by Wilf Voss
"No chance ladies!" She laughed. "I've told you before. Hands off!" She pushed her horse on into a canter. "Come on girls, race you to the top of the ridge!"
The five women cantered and then galloped towards the top of the hill pulling up their horses at the ridge. They were all laughing and joking as the conversation moved on to a terrible blind date from one of the other women and deeply descriptive discussions of the date's failings in bed.
***
Caroline splashed cold water on her face, the meeting with the woman had left her shaken. She stared into the cracked mirror, she was looking gaunt and gray, she looked at her bloodshot blue eyes, there were bags beneath them showing her lack of sleep. She sighed, turning ready to face the world when she froze. She span back towards the mirror, blue eyes? Surely she was not going totally mad? She leaned forward staring into her eyes which had been brown. She suddenly felt a wave of fear flooding her body, she felt as if she was watching the world as if it was a film, her reality slipping away.
“Hello Caroline...” She spoke, watching her lips move and her voice filling the small bathroom but aware that this was not her. “It’s time for me to play now...” She laughed manically.
***
The postman pushed the office door open and dropped a pile of post onto the desk. Adam looked through it, at the bottom of the pile was a grey plastic mailing bag addressed to Sarah. “Caroline...?” Adam stood up pulling open the office door. “Could you do me a favour please and give this to Sarah?” He handed Caroline the bag.
***
Adam picked up the telephone and dialled a number without looking. There was a click and it started to ring, he hesitated and started to put the handset down when he heard a voice.
'Hello...'
The voice was harsh and spoke with an unseen authority. Adam shuddered. "You called me..."
"Mr Bishop?" There was a pause. "Now why do you think that I would need to talk with you?" Adam stuttered. "Oh come on, I am sure that you know. But I don't like to do these things over the telephone. It has been sometime since we met, I think it would be good to see you again."
"Please..." Adam sobbed.
"The usual place. Eight o'clock." A pause. "Please don't be late Mr Bishop. I cannot abide lateness. It makes me, angry." The conversation ended with a click and Adam replaced the handset. He slumped onto the desk tears pricking his eyes.
***
“Hello Sarah, Adam gave me this for you.”
Sarah took the bag excitedly. “Oh great it’s here.” She ripped open the plastic bag, taking out a pair of blue jodhpurs. “I have been waiting for these. They have a sticky bum... It’s supposed to improve your riding position.” She smiled. “I can’t wait to try them on.”
Caroline stood smiling for a moment. “Sticky bum?” She laughed.
***
Sarah checked the list and saw that she was riding Major. She grabbed her riding hat and crop and stepped out onto the yard. Caroline was leading Major from his stable. “What do you think?” Sarah twirled around showing off her new jodhpurs.
“Very nice, they suit you!” Caroline laughed. She held onto the far stirrup as Sarah mounted up. “I hope the sticky bum works well.” Sarah laughed as she led her riders out of the yard.
Caroline watched as they left, she could not help herself giggling and had to stop herself before anyone saw her.
Sarah felt that there was something wrong but put it down to her new jodhpurs. She was certainly sticking in the saddle, in fact she was stuck to the saddle, the description for the sticky bum jods has said that they helped you stay in place in the saddle but this was pretty full on. She pushed her horse into a trot and was worried to find that she couldn’t even do rising trot.
She was clearly distracted, Penny, one of her riders called out to her. “Are you okay?”
Sarah shook her head. “Look this will sound weird but I am stuck in the saddle.”
“I know you have a really deep seat, and those new jodhpurs must be helping.”
“No Penny.” Sarah tried to stand up in her stirrups. “I can’t move at all...” She struggled. “I am completely stuck.”
Penny laughed. “Come on! Don’t pull my leg!” She stopped as she saw the panicked look in Sarah’s eyes. “You aren’t joking are you?”
“Sorry guys!” Sarah frowned. “We will have to go back to the yard. I have a problem...” She sheepishly turned her horse around and led them back to the yard.
Adam glanced at his watch as he saw Sarah leading the ride back, he walked out of the office and went over to her. “You’re early, is there something wrong?”
