Alexander Ranch

by Marla Josephs

  “No, it’s ok,” Daisy said quietly, shock still plain in her voice.

  “No, it’s not ok. I’m sorry Daisy. I didn’t mean that,” I said, hoping she could forgive me. After all he was part of her family and what I’d said was pretty nasty, even if not far from the truth. “It’s just not necessary for Jordan to pretend he likes me or whatever, really. I’d much rather him just ignore me if that’s how he really feels. I can take it.”

  “I know you didn’t mean it,” Daisy said, some of her natural easiness coming back. “I just didn’t realize how much you felt he disliked you.”

  It probably wasn’t wise to tell her that, despite his performance today, I didn’t believe for one moment that he somehow liked me. I was more sure than ever that he, for whatever reason, decided that he’d better play nice or Logan might find out about this and give him a hard time. Everyone else went out of their way to make me feel welcome. And, I believed they did like me. But, I didn’t want Jordan to feel like he needed to pretend in order to avoid conflict with his brother or anyone else. I am a realist after all. No one is liked by everyone.

  “So, what’s for dinner tonight?” Daisy asked, in an obvious attempt to break the awkward silence in the car.

  “Why don’t we work out and then order some take-out?” I suggested, jumping at the chance to change the mood.

  “Sounds good,” She agreed.

  Blake had let me convert one of the spare rooms he had a few pieces of workout equipment in into a home gym. He had a bar, bench, and free weights. I’d put in a flat screen for video workouts, a treadmill and an elliptical. We’d accumulated various other workout paraphernalia and equipment like resistance bands, yoga mats and balls, step climbers and jump ropes. The room was a large room and I was able to do a variety of workouts.

  We’d decided on some weights followed by a Latin fusion dance workout on the flat screen. I normally worked out alone and had to admit working out with a partner was much more fun. Still, after about two hours, I called it quits. Daisy looked as if she could have gone on forever, but she declined continuing the workout alone and we ordered Italian take-out. All in all, girl time with Daisy was fun and Jordan was not mentioned again.

  On Tuesday morning Daisy escorted me back to the ranch. I worked with Jordan again on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday I’d stared at him in shock as he told a joke and let out a whoop of laughter. I’d never seen or heard him laugh. He had a nice hearty laugh.

  “Oh, come on, Lela,” he teased, “Where’s your sense of humor.”

  I frowned. Since when did he joke with me? I was just getting used to him not scowling or ignoring me all the time.

  He let out a long sigh, “So, you still believe I wouldn’t bother to even spit on you to put you out if you were on fire?”

  I gaped, “She told you what I said?”

  He’d just confirmed my suspicions. Daisy had put him up to this whole things.

  “Well, I don’t think she saw it as telling,” he frowned as if remembering. “It was more like she read me the riot act for making you feel so ‘disliked and unwelcome’ as she put it.”

  “So, is this what all this new friendliness and talking to me is about?” I asked, now feeling stung that I had been right all along. He just didn’t want to catch any heat. “Jordan, you don’t have to like me or pretend to like me. I’m sorry for saying that and sorry Daisy confronted you with it. Really, I appreciate whatever you have to do to protect me but liking me isn’t a requirement.”

  He stared at me for a moment, a look of surprise on his face.

  “What?”

  “So, she was right?” he asked, horror flittering across his face. “You really do believe I dislike you that much?”

  I threw my hands in the air.

  “It was quite obvious you don’t like me, Jordan. It wasn’t like you were trying to hide it. I don’t care. It’s fine. Whatever. I’d rather you act normal instead of pretending. This is – is crazy!”

  I was shouting now and turned to stomp off to the back of the barn. I opened the latch on Cervantes’ stall and disappeared inside. Cervantes clomped over to me and snorted. I put my arms around his neck and stroked is mane releasing my tension. I crooned to him. The horse was clearly feeling my frustrated emotions. I willed myself to calm so that I could reassure my equine friend. Thankfully, Jordan stayed away. He went back to putting things away. It was the end of the day and time to go home.

