High Hurdles Collection Two

by Lauraine Snelling

  “Or lie down,” Jackie added.

  When they walked into the Briones Riding Academy area, only Tony was there. He turned from talking to the kids in the next tack room when he saw DJ coming.

  “Man, you look terrible. What’s wrong?”

  “Gee, thanks.” She tried to smile, but any movement in her face hurt. “You know where Joe is?”

  “They all went to dinner. DJ, you better sit down before you fall down. What happened?” He set out one of the director’s chairs for her.

  “Her ear plugged up on the flight home,” explained Jackie, “and the pain is excruciating. She thought if she could lie down for a while …”

  “That happened to me once. Had to go to the doctor.” Tony leaned down to look DJ in the face. “Did you try a hot washcloth? That sometimes helps.”

  “No, we came right here.” Jackie laid her hand on DJ’s shoulder. “Maybe we should take you to urgent care. There must be a clinic around here somewhere.” She looked up at Tony. “What happened with the stalls, anyway?”

  Tony shook his head, a disgusted look on his face. “They ran out of stalls, and since we had an extra, they took over ours. They said we could have it back tomorrow, so if you can bear that stall in the other barn for tonight, tomorrow you’ll be here with the rest of us.”

  “I don’t care.” DJ kept her eyes closed. “Just so Herndon has a safe and clean place and I get a bed pretty quick.”

  “I’m sleeping in Joe’s camper, and all you ladies are in the motor home. Bunny’s suggestion. Hope that’s all right?”

  “I don’t care.” It was all DJ could do to keep from crying. Why wouldn’t her ear pop so she could feel all right? God, please, this hurts so much, please make it quit.

  Tony glanced at his watch. “They should be back soon. DJ, you better go to the doctor so you can get over this right away.”

  “That does it.” Jackie straightened. “DJ, you stay right there. I’m going to find us some help.” She left the tack room and turned right. A minute later Brad came from the other direction.

  “Nothing I can do about the stall tonight, so I put Herndon out there, fed him, and made sure he had hay and water. There are several other horses stabled out there, too, but it’s plain Jane, not like in here. Where’s Jackie?”

  “Gone to see about some help for DJ.” Tony squatted down in front of her. “You could lie on the tack box.”

  “Right.”

  “DJ, do you want to go back out to the Land Rover? You could lay the seat back.”

  “No.” Even talking hurt.

  Brad stood behind her and with gentle fingers began rubbing her neck and shoulders. At first even that hurt, but within minutes DJ could feel her shoulders get warm and begin to relax.

  “You’ve got magic fingers.”

  “Hmm?” He leaned forward to hear her.

  “I said you’ve got magic fingers.” Talking with clenched teeth wasn’t easy.

  “I wish.” He stopped when Jackie entered the tack area. “What’d you find out?”

  “There’s an urgent care clinic about a mile from here, and I just called them. They said to come right in, so that’s what we’ll do.” With each of them putting a hand under DJ’s arms, they half lifted her to her feet and walked her back down the aisle to the car.

  DJ had no will to resist. All she could think of was getting rid of the pain.

  “Have you had a cold lately?” the doctor asked when he saw her a few minutes later.

  “No. I had the sniffles a couple of days ago, but that went away right away.” DJ swallowed when he told her to and kept herself from flinching when he put the otoscope in her ear.

  “Um, just as I thought. Inflammation.” He checked her neck and nodded again. “Okay, are there any medications you are allergic to?”

  “N-no. I’m never sick.”

  “Okay, we’ll give you an antibiotic and a decongestant/antihistamine, and here’s a sample of some new pain pills. Sometimes if someone has had a cold or sinus drainage and then flies, the ear plugs up and you get severe pain, especially if you don’t chew gum or you happen to fall asleep. But I can almost promise you will feel better by morning. Heat on the ear tonight can help, too.”

  “Good.”

  “She’s entered in the horse show over at the Rancho. Do you think she can ride in the morning?” Jackie asked.

