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Exposed

Bridget was already deador at least soon would be. Abby could feel her own heart beat against her chest as she lay face down on the floor of the barn. One. Two. One. Two. A rush and blur of movement swept past. The air hung thick and grainy with dustchoking her. A din of voices swelled in her ears. She shook her head to rid it of the static. at Cutlers Stables. In Clydesville. No, shes not conscious but shes breathing. What? No I didnt see it. Blood? Uh yeah, shes bleeding. Abby tried to sit up, but winced in pain. Her body shrunk back to the ground. She bit her lip, breathing deeply through her nose. The horse must have hit me too. Abby closed her eyes. She pressed her hand firmly on her side trying to push back the splitting pain under her left rib. Bridget? Wheres Bridget? She tried again to sit up but collapsed, hitting her right elbow hard. Her chest expanded and contracted hurried and desperate. Her throat burned and tightened as her lungs begged for clean air. She pushed up onto all fours, rounding her back with each spastic breath, and coughed. Bridget! She wanted to shout, but no air would come. Only her coughing echoed through the still stables.

She opened her eyes and tried to focus on her surroundings. A single pair of legs stood in front of her. She looked up. Danny. Relief wrapped over her like a warm blanket at the thought of him near her. Thank you. Her body relaxed. But as their eyes met, Abby felt a shiver. His blue eyes showed more confusion than concern. He stood, flanked by practically every friend and face that Abby had ever known, all their faces mirroring his expression. You okay? Danny asked, his eyes looking past her, toward the door of the barn. Abby stared at himsearching for some sign of safety. She wiped at tears about to drip off her chin and submitted to another round of coughing. Bridgets breathing. The ambulance is on its way, he finished. Abby nodded, still looking up at him. Help me, she begged silently, wanting him to kneel by her. Please. She waited for a hand, but Danny stood as brilliant and cold as a marble statue. Danny, she whispered. You know that I just He stopped her with one quick shake of his head, like a period at the end of a sentence. Hey Danny, called someone from behind. Mr. Cutlers here. Danny looked at Abby. Is this like Dr. Cafferty? Did you know this would happen? he asked in an urgent whisper. Danny, by the time I realized it was too late, Abby said.

Too late? his voice cracked, What? Is Bridget his voice held her name and wouldnt go further. Abby tried to get up, but he bristled and gave her a look of warning, his eyes bewildered. She didnt dare move until he walked away. Abbys lips began to quiver and twist, but she forced herself to not linger on Dannys look. She needed to find Bridget. Maybe Im wrong. Maybe shes not dead. Abby hoped rather than believed this was true. She scanned her surroundings. Across the aisle she saw a pair of legs, twisted awkwardly in the hay. No! she cried, violently sucking in breath. She held her side and crawled mechanically to where Bridget lay. Bridge. Bridge, Abby said. Her hand shook as she brushed the hair from Bridgets eyes. Her face was so white, so clean compared to Abbys hands, smeared with dirt and tears. I didnt know, Bridget. I didnt know it was you until it was too late. No! She put her hand to her mouth to stop the scream that was welling up in her throat. Curling in on herself, she tried to calm the tremors that seemed to be racing through her body. Over here! someone yelled. The sounds of voices shouting and boots hitting the ground filled the silence and echoed off of the barns tin roof. Abby felt hands on her shoulders and then on her elbow, helping her stand. Ow! Abby grabbed her side. Hey, this ones hurt! The mans voice was loud in Abbys ear. Can you walk? He turned her and shined a bright light in her eyes. She nodded. He led her towards the

entrance of the barn and sat her on a barrel. May I look at your side? Abby nodded. Does this hurt? He pushed two fingers on her lower rib. She breathed in through her teeth with a sharp hiss. Okay. Stay here and well get you fixed up, okay? he said before joining two other paramedics. Abby watched as the three of them lifted Bridgets body onto a yellow wooden board and pulled two red straps tight across her. On the count of three they lifted Bridget and shuffled out of the barn towards the ambulance. Abby hated that she was hurt. Hated that they were coming back to get her fixed up. She didnt need any more attention on her. Please leave it alone. Just leave me alone. Abbys eyes followed them until she found herself looking right atDanny. He sat next to Chloe, both wrapped in blankets, just a few feet from the ambulance. Well, it happened fast, Chloe explained to a police officer. I was running towards the barn behind Abby and then all I remember was MidnightBridgets horse bolting from the barn. Then I saw Abby lying on the floor and then Bridget Chloe stopped and covered her mouth. The policeman questioning her made several notations in a small book and waited for her to continue. Bridget was so twisted. She was just lying in the stall. Her breathing wasnt right and there was blood and she just She covered her face with her hands. I know this is difficult to talk about. Why dont you tell me who Abby is, he said. Chloe looked up and their eyes locked.

Thats her, she said and nodded towards Abby. His attention still on Chloe, the officer asked, And you were following her, you said? Yes. Her eyes did not leave Abbys. She knew that Bridget was in danger She knew. Her expression changed and she studied Abbys face, searching for some explanation. Abbys mouth opened, but she said nothing. Chloes expression hardened as she pulled the blanket tight around her and leaned into Danny. Abbys face pulled and puckered as she sat silently, head down, watching her tears form perfect beads in the fine dust. She knew this would happen; she had envisioned it a million times. She knew people would find out about her, but why now? Why like this? Why Bridget? What else could I do? Abby tried to keep her dreams hidden. She stuffed them, ignored them, pretended them away. Apart from Danny and her parents, no one had any idea that she dreamed of death. No one knew she was haunted every night with snapshots and moments of peoples livesknowing that within seconds, they would die. She looked at her friends, stiffly clustered around the ambulance. Their once familiar faces looked at her through vacant eyes, seeing her memory more than her. They grieved the loss of Bridget, but also the loss of the friend they knew as Abby Crawford. She was no longer the girl they thought she was. She had a secret and, in an instant, everything had changed.