Ring…Ring…. "Hello! Hunter Ranch, Rachel speaking."

"H-Hello? This is Alex Dawson, I’m calling to speak with my Uncle Al. Uh…Is he there?"

"Just a second, he’s out by the corral. I’ll have one of the boys get him for you. "

The line was silent as Alex waited to hear her uncle’s familiar voice come over the phone. She had never spoken to the woman, who had answered the phone before, although she recalled from a Christmas card that her uncle had once again married.

She heard some muffled voices in the background and then the slamming of the screen door, which was still most assuredly in need of repair.

"He’ll be in, in a minute or so," The feminine voice revealed when the receiver was again picked up. "So…you’re Alex. I’ve heard so much about you. I ‘suppose that you have already figured out that I’m your new aunt."

"Uh…well, I’d gathered that, but I haven’t really heard much from my uncle for a while. I’ve been really busy with school and working. My mother hasn’t told me any news lately either. Except for her wedding plans."

"Oh that’s right, Teaspoon told me something about that."

"Who?"

"Al. Well, speak of the Devil, here he comes now. I hope we can talk more later, I can’t wait to get to know you better!"

Alex heard some faint murmurs then the familiar sounds of a phone passing between hands.

"Hey Sugar! How’s my Lexie?" a gruff male voice said into the phone.

"H-Hi," she managed, before her reserve crumbled and the overwhelming desperation of the situation caused tears to spring to her eyes.

"What is it darlin’’?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "You can tell me. What’s troublin’ my girl?"

In a rush, Alex swallowed the huge lump in her throat and began to explain everything.

* * *

‘Al’ was Alex’s father’s uncle. He was, until her adoptive father, Brian Dawson, had been killed in a horrific car accident. For eleven years now, he had been gone, and the tribulations that his death had caused effected his only child greatly.

Her mother, Shannon, had never really wanted children, so the inability to have any had seemed a blessing in disguise. However, at Brian’s insistence, the couple had decided to adopt. Just after their fourth wedding anniversary, a three-year-old Alex had come into their lives.

Plagued with nightmares and circumstantial fears, it had taken careful guidance for the Dawson’s to get Alex to adjust to the warm and loving environment of their home. Brian stayed home with Alex, nurturing and caring for the little girl, and doing freelance writing while Shannon went to work. Under her father’s care, Alex soon developed into a bright, yet reserved child.

The next five years of her life were spent enjoying the semi-idealistic lifestyle of any small town, American child. She learned at the same rate as the average child her age, although math was by far her worst subject, and developed an interest in horses, prompting her father to allow her to take riding lessons. She enjoyed swimming lessons during the summer, as well as going to Girl Scout and 4H Club meetings and relished all that childhood had to offer.

The only true exception to this idealism was the fact that her mother seemed to ignore her daughter’s need for her affection. Shannon was absorbed in her career, working countless hours of overtime and striving for promotion. Although she did spend time with Alex, it was usually to pick her up or drop her off at her meetings or lessons, or when she had programs at school or other such activities. The only other exceptions were shopping for clothing and family vacations. Essentially, it was not really apparent to Alex that her mother struggled to show affection. It just seemed that her mother was always too busy for her.

With Brian Dawson’s death, everything seemed to fall apart. Shannon was forced to sell their home and take a much better position within the pharmaceutical company she worked for, in Adelanto, California, a town near San Bernadino. Shannon seemed to use the drudgery of moving cross-country and starting a new job as a way to release her grief. It also became a method for her to attempt to forget about her loss and start over in a new life. Her mother’s non-stop labors left Alex to try to deal with her grief over her father’s death and her imminent uprooting by herself. Perhaps the brightest decision that Shannon had made was to send Alex to spend the summer with Uncle Al, Brian’s mother’s half brother.

It was with Uncle Al that Alex had learned to grieve and adjust to her loss. He had taken the saddened little girl under his wing and taught her how to take care of herself. More than anything else, he’d helped her to look inside of herself to see that her father would always be with her in spirit and in her heart.

For this reason, Alex knew that Uncle Al was the only person who could help her now.

* * *

"Alex, did you get a hold of your uncle?"

Glancing up, Alex saw her roommate and best friend, Tabatha, enter the room.