Sarah leaned down and whispered to Adam. “I’m stuck...”
“Stuck?” Adam shook his head. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t move.” She tried to move in the saddle. “Adam I am completely stuck. Help me please.”
Adam grabbed one of Sarah’s boots and tried to pull it away from the saddle and then did the same with her left knee, but both were stuck firm. “Ah...” He paused. “You are stuck.”
“Thanks. Now could you do something to help me?” She shook her head.
“I am not sure what to do?” He paused. “Let me have a think...”
***
Adam and Kate had tried everything from brute force to large quantities of washing-up liquid but Sarah was still firmly attached to Major’s saddle. They had lifted her off the horse and placed the saddle on one of the fences surrounding the yard when Major had become too fidgety. Sarah was blushing with embarrassment as a small group of staff and customers gathered watching what was happening to her.
“Look I am sorry, we have tried everything.” Kate sighed. “I think we had better take you to casualty.” She paused. “Sorry Sarah.”
Kate and Adam lifted Sarah with her attached saddle from the fence and laid her down in the back on the Land Rover. “I am sorry this is not the best way to travel, but at least it should be reasonable comfortable with the rugs in there.” He shut the back door and sat behind the wheel. “Okay back there?” He paused. “Sorry I know it’s a stupid question.”
It was clear from the shocked and amused faces of the nurses in accident and emergency that Sarah’s predicament was unusual. They were sympathetic and tried a number of options before eventually having to cut away the leather of the saddle. “It seems to be some form of epoxy glue.” The doctor frowned. “We have tried all of the solvents we have and have removed all we can.” He paused. “It’s just that the glue seems to have seeped through your jodhpurs and stuck to your flesh. I am very sorry.”
“So what happens to me now?”
“Well the skin will wear away over the next few days.”
“A few days?” Sarah shrieked. “I have to stay like this for a few days?”
“We will remove as much of the glue as we can, then you can go home. Have lots of hot baths.”
***
It was dark when Sarah returned to the stable flat. Kate had brought her spare clothes but she was massively uncomfortable in her old jeans with the remains of Major’s saddle and her new jodhpurs still stuck to her legs. She dashed past the staff sitting on the sofas and bolted herself in the bathroom, starting to run a bath, she swore as she realised that the meagre supply of hot water had run out. She sat on the toilet and cried.
Chapter 2
“Who the hell did that to Sarah?” Adam growled.
“And good morning to you too!” Kate smiled, placing a mug of coffee in front of him on the kitchen table.
“Sorry...” Adam sipped the hot coffee. “Thanks... I am just so annoyed.”
“I am sure it was someone’s idea of a silly prank.”
“Silly prank?” Adam snorted. “Sarah hurt, hours in casualty, clients pissed off and let alone a destroyed saddle.”
“Okay...” Kate massaged his shoulders. “Look I will try to find out who did this.”
“And fire them!”
“Okay Mr Grum
py...” She laughed leaving Adam protesting.
***
"And go large..." Caroline yawned loudly.
"Sorry am I boring you?" Tracy laughed.
"Oh..." Caroline blushed. "No I am so sorry..."
"Don't mind me." Tracy pushed her horse into a trot around the arena. "You do look to be a bit tired today, good night?" She smirked.
"I wish." Caroline blushed even more deeply. She had not had a boyfriend since the embarrassed fumbling at school and now she worked in an environment where there were not so many men around. However this suited her quite well, she was so easily embarrassed by the idea of having a relationship and was quite happy to throw herself into her work. "Sorry, can you do a twenty meter circle at A and then..." Caroline stopped, she could see someone standing by the arena fence. They had not been there a moment ago, she didn't recognise them.
"...And?" Tracy circled her horse and returned to the track.
"And?" Caroline shook her head and turned towards Tracy. "Oh, do a diagonal from K, through X to M." She looked back towards the fence but the woman was no longer standing there. Caroline walked towards the fence and looked around, there was nobody there and the only people were on the yard some metres away. She shook her head and turned round and stepped back towards the centre of the arena. She stepped onto the track unaware of to the fact that Tracy was riding towards her, she shouted but Caroline was hit by the horse who was cantering around the arena. The horse smashed into Caroline's shoulder she fell heavily onto the sand of the arena floor.
