As the call of the final bell to end the school day rings out through the concrete walls, and our teacher dismisses us, I shoot out of the lab door and into the afternoon sun.

  I walk along the footpath adjacent to the ocean, the salty air rising up my nose as the waves crash on the black sand. With each one, my mind is on the Miami waves. Each one causing me to miss Miami more and more.

  A snort causes me to look ahead.

  I stop in my tracks. Spirit stands on the path, pawing at the ground. His coat glowing in the rays of the sun.

  “Tessa!”

  I turn around, as Ben runs towards me. A grin on his face. I just look at him, as he gets closer.

  “You disappeared fast.”

  I shrug, shifting my bag higher on my shoulder. “There’s no reason for me to stick around.”

  Turning around, I continue to walk down the path, Ben falling breathlessly into step beside me.

  “You could have hung around with us.”

  “Us who?” I say, looking around at the space between the two of us and everyone else. “Because I can’t see anyone else near you, but me.”

  “I was with the others before I saw you. We’re going to the stables if you wanted to join us.”

  “Stables? Like horses?” My mind thinks of the black horse from yesterday.

  “Yeah. Did you ride back in Miami?”

  “No.” I say. “But I saw a horse yesterday, loose on a dirt road by the forest.” I add, my voice growing softer with the memories. “It was injured. It’s front leg caked in blood. It’s coat covered in dirt.”

  Ben’s smile fades as I look at him. “That doesn’t sound very good.” He pulls out his phone, and starts typing.

  “What are you doing?” I ask, trying to look at his screen.

  “I’m messaging Tom. He’ll know if a horse has gone missing from somewhere. Do you remember what it looked like?”

  “It was black, with a white stripe on it’s head.” I reply. “But I don’t think she’s owned, Ben. She looked wild.”

  He pockets his phone. “She’ll have an owner. We don’t have wild horses in Kauri Point, the herd died out years ago.”

  I turn to look at Ben, but a car driving behind him catches my eye instead. A man with messy hair, and dark eyes stares at us out of the window of his Ute. The scowl on his face sends a shiver down my spine as he drives away, towing a horse trailer. Inside, I see the figure of a horse. It’s coat the colour of midnight, caked in dirt. A simple stripe of white adorns her face. My eyes lock onto hers as he disappears into the distance.

  I let out a breath and close my eyes.

  The forest. A herd of wild horses running through the trees. The man drives through the trees in his Ute towards the horses. He jumps out with a rope, and lunges towards the horses. The bolt and scatter.

  I open my eyes with gasp.

  Breathing heavily, I look to Ben. “That’s the horse from yesterday.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” I reply quickly. “This isn’t good. He’s not her owner. She’s in danger, Ben. We have to do something.” I grab his arm, but recoil as he looks down.

  “Are you sure its the same horse? ” Ben asks. “And you don’t know that he’s not the owner.”

  “It is the same one. I know it is. And he’s not her owner.” I turn and walk away from him to follow the road, before I lose her.

  “Tessa, that’s dangerous, and you’re probably wrong.” Ben says, jogging beside me to keep up.

  “Did you see the way he was looking at us? He’s up to something, Ben. He’s not her owner. He can’t be. I don’t have a good feeling about this, and I need to stop him.”

  “But why? What’s so important about this horse?”

  What is important about this horse? I slow my pace. Why am I going after it? “I don’t really know.” I shrug. But it’s important to Spirit, and I need answers.

  “I don’t like this, Tessa.”

  “Well, you don’t have to do anything, Ben. I don’t need you, I can do it myself.” I speed up, and start running along the path, my bag bouncing on my back.

  The wind rushes past my ears as I follow the path of the trailer.

  At a fork in the road I stop.

  Which way did he go?

  I look both ways, but don’t see anything.

  “Tessa, come to the stables.” Ben shouts behind me, angling for the road to my right.