Nodding, she went back to reading her notes for Civil War History, her favorite class of the semester.

"So? What did he say?" The other girl prompted, dumping her books on the floor and reaching into the closet for her bathrobe.

"Well, I told him about Mom, and what she has planned for when she and Michael get married. And I told him that I lost my scholarship over my algebra grades and that I can’t afford to keep going here."

"And? What did he say?"

"I’m not exactly sure…I think he invited me to come live with him and his new wife Rachel. In all reality, that would work out really well, because his ranch is only about twenty miles from UNK: University of Nebraska, Kearney. I know that’s a good school, and I’m sure it’s much cheaper than this one, and with Mom and Michael moving to Orlando before the wedding, there really won’t be any reason for me to stay in California. I just can’t think of anything else, and he offered to let me come live there and he said something about giving me a job. I just…I …."

Crouching to the floor, Tabatha wrapped her arms around her friend and held her in a warm embrace. "I know. I don’t want us to be apart either. But if this is an opportunity, you should take it. We’ll get by, we’ll e-mail and AIM and call each other…." Her voice trailed off.

Nodding, Alex sniffed. "I know, we’ll get by. Now, you’d better get your shower before Kelsey Mattock uses up all the hot water again."

With a grin, Tabatha grabbed a towel and her shower caddy and headed for the showers.

* * *

"I can’t believe them! How could they do this to me!"

"What’s the matter now?"

Tabatha glanced up from the computer screen and let out a shriek. "They gave my bedroom to Kyle. They didn’t even ask me!"

"Your parents gave your room to your brother? Why? His room was already bigger than yours."

"Why do you think? Because they’ll do anything their 'perfect' sons ask. They’re knocking down the wall between my room and Kyle’s, so they can give him what he wants. Forget about me, I don’t even have the option of going home I guess!"

"Okay, just hold on a second. Why does Kyle get your room when he could just take over Kevin’s? He doesn’t live there anymore."

"’Cause Kevin’s room is the ‘Hoffer Hall of Fame’, and they wouldn’t want Kyle to break any of those stupid trophies while he’s clowning around."

"All right, why don’t you just let me read the e-mail and then maybe I can make some sense of this. "

"Good luck! " Tabatha said sarcastically. "I’m gonna go for a run. Maybe I can clear my head."

Alex threw back the covers and jumped down from her bunk bed. Shoving her feet into slippers, she padded her way across the room and sat down at Tabatha’s desk.

Tabatha quickly dressed in sweats and put on her running shoes while Alex began to read the letter from Kathryn Hoffer. After Tabatha closed the door behind her, Alex let out a loud sigh.

*What is she gonna do now. Her parents are basically leaving her out in the cold, two weeks before finals. How can they expect her to get the high grades they demand when they put this much stress on her? Where’s she supposed to live this summer? There isn’t an apartment in the whole city that’s available during the summer! What’s she supposed to do, go live at the Y?*

The thoughts swirled through Alex’s mind for the entire morning. They distracted her from her history lecture and kept bothering her when she was trying to finish a sociology assignment. By the time she left for work that afternoon, she had devised a sort of plan. Maybe if her idea worked out, neither of the girls would have to be left out in the cold, or rather heat, for the summer. They might not even be forced to be separated.

* * *

"Tab?"

"Hi," she answered meekly from her position on the floor where she had been studying.

Taking off her jacket and hanging it along with her bag on the hook by the door, Alex took a deep breath and began her explanation.

"You know how when I called my uncle last night, I told you that he invited me to come live there and work for him while I go to school?"

"Yeah."

"Well I think that if I asked him, he would say that you could come live there too."

"Why? He doesn’t know me from the man in the moon. What makes you think he would let me stay with him?"

"I don’t. But I think he might, if we told him about the situation you’re in. Besides, neither of us would be just sopping off of him, he want’s to put me, therefore you too I’ll bet, to work. "

"What kind of work?"

"Um…He owns a ranch, but it’s not your typical ranch. It’s more like a historic sight. See, it used to be some kind of a housing place for Pony Express riders. He rents out cabins to people and they stay there and ride along the trails that the riders used. I think we’d just be cleaning up after people and maybe giving trail rides. I’m sure he’ll give us a bunch of information to learn so we can answer the questions that the guests ask, and we might help cook the meals and stuff."

