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Post by Clarity S. Doty; on Jan 14, 2011 23:05:00 GMT 2
Quiet sobs emitted from a small form on a bed. The bunkhouse was warm, and quiet aside from some steady breathing coming from her right. Clarity sat up, wiping the warm, fallen tears away with her hand. Standing up, her Guitar Hero pajama pants and Backstreet Boys teeshirt didn't do much to keep her warm. She ran out of the bunker, quietly shutting the door behind her, before running into the barn.
And I have a question!
What is love?
What is love?
Oh, oh oh oh-oh-oh
Is it giving up?
Well cause that's not how you raised me, yeah.
In a sitch like this you gotta think
And I don't think you think about the way
She thinks
And I know you work hard everyday
But it all comes down to the way you're paid.
She slowed as she entered the barn, not wanting to startle the horses. She lowered herself onto a bale of hay outside one of their stalls, and allowed herself to give into the quiet, hiccupping sobs emmitting from inside of her. Her body shook, both from the strength of the tears and from the cold. Her bare feet were tucked under her legs as she sat Indian style, and pulled her hair out of her face and put it up in a loose bun. |
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Post by Finn Keagan on Jan 14, 2011 23:15:46 GMT 2
He found himself out in the hayloft once again. Lily had found him one night and had been worried about him because of it. It was colder in the barn than in the bunkhouse, obviously, and she hadn't wanted him getting sick. However, the woman had understood that he felt safe in the hayloft. She wouldn't make him sleep where he wasn't comfortable. So, yet again, he was curled up under his sleeping bag and blankets. Lily had made sure he had extra blankets after discovering him, and he was quite warm. This was the only place he could fall asleep. Even if he was beyond exhaustion at night, he could never sleep in the bunkhouse. His mind always thought of things that he didn't really need to be thinking about. Out here though, he was at peace. The sounds and the smells of the horses comforted him, and allowed him to rest.
However, that silence that usually greeted him was ending. His ears caught the sound of the barn doors opening and then closing. Who was in here at this time of the night? Finn was worried slightly, and he sat upright, listening to the footsteps. They were light and almost silent, and he had to relax slightly. No man would make those footsteps. It had to be someone without shoes too, for there were no echoes of boots around. Furrowing his brow, he wondered if the person was crazy. It was freezing out here at night. Grabbing his extra jacket, he made sure he had his own wrapped around him before sneaking to the edge of the hayloft. Seeing the form of a petite girl, Finn wondered if this was Clarity, the newest member to the TTI program. He started down the ladder, making noise so he wouldn't spook her. Landing on his feet, Finn approached her cautiously, keeping his distance but holding the coat out to her. She must be freezing.
"Here, take this. You must be cold. Are you alright?"
Of course she wasn't alright, but Finn didn't know what else to ask, or say. He didn't deal well with tears and crying. It was just how he was. He was uneasy at the moment, but he wanted to help if he could. He figured he could be that shoulder for her to lean on if she ever accepted it. Then, he realized coming down from the hayloft might have looked really strange and potentially frightening to her.
"My name's Finn. I sleep up there sometimes when I can't sleep in the bunkhouse."
He offered, trying to explain it to her. Maybe she wouldn't think he was crazy right off the bat. Well, hopefully anyway. |
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Post by Clarity S. Doty; on Jan 14, 2011 23:23:49 GMT 2
Her tears subsided to silence, but the tears kept pouring. She heard a sound on the hayloft, and jumped up as the young man jumped down. Her guard up, she furiously pushed her tears away and stood tall. As he offered her his jacket, she looked up in surprise. No man but Wyatt had ever cared to even be nice to her. Just get her drunk and in a bedroom. Carefully, she took the jacket, sliding it on over her shoulders. It hung low on her, and immediately she was greeted by the scent of the young man, horses, and warmth. She buried her hands in the pockets before speaking quietly.
I'm Clarity. I'm sorry if I woke you up.
She sounded like a lost little kid, and she knew it. But this was her third night of being awake, and she rubbed her arms through the jacket. Biting her lip, she glanced at Finn. He hadn't made a move towards her, and she felt herself relaxing. She also felt the cold tingling her feet. She gently sat on the hay bale again, tucking her feet back under herself.
It's hard being here.
She glanced up, then furrowed her brow. Wait. Wyatt had mentioned Finn... but so had someone else. Katt. A small smile pulled up her features as she thought of her cousin, and felt her guard go down. She wouldn't be nervous about anyone her cousin recommended her meeting.
