by Piper Frost
“What the hell happened?” his voice booms as he glares at the both of us.
“I...” I’m pointing at Ruin, not sure what the hell was happening. “I just saw Rage bucking, then I saw Gray. I don’t know. I don’t know.” I look at Gray.
“Ruin’s sick, dad.” Gray huffs, hands on his hips and bending at the waist trying to catch his breath. “Something’s wrong with her and Rage lost his shit when I went to check on her.”
Mr. Kenshaw walks back over to the fence, looking over at Ruin who’s barely breathing. “That’s Paige’s horse,” he mutters, cursing. “Gray, we gotta get Rage out of there before he hurts her.”
“I think he’s just mad his girl’s sick,” Gray mutters, watching the horse walk over to Ruin on the ground and nudge her.
“Either way, we can’t help her if he’s in there.” Mr. Kenshaw looks at me and nods to the pen opposite the barn. “Open the gate over there, we’ll get him moved then check it out.”
I jog to the pen and open it, watching Mr. Kenshaw lead Rage out. The second I close the gate, I jump the fence and jog up to Paige’s horse. “Shit,” I whisper and drop to my knees, running my hand down her neck then look to Mr. Kenshaw. “She gonna be okay?”
He drops to his knees and runs his hand over her side, resting it on her and closing his eyes. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t say anything.
“Dad?” Gray pushes. “I’m calling Tommy.” He yanks his cell phone out but Mr. Kenshaw stops him.
“She’s gone, boys.”
“Gone?” Gray whispers, looking down at her. “Like...dead?”
“Somethin’ happened to her. I would have known if she was sick.”
Someone yells and the three of us whip our heads up to see Leena running full speed across the field.
“Dad!” She’s screaming. “Cow!” We can’t tell what she’s saying but Mr. Kenshaw takes off in a run to get to her so we follow. “The dairy cows,” she pants. “I was milking her.” She stops to catch her breath.
We walk into the barn and she’s on her side, the pail is kicked out to the side and there’s milk all over. The second Mr. Kenshaw walks up to her, he shakes his head. The cow’s dead too. We hear a noise like something fell and me and Gray dart farther into the barn to watch another drop to her knees before keeling over.
“What the hell’s going on?” I blurt.
“Gray, call Tommy,” Mr. Kenshaw says, stone faced as he stares at two dead cows with a dead horse back in the stables. “Leena, get out of here,” he snaps and the girl goes running. He looks at me and curses. “You might want to call Paige before she gets home and walks in on her horse.” He clears his throat.
I leave the barn and look up when I hear a car pulling down the drive. Paige and Shea are back from Christmas shopping and before she sees Ruin, I run for the car. She gets out smiling but I can’t even fake it for her.
“Hey.” I wrap my arms around her, pulling her head to my chest and she laughs in confusion.
“What’s up?” She hugs me and pauses. “Why are you shaking?” She pulls back, her eyebrows creased together and her eyes searching mine. “Fenton, what’s wrong? Where’s my dad?”
“In the cow barn. Paige...something happened. To Ruin and two of the dairy cows. They got sick or something.” I don’t understand how there were no signs. Mr. Kenshaw’s with these animals for hours a day, he would have noticed something.
“Something happened?” She pauses, staring at me, then takes off in a run toward the stable. I grab her hips, pulling her back to me as soon as I catch up to her. “Let me go! I need to go see my horse!”
I can’t let her. Ruin had foam coming from her mouth and blood coming from her eyes. She doesn’t need to see that. “Look at me.” I grab her face when she tries to fight my hands off her. “Look at me, beautiful. You don’t want to see that.”
She’s trying with all her might to fight me, and then the tears start. “She’s my horse!” she cries. “I have to help her!” She beats on my chest trying to push me off her. “Let me go!”
Holding her tight, I start walking her to the house. Mr. Kenshaw can clean her up then Paige can see her. When I saw her, I was scared shitless, I’m not letting Paige see her like that.
“Paige!” Her mom comes running out of the house. “What the hell is going on?” She yanks Paige from my arms like I did something to her.