"So we’d be working on a dude ranch?"

"I wouldn’t call it a dude ranch. It’s more of a place for people who have some riding experience. I know Uncle Al could never tolerate people who didn’t know one end of the horse from the other."

"I don’t know about this. I can just imagine what my dad will say when he hears that I’ll be working on a dude ranch. "

"He shouldn’t say anything! It’s your parent’s fault that you’re stuck without anything better to do this summer. If they wouldn’t have given Kyle your room, you could have gone back to your job at the radio station. Besides, you can tell them that it will be an enriching experience. You’ll be learning about an important aspect of American history and improving your communication skills," she paused for a second before continuing. "I don’t even know that my uncle will say yes. I just thought it might be an option."

"I know. I just … you know what my parents are like. I’d be happy to go stay with your uncle. After all, it would get me out from under their thumbs. They’d have no control over me way out there."

"I’m not going to call him tonight, I’ll wait for the weekend. I have too many tests I need to be studying for to even be thinking of anything else, " Alex announced, flopping onto a nearby beanbag chair then opening her sociology textbook.

"I’m gonna go get something to eat then hit the library. I’ll see you in the morning." Tabatha announced, collecting her book bag and purse, then slipping out the door.

* * *

"So…did you pass it?"

"What? No. But I knew I would fail algebra anyway. There was simply no hope in the matter."

"What did your mom say?" Tabatha asked, smiling sympathetically in her friend’s direction.

"I’m not telling her."

"I don’t blame you. She’s got too much on her mind anyway."

Trying to change the subject, Alex cleared her throat. "Did you pass chemistry?"

"Barely. You’re so lucky that you didn’t take it."

" I should have, but I just decided that I wouldn’t need it. I probably didn’t need algebra either," Alex added, shoving another book into the storage crate.

Tabatha continued sorting through her closet, occasionally tossing an article of clothing or another item in the direction of the door or her bed.

The girls worked in silence, packing and deciding what they would and would not be keeping.

"Did you ever get a hold of him?" Tabatha asked suddenly.

"Him? Do you mean my uncle?"

"Obviously! I would like to know where I’ll be spending the summer *before* they evict us!"

"Sorry. I’ve been procrastinating again, with finals and everything. I tried on Sunday, but they weren’t home. I’ll call him in a little bit."

"Call him now."

Sighing loudly Alex gave in. Glancing around she was appalled at the disarray in the room.

"It might help if we could find the phone. Or did you pack it already?
It took them a few minutes, but the cordless phone was finally located under a pile of clothes that Tabatha had designated for ‘Good Will’.

All right, I’ll call him, but I want you to talk to him too. He should at least get to speak to someone who’s gonna be spending the summer with him."

"Just call him, would ya!"

"Be quiet so I can," Alex answered, haughtily.

Dialing, she took a deep breath.

*What if he says no? I’m asking a lot from him. After all, I’m not a blood relative. *She thought.

After two rings, a voice picked up on the other end.

"Hunter Ranch. What can I do for you?"

"Hi, I’d like to speak with Al."

"Al? We don’t have any guests here named Al, at the moment. Maybe you have the wrong number-"

"No, Al Hunter. The guy who runs the place," Alex said between clenched teeth, growing more irritated by the moment.

"What do you need to talk to him about. I mean, I might be able to help you out. I’m like second in command around here. By the way, the name’s Billy. Who does this lovely voice belong to?"

Rolling her eyes, Alex tried again to get her point across. "This is Alexandra Dawson. Al Hunter is my uncle, and I am quite sure that my aunt, Rachel is second in command. If he is not available, I would like to speak with her. This is a long distance call, so I would appreciate it if I could speak to either of them."

When she didn’t hear a reply, she sighed and threw in a "please" for good measure.

"Sorry. He’s in the kitchen. I’ll get him for you."

The phone clattered to the counter, causing Alex to jerk it away from her ear.

"Is he coming?" Tabatha whispered loudly.

Nodding, she put the phone to her ear once again.

After a brief silence, someone picked it up.

"Sugar?"