  “Depends on how she feels. If you are at all dizzy, I would forgo the show, but you might be feeling so much better that you can participate.”

  By the time they got back to the grounds, the others had returned from dinner, and Bunny showed them the way to her motor home. “You take the bunk bed there, and Hilary can sleep on the pullout.” Bunny folded the cover back. “If you need anything, let me know. And we promise to be quiet when we come in.”

  Jackie came in with a warm washcloth when DJ was in bed and helped her put it under her ear. “You need some help getting undressed?”

  “Oh, that feels better.” DJ almost shook her head. “I’ll get undressed later.”

  “Most likely those pain pills he gave you helped, too.” Jackie held out a glass of water and two tablets from the prescriptions they’d stopped for.

  “I keep thinking Brad and I should get a hotel room and stay here for the night in case you need to go home.”

  “Mm.” DJ heard her as if from a long distance. Her eyes felt like someone was stitching them closed. “Thanks.”

  DJ had no idea when she woke up, but glancing out the window, she could still see the moon hanging on the tops of the trees. DJ turned over and tried to go back to sleep, but her eyes that had been so heavy earlier now had springs on them.

  Thirsty. I’ve got to get a drink. She eased out of bed, halfway surprised she still had her clothes on, and tiptoed to the bathroom right across the narrow hall. She cupped her hands under the faucet and, after satisfying her thirst, splashed some on her face.

  I don’t hurt. The thought caught DJ by surprise. She swallowed, and while her ear was still plugged, the pain was so minor she could hardly notice it. The doctor had been right. Trying not to make a sound, DJ crawled back in bed and closed her eyes. Now she could really sleep.

  But sometime later she gave up. I’ll go check on Herndon. Again easing from the bed, DJ picked up her shoes and a jacket and, guided by the light coming in the windows, made her way to the door. Since her eyes were now accustomed to the dark, she found the door handle and slowly, so as not to make a squeak, opened the door and stepped outside.

  A cool breeze sent the hairs on her arms standing at attention. She shivered. Maybe she should just go back to bed. But then she remembered the time change. Her body was used to getting up at 5:00 A.M. Eastern time, and that would be right about now.

  The damp from the grass soaked her socks, so DJ stopped long enough to put her shoes on. She stretched and sucked in a deep breath.

  Smoke … did she smell smoke? DJ sniffed again. Who would be burning anything at this time of night?

  Chapter • 13

  How to find barn D.

  DJ threaded her way through the vehicles, using light from the moon and the tall posts that held yellow-toned lights. She felt like a burglar must, trying to be quiet, trying to find the valuables in a dark house or building.

  A giggle almost grabbed her. What would her mother say if she knew her daughter was running around the showgrounds in the middle of the night, checking on her horse?

  “She’d probably have a whole lot to say,” DJ spoke aloud, albeit in a whisper. Hearing a voice, even if it was her own, was strangely comforting. Why did she have this need to see Herndon? It wasn’t as if he was Major, after all. She wished she’d been paying more attention when they arrived yesterday, but the pain in her ear had made that impossible.

  She crossed the graveled area to the barn set back from the others. Sniffing, she wondered again who could be burning something in the middle of the night like this. “Maybe someone who doesn’t want the pollution control peo
ple down on them.” Again, talking aloud made her feel not quite so alone. One year when Gran had started to burn some wood trimmings in their yard, some official had come to the house and told her to put it out.

  DJ pushed back the door, and a cloud of smoke rolled over her. Fire!

  Where was the light switch? The fire alarm? “Herndon!” She screamed his name and ducked back outside to breathe.

  A whinny came from the far right of the barn. She called his name again, and the same whinny responded. Get him out of there! Taking a deep breath, DJ stepped back inside the barn, feeling along the wall for the light switch. Where was it? She ducked back outside, coughed on the smoke, took in a deep breath, and screamed, “Fire!”

  Was there anyone to hear her? Where was the night watchman?

  Other horses were whinnying and nickering in fear. How would she find Herndon’s stall?