  I look at him, then down each path individually. The stables, or the path unknown? My eyes flicker to the second path, the trees lining the road draw me in. I look back at Ben for a second before I make a break for the path.

  Slowly, a large building surrounded by trees comes into veiw. Weeds scale the cracking walls, as dust covers everything in sight. The windows are broken, and glass is scattered beneath like a victim to a child’s fun. Apart from the Ute and horse trailer parked in front of it, the building looks abandoned.

  Bingo. I think, smiling and picking up my feet to jog closer, scanning the landscape for the man.

  The drivers door opens, and I duck behind a bush as he steps out. Looking around, he pulls something out from his pocket, slamming the drivers door behind him.

  I creep through the bushes to keep a closer look.

  In his hands he holds three things: a small bottle, a syringe, and a needle for the end. Attaching the needle to the syringe, he takes off the cap and sticks it into the bottle. Drawing up the liquid, he walks around the trailer to the open back where the paints head hangs out.

  Once the syringe is full, he throws the bottle to the grass beside the trailer and takes off the needle.

  What is he doing? I think, stepping closer, but my foot hits a crunchy leaf and I recoil into the bushes as he looks up.

  My hands shake in the bushes as I pray he doesn’t see me.

  He narrows his eyes, but turns back to the horse.

  I exhale silently my shoulders relaxing. But not for long. I jump as he jabs the needle into her neck and she throws her head, crashing around the trailer.

  A sharp pain shoots through my own neck, and I wince in pain, my hand on my neck. Tears stream from my eyes.

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  I hear him swear at her, as a dog barks.

  I close my eyes, kneeling in the bush, my breath in broken gasps.

  A herd of wild horses, grazing in a forest clearing — the black horse among them. A bird cries. A dog barks. The horses bolt. The paint at the front leads them through the forest. Their hooves pounding on the soft dewy grass.

  I open my eyes and look through the bush towards the trailer. The man is gone. But where?

  The horse stands in the trailer, her head slightly dropping more over the door, her eyes finding mine through the leaves.

  I let out a shaky breath and emerge from the bushes, walking towards the horse, my eyes locked on hers.

  I have to help her. I can’t leave her like this.

  I get to the trailer door, and the paint shifts her weight around the trailer. Feeling for the door to open it, my fingers tighten around the cold metal of a lock — bolting the door shut.

  Sighing, I look at my feet. A trickle of blood pools in front of my shoes.

  I jump backwards, and my eyes scan upwards — past the trickle from the space under the door, to the hurt in her eyes. The wound on her leg must have gotten worse from yesterday.

  “You poor girl.” I whisper, reaching up to touch her neck.

  Her head dips lower, as my hands brushes the dirt caked on her coat.

  “I’m going to get you out of here. I know you don’t belong to him.” I say, stepping away from here and looking around.

  I need his keys. I think, walking around his Ute to the drivers door.

  I look inside the open window, and spot his keys.

  Who leaves their keys in the ignition and walks away from their car? I think, but reach through the window to grab them anyway. One of them must unlock the lock.

  As my fingers reach around the keys, a dog explodes from the backseat and takes a lung at me. I jump back in fright, and the keys turn — the car jumping to life as loud music starts blasting from the car stereo.

  “Get away from there!”

  I turn, and see the man running towards me. Turning the keys back, I rip them out of the ignition as the dog barks in my face.

  With the keys in my hand, and the man hot on my tail, I run. The wind whips past my ears, as the sun beats down.

  The gravel crunches on the road ahead of me, and another Ute comes into view. It brakes as I run towards the car.

  Both doors open, Ben getting out of the passenger door, while a slim man jumps out of the drivers door, placing a cap over his silvery hair.

  “Tessa.” Ben says. “You alright?”

  “You followed me.” I say, then look over my shoulder, but the man is gone. His Ute and trailer still standing in the distance.

  “Not exactly followed, but we had to. This was dangerous, who knows what could have happened. He could have killed you.”