[/blockquote] |
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Post by Finn Keagan on Jan 15, 2011 1:37:41 GMT 2
Finn's sea green eyes would not make contact for very long with Clarity's. He wasn't trusting enough to do that yet, not even of a girl who seemed about his age. Who could blame him though? The one person that he was supposed to be able to trust the most had shattered him in more ways than one. His own father had hospitalized him with broken bones and a coma. Finn would not trust that easily again, and that much was obvious. It had taken him a full month to trust Wyatt as much as he did, and sometimes he even stepped back from that. He wanted to trust Wyatt more than anyone else, but it was so hard. He trusted Lily to a point as well, but everything was so new and Finn just wasn't used to it. Sometimes he was even overwhelmed by it all. He knew he wasn't alone though, and that was what was most important. He had people who cared about him and trusted him. He would have to always remember that.
Seeing this girl in front of him made him feel bad though. he knew that he hadn't had it the best during his life, but she seemed to be hurting. He knew he never cried openly like that. He hesitated though, not certain if he should question her or not. He decided not to since he didn't know her like that, and he certainly didn't want to pry. He was a little surprised when she actually did take his jacket, for she seemed so jittery. He would never judge her though. The jacket was only a little too big for her because Finn was a shrimp of a kid. He was building his muscle back up, but he still needed to pack a lot more weight on to be considered normal size for his age. He wouldn't mind letting her hold onto that jacket if she didn't have one here. She would definitely need it. Hearing her name, he gave her a small, encouraging smile. He wasn't going to hurt her.
"It's nice to meet you Clarity. And don't worry, I wasn't sleeping."
He hadn't been, in all honesty. He had been reading a book and thinking about new ways of reaching Love Me Sweet. He wanted to make life easier for the once abused gelding, even though it was proving to be extremely difficult. Sighing to himself, he looked to the young woman as she spoke up once more. He watched as she sat back down on the hay bale and then tilted his head slightly in question to her statement. It was hard being here. He had thought like that his first week, but it turned out Silver Stag was becoming like a home to him. He nodded slightly.
"At first it is, yeah. But it gets better. The people here are kind and generous, and just great people overall. And working with the horses gives you a feeling I can't describe. It will get better. Just keep thinking that. It did for me."
He never spoke this much, but he felt like it would help this girl out. Clarity didn't have it easy in life, and her cousin had made that clear in his meeting with her. He didn't know if the girl had told Clarity about him, but maybe it would help if she did. Then maybe she wouldn't be so on edge around him. He also couldn't be on edge around her because he was sure it would only make her more nervous. |
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Post by Clarity S. Doty; on Jan 15, 2011 18:03:18 GMT 2
Clarity cast Finn a shy smile before looking down at her shoes. She had actually come out here, planning on sleeping in the hay loft, but that was now out of the question. She took a deep breath, and nearly screamed as a horse's gentle head leaned over the stall door and pressed his mouth to her shoulder.
I'm sorry, precious.
Her voice was weak, tired, but she managed a smile while she gently held her hand out. Fear radiated through her, but she fought through it, making herself able to sustain the horse's touch. Her knees shook, but a small smile formed on her lips as the horse's velvety lips searched her hands. Her newest abrasion to her arm, a long cut running from her wrist to the inside of her elbow, was still bleeding slightly, and was just barely obvious as the sleeves slid toward her elbow. She'd done it right before coming out, actually, so the blood was just starting to blister.
I want to learn how to ride.
The comment was directed towards Finn, and she turned to face him. Tilting her head to the side, she watched him for a moment before continuing.
I never have before. [/blockquote] |
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Post by Finn Keagan on Jan 31, 2011 22:34:41 GMT 2
Finn's seafoam green eyes studied the girl as she interacted with the horse. He wondered if he had looked like that when he had first gotten here. He hadn't been afraid of the horses. He had worked with them long before coming here, so he did have the background that would help him out. However, this girl looked absolutely petrified by the animal that was now reaching over her. Finn wanted to reach out and tell her that it would be alright, but he wasn't going to. She needed to get over that fear all on her own. The horses would heal her heart far better than any person could. Finn understood that more than anyone else did at this point when it came down to it. They had healed him. Well, they were healing him. Wyatt and Lily were helping as well, and even Carl and Billy weren't people that scared him anymore. Things were going well for him here, and he just hoped that Clarity could find that peace here. It was then that he caught the crimson on her wrist.
