by Rose, Amelia
“I may not be too familiar with big towns, but I’m guessing it hasn’t gotten much safer in the city, either! No, I’ll take the simple life out here. I can’t say as I’m as adventurous as some of these long-time cowboys, but I’m happy enough seeing the stars come out over my little cabin every night.”
She put on a cheerful face for the woman, but inside was another story. It was Rose’s turn to worry, even though she knew deep down that Mason and the other riders often stayed out for weeks at a time when working with the crews back at the ranch. But somehow that was different, at least in her mind. While the vast Carson Hill property was so large that no one could possibly even see it all in one day, it was still comforting to know that they were on the same property on those nights when work separated them. Out here, though, was a whole other matter.
At Carson Hill, as wild as the life seemed and as dangerous as a cowboy’s work was on a daily basis, there was always the safety net of knowing exactly where someone was and there were ways to get to him in a crisis. Out here, it was anyone’s guess. This was the deep end of the ocean, the unknown and bottomless hole of open land. Rose had no way of knowing where Mason was at that very moment, and while that was unsettling, it was very near panicking to her that no one else knew his location, either.
Be safe, Mason. Find that boy and come back to me soon.
She put on a brave face for the other riders in her group and tried her best not to let this new fear eat at her. Tomorrow she would be back at work in the truck, and as much as she wanted to enjoy this day of freedom, she couldn’t think about anything else but a missing child and a wayward hero gone to rescue him.
Chapter Sixteen
As the group came to different turn offs along the trail, the members peeled off in pairs to continue the search. Laney’s mom was the first to go with Judy, both of them heading onto the crest line that ran the length of the river valley.
Some ten miles later, Laney’s dad and Joseph Carson peeled off to the east at a fork in the trail, leading down into an area the map affectionately called Rattler Ridge. She watched her dad visibly shudder before following Joseph into the narrow opening between waist-high scrub bushes, his horse even less sure about this direction than he was.
That left three remaining groups, who each separated one by one. Laney was paired with Axel, at his insistence, instantly causing her suspicions to rise. This guy didn’t even like her, let alone enjoying having to speak to her. They shared one sudden and comforting hug, and supposedly he was her savior? She looked to Mason who only shrugged.
“He does know the region better than anyone out here. We grew up only thirty miles from here,” he explained, pointing the way to the east with a jerk of his head. “If I was lost out here, I’d want to know that Ax was the guy out looking for me. Besides, that’ll keep you in closer connection with your parents if you two take this fork.”
Laney sighed and agreed, reminding herself that she wouldn’t be looking for Oren if she hadn’t been the one to tell him he could go. She’d gotten so caught up in trying to make up for all the horrible things she’d said and done in the past that she didn’t stop to think that his riding in a separate group would put him out here without anyone to look after him. It was her fault he was in danger. Why hadn’t she insisted he get some rest today?
You know why. Because you’ve been a hateful monster to him and now you think giving him whatever he wants will make up for being a lousy sister? She knew no one else would speak those words out loud to her, but she didn’t need to wait for anyone else to say what everyone had to have been thinking. She’d made it more than obvious on the ride from airport, showing everyone on the trip just what she thought of Oren.
But it’s not true! I love him! He’s an angel and I don’t deserve him for a brother! New tears threatened to fill her eyelids but she fought them back when she saw Axel turn around and gesture for her to keep up. She spurred her horse forward as the other riders went farther back the trail in search of their own places to begin looking for a lost little boy.
Laney urged her horse forward and her heart swelled when the stupid animal finally did what she wanted it to. Maybe it could sense her heartache and fear. That was a thing with animals, right? Axel must have been able to as well, since he hadn’t baited her or said anything condescending since they’d left the last camp. If he could do it, big dumb animal that he was, too, then surely her horse could have picked up on her mental state and decided to just play nice.
Deep down, though, she knew that wasn’t true. The horse wasn’t the one who had changed. Conversations swirled through her mind, casual remarks and biting criticisms she’d made towards others just in the last few months or so, all of them bringing a flush of shame to her cheeks. But that’s not who she was anymore, a conscious decision that she’d only made a day or two ago, to be sure, but one that she had every intention of following through with. And that’s how she came to find herself bargaining with God.
I’ll be good, she promised, pleading with him in her mind. I’ll be good to people, to everyone, to my parents, and most of all to Oren. Just let us find him. Bring him home safe.
The sound of static coming from Axel’s radio jolted her from her impromptu prayer. She leaned forward and listened, instinctively kicking her horse lightly to make it move closer so she could hear better.
“Sorry, Laney, it was just a radio check,” Axel called back to her, seeing the look of hope on her face and realizing she thought someone might have found her brother. “I’ll be sure to tell you if they say anything. But up ahead you’ll want to stay close. The edge of this trail drops off sharply, and if you’re not paying attention you could go sliding down into the…”
He stopped, turning around and catching a glimpse of the horrified look on her face. He hadn’t meant to imply that Oren could have fallen into a ravine, but they both knew the possibility was very likely. Why else would a middle school-aged boy go missing? Surely he was hurt somewhere, but Laney couldn’t look over the edge of the hole they were circling and picture her brother at the bottom.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean… let’s just keep moving,” he mumbled, leading the way once more.