Luckily Mr. Kenshaw is approaching. “Ruin’s dead,” he says matter-of-factly and Paige breaks down. I catch her before she crumbles to the ground and her mom gasps. “Couple of the cows are down, too. Few more looking pretty shitty. Tommy’s almost here, but we may lose a couple more before the day’s over.”
“Brandt.” The panic on her mom’s face is hard to see. This is their livelihood. Shit’s been going missing around here lately, now the animals are dying. “Baby, what’s happening?” Jo moves for him, worry all over her face.
“I don’t know,” he mutters, wrapping his arms around her.
Gray jogs up, the same look on his face that’s on his parents. “Another one,” he says, pulling his hat off and rubbing his head just like his dad does when he’s worried. “That wasn’t just a sickness dad. It’s like they were poisoned. Animals don’t just foam at the mouth.”
Paige starts crying harder and I hold her tighter, watching the confusion on her mom’s face, the anger on her dad’s, and the worry on Gray’s.
“Get her in the house,” Mrs. Kenshaw tells me and marches past Mr. Kenshaw for the horse pen.
I pick up Paige and help her walk to the house. “Hey.” I let her go and try to wipe the tears from her face. “Let’s get something to drink.”
She sniffles and shakes her head, then walks straight for the couch, curling on her side and letting her tears free.
I go to the kitchen and pour her lemonade, when I sit next to her she moves to curl up on me. “I’m sorry.” I kiss her head. Leena walks into the room looking terrified and I grit my teeth. This family doesn’t deserve this. “Hey.” I shift Paige a little and stand, walking over to give Leena a hug. “It’s okay. You alright?” I smooth her hair down and she blankly nods her head. “It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry about Ruin, Paige,” she says in a soft voice and Paige’s crying picks back up.
“Make sure your brothers don’t go outside, okay?” I tell Leena and move for Paige again, pulling her into my lap to cry.
Having it figured out, I can’t stop shaking. I’m not going to let anything else happen to them. They don’t deserve this. I won’t let my dad hurt them like this again.
I’m allowed to stay with Paige while she says goodbye to the horse she’s had since she was two and I’m dying inside. This shit happened because of me and I can’t live with that. I get Paige into bed and hold her until she’s asleep then I leave her room and find Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Kenshaw, Tommy, Bo, and Coach Matthews at their kitchen table.
Entering the room, I clear my throat. “Paige is asleep,” I say. “I’m going to head home.”
I thought I could tell him. But I can’t. Not like this. Not right now until I tell my dad he can fuck off.
“Are you okay?” Mr. Kenshaw asks, his tired eyes hitting mine.
“Yeah. No, yeah, I’m fine, Mr. Kenshaw.” I’m stammering, needing to tell these people but when her mom walks up and wraps her arms around me, hugging me, I clamp my lips.
“Thanks for being there for Paige.” She rubs my chest then goes to stand at her husband’s side.
“I’ll walk you out,” Gray says, knocking on the table and nodding to his family before heading out the back door.
“Night,” I tell them all and they each say something to me. Using my name. Letting me know they know who I am and I’m important to their family.
I jog down the deck steps feeling like I could be sick but Gray slaps me on the back and I jump, forgetting he was out here.
“It was poison.” He clears his throat and rubs his head. “Someone fucking poisoned our animals. Two more drop
ped after you took Paige inside. Five cows and a horse.” He’s pacing the yard. “Slashed tires, a barn fire, things comin’ up missing all over the place, and now dead animals.” He glares at me. “Something’s fuckin’ going on, Fenton.”
I rub my face, my hair, then drop my head and rub the back of my neck. “Yeah, man. I’m sorry this shit’s happening. Your dad will get it figured out. Why don’t we just put up cameras? He might not want them, but you guys need them. I think he’d be thankful in the end.”
“You know what’s going to be next?” He huffs. “People. When you move from slashed tires to dead pets in a matter of a couple months, what’s not to say one of my little brothers or sisters isn’t next?” He curses and kicks a rock. He’s pissed and scared and rightfully so. His family’s livelihood is being screwed with. Screwing with someone’s livelihood will make people do crazy things.
I should know.
