Later that day:
I took a deep breath when I and Wild Lion rode out from Firgrove and down the forest. It felt so damn good to be home again after living in the vineyard throughout the year. Home sweet home is always best. My parents were not home, nor my brother. He lived in Jarlaheim with his partner and their two dogs. I laughed when I got a flashback from when we were little. I have always been interested in horses and was so happy to start riding at a riding school, my brother got the same thing when he filled the year, but after 1 year at the riding school so did my parents realize that he is not at all liked horses, but instead he liked to play football or tinkering with cars.

The forest's lovely scents of pine needles pulled over in a lovely calm wind that fanned lovely face. Today was a very hot day. Not a cloud in sight and the sun beat on hard. Lion went on calmly while my legs hung dangling over his stomach. Today we rode bareback because out of the heat. In addition, I get a good balance exercise. It was such a lovely weather so today by stall shot tions, I thought it was a good idea to ride and swim. Now if Lions want to swim, he's somewhat cowardly for water so it would be interesting to see which one of us would get a bath first. 

Before, in the stable today, so I got off and running two summer workers who believed that life in a stall was to release the rest of the morning. But no, to work in the stables requires hard work for the horses wellbeing. They would never turn to give before or pulled on a halter before. I know how many times I helped Emma to blood and tears. For the last few months when we fought together with Linnea to get Sasha to listen to Horsemanship aids and to then see that it paid off. It was a lovely sight to see Emma riding around on Sasha. And to even see that Sasha where an amazing horse. After all it was worth while to see the results that worked, and now these new summer employees get to experience how it feels to wear day in and day out in a stall.

Me and Lion began to approach us Firgrove bridge and veered off a little earlier because we would swim from apple grove. 
I had so many thoughts in my head that I did not hear voices that came from beyond the apple grove. I smacked the Lion a little extra so we arrived in a calm and collected trot and trotted up to the old graveyard and stood behind the bushes there. In front of me, I could see Derek and Emma. He held her tightly around him. I crouched low and tried to hear what they said, but I could not really hear what they said. Derek's face was hidden behind the brown mid-length hair as he held Emma in a hug. The place they were at was something already on the map. Old fishing island one could easily get out with the horses and sit at the island and enjoy a picnic. I tried to hide my fiery breath and steeled myself to not interrupt them. I promised Emma that and that I would do. 
- "Forgive me Emma" Did I hear him say, and then turns on Emma to me. His right arm locks her arms while he then pressed a cloth against her mouth.

I placed my hands over my mouth. I see firsthand how Emma tries to struggle away. But how hard she fights, she gets more tired and more tired. She where to end completely flaccid and the body fell down in the arms of Derek. He let down the disgusting rag and added slowly down Emma's unconscious body on the ground. He remained on his knees and looked at her. He stroked away a lock of her forehead and put it behind your ear. An acquaintance movement that Emma always did when she was embarrassed or unsure. I gulped and started to get Lion to back out from the bushes. The moment we pulled out as a branch cracked behind us and Derek stood up abruptly from Emma. He pulled something small and black from his back pocket and pointed it at us. I turned on Lion directly and kicked off him and we pulled away from the scene. A loud sound of a gunshot was heard and a searing pain made me drive on Lion even more. We disappeared over apple grove and further towards Valedale. I felt I was losing consciousness, but kept me up by crawling stuck me in the man at the Lion as he continued along the road. Someone must know what I've seen. I do not know what happened the last time, the last thing I remembered was the sound of galloping hooves and the sound of the shot, then where my world black.

Earlier the same day:
Me and Sasha pulled away from the vineyard to meet Derek. Sasha was happy to get out and move and went on our toes as we rode out of the vineyard. At the last minute I had to pack what I needed in a backpack. Water, sandwiches, a map of the entire Jorvik and some apples and carrots to Sasha.
After we got past the Marleys Ghost Walk Farm, I drove on Sasha a little extra and she answered me right away and started bringing piling on. I got to hold her back a little because she wanted to come forward a little faster than I wanted. So desperate were we not, right? 

When we trotted past Barneys Silo, we stopped by to walk and rode up to the carved tree. Very quite as Derek stood there and he was sitting on a completely different horse than he otherwise ridden when we encountered each other. He waved when he saw us and I waved back. When I got closer I could see that he had a red tank top and black jean shorts. His hair was even more tangled than it used to be, and his face looked tired. I ask him not since the last time I asked him, so I did not have to do with it. So I did not.