  “Ready?” he asked quietly after he had finished his tasks.

  “Yea,” I said with a forced but amiable smile.

  Chapter 15

  On Thursday morning he informed me that Daisy would be working with me after lunch. He’d still been friendly but more subdued today. And, for some reason I’d felt guilty. Had I misjudged him? I got the sense that he was upset about my view of him or rather how he felt about me. He seemed a little lost. I’d even gone so far as to open my senses and reach out to see how he felt. It was only for the briefest moment, but he was definitely feeling a lot of inner turmoil, regret and frustration coming through the clearest.

  I felt guilty for prying into his personal feelings and decided to focus on hanging out with Daisy. I guessed whatever assignment she was working was coming to an end or didn’t require her attention after lunch today.

  I never asked questions about their other work. It was none of my business. I’d been enjoying my new friendship with Daisy and Ethan, who’d also been absent lately. I wondered fleetingly if we would still be hanging out if we’d met under different circumstances, or when my current need for protection ended. I’d been brushing Gringa deep in thought when Jordan cautiously approached me.

  “I have a meeting to go to at lunch time. Daisy is going to meet you for lunch. Do you mind if I leave early?”

  We’d been working all morning in mostly companionable silence with a few comments interjected. He’d seemed troubled now in a new way. Instead of being irritated by my presence he seemed bothered that I believed he didn’t like me and didn’t appear to know what to do about it.

  “Trying to get rid of me as soon as possible, huh?” I tried to tease. He narrowed his eyes at me as if trying to determine if I were teasing or not. I smiled and guarded relief stole over his face. I saw the corners of his lips turn up.

  “Not at all. I just didn’t want the others to have to wait on me. We need to move on this.”

  “I’m kidding.”

  “Yes, very funny,” he tried for a frown. Then his face took on a concerned look. “But, if you feel you won’t be safe by yourself I’ll stay. It’s only 12 minutes early but – ”

  “Jordan go. I don’t need a babysitter. Besides it’s Fort Knox around here. What could happen?”

  “Are you sure?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes. Go.”

  “Ok, leave as soon as you’re done. Daisy will be waiting for you in the dining hall.”

  He left and I headed into Cervantes’ stall to brush him and give him a rub down. Cervantes bumped and nuzzled my pants pocket. I laughed and reached in pulling out a baby carrot.

  “Ok, big boy. One now and one when we’re done.”

  I loved talking to Cervantes, and he seemed to like me to chatter to him. He always snorted and shook his head around as if in response to my words. He was a sweet old thing and we formed and instant bond. I was chatting away when I thought I heard a noise. I turned to see Kevin, one of the other ranch hands, standing just outside the stall.

  “Oh, hi Kevin,” I said lightly. Kevin was the only other person on the ranch that made me uncomfortable. He’d only been introduced in passing. He wasn’t a full time employee and was fairly new according to Rene. Luckily he never really talked to me. He seemed to keep his distance from everyone and was more of a loner. Rene said it was because he wasn’t very social so didn’t fit in. I hated to admit it, but he gave me the creeps. I had no reason to feel this way. He’d been nothing but polite the few times we’d come in contact. But, I always felt him watch
ing me. I’d caught him several times when I was in view of him and him of me. He never appeared embarrassed at being caught watching or staring. He would simply turn away and continue whatever task he was doing.

  “Hey there. How’s it going?” he asked with uncharacteristic friendliness. A flicker of unease poked at me.

  “Just fine. How about with you?” I replied with professional cordiality.

  “Just fine. Say, you need some help there?” he asked walking into the stall. For some undefinable reason, I did not want to be in a stall with him so I advanced to meet him at the stall door. I had a bucket with a brush and other supplies in my hand. I opened the gate wide and stepped out.

  “Thanks, Kevin, but I’m all done,” I said setting the bucket down.

  He grinned disconcertingly.

  “I saw Jordan leave a minute ago.”

  “Yes, he had something to do.”