"Hi!" Alex fairly shrieked, a grin covering her face. "I’m so happy to hear your voice. I thought that that annoying ‘Billy’ guy wasn’t ever gonna get you or me."

Chuckling, he nodded in agreement.

"How did your tests go? Are you done with finals now?"

"I took the last one this morning. I passed everything except algebra, but I could never have passed that anyway."

"What about the papers you had to write?"

"I got a ninety-eight on my Civil War term paper, and a ‘B’ on the one for sociology."

"Good. So when do you have to be out of the dorms?"

"Friday at noon. But I have something really important I need to ask you," she said, then swallowed.

"Ask away."

"Okay, it involves my roommate, Tabatha. See, her parents kinda gave her room away to her brother, and left her with no place to stay for the summer. Since she doesn’t have a job and every apartment in town is already rented out, I was hoping that you might say that she could come with me to your place and work for you this summer," she said, then paused. "You don’t have to pay her anything other than room and board. Besides, she owns her own car and would drive me to the ranch. That way I wouldn’t have to take the bus. And, and, if it works out, she’ll transfer to UNK. "

* I sound like a rambling moron! I’m so pathetic.* She thought before her Uncle’s voice cut into her self-destructive thoughts.

"Well…I’d like to know more about this girl. Who is she?’

Casting a glance in Tabatha’s direction, Alex was struck with a glare that should have killed her.

"She’s my been my best friend ever since I came to California. Her parents own a house a few blocks from Mom’s apartment in Adelanto. Her dad, Trevor, is a pilot for United, and her mom, Kathryn is a dental hygienist. She had an older brother, Kevin who is married and lives in Sacramento. He’s a sports trainer, and his wife is finishing her doctorate. Tab’s little brother Kyle is the one who’s getting her room."

"Okay, that’s nice to know, but what’s she like? Wait, I want to talk to her, if I can. You can tell a lot just from a person’s voice."

"She’s here, just a sec. I’ll let you talk to her," Alex said, then covered the mouthpiece with her hand.

"He want’s to talk to you."

"No!" Tabatha whispered, franticly waving her hands in a gesture showing her apprehension.

"Talk to him!"

"But I don’t know what to say!"

Rolling her eyes, Alex thrust the phone into her friend’s hands. "Just be you. That’s what he wants."

Hesitating only slightly, Tabatha put the phone to her ear.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hunter. This is Tabatha Hoffer, Alex’s friend."

As Tabatha began to relax and lapse into normal conversation, Alex resumed packing the things they would have to ship to Nebraska.

* * *

"Is that everything?"

"Yeah, I’m sure that was the last thing. Did you pack all the stuff up that you were gonna send to the shelter?"

"Uh huh. I left it in Vance Winston’s car so he can drop it off when he gets to L.A.," Tabatha added, closing the door to the U-haul trailer.

"Are you done telling people good-bye?"

"Yep, and I called my dad and told him we were about to leave, so we should probably get going."

"As long as you’re sure we have everything."

"Did you tell your mom that we were gonna leave today?"

Sighing, Alex leaned against the trailer. "No. When I called, I got Michael. As usual the guy didn’t even know who I was, but I think I got him to leave a message for her."

"What a jerk! How can he be engaged to your mother, planning to marry her in little more than a month, and still not know who you are?"

"It’s not like she has any reason to brag about me or anything. Besides, like you said, she’s preoccupied with the wedding. She’s moving everything all the way to Florida, and the wedding is at the end of June."

"Are you even invited?"

"I haven’t gotten an invitation or anything, but it’s in Orlando."

"Are you going?" Tabatha asked, concerned with the obvious lack of interest Alex’s mother showed.

"I was hoping to, but only if she sends me a ticket."

"How can you stand this? She treats you like some kid she inherited when her husband died. It’s like she doesn’t even realize that she adopted you too. I mean, good grief, you may be eighteen and all, but she’s still supposed to be your mother! Does the woman even know that you’re moving a thousand miles away?"

"I wrote her a long letter, so if she reads it, she should know. That’s all I can do if she’s never around to take my calls. Besides," she paused to take a deep breath," it’s not like I’m her real daughter anyway. She has no reason to be concerned. I’m gonna be living with Uncle Al, so she won’t have to worry about me anymore."

