Jade was now on another horse tied to the horses’ neck. (They had stolen their horses from somewhere and the horse she was on was her horse from her farm).

“How old is she?” I might give this man a name, the one that had the horse first was Daxton.

“She is thirteen years old.” This man was the man that was in the first scene, his name was Garvin.

“She is tough for so young.”

“She is, drives me crazy. All we need to do is get her to tell us what we want to know…then we will have the money.” He diabolically laughed.

“She won’t see what we have planned coming…not even close.” He smiled.

It had been at least two hours since Jade last opened her eyes, and it was time to fight again.

She slowly opened her eyes getting used to the light, the horse she was on was tied to Daxton’s horse, and she was tied to the horse…again, no hope. Daxton looked back thinking he heard something his hand on his side where his gun was placed. “I thought I heard someone.”

“Probably a ranch hand…or a bird.” Daxton looked over at his laughing partner: “A ranch hand or a bird? There is a significant difference. The noise was somewhere in-between those two.”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

Jade smiled to herself her face hovering over the brown saddle…she had fooled them. What they did not know, and she had saved for last, she dug for the knife she had in her pocket, she slowly cut the rope, she finished her heart racing and her smile steadily growing, she let the rope go-getting as close as she could to the other horse, so it did not make him jump. Daxton’s horse snorted so she turned back, but she had laid back down hiding the knife up her sleeve, and he did not seem to notice the rope at his horses’ backside.

Jade went to work again at untying her hands, she slowly did a saw-like motion with the ropes and they plied back and gave up on staying together, she let the ropes fall at her side, they slowly went down the horses’ side onto the ground. She was untied from Daxton and her own horses, there was nothing else behind her, just the road to freedom. She was surprised how easy it was to make a break for freedom…all she had to do was make it out, they were just faster and stronger…and smarter. “Stop Jade! You are only going to make yourself feel worse with this stuff…just go!”

She slowly rose up grabbing the worn-out bridle on her brown and white speckled horse. It was time to go it was time to end the turmoil she had been put through, but she would never forget what she had been put through. Her horse snorted, he was ready to go and so was she…he bolted! They weaved through the path. The two jumped over the fence with ease. Everything was wide open, freedom was right on her face…she could feel it.

The wind in her face, her horse neighing as the breeze winded past his ears, the run at full speed made her dress fly and for the first time that day she showed her teeth smiling as her flapped in the wind like leaves on a windy day…her joy soon ended when the hooves of the adversaries behind trampled on her dreams like a dog pushing his teeth into a stick…it just might be over. She whispered in horse’s ear encouragement. Daxton smiled evilly. His partner whipped his horse into action. Jade seemed to fly with her horse as she looked back eyes dazed with fear. She felt her body slipping from exhaustion, she slid down to the horse’s side, the horse seemed to “notice” and jumped a little to get her attention, she reacted and grabbed to the reins tighter. The horse was guiding himself, he weaved through the haystacks and jumped over logs in the dusty path. Her adversaries slowly faded from view and her eyes grew airy and light as they headed towards the setting sun.

“Go, go, keep going!” Jade whispered in the speckled ear of her horse.

After hours of riding into the sun, and the wind raced past Jade’s daring as she ventured into the unknown.

“I love you.” Jade whispered petting the horse’s sweaty main. He neighed in reply.

“Well, thank you, Rowdy.” Jade looked at her horse that her mother had gotten her a year ago, he looked at her and she smiled.

“What about…it Rowdy We can do this, are you ready?” Rowdy reared in delight at his new name.

“Okay, Rowdy. Go to sleep…I have to too, we have a long day tomorrow, we have to find mom.”

Jade fell into a troubled sleep after laying down on the cold hard ground.

The next morning Jade went through the saddlebags.

“Rowdy, we are going to be just fine. We have food, a blanket, and…a map!” Her eyes sparkled with childish delight as she pushed her arm to its full extent holding the map in satisfaction. Rowdy just went back to eating after hearing the news.

“Whatever.” Jade huffed at the horse. They rode again with no sign of the devilish men at her heels. Rowdy was a fast and determined horse as was his owner, they paired well together. “We are a good team, Rowdy, a very good team.” Jade smiled with the chilly air making her dress flap wildly as her loosely braided hair fell below her shoulders and down to her backside, she touched it remembering her mother’s words: “Tis like golden wheat on a summer’s day.”

“Mother…” With newfound determination Jade rode on and soon she headed to Caren, a small town with a saloon, dress shops, two places to eat, and horses and people. Jade knew that her mother would head here, a small remote location that no one would find her…the only problem was what if they had? Jade pushed those thoughts away and lifted her head as she and Rowdy trotted down the lane. Suddenly guns exploded into the air with young men riding wild horses going through town, the sheriff came out as Rowdy reared and went wild with the other horses, Jade fell off, but the wild boys kept riding all the way to the saloon…which they had obviously been to before today.

“Are you okay, miss?” The Sheriff smiled worriedly.

“Yes, my horse just got a little scared, as I was.” Jade smiled accepting his hand to help her up, she dusted off her dress.

“Well, let me get him for you.” The Sheriff Calmed Rowdy with a pat on the head and a sugar cube. “Here you go, miss.”

“Thank you very much, is that kind of…behavior normal here?”

“No, just young men being…well, rowdy and reckless, I am going to pay them a visit.” He patted his six-shooter at his right side and bid her a good day.

Jade walked to Rowdy who waited for her return impatiently, she searched the saddlebags… “Yes! Money, hopefully enough for a new dress so people don’t get suspicious and food!” Jade smiled to herself pride playing on her lips.

She mocked Rowdy trotting to the dress shop. “Ma’am, I was wondering if you had anything my size, I had a…uh, rough journey, and I need a new one, my mother made me come immediately.” Jade forced a laugh.

“Ah, wise mother…I was worried you came alone for a second, then I would have to put you in the hands of the sheriff for safety.” The woman smiled gently, Jade studied her, she had a tan dress on with white lace trim, her hair was a chestnut brown and her eyes mischievous and the green sparkled with happiness that she could not contain.

“Oh, yes! My mother…um, she is just looking around town and talking to some old friends while I do this.”

“Ah, that happens a lot in my store.” The lady smiled eagerly with the measuring tape in her hands.

Jade bit her lips a few minutes later as the last dress came in, the lady said: “This is the second one that fits you, and the last one. I know the one was a little bit too fancy…but, I think this one goes great with your jade green eyes.”

“Thank you, ma’am. You flatter me. This is a great dress! I will take it, if it is the right price…how much is it?”

“Well, for you…I will take a dollar.”

“Ma’am, I can’t ask of you that, we both know that is way less.”

“You never asked.” She held out the dress and nodded to Jade and raised her eyebrows.

“Thank you so much.” Jade handed her the money and left. She changed in the outhouse behind the store and threw her other dress in the hole not knowing where to throw it. She carefully walked across town in hopes of a new beginning with her mother, how she longed for the touch of her mother.

She stopped as she went around the corner to her horse Rowdy, she called herself a fool for not tying him properly…the men came into town spotting Rowdy. Rowdy turned his ears back and stomped his foot, Jade knew what that meant, and she felt the same way. Trouble had come to town.