  “I’m surprised he left you unguarded,” he practically crooned. The poke of unease turned into a cold chill of fear slithering down my spine. What did he know of me being guarded? To my knowledge no one knew but the Alexander family members. I tried to remain calm and surprisingly my voice was steady when I spoke.

  “Guarding me?” I cocked my head to the side as if in confusion.

  “Come now. I know you’re under their protection. Good thing I came along when I did.” He took a step towards me, and I took a step back which brought my back against the wall of the back of the barn. He leaned in and I put my hands up to hold him at bay. With a quick movement I couldn’t follow, he had my hands pinned above my head.

  “What are you doing, Kevin?” I asked sternly. Though my heart was now thudding wildly, my voice held calm reproach. He didn’t reply. He simply smiled a slow, disturbing smile. Suddenly his mouth covered mine with brutal force and he was trying to force his tongue in my mouth. I began to struggle and abruptly the hand that wasn’t holding my hands over my head was holding my lower jaw in a crushing grip that left my head immobile. He again crushed his mouth to mine, but this time there was a searing pain that shot through my body and hurt my brain. My skin felt tingly and painful to the touch. I froze, completely immobilized by, and focused on, the pain. I fought the pain. I don’t know how but focusing on it seemed to give me some control over it. My lack of struggle seemed to make him relax some which also seemed to lessen the horrible, torturous pain. I forced myself not to struggle and, sure enough, the more I relaxed the more he relaxed. The more he relaxed the more I could control the pain. I swallowed my revulsion and allowed him to kiss me. The shock of pain piercing me lessened.

  When he pushed his tongue past my lips I held rigid control over my searing need to fight and resist. The pain was manageable now and I nipped his lower lip. The grip he had on my hands relaxed. I tugged lightly on one hand and he released it as his vile tongue invaded my mouth. I placed my free hand on his shoulder. I nipped his bottom lip again and pulled at the other arm and he released that one also, and now placed both of his hands on the sides of my face. I placed my other hand on his other shoulder, and he pushed one leg between mine so that I was straddling his thigh.

  I could feel him pressing against me and it took everything I had not to wretch. With one leg between mine the other was on the outside of my right leg. I thrust my tongue in his mouth, grabbed handfuls of his shirt, pulled him to me and brought my knee up between his legs as hard as I could. He bent over and I brought an excellent elbow strike down between the back of his neck and shoulder. He buckled but didn’t completely fall. I couldn’t imagine how he could still be standing when I knew my aim was true, but I didn’t have time to contemplate it. I pushed at him which made him fall and began to run.

  I’d only gotten a few steps when something grabbed my foot and sent me sprawling. I fell hard on my stomach and felt the air woosh from my lungs. Quicker than was possible I was flipped over, my head banging the hard packed dirt of the barn floor, and he was straddling me.

  “You bitch!” he yelled and a smack I never saw coming flew across my face making my head jerk to the side. I cried out in pain and his hand covered my mouth so tightly I could feel his dirty fingers digging into my face. “I was going to go easy on you, but you had to go and try to hurt me.”

  There were tears and probably blood streaming down my face now, and for some reason I can’t explain, I began to scream Jordan’s name in my head. With my mouth covered and the wind knocked out of me I couldn’t even breathe let alone cry out to summon help. I was in the barn where no one could see me and this crazy man was going to kill me.

  He stood suddenly and grabbed me by my hair. I instinctively kicked out with a leg sweep and knocked him off balance. As soon as he released me I was both gasping for air and trying to run. He tackled me this time before it seemed I’d gotten three steps and I hit the ground with a bone shaking thud.

  I lay there crushed under his weight one moment and then the weight was suddenly gone. There was a great crash that sounded like it came from the back of the barn. I turned my head automatically to see what had hit the wall as I began to try and crawl away. I’d almost made it to the entrance of the barn. If I could crawl out someone might see me. Through the haze of pain and tears I saw what looked like Kevin in a heap at the back of the barn. There also appeared to be a big crack in the barn wall.