  I look at him. “So you admit that that man looked dodgy. Like he could never be that horse’s owner.”

  “Tessa…” He trials off.

  “It’s her, Ben. I knew it was.” I say, looking behind me again.

  “Where’s this horse.” The man interrupts, and I look at him.

  “Who are you?”

  “Tom.” He replies curtly. “I own the stables.”

  I shift my feet. “Right. She’s this way in the trailer. She’s injured and I think he drugged her.” I say, turning to walk back towards the trailer.

  At the trailer, Tom lifts the metal lock and lets out a breath. “It’s locked.”

  I hold up the keys and place them in Tom’s rough hesitant hands. “Found these in his car.” I shrug.

  “That was smart. Ten out of ten thinking there, Tessa.” Ben says from behind me.

  Tom nods and picks a key. Slotting it into the lock, he twists it and it comes apart. Throwing the keys to the ground beside him, Tom lowers the trailer door to form a ramp, and grabs the rope looped around her neck. As he leads her out, she staggers and sways, her legs slightly buckling under her.

  “Easy, girl.” Tom mutters to her as she staggers onto the grass between us. “I’d say she’s definitely drugged.” He looks up at me.

  I shift my eyes down, and a sparkle catches my eye. The bottle he threw to the ground stares at me through the blades of grass.

  Slowly, I crouch down, and my fingers brush the warm glass. Holding it in my hand, I rise to stand upright, and carefully turn it over in my hand.

  Xylazine.

  I hand it to Ben. “He injected this into her neck, but I don’t know what it is.”

  He takes it from my hand and stares at the bottle. “This is a horse sedation drug. Only vet have this.” He looks to Tom.

  “What is it?” He asks.

  Ben holds up the bottle. “Xylazine.”

  “That explains it.” Tom says, looking at the paint as she crumples to the ground. Handing the rope to Ben, he pulls out his phone. “I’m going to make some calls. You two watch her. If that guy shows up again, text me.”

  Ben nods, taking the rope from Tom’s hand.

  Crouching down beside the horse. I place a soft hand on her neck and she turns her head to look at me. Then behind me, as I hear a whinny.

  I turn around, Spirit stands in front of me, pawing at the ground. My lips part as I stare at him; captivated by his glowing coat.

  “What are you looking at?” Ben asks.

  I blink and Spirit disappears. Turning back to Ben, I sigh. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “None of your business.” I retort, and look at the wound on the horses leg. “Poor girl.” I whisper.

  “It does look terrible.” Ben adds, leaning over to take a closer look.

  “Do you have to keep talking, or can you shut up? Because I’d prefer the latter thanks.” I snap, and I see Ben recoil.

  “Right.” Tom says, coming back. “Lets get her to the stables, the vet will meet us there.”

  “How?” I ask. “She’s drugged and can barely stand.”

  Tom thinks for a moment. “It’ll be slow, but if we get her to her feet, I think she’ll follow you.” He looks to Ben. “Hand her the rope.”

  Ben looks between us, but holds out the rope as I take it from his hand.

  Taking a deep breath, I look to Tom, who nods at me before running his hand across the horses back, lightly patting him as he goes. She lightly throws her head and clumsily gets to her feet.

  Gently, I hold the lead rope and begin to walk down the path back towards civilisation; towards the stables.

  The lead rope grows tight, before clumsy footsteps begin to follow mine.

  “The stables is just down the road, Tom will drive ahead and meet us at the stables for the vet.” Ben says, falling into step beside me.

  I look ahead to where Ton gets into his Ute and drives off. “Why didn’t you go ahead with him?”

  “Well, you don’t know the way to the stables, Tessa. Don’t want you getting lost.” He laughs.

  “I don’t think it’ll be that hard to find it.” I snap and my eyes drift to my right.

  Hooves carved from light, sparkling like the stars in the night sky. Each one brushing the ground like whiskers to the earth. Spirit walks alongside us through the afternoon to guide us where we need to go.