“No, man. Fuck no. Later, Gray.” I have to leave. I won’t ever let that fucking happen.
I whip the truck around and drop the pedal to the floor. I won’t let my dad do anymore of this.
I don’t know what day it is. I went back to school to take the finals I needed to take and blew them. I probably lost my spot at the top of the class but I don’t have it in me to care. Fenton wasn’t at school for finals. He’s not anywhere. Grey keeps telling me he had some type of emergency at home, but I don’t believe it because I don’t even think my brother believes it.
I can’t find my happy place. Before Fenton it was Ruin. Then there was Fenton. And they’re both gone and all I know to do is sit here and cry. My mom had Shae come over to sit with me but I think my depressed state even made her feel awkward, so after putting up with me for a couple hours she dipped out.
My dad’s told me we can get another horse, but it’s not about a horse. That was my horse. Mine. And some asshole took her away from me. I didn’t even get to ride her because I was too busy enjoying my vacation in other ways...and Fenton.
God, Fenton. Whatever ‘emergency’ came up better be downright horrible, because for him to ignore me for two full days after what happened is real fuckin’ douchey.
My phone buzzes and I jump up and run across the room to snatch it from the charger. I’ve been on edge as the minutes have ticked by without hearing from him and my heart aches when I see his name on the screen.
Finally.
FENTON: I’m outside
I run to the door, wanting to be mad but so happy he’s here now. Swinging the door open, he’s standing in the front yard with his hands in his pockets and...and a bandage on his face. I know I said the emergency should have been bad...but I didn’t mean it. Guilt ebbs at me and my stomach drops.
“Fenton,” I blurt, running to him. I want to wrap my arms around him but the closer I get the more I see how much energy it’s taking him just to stand there. “Oh my god,” I whisper, stopping right in front of him. “Baby.” My hand goes to my mouth to hide the gasp when I see the bruising on his arms, his neck...everywhere! “What the hell happened?”
“Paige.” He hisses when I try to take his hand. “Where’s your dad?” He looks like every piece of him hurts.
“Inside,” I whisper. “Fenton, are...are you okay?” I want to touch him. I want to make him better, but I don’t know what to do. And it hurts.
He looks back and that’s when I notice a police car at the end of the driveway.
“Can you go in the house, beautiful? I need to talk to your dad.”
My face falls and I shake my head slightly, yet my body starts backing me towards our front door. I don’t want to leave. I want to know what the hell’s going on but something’s telling me Fenton isn’t saying anything until he talks to my dad. About whatever.
“You wanna come in at least? It’s cold out here.” My hands are trembling as I reach for my door handle. I feel jumpy, which makes no sense but something bad happened and the fact that there’s a cop here just solidifies that.
He follows me into the house and I bring him to my dad. When my dad sees him, he stands quickly.
“Mr. Kenshaw, I need to talk to you,” Fenton says and his voice isn’t right. It sounds like he might cry.
“Paige, go to your room,” my dad says and my mouth drops open.
“Dad!” I blurt but he pins his glare on me.
“Room. Now.” He looks back at Fenton and his expression turns into one I’ve never seen on my dad before. “Let’s talk in my office.” He walks away and Fenton’s eyes glance to me before he follows my dad.
I huff and stomp to my room, then an idea hits me. My dad put a monitor in every bedroom, office, and living space in this house because he likes to be able to get a hold of us. We can talk through it...and listen.
“Dot, drop in on dad’s office,” I say, watching her blue light twirl. If they won’t let me in on their conversation, I’ll let myself in. I just hope my dad doesn’t find out. I watch her light twirl and then blink a solid blue that tells me I’m connected, then I grab my blanket and curl onto my bed and listen.
“Sit,” my dad says. I hear a door close hard, then some shuffling noise and my dad clears his throat. “Your dad did this to you, didn’t he?”
My stomach drops and I have to hold in a gasp so they don’t hear me. His dad? Fenton would have told me if his dad was abusive. Wouldn’t he?
“Yes, sir,” he says quietly and I can hear he’s on the brink of crying. It squeezes my chest so tight I want to cry for him.
“Shit,” my dad mumbles. “The black eye and random bruises from before, too?”
