7/28/2019 You Were Lost

1/4

You Were LostBy Kayla Kelly

SMASHWORDS EDITION

**********Published by Kayla Kelly on Smashwords

Jasmine pulled on her stetson while sitting atop her horse as she watched the sun disappear. The sun

was a feeble, wavering, red sun that had scorched the day leading up to this point. Dead grass, dying

trees, and withering flowers all relayed the story of the last month. Everything was scalded, scorched,

burned and parched until they finally gave up and died. Few plants remained.

Solemnly watching the last of the sun, she turned her horse with a twist of her wrist, a simple reiningtrick she'd reluctantly taught the skittish mare. Jasmine and her horse headed off, home-bound in thenight.

While Jasmine un-tacked and brushed her mount, who was affectionately named Patches, shereminisced. So much had happened, that time was expansively packed with details and unknown, twists,surprises and ridiculous unexpected events.

Now, as the reader, you may be wondering who Jasmine is, and what she's thinking when sheremembers events, faces, and places that occured in the timespan. To understand the story from thispoint, I must recap for you.

Let's begin at the beginning, because the beginning of a story is not always in the beginning of whatyou think is the story. That beginning is just a precluding beginning of the beginning of the beginning. Allof this to further create a true beginning.

Jasmine Conners strolled casually through town, one arm pinioning her books between her arm and herside, the other tucked (as an idiosyncrasy) in her pocket, fingers wrapped around two carrots. She waswearing a hunter green jacket over a t-shirt. It was definitely cold in Springer, New Mexico. These

conditions were expected in winter in the mountains of Sangre De Cristo. While they are not considered"cold" in other parts of the world, the inhabitants of Springer considered them near snow (although thelowest temperature for the whole winter was 50 degrees) Jasmine crossed through a park, yet furtheraway from town, finally coming into sight of the huge brown barn she'd come to love so much. SinceJasmine acquired a job there in the last month, I had gotten to know her very well. I own the barn, andam it's primary manager. I made it a point to reward Jasmine for her relentless work effort, she neverowned a horse, but she'd fallen in love with one particular Tennessee walker named Jewels. Jewels'owner never paid much attention to her, but he spent most of his time on his other draft horse. Jewelsneeded Jasmine as much as Jasmine needed her. As much as I knew about Jewels, I knew from themoment the two rode together that they had something I'd never have, it was silently passing betweenthem. The simulations between the horse and girl were improbable, yet I watched them both and wasoverwhelmed with simultaneity. From bushy black hair to spirit of a servant, from sensitive teeth to lovingwestern saddles, though their birthmarks were not even humanly possible that the two should end up in

the same square mile, being as alike as they were. A white diamond marked Jewels' mane, andconsequent of the proximity to the mane left a white streak through the thick black mane. Jasmine'sbirthmark was a brown diamond above her ear, leaving a brown streak in her thick black hair.Unfortunately, all fairy tale scenarios that work their way (however painstaking the sacrifice to get themthere) into real life must disintegrate and die. Jewels' owner feared the connection between girl andhorse, he knew she might actually offer to buy the mare; thence how could his refusal be valid? Surely allthose who knew Jewels as well as himself knew they were not competent partners, as well as that thegirl was far better suited for the mare than himself. Thus, he bought a farm and proceeded to moveJewels to this place which, in his mind, was a safe haven. Jasmine, though she would not admit it, wasof a broken spirit the next month. She took the name marker off of Jewels' stall and hung it in her room. It

7/28/2019 You Were Lost

2/4

struck sadness in her heart every time she let her thoughts wander towards that mare. I can not give afortunate resolution to this. She never saw Jewels again. When Jasmine was 21 years old, havingcompleted college, and her degree in Equine Psychology, she left her parents house to live on a farm ofher own. Her older brother Jason came to visit her before she'd finished unpacking. The first thing hesaw, upon entering her thus far barren of furniture room, was one thing on the wall. A picture framearound a dusty old tag that said "Jewels". "You kept that thing?" He asked. "That horse is long gone.""Ha! Jason." she laughed in his face "She's not gone. She's somewhere. Dead or alive, she'ssomewhere"Jason thought this a fool's prospect.

One day, Jasmine met Mr. Right and fell in love. She married him. Her Mama cried on her wedding day.Furthermore Jasmine lead a wonderful life. She loved her barn, she had the most wonderful friends, andalways, always remembered that mare named Jewels. Her husband, named John, always took goodcare of her and worked hard. Unfortunately, the economy took a serious toll on her husband's job, soJasmine had to begin work. Of course, only one occupation really interested her, that being the study ofanimals. Thanks to her college experience, she had no difficulty in finding a place to hire her. She beganwork at a zoo just outside of town. She appeared at work at 4am every morning to feed the mammals ofthe jungle. One day, she arrived a little early, and was enjoying time with a monumental giraffe.