“Should we keep calling for him, or anything?” she asked, genuinely seeking Axel’s advice. He looked thoughtful for a moment then answered.
“It can’t hurt, but wait until we reach the bottom of this portion here. We’re below the trail at ground level here, and the sound of our voices will just echo off the ridgeline walls and throw the sound around. He would have a hard time figuring out which way our voices were coming from. Once we crest that hill, he’ll stand a better chance of hearing us and finding us.”
They pressed on and kept a steady pace for the next several hours, rarely speaking, each one lost in thought and worry. They scouted the landscape around them, switching off their positions every so often so their necks didn’t grow stiff or their eyes tired. Ax and Laney called out for Oren in intervals, giving him time to hear them and respond over the sound of their cries.
As the afternoon moved on into evening, the clouds that had threatened them earlier in the day caught up to them, the game of chase being lost to the power of nature.
“Do the horses need to take shelter somewhere?” Laney asked as the first fist-sized drops of water hit the stones around their horses’ hooves. Axel shook his head.
“They can withstand anything we can tolerate. More, if you want the truth. Besides, it’s already rained in these parts, a hard rain from the look of it. Take a look at the way the creek bed is dried and cracked over there,” he explained, pointing across Laney’s shoulder and to her left to where the ground rose up the meet the trail, a thin creek bed snaking its way around the large rocks. “But now if you look in that direction ahead of us, it’s all solid mud over there. That comes from the way the water travels when it gets backed up enough to…”
Once again, Axel went silent in the middle of his sentence, his face becoming a mask of pure
concentration. Laney rode up beside his horse and stopped, grateful once again that her horse was finally cooperating.
“What is it, Ax? I know you’re thinking about Oren. Do you know where he might be?” she demanded desperately, the previous edge in her voice replaced by genuine concern. He nodded slowly.
“I can’t be sure, and I’m afraid to take a chance and then be wrong.”
“I trust you, Axel,” Laney stated firmly, leaning forward to look him in the eye. “If you think you know where he could be, we have to go. Now.”
“But what if we waste time looking in the wrong place because of my stupid hunch? Time that we don’t have, judging by that sun over there.” Laney turned to look over her shoulder and follow his gaze, her heart dropping into her stomach when she was reminded just how late in the day it had already become.
“But what if you’re right? What if Oren is sitting there right now and no one is coming for him?” Her voice broke on those last words and fresh tears pricked at her eyes. “He could even be hurt, and it’s going to be dark soon. We have to try. If you think there’s even a tiny chance that you could find him, then that’s where we have to go.”
Axel nodded, pressing his lips into a thin, grim line. “It’s a good distance from here, which means we’re going to have to run. Can you ride that horse well enough to keep up?”
“I guess I’ll have to, won’t I?” she answered firmly, straightening her back and lifting her head. If it’s what her brother needed, then she knew she could do it. She would force herself to do it for him.
Axel gave her some quick pointers on riding her horse at the kinds of speeds they would need to reach the river before sundown. Her horse knew its job, but Laney wasn’t as sure. She hadn’t been as proficient at speaking horse as some of the others in the group, and even those riders hadn’t learned to canter at full speed. But it had to be done.
Laney did as Axel instructed, urging her horse forward with the combination of a squeezing kick with one leg while calling out to the animal to move. She screamed once at the sudden start the horse took off with, then spent the next ten minutes fighting the urge to throw herself face down on the animal’s back and simply cling to its neck for dear life. Her teeth rattled in her head and it was hard to see anything what with being jostled so violently by the speeding horse, but she managed to keep up with Axel, or at least keep him in her sights.
By the end of the first half hour, she was ready to give up. Gone was her proud confidence that she could do whatever it took to find Oren, and in its place was the feeling that every bone in her body was about to shatter. Axel called out to let the horses walk for ten minutes to give them a rest, then they would pick back up at their running pace. They still had a long way to go, and they were chasing the sun as it dipped towards the low horizon.
Chapter Seventeen
“Mason, can you hear me? It’s Rose. I mean, it’s Rose, over.” She released the button and held the radio handset limply in her hand, waiting for him to respond. She knew the radio only had a limited range, but it still should have been powerful enough to reach him, wherever he was. She brightened when the static on the radio increased in volume and his voice came through the tinny speaker.
“I’m here, baby! How are you? Over.”
“We’re all good here. Any luck with the McGrady boy?” She waited, knowing that he would refuse to speak until she ended her transmission properly. She laughed out loud when his voice, this time in a high falsetto imitation of a woman’s voice, said, “Over.”
Mason cleared his throat to return to his own tenor. “Nothing yet, but we’ve all stayed in contact. The rescue crews are expected by sun up if we don’t hear anything soon. If we still haven’t heard anything by nightfall, I’ll have to call it in to Casey anyway, so he’ll be able to let you know, over.”
“I’m worried about him, Mason. We all are. But I’m worried about you, too. Please be careful out there. This isn’t like the ranch… over.”