  When DJ stepped back inside the barn, she fumbled on the wall again and found the fire alarm. She jerked the handle down and saw a bright light down at the right end of the barn. Flames! Fire!

  “Oh, God, help me.” She could hear someone screaming like she always did when she saw fire. It sounded like a child. “God, please!” I can’t freeze now. The horses, what about the horses?

  Her eyes refused to leave the flickering lights that seemed to be growing with each breath she took.

  Herndon whinnied again, the fear in his call shattering the glass bell that seemed to hold her in one place.

  DJ dove into the interior of the barn, using the light from the fire to guide her. She ran down the aisle, coughing, her eyes burning. Herndon whinnied again and banged against the wall.

  By the firelight DJ found his door latch and threw it open. Her eyes streamed so bad from the smoke, she felt like she was trying to see underwater. “Come on, fella, we gotta get out of here.”

  Herndon pressed against the back of the stall, snorting and wild-eyed. He reared, striking out with one front foot.

  “Easy, boy, it’s just me. Come on, you gotta behave.” DJ kept her eyes from the flames she could now hear roaring. Her eyes burned, her throat burned. She coughed and felt for the lead shank that always hung beside the door. With it in her hand, she kept up a gentle murmur between choking coughs. Herndon stopped shifting around and reached out with his nose, a nicker coming through the smoke. DJ grasped his halter and, snapping the lead shank in place, backed toward the door.

  Herndon planted his feet and shrieked in fear.

  DJ remembered learning that horses are so afraid of fire they will die in their stalls rather than leave what they thought was a safe place.

  Without another thought, DJ dropped the lead shank and whipped off her jacket. She folded it and tied it around Herndon’s eyes. Then jerking again on the lead shank, she led him out of the barn, even managing to pull him into a trot.

  She could hear fire sirens in the distance. A man ran up shouting. DJ handed him Herndon’s lead rope, whipped the jacket from his eyes, and before the man could grab her, darted back inside the barn. This time she ran down the aisle, flinging open the stall doors as she went. As she neared the fire, the horse in the last stall was screaming in terror.

  Please, God, please, God. While she couldn’t say the words around the coughing and her burning throat, DJ’s mind screamed for her. She grabbed the lead shank and entered the stall, talking gently with what air she had. When she could grab the horse’s halter, she snapped on the lead shank, tied the jacket over its eyes, and led the animal out of the barn.

  “Here.” She shoved the lead shank at a person standing there and repeated her actions, again dodging the hands that reached out to stop her. She brought out another horse. By this time the fire crew was driving in. Horses screamed their fear and agony. People were shouting.

  DJ headed back for the barn.

  Somehow she managed to twist away when someone tried to stop her. All she could think was to get the horses out.

  She could hear others doing the same as she was. Turning to the right again, DJ paused long enough to listen for a screaming horse. Another down this way. She fumbled for the lead shank and darted into a stall.

  Get the horse out. Don’t think about the heat. DJ doubled over coughing but managed to get the lead on the horse anyway. Jacket on its eyes, it followed DJ to the barn door. The horse reared, and DJ felt herself going up in the air with it. When her feet touched ground again, she jerked on the lead shank and started forward again.

  This time the horse bolted. Its shoulder caught DJ in the back and slammed her against the doorway. Stars... you really do see stars. Blackness engulfed her.

  Chapter • 14

  “God, please let her live. Please don’t take DJ home to be with you, I beg you, please.”

  Who’s talking? DJ heard the voice, but where she floated, the fog didn’t let her see.

  The barn! The fire! Is Herndon okay? Please, can you hear me?

  She floated off again.

  The lights were so bright. Was it still the fire? DJ tried to swallow but gagged instead. Something was in her throat, her burning throat. She tried to open her eyes, move her hands. Did nothing work?

  “I think she’s coming around.”

  Now, who was that? She felt a cool hand on her arm.

  “Darla Jean, darlin’, can you hear me?”

