mounting their horses and heading into the mountains.

***

The sun warmed their backs while they rode and enjoyed the mountain view, the crisp air invigorated them.

Mitch reminisced. “Remember when we were young and lived here? I miss it so much,” she sighed.

“We all loved it here, mom and dad too,” nodded Syd feeling full of nostalgia and determination.

We have to find the rest of the horses.”

Suddenly, a rustle in the bush behind them. The horses tensed, ears forward, alert as if something wasn’t right.

“Did you hear something?”

Misty’s ears flipped back, listening intently. “What did you hear, girl?”

Shadow took a defensive stance.

“Probably just an animal or something,” Syd reassured, but her grip on the reins tightened.

Continuing their journey, they pushed forward until the silhouette of the missing horses appeared in the distance.

“Oh, look there they are,” said Syd.

Coming into the clearing, a view of the expansive range took their breath away. The horses slowed their gallop, hooves kicked up dust as they walked.

Thirty horses grazed peacefully in the clearing ahead.

“Oh, my God! There they are. Do you think that’s all of them?” said Syd.

Suddenly, something whizzed past Mitch’s head. “OWW,” she cried out in pain. Mitch touched her ear. “Oh, my God!” staring at her blood-soaked fingers.

Seconds later, her arm pained, her coat was torn. Blood oozed from her arm. “AHHH my arm,” Mitch winced now feeling a surge of adrenaline kick in.

“We are under attack! Quick! You’re hit.” Syd scanned their surroundings. “Look over there, —It’s an arrow! Someone is trying to kill us!” said Syd as panic filled her voice.

“What do you want?” Syd yelled defiantly to the attacker.

“I’m going to end you both!” a familiar voice echoed through the trees. “This ranch is mine and I am not gonna to let two little city girls take it from me,” said Luke.

Syd’s eyes blazed with fury. “What are you talking about? Grandpa left this to us not you. This ranch was my mom’s. It’s what I’ve dreamed of all my life. I won’t let you or anyone else take it away from us.  Why don’t ya crawl back into the hole you just crawled out of.”

 

Luke’s voice was moving closer. Misty and Shadow sprang into action and cornered him at the edge of a gigantic boulder. Snarling and snapping, Misty lunged at Luke’s leg. Luke lost his balance falling twenty feet to the ground. Agonized screams filled the air.

“Help me! You can’t leave me here! My leg,” Luke pleaded desperately.

Syd turned to Mitch, tense with uncertainty. “What do you think we should we do?”

Mitch took a deep breath. “Well, I guess we should to do something.”

Syd cautiously made her way down to where Luke lay and firmly said, “Are you going to be nice?”

“Yes,” said Luke.

“Are you sorry for what you did?” Mitch asked.

Luke’s forehead, soaked with sweat, nodded frantically. “Yes, I’m so sorry for what I did.”

Syd’s voice softened but remained firm. “That’s quite a mess you got yourself into.”

Tears welled in Luke’s eyes. “I know, I was so mad. It’s not fair that you guys got everything. The ranch was supposed to be mine.”

“No, Grandpa left it to mom. You got the cottage, and I know you got some money. So you got more than your share. You don’t even like the ranch or the horses. So, I don’t get it, I don’t understand why you want the ranch,” sighed Syd.

“I was jealous and felt cheated. But since you put it like that, I see that was wrong. Can you ever forgive me?” The back of his hand wiped his tears away.

Syd’s heart filled with empathy, “Okay let me look at that leg. Don’t try any funny stuff? Misty will take the hand right off ya if you as much as raise a baby finger to me. Have ya got that?”

“Yes ma’am. Loud and clear,” said Luke.

“Mitch, can you grab some big branches so I can immobilize his leg?” said Syd. “Then we’ll make a stretcher to drag him back home.”

Luke now immobilised, Syd said, “We’ll round up the horses and head back home. Here’s some food and water to tide you over till we get back.”

An hour later, Luke’s bed hitched behind his horse as they began their journey back to the ranch.

Just so you know, Uncle, “You will never take anything from us. You can never win against us. We have sister power as long as we are together. We can achieve anything. Nothing is going to stop us,” declared Syd, her voice strong and clear.