AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, yeah, we’ve been over this. It’s your stall, but I use it. It’s called sharing, bud. Now back away.”
Lance snorted loudly into Ford’s face and turned, leaving him with a view of a big black rump.
Closing his eyes, he let himself drift. The relief was acute. His entire body sighed. Last night he’d barely been asleep before a nightmare hit him. He woke shaking, then needed to get out of bed, walk around, and work on his models so he wouldn’t fall back to sleep and into the nightmare.
He woke to the sound of a whinny. Not unusual in a stable.
“You do know that beast will take a huge piece out of you if I let you in there, don’t you, Monica?”
He heard his brother’s voice but didn’t open his eyes. Nash wouldn’t come in here because Lancewouldtake a chunk out of him.
“Come away or he’ll bite you.”
Nash’s pony whinnied louder.
“What’s in there that’s got you bent out of shape other than Satan?”
Ford waited and hoped his brother didn’t see him.
“Are those your legs, brother?”
“No.”
“Sure looks like the soles of your worn boots.”
“It’s not.”
“Are you sleeping again?”
“No.”
“I’ll just stand here until you come out.”
He sighed and then opened his eyes.
“I told you to bite anyone who approached.” Ford regained his feet and stroked the large black head, then looked over the half door and found Nash’s pony.
Monica had been coming to the ranch with his brother since she’d appeared on his doorstep. They still had no idea where she’d come from. She was the smallest pony he’d ever seen. The color of his sister’s hair, she had white socks and a star on her forehead. After Nash and Luna, Ford was her next favorite. Then his parents, as they fed her and said she was likely the closest thing they were getting that resembled a grandchild, so they’d lavished her with their love.
“Hey, Monica.” He opened the door and let himself out. He gave the pony a good scratch behind a long ear so he wouldn’t have to speak to his brother.
“Are you sick?”
“What?”
“You heard me. Are you sick? Because you’re always disappearing for naps.” Nash stood behind his pony.
“Now would be a good time to kick, Monica.”
She butted him in the belly.
“Good girl.” Nash petted her rump. “Answer the question. What’s the deal with you and sleep? Luna told me you looked tired. I hadn’t really noticed until now that she’s right. In fact, I hadn’t really noticed anything about you. You’re just Ford and always there, or you have been since you came home from college.”
“I’m not tired, and you make it sound like I sleep all the time.”
“Well, you have those too.” He pointed to Ford’s eyes.
“Eyes?” Ford asked, deflecting. He didn’t talk about his sleep or lack thereof or the reasons associated with it. It had happened too long ago now to bring it up or go there.