***
Kate shook her head she laughed at the antics of her riders, they had just suggested that she join them for a night out. "No, look I am not a night club sort of person." The riders laughed joshing with her. "And I have nothing to wear."
"We can sort that out and give you some proper make-up and those hands, when did you last have a manicure." Sue smiled.
"What's a manicure?" Kate smirked innocently. The women laughed.
"Okay, that's sorted then."
"What?" Kate gasped. "What's sorted?"
"We are taking you out, I am sure I can lend you something to wear and we will get you a beauty session at my salon. Hands, hair and make-up." Sue paused. "We will get you ready to hit the town and do some pulling."
"I am a married woman!" Kate snapped.
"So, you will go home to your husband at the end of the night, there is nothing wrong with flirting." Sue winked at her, Kate sniffed.
"I think you are making fun of me, I am not just some innocent country girl!" The laughter at Kate's comment lasted until they were almost back on the yard.
***
Tracy knelt beside Caroline's prone body, she looked up as Adam vaulted the arena fence and knelt beside her. "I don't know what happened, she just stepped out in front of Toby." Tracy wiped her eyes with her gloved hands. "I tried to pull up."
"Don't worry, it was an accident." Adam smiled at Tracy. "Anyway, Caroline is pretty tough." He was reaching down to check her breathing and pulse. She was breathing but clearly unconscious, he knew the dangers of moving her so made sure that she was able to breathe clearly. "There is an ambulance on the way." He paused. "We'll give you a refund for this lesson."
Tracy shrugged. "Look you don't need to as long as Caroline is alright." They both looked down as Caroline gasped and tried to move.
"No, stay still." Adam gently held her still on the warm sand. "You’ve had an accident, help on its way."
"Oh!" Caroline groaned. "It hurts..."
"I am sure it does." Adam comforted her. "You will be fine soon, they will take the pain away."
Caroline felt a wave of nausea come across her she breathed deeply which caused a pain in her chest. She slumped down deeper into the warm sand. It engulfed her, the warmth was so comforting. Her eyes started to close.
"...Well if you have just joined us you do so at a pivotal time for the equestrian team..." Caroline's mind started to drift she was riding. She could hear other voices but pushed them from her mind she had to concentrate she was about to jump, she let the music wash over her.
"Push them away..." Her groom looked up at her. "You don't need them..." She smiled.
"I don't need them..." Caroline smiled.
***
Kate panicked when she saw an ambulance standing on the yard. She quickly dismounted and ran towards Adam. "What's happened?"
"Caroline has had an accident. She stepped in front of Toby as Tracy was riding him."
"Oh goodness! Is she okay?"
"She's unconscious, she came round for a moment but then seemed to go again." Adam paused, he was looking ashen and scared. The ambulance was almost ready to leave. "I had better go with her."
"Look let me..." Kate took his hand. "She may prefer a woman with her. I'll make sure she is okay." Adam nodded. Kate stepped up into the back of the ambulance, they were just shutting the doors when she stood up. "Hang on...!" She released her chin strap and took her riding hat off and handed it to Adam. "Call her mum, her number is in Caroline's file." The ambulance doors closed and they slowly drove across the yard.
***
Caroline slowly opened her eyes, the light blinding her as she blinked and tried to fathom where she was and what was happening. Caroline attempted to sit up but found that she was unable to move. Even her head was prevented from moving, her neck held in place with a solid brace.
"Oh, you are awake? What a shame..." Caroline froze she recognised Kate's voice. She sounded angry, she could hear footsteps moving around her bed. "Do you want to tell me what you were doing?" She paused, a sneer playing across her face, Caroline stuttered to afraid to answer. "No?" She sniffed. "Shall I tell you? I think that you tried to sabotage the yard, I don't think you want us to do well. You hate everyone don't you?"
"No..." Caroline stuttered.
"Push them away Caroline..." Kate snarled. "We don't need you..."
Caroline sobbed, a sudden wave of pain washed over her and she cried out, screaming in agony.