  The stables lies down the road to the left at the fork.

  It’s foundations weak on the dirt ground, wooden walls to complement the wooden stalls that hold the horses. A white door located into the back building stands open below a dusty sign reading Kauri Point Stables.

  Original. I cringe.

  Tom’s Ute is parked out front as we walk into the middle of the yard. Ben opens the door to an empty stall at our right.

  “You can put her in here until the vet arrives.”

  I step forwards, but movement catches my eye as Bethany rushes up to me from an adjoining alley I hadn’t noticed.

  “Tessa! Long time no see!” She laughs. “Didn’t think I’d see you around here, you don’t seem much of a horsey person. But I don’t really know—t really know—”

  “Beth.” Ben says.

  She looks at him for a moment before pursing her lips, and turning back to me. “Who’s this?” She asks, looking behind me to the horse on the lead rope. “She looks like a Raven, or a Darcy, or maybe Daisy. Or!” A glint of a smile brushes my face as her eyes light up. “Princess Everglade Of The Moon-dancer Daisies!” She hops between her feet, a smile bursting from her lips.

  “Not everyone likes your extravagant names, Beth.” Sean says, coming up behind her.

  She stops moving. “But Lord Cosmotastic The Third is a fire name.” She pouts, looking across the stables to a dapple grey horse, then back to me. “And Princess Everglade Of The Moon-dancer Daisies is too. You just have to open your eyes to the vision.”

  I take a breath, and — with my own eyes — look to the black horse behind me. Her head bowed as the drugs cycle through her veins. Her eyelids drooping. Yet, her eyes are alive.

  A million fireflies dance through the darkness. Heavy raindrops fall into the dark raging sea, each telling a story, each adding weight. Leaves flow down and soft upon the dewy morning grass as the streams of sunrise streak through the trees to dapple the earth.

  I see it all. I feel it all.

  The ding of a bell draws me to the crashing waves and lightning to light the sky, as thunder rips through the clouds.

  Storm.

  “Storm.” I whisper.

  She lifts her head slightly, then drops it back down as if she’s nodding.

  I lift a hand to run it down her nose — tracing the patch of white — before turning to look at the others.

  “Her name it Storm.”

  Storm lies resting on the stables floor as the vet performs a general check over.

  “Do you know what she was given?” He asks, turning to look at me over his shoulder.

  My mind blanks. “It started with an x…” I trail off.

  “Xylazine.” Ben answers for me, looking at the vet.

  The vet turns to look at him. “That’d be right. How did you know?”

  “Tessa found this. The man used what was inside.” He pauses to hand the vet the bottle. “But I want to be a vet, so I can tell by the signs.” He gestures towards Storm.

  The vet smiles, and nods, scanning the bottle. “Was this man a vet?”

  Ben and I look at each other. “I don’t think so.” I start. “He looked pretty dodgy, so I’d say there’s no way he could be.”

  “Tess… you don’t know who this guy is, you can’t judge someone off of vibes. It’s not how it works.”

  “Whatever. Just don’t come back to me when you find out I’m right.” I push past him into the open courtyard. “And my name is Tessa.”

  The sun sinks low, preparing for sunset in a few hours, the rays casting their shadows across the paddock with the horses. A breeze flutters through the air, my hair flowing out behind me. My eyelids droop, and I take a deep breath.

  A black leg. A blood soaked bandage hangs aimlessly to the fetlock. Each step causes the bandage to rip and slip lower. Blood runs over her hoof, leaving pools on the ground.

  I open my eyes with a gasp. Looking back to Storm, I watch as the vet wraps the wound on her leg, Ben peering over his shoulder.

  Letting out a breath, a tear runs over my cheek.

  She’s hurting, but helplessly wild. I’m right, but helplessly accused to be exaggerating.

  What a lovely stroke of luck we’ve both hit.