Ashes to Ashes

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The wind tugged her hair as she stood, silent and still, her thoughts wandering. Behind her the sun was setting, setting the sky aglow. How long had it been? Not more than two weeks but it had felt like an eternity. How easy it was to think that things you thought was going to last forever changes in the blink of an eye. The fire had spread quickly from the office to the other buildings thanks to a strong gush of wind and much had to be rebuilt. The barns had been old and it had been dry, also helping the fire to get a strong hold. It wasn’t much for the firemen to do except trying to hinder the fire from spreading further. The only deaths had been them and Shannon’s gelding.

She looked down at the small stone. The close friends shared their final resting place. It had been just the right thing to do. Nobody had objected. Everybody missed them as much as her. A sad smile flashed on her face while a lone tear found its way down her cheek. They had been a special couple with their own little quirks, some adorable and some…very annoying. She remembered with bittersweet sorrow all his little tricks that he used to do, especially to get his wish through. How many times hadn’t she given in to those? He had made her laugh on days that had seemed so dark. He had made her laugh after the chestnuts accident. How time had flown by, it felt like he had been but a baby, still walking around on gangly thin spider legs. It was hard to know that she would never see him again. How that pair had found each other, how they had grown and what they done…

They had found them, or rather their shell like remains, close together in the ashes. It had seemed one had been wounded but the other had still stayed, despite the heat of the fire, made the choice to stay and face death than to abandon a friend. Some said that horses wasn’t more than stupid animals that only acted like…well…animals…that they couldn’t possibly be real personalities with their own little twists, all different. If they only had met this special horse, then they would have to change their minds. How many life’s that had been changed because of that horse, her vet’s was one. The girl that now was his wife had helped her with Sailor after he got hurt.

Svea sighed and kneeled down to brush off the stone. She let her finger traced the inscription.

‘Forever loved, never forgotten’

She sobbed softly. Death could be so cruel, especially on those left behind. It is hard to see tomorrow when someone you love is gone. Pictures only seemed to taunt you…and haunt you, reminding you of what you have lost. So many things that were left unsaid and undone, words and actions regretted. It was final and sealed, it was nothing you could add or retract. She had experienced so many losses in her life but they had been the first after Gustav. Her promise to not get attached, to take someone to her heart again, had been so easily forgotten. Now the pain of his death was partly resurfaced.

Someone had started the fire. Exactly how the police couldn’t tell. Their technicians had been out again to look for clues. As far as they could tell at this point it was the standard, gasoline and a match. Due to the slight drought not much else regarding evidence like a shoeprint could be found. Jace hadn’t told her much, but he had told her about some small things. When he had told her about them it had seemed so…unimportant but now she couldn’t help but wonder if this could had been prevented, they would still live if...

“Are you still here?”

The voice made her jump, so lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t notice the man come up beside her.

“Herregud! Skräms…don’t scare me like that!” She had started speaking in her native tongue, as always when she got scared or surprised.

“Sorry boss…but you have been up here a good while now…the contractors just called and they have faxed over a plan…they want you to take a look at it tonight and get back to them first thing tomorrow. Also…there is someone asking…no…demanding your attendance.”

“But I checked on him before I went up here…and ‘Patch’ is with him…weren’t your tent bed in the stall next to him so you could check him more often?”

“Yeah…but…even if he likes me, its you he...loves...”

Her blue eyes met his. They surely were…special…she couldn’t help but wonder how many women had felt themselves helplessly caught by their depths. She shook her head and smiled warmly.

“Jace…have you become his personal assistant or something?”

The man chuckled softly as he walked beside her. Gently she snuck her arm around his, careful not to bump into the bandages on his upper arm.

“No Boss…but I know that visits from a loved one can speed up the recovery. The burns aren’t that bad but…still…”

She nodded. It had been so surreal. Jace had told her that a beam had fallen down, almost hitting him, luckily it hadn't. Instead it had trapped him, making it impossible to get anywhere at all and finally the smoke had made him pass out. Sailor had come and somehow managed to drag him out, through the back door leading to the manure ramp just as the building fell. Amazingly they had only gotten some lighter burns and cuts.

Glancing back towards the stone she sent her pony mare and her donkey companion one last thought. Melissa had been special, a perfect children pony, kind and patient. Trevor on the other hand, the miniature donkey gelding, was…well…not…or well, only if Melissa was near. She had been old, almost twenty with poor eyesight and when she got trapped, unable to flee and weakened by the smoke, Trevor had refused to leave her. The vet had said that the smoke killed them long before the fire engulfed their bodys.

Jace had noted her glance as well as her sad expression and he squeezed her hand.

“Don’t worry Boss…we’ll get the one responsible for this…don’t you worry…”



Ref:
Background: ~Meow-Stock [link]
Horseshoe: ~khaki-pepper [link]