- "You're late," I been a little surprised and checked my watch. Well we were delayed, but only 10 minutes. 
- "Did you not know I was coming?" I smiled and stood up beside him, leaned forward and patted Bronko. - "He is so beautiful, what is he for breed?" 
Derek smiled. 
- "He is an Oldenburg. Appel cast., I got him by a good friend of mine when I worked extra in a stable in Germany. Owner thought that I and Bronko got along so well that it would be a shame to separate us." I smiled and patted the gelding. 
- "So where are you going? Have a map of the exact location?" Derek held up a finger and dug in the saddle bag and got out an old folder. He held it out and unfolded it over the head of Bronko who remained without moving. The sounds and rustling disturbed neither him or Sasha who stood and ate grass. 
- "The place should be somewhere here!" He pointed to a place on the map that I knew nothing about. 
- "Uh, how old is the map?" I asked him. He looked up at me and then at the map and unfolded it back together again. 
- "It is from 1989," I laughed. 
- "Here," I took down my bag from the back and took out a new map that was from 2009 - "We look at your map and compare with mine!" Derek laughed softly and unfurled again up their map and immediately could see the changes from 89 to 09.

- "Can you point back to your map and see the location you are looking for!" Derek pointed again. 
- "It will be an old boathouse. My great-grandfather owned it when they lived in Firgrove and I have only heard about the place but never had time to look for it., I would like to see where it is located and what it looks like is now. "I looked where his finger pointed. It pointed out at a place that looked to be on his map. I pulled my finger over the place on my map and stopped at exactly the same point. 
- "You should be, and I know exactly where it is." I smiled and folded up my map and put it in a backpack again. 
- "Oh, is it far?" 
- "No, but we will cross the bridge and turn aside immediately., We can take a shortcut and ride over the apple grove." I smiled and took up the reins at Sasha and smacked off her and we started walking pace against Firgrove bridge.

- "So you thought I would not come today?" I asked. His face looked much better now and more happier. I wondered what he was nervous? 
- "No, because you were so uncertain yesterday when I asked so I did not think you'd show up at all." I was silent for a moment. 
- "You could have called me," I said finally. 
- "I did, 2 times. But you did not answer." How embarrassing! I hid my red face. 
- "What? There's nothing to be ashamed of!" Derek laughed. 
- "Yeah a little bit, my phone is home in my room., I forgot about it and came up with it when I rode past Steve's farm." I murmured low. - "Sorry" I said even lower. 
Derek laughed heartily about it. 
- "Do not worry: You can borrow mine if you need to call someone."

We continued walking pace on Firgrove over the bridge and then we rode the apple grove and down towards the beach. Meanwhile, we talked a bit about how it came about that I moved to Jorvik and where I lived before. It was nice to talk to someone who understands how hard it is to move to a new location. Derek told me a little about the move between different purchases and brand stables around the world before he finally ended up at the home of family Goldspur again. We had a really nice time until we finally arrived where he wanted. We stood and looked at the view from the beach. The small fishing shed stood there motionless. Fort Pinta could you imagine just behind the corner of the small shop, a boat stood and bounced into the water and another boat was on land and was completely destroyed after mass rain and too much sun. 
- "Is this the place?" I asked Derek and looked away from the site and looked at him. He just nodded and we rode up a bit and stopped the horses and got off. I took off the saddle and bridle Sasha and let her walking pace around and graze the green grass. Derek did the same thing and removed the saddle bag. We found a good spot to lay out a blanket and sit on it and enjoy the sea view. A cool breeze blew in from the sea that made the hair dancing with the wind.

I closed my eyes for the moment, enjoying the salty sea air. Derek did the same thing and picked up some good from the saddlebag. Among other things, a bottle of wine, cheese and grapes. 
- "It was not a date, we said" I had opened my eyes and looked down on the things he picked up. 
- "It is not, it is an ordinary picnic between two friends to enjoy the summer." 
- "Wine, cheese and grapes. Sounds like a Paris picnic" I mumbled. I put my backpack on the side of me and picked up a cheese sandwich and the water was all I brought with me. He laughed. 
- "You can drink your water so I can drink my wine" 
- "I do not like wine." I replied. and drank of my cold water I let lain in the freezer overnight but now wrecked so I could drink it. I emptied out a bit in my hand and cooled me down with the cold water behind the neck.