Alternatively, Jasmine talked to the animals. "Hey," she began "I was thinking about my daughter a lot.She loves horses as much as I do. I wish she'd known Jewels." the giraffe reached down to lick her

shoulder. Jasmine just sat there and let him, she was too deep into thought to care. "I've told her thestory behind that plaque on my wall. I suppose she'll never understand that relationship as well as I do."Jasmine rose to her feet slowly, a little surprised at the saliva ridden condition of her jacket. Closing thegate behind her, she continued to the reptile cages. A fellow employee of the zoo was already therefeeding them. "Cole? You're here early." she greeted Cole with more of a question then a typicalgreeting. He grimaced. "Couldn't sleep." He shrugged. "I uh.. how long have you been here?" expertlytwisting the explanation into a question poised at Jasmine. "I've been here since 4, my usual time"

"No, like how long have you been standing there?""I just walked in, why?"He mumbled "Nothing" looking down at his feet and absentmindedly kicking the dirt."Is there something I almost saw that I shouldn't have?" inquired JasmineHe looked up, a little surprised."Not that you shouldn't have seen... I.. it's just weird, that's all." then mumbled something about

reputations and his character. "I uh...." he contemplated for a moment "I was talking to.." he trailed off, butshe did hear him murmur "the animals." She laughed out. "Cole, had you walked past the giraffe fieldabout five minutes ago, you'd have seen me talking to a giraffe."The sun was just starting to battle against the dark and work it's way over the horizon. The delicate pinkand vibrant orange tinges made this the most beautiful time in the morning. She began her morning shiftwith Cole and another girl at 6am. She strolled back through the reptile house on her way out, and thatwas the last anyone saw Jasmine Conners for a long time.Being so close to that family now, I took in the children while their father was working. They already

knew how to ride, I was quite impressed. Their mother taught them well, well.. I taught their mother, so Isuppose *I* taught them well. They were a 14 year old girl and her 18 year old brother. His name wasTerry, he could pretty much fend for himself, and wasn't fond of horses. I never had them long, maybe anhour or so every other day. Jason Conners, their Uncle, took them for a good portion of the day. He livedin Colorado by himself, although following up the disappearance of his sister he came to live with his

parents in Springer. But back to her children. I took the girl to buy her own horse. I knew it would help hercope with the stress she was feeling. We walked into the auction shortly after it had started. The broughtup blood bays, huge Suffolk punches, skinny ponies, and moderate thoroughbreds. None of whichimpressed her. Nearing the end of the auction, when most of the people had left with their purchases,they started dipping into their stock of old horses and least impressive coats. I offered to come backtomorrow, these weren't horses I would have chosen from. Just when I thought she was getting too tiredto hold her head up, she saw a horse that caught her attention and captivated her. I was so exuberantabout the low price and healthy horse that I bought that mare for her in the amount of time it took her tosneeze. We went home in my truck, which was lazily pulling the horse trailer behind us over bumpy backroads and twisting lanes. She talked and babbled the whole way home. I didn't think about waking her

7/28/2019 You Were Lost

3/4

when she finally fell asleep half way there. I unloaded the mare and let her run around my front field forabout an hour, the kid watched her with an awe I'd only ever seen between her mother and Jewels.When the horse calmed down, I walked towards her with a lead rope. We tacked her and had them ridingin another ten minutes. I let them off the lunge line and told her to canter. With a click of her tongue anda flick of her wrist, they were off on the right lead. When they were done, we un-tacked and cooled down.Now I told her to name the mare, she hadn't come with a name, and the standing rule is, 'you don't namea horse before you ride it out for it's real name'. She decided to wait and ride one more time to feel for aname. The next ride was bareback because I was assured of the mare's dissociation with other horsesI'd gotten from auction. That was the first time I really saw her mother in her. Jasmine's magicalconnection with her horse was something I had sorely missed for the years Jasmine had been missing,but I saw it in her daughter. It was probably appropriate that her daughter was named after her. "JasmineJr." as much as she hated the "junior part of it, most people (especially her brother) called her Jess. Iliked the name Jasmine, so I will only call her Jess to avoid confusion when necessary. Jasmine finallysettled on the name "Jewel's Patch" for her mare. More commonly known around the barn as Patches.