"Oh Caroline, I'm here..." Kate took her hand. "They are going to give you some pain relief, it will make it go away." Caroline looked to the side as there was a sharp prick in her arm, a nurse was injecting morphine into her left arm.
"Kate..." Caroline whispered, her voice croaky. "Please don't hate me..."
"What?" Kate looked deeply into Caroline's pale blue eyes, she could see fear washing over her. "I don't hate you. We love you Caroline. I'll be here for you." Caroline started to close her eyes as the morphine took hold. "Sleep well."
***
"Yes, they think she has broken a couple of ribs and has dislocated her shoulder. Thank goodness she had a riding hat on, but as she was knocked out they want to keep her in at least overnight. Did you call her mum?" Kate was standing outside the hospital as mobile phones were not allowed on the ward. Caroline was sleeping deeply with the help of a good dose of morphine. "Okay, well I will stay here as long as I can."
Kate stepped back into the ward followed by a nurse who was spraying air freshener. She blushed, "Sorry I was mucking out earlier..." The nurse stopped her, smiling.
"Oh don't be silly, it's not you! After the meals have been served you need to get rid of the smell of cabbage. Ugh!" She paused. "You were here with Miss Gibbs weren't you?" Kate nodded. "Her mother is here, she is by her bed."
"Thank you." The nurse went down the yard spraying the air. Kate walked into Caroline's room, beside her bed was a grey haired woman, she looked like she was fifty or older. "Hello? Are you Caroline's mum, I don't think we have ever met." The woman stood up facing Kate.
"No..." She looked Kate up and down. "We haven't."
"Sorry, I am Kate Bishop, I run Redbridge Equestrian Centre with my husband." She paused, the woman sat down sighing. "Is something wrong?"
"No, I am sorry, I have some history with the place, I didn't want Caroline to work there." She looked up. "No offence."
"None taken." Kate shook her head adding 'I think' under
her breath. "Have they told you what happened to her."
"Yes, and thank you for bringing her in." The woman looked at Kate, she seemed to be wishing her to leave.
"I would like to stay with her too if I can." Kate smiled. "She is a good friend to us all."
"I suppose I can't stop you can I?" Caroline's mother sighed as Kate pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed.
***
Adam pulled up the Land Rover in the empty car park. He glanced at his watch, five minutes to eight. He opened the car door and stepped out into the fresh air urging his legs to stay strong beneath him. He wanted to turn and run away, but he knew that he would make his situation ten times worse. He heard a car approaching and watched as a large four wheel drive car pulled into the car park. Its windows were blacked out but it was soon clear who was inside as two large men stepped out followed by a blond haired woman, she was well dressed in a business suit and what looked like expensive shoes. She stepped towards Adam flanked by the two men.
"Good evening Mr Bishop." Her voice was toneless. "You're early."
"I didn't want to keep you waiting." Adam's stuttered.
"Are you afraid of me Mr Bishop?" Adam shook his head. She smiled. "Liar! But you have every right to be afraid. Unless of course..." She paused. Adam knew what the question would be, he wavered slightly. "You have the money you owe, don't you?"
There was a long silence between the three people.
"I need time..." Adam stuttered.
"Did I ask that Mr Bishop?" She shook her head. "No, do you have the money you owe me, the money you promised that you would repay."
"Business has been so bad..." There was a sudden pain across Adam's back she fell heavily to his knees. Looking up he saw one of the men holding a riding crop.
"Now, Mr Bishop, I am being gentle with you. I thought you might appreciate the irony of the riding crops, my little joke."
"Very funny..." Adam gasped.
"One more time, Mr Bishop." She smiled. "No more little jokes. The money." Adam looked up with tears in his eyes. "Oh dear..." She paused. "Well, this is just a little reminder for you, just in case you forget again?." She turned and opened the car door. "And I will want double by this time next week or it will not be something as gentle as a riding crop."
Adam watched as she sat in the car and closed the door. The two men stood before him raising their hands bringing down the crops onto Adam's back. They left him lying on the rough surface of the car park before returning to the car and driving off.