Derek just laughed at me and took out two wine glasses and put them forward. One for me and one for him. 
- "I do not drink wine, I said" 
- "It's juice Emma, I do not bring me wine on picnics." I raised an eyebrow and grabbed the bottle. Derek jumped after me when I took the bottle and coaxed up the cork and could feel the sweet smell of red wine. 
- "Liar" I said and laughed. I lay down on my back with my legs in high altitude against Derek's chest. Derek's brown eyes looked into my blue eyes. Our eyes meet and I could feel it tingling throughout my body. Derek hang down a bit and sat back. I sat up and gave him the bottle. Embarrassed, I put a blonde lock behind my ear and took me a grape. It was sweet and sour. - "I'm sorry" I whispered and looked shyly up at Derek and filled up half a glass of wine for himself. 
- "It's okay, I would have done the same thing," he smiled then. He looked at me and his eyes smiled at me. The same tingling sensation came back. This was the same feeling I had yesterday when his face was a few inches away from me.

Derek took a grape and he lay down beside me. We looked out over the sea which was quite calm. Like where we sat. The little wind there was was the one that moved slowly through the treetops, and through the low grass. No noticeable wind, a silent wind. I closed my eyes for the moment and opened them again. That tingling feeling did not go away. We sat in silence without saying anything but ate the grapes together, drank water and wine. The whole thing was a lovely picnic after all. I looked down at Derek who looked out over the sea. 
But I could see that something disturbed him, for despite the relaxed style that was his whole body tensed and he chewed impatiently on a grape. 
- "How is it?" I asked. He paused and looked at me. 
- "It's nothing. Why do you ask?" 
- "You look so nervous, as if you would explode" I replied and sat up on his knees next to him so I could see him better. 
- "No, but everything is good," he smiled. But behind the facade, I could see that nothing was good. 
- "Are you quite sure, I do not think you should have to feel uncomfortable with me!" He stopped chewing and looked at me and sat up. I braced myself a little for what was to come. 
- "I'm just a little tired, it's been a hectic night as I still worry about!" He murmured, and then tore his gaze from me and looked at the saddlebag. 
- "So?" 
- "And yes, I was a little nervous that you would not come, I think I have not gone off the worst yet. Fact that you came here then. Fact that you even came when I was perhaps too cheeky yesterday." I smiled. 
- "Not then, my mistake was to forget the cell phone home and then in no way able to respond and say I was going., You can relax., I'm here now right?" He nodded and stood up, stretched a bit so knocked back a little bit. He walked up to the saddle bag and picked up something that I did not see what it was. I stood up and walked over to him. His eyes were wet and shiny. He turned towards me and hugged me tightly.

I stood petrified and did not understand what happened. His hug was so unexpected that I did not know how I would react. My arms were locked into his hug and I could not squeeze back to answer. I felt his heavy breathing against my neck. 
- "Forgive me, Emma!" He whispered in my ear late and swung me around. He snapped my arms with his right arm and he put one hand over my mouth. I panicked and tried to free myself from his iron grip. The scent from the cloth that was pressed against my face smelled musty and gross. I tried to scream. Derek tried to hush me, but no matter how he tried, I did not listen. I felt the resistance began to subside and I felt heavier and heavier. My vision blurred and where the legs beneath me gave way. My world where black and my last memory was slightly red from the bushes in front of me.

Derek: 
I could not breathe. The air went out of me when I was holding up Emma's struggling until I felt her relaxed and whole body every heavy. I threw away the cloth and laid her down on the grass. I sat next to her unconscious body and looked down at her. A blonde cap low on her face and I moved it gently behind her ear. I closed my eyes for a moment and was about to pick up the cell phone from the pocket when I heard a creaking above the forest. I stood up quickly and pulled a revolver from my back pocket and pointed it at the forest, took aim and fired. I heard hooves thundered to the ground and disappeared behind the huge stone and removed quickly. All I could hear was my own breathing and my heart was pounding. I dropped the gun that fell slowly to the ground. My eyes are attracted to Emma, who still lay unconscious on the ground. 

What have I done?