  Swiftly, in a movement I wasn’t able to follow, Kevin was on his feet. I tried to blink away the tears and debris from my eyes to see if what I was seeing was correct. One moment he was lying on the ground, the next he was standing on his feet. I whimpered and tried to crawl faster knowing my efforts were futile. Then, something shot over my head and crashed into Kevin. Kevin and the mass rolled around on the floor and then someone was squatting next to me. I yelped in fright as tears streamed down my face blurring my vision. I turned my head to see Grace. She was picking me up and Daisy and Logan were standing in the doorway.

  The brawling mass on the floor separated and Jordan was suddenly standing in front of me. His back was to me and he held a defensive posture. I was struggling to breath, and feebly but desperately trying to keep my eyes clear, when Kevin leaped, flew through the air and straight through a glass side window in the tack area which was in the barn loft. I stared in incomprehensible confusion. That window was two stories up. He had literally jumped up and flew through the air through a tiny window on the second floor. I concluded that my mind must be playing tricks on me. What I’d just seen wasn’t humanly possible.

  The throbbing in my head had lessened considerably to a dull ache and I was so weak I couldn’t even seem to form words or keep my eyes open. I wasn’t able to get any answers to my questions regarding what had just happened before the blackness took me.

  Chapter 16

  I don’t know how long I slept. Was I asleep? I assumed I must have slept because I dreamed. In my dreams crazy monsters that looked like men were chasing me around trying to kill me. And no matter where I ran they kept finding me. Gradually, I became aware of a hushed conversation. At first, I couldn’t make out the words. It seemed more a murmur. Slowly, however, the sounds became words and I was able to understand them.

  “Stop pacing, Jordan. She’s fine,” came a soothing, whispered voice.

  “She’s not fine. If she were fine she wouldn’t be in that bed unconscious!” another voice hissed back. I belatedly realized it was Jordan’s. But, it barely sounded like him. It sounded strained and hoarse.

  “She’s only sleeping now,” came the first voice.

  “You’re sure her life force wasn’t weakened?” This was a new voice and the tone was anxious.

  “I don’t know how, but yes. Somehow, he wasn’t able to weaken it. Her only wounds are physical bumps and bruises. Well, maybe some mental ones too after this ordeal. Jordan, Please,” came the first voice again.

  Jordan? Suddenly everything came back to me with consciousness and my eyes flew open. I remembered the way Jordan had gone flying through the air like no human could and had tackl
ed Kevin. What were these people? I looked around the room to see Grace, Logan, Daisy and Jordan staring anxiously back at me. With an energy that came from nowhere I sprang to my feet. They all sprang to their feet in response and the mob surged forward to attack me.

  “No!” I screamed and flung a pillow at them I didn’t even know I had. Logan caught it and they all froze. “Stay away!”

  They all started talking at once, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying. My head swiveled back and forth trying to figure out what was happening.

  “Shut up!” someone bellowed. I jerked my head in the direction of the shout. It was Jordan and he had moved to the side of the bed without my even seeing him. He was glaring at everyone now and speaking through gritted teeth. “You’re scaring her!”

  Everyone stopped talking and he turned back to look at me. The concern in his face was in direct contrast with the confusion and terror I felt. And, just as suddenly as it came, I felt the energy draining from me. My legs began to shake. I was going to fall and I couldn’t do anything about it. I felt the sting of hot tears begin to stream down my face and I could feel blackness trying to overtake me.

  “Please,” I begged weakly. “Please don’t hurt me. Don’t kill me.”

  “No one is going to hurt you,” Jordan said in a soft voice. The pain on his face was a puzzle to me. I was the one in pain and about to fall.

  “She’s going to fall Jordan,” I heard Daisy whisper.

  “I’ve got her,” came Jordan’s quiet response.

  “Please don’t kill me,” I tried to say again, but my voice sounded far away and there was a ringing in my ears. And then my legs gave out and I was falling. I was vaguely aware of someone catching me and placing me back in the bed.

  The next time I returned to consciousness, I heard nothing but the sounds of a working ranch outside the window of the bedroom I was in. When I opened my eyes however, the room was empty of the previous mob except for Daisy and Jordan. I started.