Page 59 of Cowboys & Horses

Just on the verge of giving in to sleep, peace, no pain, I picked out the sound of a low rumble. I stilled and held my breath. The noise was getting louder. I scanned my blurry eyes across the desert and then almost fainted in relief.

Three sets of headlights were bouncing across the rough ground. Joy swamped me. I burst into tears, trembling. I inched down onto the next branch, every fibre within me screaming in protest. I bit my lip to keep hold of the painful scream collecting in my throat.

“Sophie!”

Brady’s voice hollered out into the empty desert and I managed a strangled sob in reply. Voices sounded before a bright beam of light shone into my eyes, piercing a throbbing headache on top of all my other pain.

Not caring for my injuries being scraped against the jagged bark, I slid down the trunk, barely hanging on. Just as I passed the last branch, I let go, tumbling down to the ground and collapsing into a crumpled heap.

“Sophie! Shit, get blankets!”

Caring, strong arms wrapped around me and then I was gone, carried away into an agony free peace.