  Gran. Gran is here. Gran, tell them I can’t move. With every bit of focus and concentration she had, DJ blinked her eyes and forced them open again. She could see. Gran’s beloved face swam through the tears that leaked out of DJ’s eyes.

  “Hello, darlin’, I knew you’d come back.”

  Where have I been? Why can’t I talk? What is this thing in my throat? How come my hands don’t move?

  “You’re in the hospital, darlin’, been here for five days.”

  DJ realized it was pain she felt in her hands and head. What had happened?

  “You were injured in the fire at the barn at Rancho de Equus. Thanks to you, all the horses were saved.”

  A pain like nothing she’d ever known descended, smothering her like the billowing clouds of smoke. Gran’s voice faded away.

  Each time DJ regained consciousness, she learned a little more of the story. They thought the last horse she’d been trying to save knocked her into the wall and ran over her. A kick in the head had sent her into a coma. DJ’s hands were tied down to keep her from pulling out the tube in her throat that led to the ventilator that helped her breathe. Inhaling as much smoke as she had was terribly hard on lung tissue.

  Her family took turns coming to see her. Was there something they weren’t telling her?

  When they finally took the tube out, she croaked, “How’s Herndon?”

  “He’s fine. He’s still spooky, but Jackie and Brad took him back up to their ranch to care for him until you get back on your feet.” Lindy laid a hand on DJ’s arm. “You just rest and let your body heal.”

  “So what’s wrong with me?” The words were hard to hear, even coming from her own mouth.

  “Well, you lost a lot of your hair in the fire.” Lindy glanced at DJ’s hands. “It was a miracle the fire fighters found you. Some man kept screaming about that little girl that kept bringing out the horses. He saved your life.”

  “I’m not very little.” So things had been bad back there, huh? I almost died. The thought didn’t seem to matter much right now.

  “Darla Jean, you’ve been in a coma for almost five days.”

  “Oh.” From the fire? No, that’s right, I was kicked in the head. Stupid horse, I was just trying to save its life.

  Her eyes drifted closed again. Sheesh, you’d think I’ve slept enough. …

  Joe was beside her when she woke again.

  “Hi, GJ.” Frogs croaked better than she did.

  “Hi, yourself. I was about to shake you to make sure you started to pay attention.”

  Were those tears in his eyes? She oughta know about tears. Her eyes seemed to leak nonstop. DJ thought awhile. Should she ask
him?

  “Joe, is there something they aren’t telling me?”

  “Not sure.”

  She could tell he was hedging. There is something more.

  He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You might have some side effects from all this. They’re not sure yet how long you will be dizzy from the blow to your head.”

  She heard an and at the end of his sentence. “Okay. So?”

  “And your hands were badly burned.”

  “Oh.” So how bad is badly? The fog rolled in again, and she slipped back into la-la land.

  DJ seemed to live on waves of pain. They’d ebb for a bit, then come crashing back like the monster waves in Hawaii she’d heard about. But each time, the intensity lessened and she woke again more quickly.

  Robert sat in the chair beside her bed, soft snores coming from his slack lips.

  DJ tried to stifle a groan, but her moving woke him.

  “Can I get you something, DJ?”

  “Water.” He held a straw to her lips, and she sucked down the cool liquid. “Ah, thanks.” The croak had drowned.

  “How ya feeling?”

  “Not very good. When do I get to go home?”

  “Got me.” He propped his elbows on the bed. “Probably when you can walk some. They had you out of bed yet?”

  “Nope. What time is it?”

  “It’s three in the morning.”

  “How come you’re here?”

  “In case you need something, like water.”

  “Oh. What day is it?”

  “Saturday.”

  “Where’s Mom?”

  “Sleeping at the hotel.”

  DJ thought a minute longer. “What hospital am I in?”

  “UC San Francisco. They have a special burn unit. The doctors figured this would be best for you.”

  “Oh.” She knew she sounded like a total dumbbell.

  “There have been articles about you in the newspapers. You’re a hero, you know.”

  “Why?”

  “Saving the horses.”