Jasmine (Jess), grew slender and beautiful, inside and out she was a princess. The year after I boughtPatches, I looked back at pictures of Jasmine and Jewels, Jewels and Patches could have been identical.I never guessed it. I should have, but had it not been for those pictures I never would have known. Theywere the same horse. I called the auction and asked about the call number for Jesss horse, they saidsure enough, Mike Weaver had been the one who sent her. Jewels was back in my barn, where shebelonged. However, she belonged there with Jasmine. We had half the equation complete. I prayed for

Jasmine, not knowing where she was. Perhaps Jasmine would never see Jewels again. In a few yearstime, (the whole of which Jess worked with Patches) it was time for Jess to go to college. Unfortunately,the only college that had the degree she wanted was on the end of Utah farthest from New Mexico. Thatuniversity was fully equipped with a barn on campus, so Jess took Jewels. Everything was fine for the firsttwo years she was there. Unimaginably, at the most impossible time, the improbable happened. Wereceived word from her mother, Jasmine. My heart beat in my chest, blood couldn't get to my head fastenough. My fingers went numb and I dropped the letter. It was just like Jasmine, to address a letter to meinstead of her parent's address.Common sense spake that I would be slower to move than her parents. Ittook me a few minutes to recover, but when I had, I slowly stepped over to the phone and dialedJasmine's parent's number. I asked if I could come over in the next few minutes, and with no hesitation,they said yes. A few minutes later, I stood on their doorstep, letter in hand. Waiting to deliver theimpossible news. When Mrs. Conners opened the door, she must have seen some look on my face."What's wrong?" she asked. I handed her the letter. "You'll never believe it, we're going to Utah".

On a plane the next morning, Mrs. Conners fiddled nervously. I felt a twinge of sympathy. I had no kids of

my own, but I knew not seeing one or knowing where they are for five years had to be painful. Though

we were desperate to find out what happened, we couldn't help but be painfully nervous about seeing

Jasmine again. Upon arrival, her thick, black, bushy hair was immediately recognizable. Looking more

aged than she should be, Jasmine grinned. Her mother immediately embraced her. I stood by and

watched for a moment, then hugged her. Still anxious to find out what had happened to her, we went to

an airport restaurant and began talking. "Now," I leaned across the table just slightly "we want to know

what happened." John, Jasmine's husband held her hand as he sat next to her. Jasmine also leaned

forward a bit "You want to know the truth?" obviously, we nodded. "I can't remember a thing.

When her daughter heard the news over a phone call from her, she hung up, and pulled on her stetson

while sitting atop her horse as she watched the sun disappear. Feeble, wavering, red sun that hadscorched the day leading up to this point. Dead grass, dying trees and withering flowers all relayed thestory of the last month. Everything was scalded, scorched, burned and parched until they finally gave upand died. Few plants remained.Solemnly watching the last of the sun, she turned her horse with a twist of her wrist, a simple reining

trick she'd reluctantly taught the skittish mare. Jasmine and her horse headed off, home-bound in thenight. She wanted to look her mother in the eyes. You were so lost. she thought sadly.

Epilogue: College ends.

7/28/2019 You Were Lost

4/4

Jess ran into her mothers waiting arms at the airport. Shed only seen her for a few days at a time whileschool had lasted. Now she could spend very much time with her. As much as they wanted, and shecouldnt wait. On the way home, she slept in the back-cab of my truck. How were we going to break thenews to Jasmine? This would be impossible. When she awoke, we stopped at a coffee shop just outsideof town. Jess and I sat Jasmine down. Jasmine, this is very, very hard for me. This is bittersweet newsthat may just break your heart. Jasmines eyes grew wide. We... oh man. That plaque in your room? Doyou remember the horse? Jewels? Jasmine grinned, Of course I remember that mare. She was themost wonderful thing on earth to me!We found her.No way! Jasmine shrieked, so loud, that the inhabitants of the coffee shop all turned and looked at us.We did. But wait. Listen. Jasmines face fell, Jess took it from here.

I got to ride her, mom! Shes so perfect. But when I went to college, she was really old. One day, her

time came. She was tired. She died in her sleep.

Jasmines face contorted. I never got to see her again. Never, ever. then asked an unexpected

question. How did she ride?

Smooth. said Jess. Smoother than-

Glass. Jasmine finished. Smoother than glass.

Lets finish at the end. Because the end of a story is not always where you think you should find the end

of the story. That ending is just a quelling ending of the ending of the ending. All this to create a further

true ending.

Then I woke up, looked around my room. Sat straight up in bed and looked outside. It was only just a

dream. Jasmine was still 14 years old and riding Jewels in the flower strewn front pasture. You were

lost. I stuttered, and flopped back onto my pillows.