“I know, honey, but don’t worry. We’re teamed up with each other and we’re watching each other’s backs. Hopefully we’ll get good news soon and we can all rejoin the drive by breakfast. Over.”
“I hope so too, for everybody’s sake. Good night, Mason.”
“Good night, Rose. Thanks for calling me!” He waited another beat before adding, “Over,” in a squeaky voice, making her laugh again before hanging up the handset. It was good to have him back.
+++
“Attention search riders, come in. Radio check and info update. Over.”
Axel reached for the large radio with the oversized antenna and waited his turn to check in. He called out their approximate location after hearing the riders ahead of him call out through the static. The home check point continued after everyone had checked in.
“We’ve had a sighting from the Crenshaw Pass fire tower. A ranger on patrol found a horse and called in its ID. Saddled and bridled, but no rider. Over.”
Lane’s hands went to her mouth as she fought to keep from crying out. Axel instinctively put an arm around her shoulders and waited, deathly silent, for any further information.
“Rider groups one, three, and four, you’re closest to the vicinity of where the horse could have separated. Two and five, keep up the search, but be prepared to be called back if we give you more information on a new search location. Over.”
The radio went silent. Laney still stood frozen, unable to breathe deeply, shaken to her core. Axel wrapped both arms around her and let her come unglued for a moment, giving her a chance to process the news and regroup a little.
“This isn’t bad news, Laney. I promise. There’s a very easy explanation. For all we know, he just fell off his horse and the stupid thing took off. He could be walking along the correct route right this very moment, and someone will come to him.”
“Then why are we going this way?” she asked, forcing herself to slow her breathing. It wasn’t time to panic yet, and she had to stay focused on Oren.
“I just have a weird gut feeling, and I’m not usually wrong about stuff like this. It’s like, when I see a situation and it all falls into place, it makes sense to check it out. If I am wrong, then we’ll only have wasted a couple of hours. But if I’m right, ignoring my feelings could mean we never find him.”
Laney nodded, and they pressed on. She had to remind herself to stay optimistic, to keep a good thought about her brother and his whereabouts. No news wasn’t always good news, she was sure of it, and news that sounded bad on the surface didn’t always stay that way.
Axel and Laney reached the point where a number of smaller creeks converged and joined a larger river, one that was rushing now under the power of the torrential rain they’d seen earlier in the day. The water had swollen the river up past its banks to where it teased the grasses that usually stood tall on the dry land. Instead, the once-dry river bank was a soggy mess that looked nearly impossible to pass. They dismounted from their horses and walked the length of the bank, looking for any sign of Oren. The first clue came when Axel held up a muddy shoe that had been half submerged in the muck along the old creek bed.
“Is this your brother’s shoe?” he asked, holding it out at arm’s length. Laney scrutinized it, but was embarrassed to say she couldn’t remember what his shoes looked like. She looked sheepishly at it for a moment before shaking her head sadly. “Well, it could be his, just judging by its size, so maybe that means we’re looking in the right place for once.”
They spent the next half hour roaming the creek bank in opposite directions, looking for any further sign that Oren had been that way. They called out to him, straining to hear an answer over the rushing of the fast moving water.
Finally, at the point of pain and exhaustion and having to force herself not to cry again, Laney saw a tiny flash of color in the moving water. It was several long seconds before the roiling current moved enough to let her see it again, but she was prepared for it the third time it came into view, her eyes trained on
the spot where she’d only thought she saw something. It was a flash of royal blue, the exact color of Oren’s favorite school sweatshirt.
“Axel!” Laney screamed over and over as she raced up the bank and back in the direction where they’d split up. He eventually heard his name over the rushing sound that filled their ears and nearly drowned their voices, looking up to see what the noise was. Laney was still a long way off, but her frantic waving brought him running. She turned and ran back to where she’d seen the color in the water, training her eyes to see it again while she waited for Axel to come to her.
“There!” she screamed as she pointed in the direction of the far bank, and this time Axel saw it too. He immediately scoured the area for a crossing point, somewhere that would provide safe enough passage to cross in the swift current without being pulled under himself.
“Oh god, the kid must have gotten caught in a flash flood!” Axel called out, running both hands through his hair as his mind began to race, grasping quickly for a solution. Laney grew frustrated with his search and began pulling off her shoes, intent on jumping in after what she could only hope was Oren.
“No, Laney, it’s too dangerous!” Axel shouted over the current. “You’ll be swept away and then you’ll both be gone. Let me find a way to cross.” He clamored over a pile of washed up limbs and pulled himself up to a fallen log, using his feet to kick it out of its place in the mud. Laney climbed over and helped him, pushing her back against the debris to get leverage, ignoring the stabbing pain in her flesh. Together they managed to roll the log out of place and then swing it around to drag it across the river. It didn’t quite reach the other side, but it would have to do.
Axel scrambled across the log, hand over hand, inching his feet up behind his outstretched arms, securing his balance on the unstable tree as best he could. He stood upright and paused for a moment, judging the distance to the bank from the end of the log, not knowing whether the power in his muscled legs would be enough to take him across, or if he’d be carried downstream. With one longing look back at Laney that spoke volumes, he disappeared from the end of the log and beneath the churning muddy water.
