Out of My Heart

By the time everyone arrives back at the stables, the rain starts. Trinity assures Melody that she will slide off the horse quickly and just carry Melody over to her wheelchair. Thunder rumbles and lightning sizzles, and Melody gets a bit nervous. As Trinity, now on the ground, begins to unfasten Melody’s legs from the saddle, however, Melody’s legs involuntarily kick, twice. Jolie is startled but follows her training: Two kicks mean to trot. Jolie takes off with Melody on her back.

Melody tells herself to stay calm. After all, one leg is still fastened securely, and she knows that she cannot fall off. As Jolie moves quickly along the trail and the rain starts coming down harder, Melody calmly thinks what Trinity would do. Gently, Melody struggles to grab the reins, but finally pulls on the reins hard enough for Jolie to respond and slow down. Melody pulls the reins to the left hoping Jolie will turn around, and she’s successful. Even though Melody is not sure where she is in the woods, she trusts Jolie will go back to camp. Watching Josie head back, Melody thinks, “She moseyed along as if we were on a Sunday drive” (280).