"If you’re ready, let’s get on the road," Tabatha suggested, mainly to find a less depressing topic of conversation.

"Let’s go then," Alex said, forcing a smile as she threw her backpack into the back seat of Tabatha’s open-air Jeep.

"Hasta la vista, California!" Tabatha shouted a few moments later as she pulled out of the student parking lot.

* * *

FIVE DAYS LATER

"Turn left at the next exit."

"What exit? That’s a dirt road. Are you sure this is the way to your uncle’s?"

"That’s what the directions say. ‘Twenty-eight miles south on highway fourteen, and 15 miles east. ’ "

"But it’s a gravel road."

"His ranch isn’t on the highway. I know this is right, now turn!" Alex ordered, tension tightening her voice.

"Do you want to drive? ‘Cause obviously, you know exactly where this place is, especially since you haven’t been there for like 10 years," Tabatha retorted.

"Sorry! Just keep going, okay."

As they turned onto the county road, the trailer began to churn up a huge cloud of dust. When a bend in the road caused the grit to fly back onto the jeep, both girls cursed the fact that they had no protection from the elements.

Choking on dust, Alex managed, "Slow down! The dust might not be as bad that way!"

Taking her foot off the accelerator, Tabatha tried to cover her mouth so she could breathe. They continued on for several miles hoping for a shift in the direction of either the wind or the road.

Coughing, Tabatha pressed down on the accelerator in a vague attempt to get them around a curve up ahead.

Suddenly, the Jeep began to skid with the abrupt increase in speed along a curve, which was much sharper than either girl had anticipated. The vehicle began to veer towards the edge of a ravine. Pumping the brake franticly and clenching the steering wheel with all her might, Tabatha tried to bring the vehicle under control.

When they came to a stop, the Jeep had smashed against a cluster of young cedar trees. The U-haul lay jack-knifed on its side with the back wheels missing altogether.

Alex didn’t realize that she was screaming until her voice began to break. Staring over the edge, she realized just how close they had been to certain death.

"T-Th-thank God!" Alex stuttered, still gripping the dashboard. "I thought we were gonna die!"

Tabatha sat there, staring blankly ahead.

"Tab? Tab! Answer me. Say something!"

"I…I can’t… believe I just had my first car accident. Dad’s gonna kill me. My insurance is gonna sky-rocket." She said faintly, still clenching the wheel.

"None of that matters. We’re alive that’s all you’re parents will care about."

Tabatha continued to mutter to herself as Alex carefully crawled out of the passenger’s seat, and through the broken limbs. Finally, she reached the back of the Jeep and climbed over the hitch. Once she had gotten a good look at the wreck, her shaking began to lessen. The experience had been all too real for her and suddenly she felt weak and incredibly vulnerable.

Her father had been killed in a car accident. The fact that she had escaped one without a scratch seemed so bizarre.

* Why am I alive when he isn’t? What makes us any different than him? Why did I live when he died? *

Her questioning was interrupted with Tabatha’s voice calling her name.

"Huh?"

"I asked you if you were gonna be all right. You look like you’re going to faint or something. Did you hit your head?"

"No…."

"You are O.K. though, right?"

"Fine. I just can’t understand…."

"I shouldn’t have sped up like that. There could have been another car, or something," She apologized. "I’m so sorry. Just stop thinking about it, okay."

Despite the heat of the day, Alex wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some comfort away from the condemning voice inside her.

Drawing in a deep breath, she managed to ask where the cell phone was.

"I think it’s in the cubby hole. I’ll go get it. Just sit there for a while."

A few minutes later, Tabatha reappeared and handed her the phone.

"Call your uncle. We’re gonna need a tow-truck."

After several failed attempts, Alex gave up. They were obviously out of calling range.

"This is just great! We’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, without a working phone, on the hottest day of the year, without any water, and with thunderstorms in the forecast!"

"Calm down Tab. It can’t be that bad. Were alive at least."

"I’m well aware of that," Tabatha said, kicking a small stone with the toe of her shoe.

They stood in silence, each racking her brain for any idea how they could get out of the situation or at least make it better.

