Okay, fifteen steps forward, then turn a sharp left and walk fifty steps and…
Oof.
Fence.
Go him.
Jason got his shirt untangled from the wire and started following the fence toward the gate. They wanted him to get on a bull tomorrow. They wanted him to get out in the arena. If he was going to do that, he needed to go to the barn, to the pasture. See the bulls. Get his hands on some gear.
He managed to find the gate easy enough, spending a good bit on unlocking before he gave up and climbed. Okay. He chewed on his lip, trying to listen, to smell, to remember. The barn. It was close, he knew that.
Something brushed his leg and he jumped, reaching down and connecting with something soft and fuzzy and… Oh, man. Dog drool.
“Hey, Ghost. Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” He shook his head and headed away from the fence, praying alittle that he remembered right. Ghost wandered along with him, bumping his leg every so often, soft panting just sort of drawing him forward. So far, so good.
“Okay, boy. We’re hunting the…” He tilted his head, hearing a soft lowing. Fucking A. Go him. “Straight ahead, huh? Don’t let me miss it.”
He found it, too, with his shoulder, whacking into the barn so hard it spun him around and knocked him on his ass.
Fuck.
Licking his face, Ghost bounded all over him, paws hitting his belly, his thighs. Silly mutt thought it was a game. He sat till he caught his breath, then he stood up, reaching for the barn.
Okay. Now. Which way?
He headed the way he was facing, getting around three corners before he found the door, fingers finding the chain, the wire that held it closed.
Goddamn. Look at him.
Barking, Ghost ran off and left him, just about the time the door swung open.
He headed in, the smell of hay and manure and leather and molasses just right. The soft stamping of animals, the sound of his boots sliding across the floor, the creak of old boards…it all sounded like home.
Jason didn’t know what he was going to do now that he was here, but he knew it felt right, to be out here. To have made it by himself. He walked down the stalls, fingers trailing along the doors. Soft noses brushed against his fingers, little nibbles telling him someone hoped he’d brought treats. Spoiled beasts. He got the baby carrots out of his pockets, offering them on his palm, keeping his fingers out of the way. Every so often someone would kick the stall, making dust fall on him.
He spent a good while just wandering, touching things,smelling things. He managed not to fall over the rake leaned up against the wall. Really, he figured he was doing damned well. Even if he couldn’t remember which way was out.
Okay. He needed to find the arena next, find the chutes, see what it felt like to climb over them.
About the time he found the barn door again, he heard the dog bounding back up to him, panting, tags jingling.
“Hey, Mini. You having a wander?”
Bax. He should’ve known Bax would show up sooner rather than later.
“Yeah. Yeah, man. I thought I’d come out, see if I couldn’t get used to walking around when it was quiet.” He was damned proud of himself, too. He’d managed. “Did I wake you?”
“Oh, I was just rolling over to find someone to get busy with and there wasn’t nobody there…”
Bax sounded all casual, but Jason knew that voice too well. Bax had been scared.
“Well, damn. If I’d known.” He headed toward Bax’s voice, moving careful. “It’s weird, it not mattering if it’s dark outside or not.”
“I bet.”
Soon as he got close enough, Bax was touching him, hands sliding up his arms.
“Morning, Jase.”