“Yes, sir. It’s not the first time my dad’s put his hands on me.” He sniffles and clears his throat. God, he’s crying and I’m sitting here eaves dropping like a bitch.
“How bad was it this time? You’ve been gone a couple days so I’m assuming it’s bad.” My dad’s tone has softened and I hear the leather of the chair squeak.
“I’ve been at Mercy,” Fenton says quietly, naming the city hospital. “And.” That’s it. And what!
“He did that to you?” My dad’s rage filled tone cuts into the silence of my room. “Your father did that to you?”
Did what?!
“Yes, sir.” That’s when his voice breaks and he’s no longer trying to hold back tears. I can actually hear him quietly sob and my eyes well with tears for him. Why wouldn’t he tell me this? This has been happening for a while, and he’s never told me!
“Fenton, your dad’s Ray Sterling of Grandma Mae’s Dairy farm, isn’t he?” my dad finally speaks up after what feels like an eternity of silence on my end.
I remember that name. That’s the farm that Ammo was yapping about a few months ago that got Fenton so pissed.
“Yes.” He exhales heavily then sniffles again.
“I’m only gonna ask you this once, Fenton. And I think I already know the answer so don’t you dare lie to me, boy.” My dad falls silent. I strain my ears to listen. “He’s behind the shit happening at my ranch, isn’t he?”
“No,” I whisper, then clasp my hand over my mouth. He can’t be! Fenton’s a good kid, he wouldn’t let his dad do these things to our family. He couldn’t.
There’s silence. No answer. But then I hear my dad curse and the leather of his chair squeak.
“He moved me in with my aunt. Told me to get a job on your ranch.” Fenton stops to sniffle and try to breathe. “I was supposed to get the job and sabotage you guys. Like what’s been happening. I didn’t do it. I never did it. I never wanted to do it. But I had to or I wasn’t welcome home ever again. And he threatened to come here and do things... I told him I’d do it. But I knew I never could. Then I became friends with Gray...and Paige. God, Paige. I love her.” There’s silence a minute. “I just thought if I didn’t do it, he’d forget about it. He didn’t have the means to do anything himself. And when...the tires, and the fire...I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t put it together. But then things started coming up missing and...and I knew that was him. I
couldn’t prove it until I found your tools in his garage. I told the cops.” He exhales a few shaky breaths. “I should have told you then and there. But then the animals happened and...” He’s sobbing again. “I went to his house.” He sniffles. “And we fought. Worse than ever. My shirt tore at the collar so I ripped it off and that’s when he saw the Kenshaw tattoo. He attacked me with the knife-” That’s all he gets out before he’s sobbing again.
I feel the tears rolling down my face and the burning rage in my veins. He lied to me. He made me trust him...made me fall in love with him...and the whole time he was supposed to be the one bringing us down?! His family’s the reason mine’s suffering right now.
I hear my dad curse finally and I stare at the monitor like it’s to blame. I want to rip the damn thing out of the wall and smash it to pieces.
“Does Paige know?” my dad asks in his low tone that warns people not to fuck with him or his family.
“Not yet, sir. I wanted to tell you first. The police are here to talk to you but I asked them to let me tell you first. Officer Carr is outside waiting for you. I want to tell Paige but I understand if you want me the hell off your property.”
“Where’s your dad now, son?”
“I don’t know,” he whispers like he’s fearful. “They can’t find him and my brother’s been taken into custody.” Clearing his throat weakly he says, “He’s the one that helped my dad. To protect me from my dad, he poisoned your animals.”
My dad clears his throat and my stomach drops. His brother killed my horse. I want to scream!
“You’re staying here until they find your dad. I don’t want you out there for him to find.” My dad’s chair squeaks. “And, son, maybe it’d be best if you went and told Paige before she gets wind of it. I’m sure that cop that’s about to come in here is going to scare her senseless. I need to find Jo.”
“Yes, sir, thank you. I’ll make this up to you however I can. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It’s no excuse but my dad threatened me, and that’s why my brother did it. He’s not a terrible kid...shit,” he huffs. “Just, I’m so sorry.”