A million thoughts ran through his mind. That cut was fresh. It hadn't even started to dry yet, and that worried him. Maybe she caught it on something coming into the barn? But that couldn't be. It looked too clean, and too precise to be anything over than self inflicted. Finn felt his stomach drop. He had been in enough situations to not want to cause pain to himself. His father had abused him physically and emotionally, and he was never going to get over that fact. But that pain his father gave him was the worst that he had ever experienced. His wrist was still healing from that. How could this young woman be so abused that she felt it was necessary to cut herself? Furrowing his brow, he shifted, not uncomfortable. He didn't want to seem nosey, but she needed help for that. It could get serious.
"Hey, you alright? You've got a cut...on your arm?"
He would see where she went with that statement in all honesty. If she wanted to talk to him, then he would listen. Finn was a better listener than anything else. The ball was in her court now, and it was completely up to her. He wasn't going to judge her, and her certainly wasn't going to yell at her or tell her what to do. Finn was a quiet individual. He always had been, and that wasn't going to change now. His peaceful ways might do Clarity some good. He stayed quiet now, watching and waiting for her response. It was then that she spoke up about wanting to ride. He smiled softly and held his arms out for a moment before letting them return to his sides.
"Well, you're in the perfect place to learn. Wyatt will teach you. He'll put you on the quietest horse here."
He said quietly, watching her for her reaction. Of course Wyatt would never push her. It would be on her time. Wyatt could seem extremely serious, but Finn knew he had a soft side. It was the only reason as to why he trusted him in the first place. Finn knew that Clarity would never be put in a situation that was uncomfortable for her. He watched her for a moment, and then spoke up.
"The people here are really nice Clarity. They want to help you in any way they can. I do too." |
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Post by Clarity S. Doty; on Jan 31, 2011 22:40:15 GMT 2
Clarity's chocolate eyes widened as Finn mentioned the cut on her arm. The black eye, the bruises covering her body, the scars... all were healing. Why had she done another? She wasn't sure. Perhaps it was habit? Or perhaps the fear. Her fear of opening up to people made her shaky. She'd been taken advantage of too many times. She quickly pulled the sleeve of the jacket down over her arm, and the horse pulled his head back slightly, alarmed.
I'm sorry, sweetie. You're okay.
She turned to face Finn, biting her lip. She wasn't sure if she should tell him. Instead, she quickly rambled off a bogus story about catching it on her bedside table. She didn't know why she was lying. After the years of abuse, one thing she never did was lie.
I hope so. I've been wanting to ride since I was little.
She changed the subject quickly, her dark eyes turning to examine the horse in the stall. [/blockquote] |
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Post by Finn Keagan on Jan 31, 2011 22:47:47 GMT 2
Finn knew that look in her eyes. It was the same look that sometimes still made it into his eyes. He couldn't be around men really. Wyatt had been hard for him to accept at first, and Billy and Carl were even harder. But through patience and kindness, Finn was coming around. He was like a scared horse. He was like Love Me Sweet. And that was why the two were working so well together. Finn understood Sweet and Sweet helped Finn understand himself. It all made sense to the young man now, and he was glad that he had been paired with the abused palomino. Sighing softly now, he watched as the girl seemed spooked when he questioned her. That only sent the horse behind her flying backwards, obviously not expecting her to react in such a way. Finn let Clarity handle it however. She would never learn if she wasn't able to do things by herself.
"Oh, alright. I didn't know the edges were so sharp."
He didn't believe her. That much was obvious. Her nature and her behavior told him she was lying straight off the bat. Where before she had been making slight eye contact with him, she was now looking away and looking uncomfortable. She seemed squirmy, and Finn felt badly for making her look like that. however, if she was hurting herself, she needed help. More help than Finn could give her. Besides, if she had really cut herself on the bedside table, he had a hard time believing that the cut would be that big. Usually people jumped away as soon as the pain first hit them. Furrowing his brow yet again, he just listened to her next words and spoke up with a forced smile. He wasn't going to make her talk to him. If she told him, she told him. He was not the individual to play twenty questions with her. He would never put someone in a situation that made them that uncomfortable.
"You'll love it. It's not that hard, either." |
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Post by Clarity S. Doty; on Jan 31, 2011 23:08:22 GMT 2
Clarity allowed her small arms to wrap around herself. She was running on nearly 72 hours of no sleep, and she wasn't showing it. She didn't want to go back to the bunker, back to sleeping in a room of men that she didn't even know. She gently pulled the jacket from her shoulders, handing it to Finn, and took a step back.
I should get going. You have to work with the palomino in the morning.
She remembered Wyatt telling her that Finn was working with a palomino gelding. She sighed, and leaned against the horse's stall. [/blockquote] |
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