"We could try walking to that house," Alex finally suggested, pointing to what looked like a farmstead in the far distance.

"Are you crazy? There’s probably no one even living there!"

"What do you suggest then?" Alex asked in a voice that grew persistently angrier.

"I don’t know! It’s about five miles to the highway and there wasn’t any traffic on it. Maybe we should try that house. It’s got to be closer."

Swallowing, Alex tried to gather her wits, "If we’re gonna walk, we need to dress decently. Jeans, boots, and jackets. We should take some stuff with us too, ‘cause I doubt that we’ll get to the ranch tonight."

"The one we’re walking to, or your uncle’s?" Tabatha asked, arching one golden eyebrow.

"Uncle Al’s. We’ll make it to that place all right. It can’t be that far away." She said, indicating the prospective homestead on the horizon.

After they had both changed into long pants and walking shoes, they arranged their belongings as best they could in order to keep too much stuff from getting wet if it rained. Each girl crammed some of her clothes and other belongings into a large duffel bag, trying to fit everything from the Jeep into the trailer to keep dry.

Strapping their backpacks on, they tied jackets around their waists, and hefted their duffels. It would be a long, hot trek, but the dark clouds arising in the west promised that they would be cool soon enough.

* * *

The pair had been walking for well over an hour when the wind picked up, forcing them to again contend with gritty dust and flying sand particles. The distance between them and the farmstead seemed to widen with each step, making them considerably irritable.

The temperature dropped suddenly as the wind shifted to the north, forcing them to put on their jackets. Alex fumbled with her duffel bag, trying to find a hair tie. Finally locating one, she managed to pull her dark mass of hair back in a loose bun.

Struggling to button the front of her denim jacket, Tabatha tripped, scraping her palm on the ground.

"Ouch," she winced, as Alex pulled her back to her feet. "Remind me to kill you for getting me into this!"

"Me! All I did was get you a place to live for the summer."

"Yeah, and we wrecked my Jeep in the process."

"At least we’re alive," Alex reminded her, yet again.

"Thank you for reminding me of that fact, as if I didn’t know. Yeah, we’re alive, for now! It’s gonna start raining any second and we’re stuck out in the middle of nowhere, trying to get to a house that might be empty, and we don’t have any food or water!"

As if on cue, the fist cold drop of rain hit Alex on the shoulder.

"Well it looks like we have water now."

Tightening the rein on her tongue, Alex trudged forward. When the drops began to hit harder, she tried to focus on the destination, but it was getting harder to see.

"How did I ever let you convince me to come out here? We’re never gonna get to that house now!"

"Would you SHUT UP! You’re the idiot who nearly got us killed! If you had kept going slow, like I told you to none of this would have ever happened. We’d be at the ranch by now, not wandering around in a thunderstorm!" Alex shouted, finally too pent up with frustration to go on any longer.

"Oh yeah? There is no Fairborn, Nebraska. There’s a Fairmont, a Fairfield, and a Fairbury. All I had to do was look on the map at the rest stop back in North Platte and I knew we were in for trouble, but no, you wouldn’t let me call your uncle! Maybe if you listened better we wouldn’t be looking for a town that doesn’t exist! We wouldn’t have ever gotten onto a stupid dirt road, with blinding dust and no traffic!" Tabatha yelled, in a fit of rage.

As the sky split with lightning and the rain poured in sheets, neither of them were able to distinguish tears from rain.

"I-I’m sorry, alright. I’m sorry this whole thing happened." Alex sobbed, trying to pull her leather jacket around her, a bit tighter.

"I’m sorry too. Come on, it can’t be much further."

Walking became much more difficult as the rain poured harder and the wind blew with gale force.

"Keep going," Alex shouted in Tabatha’s ear, trying to be heard.

There was no shelter available for them on the flat stretch of road, so there was no escape from the fierce wind or the sizzle of electricity in the air.

The sky suddenly burst as a huge bolt of lightning hit the ground in front of them. Blinded, they didn’t notice the vibrant blue haze, they only felt the heat and the kinetic energy that pulled them forward.

As a huge blue pool of light opened at their feet, they felt themselves beginning to fall. Instantly they were gone, leaving nothing behind except the echo of their blood-curdling screams.