Briar Rose by Jana Oliver
‘Briar!’ Joshua called out as the water knocked at her again. Briar reached out and found the next board, her hands burning and her muscles straining. She grasped another, then the next one after that.
In her mind, she wasn’t on some old broken bridge – she was seven and climbing across the monkey bars at school. There was no water beneath her, only soft sand. It was a sunny day, not the dark of night. Soon playtime would be over and . . .
Briar picked up speed now, stretching out a hand to test the next board, then moving forward. If it was loose, she chose another. Finally she reached a place where the bridge felt more solid, and with tremendous effort she hoisted herself up on the planking, leaving her feet to dangle beneath her.
Over her left shoulder was the butt of the spectral horse. It pawed at the planking beneath it as if it could unearth her. Rawlins shifted in his saddle and spied her.
‘There ya are.’
Briar desperately tried to pull herself up, but her arms were too tired.
‘Jump!’ Joshua shouted from somewhere in the river.
If she did, the herbs would get wet and they wouldn’t work. Then Rawlins would win.
Lily called out to him. ‘Leave that child alone,’ she ordered. ‘She’s no trouble to ya.’
‘I won the race, old woman. I have my freedom now!’
‘Not till ya cross the river,’ she replied.
Briar finally got a leg on the bridge and pulled herself up. Adrenalin fuelling her now, she scrambled over the remaining ten feet or so. To her relief, the boards gave way to earth and she dived for solid ground.
Rawlins’s horse began to fight him, prancing around. Did it recognize the danger she posed?
Briar pulled the burlap bag out of her shirt and frantically poured out the line of red dust on the ground. Then she laid out roots and little strange bits in the same pattern as Lily had on the other side. Her hands were so sore the herbs made them sting, but she didn’t stop.
‘Ya sold yer soul for a few gold pieces,’ Lily called out. ‘Yer one of the devil’s own, Rawlins. It’s time ya went to hell for good.’
The ghost laughed again. ‘I’ll show ya hell, old woman,’ he said, spurring his horse forward, the sword glowing in the night.
‘Done!’ Briar yelled, praying that somehow she’d got it right.
A flash came from other side of the bridge, spooking both horses. Like a magical detonation cord, it ran down the sides of the structure towards Rawlins, then past him to where Briar knelt in the mud. The magic ignited there and flared so brightly she had to shield her eyes.
‘What is this? What’re ya doin’?’ Rawlins demanded. ‘Ah, hell, yer tryin’ to bind me again.’
Words tumbled out of Lily’s mouth now, loud and strong, the names of saints and patriarchs, all interwoven with a spell of immense power.
The ghost spurred his mount, but the horse was caught in place, crying out in terror. The power grew around them, focusing on the centre of the bridge. Planks began to rise into the air as the structure shook itself free of its moorings.
‘Jebediah Rawlins, I bind ya to this place, to be held here for all eternity!’ Lily cried, her arms in the air, and her body lit from within. ‘May God Almighty judge yer dark soul and find it wantin’!’
A second passed, long enough for Briar to fear the spell had failed, before a solid column of water and fire spiralled upward into a funnel, like an infernal twister. It caught the ghost and horse, sucking them into its vortex.
‘Noooo!’ Rawlins cried.
Before Briar could take another breath, the bridge exploded in a rainbow of light and splinters.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Hands grabbed Briar and threw her to the ground. Joshua landed on top of her, sheltering her with his wet body as planks and nails and water pelted down upon them. From behind them, the river roared its fury, like a watery lion, then it grew quiet.
Too quiet.
‘You OK?’ he gasped, still holding her tight.
‘Yeah. You?’
He slowly rose on an elbow, blood running down the side of his face. ‘Yeah, I think. A little dizzy.’
‘You’re bleeding,’ she said, touching his cheek.
‘Rawlins nicked me with his sword,’ he replied, as if it weren’t a big deal.
You protected me. Just like she had protected him. How could I not love this guy?
‘Briar? Josh?’ Reena called out from across the river. ‘You still with us?’
‘Yes!’ Briar called back as she got to her feet. ‘What about you guys?’
‘We’re good. A little dirty, but OK.’
‘Is Rawlins really gone?’
‘Of course he is, girl,’ Lily snapped. ‘Ya can thank me later. Now get me off the ground, Reena B.’
Briar chuckled. The old lady had actually pulled it off. When she turned to say something to Joshua, he was transfixed, staring at the empty space where the bridge had once stood.
‘It’s gone,’ he said. ‘Like totally gone.’
‘Not entirely. I’ve got some of it in my hands,’ she said, raising her palms as proof.
‘Oh God, Arabella,’ Joshua said, whirling round. ‘She might be hurt.’
‘I’m sure she’s OK.’ She was probably headed for home. The horse had more sense than they did.
As he hurried into the woods, calling for his mare, Briar stared out at the river. ‘That one was for you, Elmer. I’m sorry you died because of a traitor. You’re still a hero to me.’
Her cellphone binged in her pocket. It was Reena, who had apparently grown tired of shouting across the river.
Meet u @ Josh’s place. Gran needs rest.
OK. Will find mare then head that way.
Hell & damn, we did it, girlfriend!
Briar grinned. That was the other reason for the text – Lily didn’t allow any swearing.
‘Yeah, we freakin’ rock, every one of us.’
Joshua crept along, keeping his movements unhurried. With what had just gone down at the bridge, Arabella had to be beyond spooked. He still was.
‘Hey, girl, where are you? The bad guy’s all gone. Same with that creepy stallion thing. Come on, it’s safe now.’
Nothing. Was she lying somewhere, injured? No, not that.
‘Arabella, where are you? Don’t scare me like this.’
A whinny came from his right as Briar led the mare out of a stand of trees.
‘Oh, thank God, you found her. Is she OK?’
‘Seems to be,’ Briar replied. ‘Scared and wet, but so are the rest of us.’
Arabella nuzzled Joshua’s hand and then sneezed, shooting snot all over it.
‘Thanks for that,’ he said, wiping his hand on his jeans.
Though Briar had said the horse was fine, he checked her nonetheless. ‘A few scratches, but she’s good.’ He patted her neck. ‘You’re a wonder, girl.’
Then he looked over at Briar. ‘Both of you are.’ He reached over to touch her face and she backed off.
‘Ewww . . . that hand is so off limits.’
He laughed. ‘I’ll wash it in the river. Besides, you owe me a kiss.’
‘Really? You didn’t win the race,’ she teased, but he could see the sparkle in her eyes.
‘Neither did Rawlins, so I call it a draw.’
‘Hmm . . . maybe we can bend the rules.’ She looked over the river. ‘Reena’s taking Lily to your place. She’ll meet us there.’
‘OK. I want to walk the horse for a while, let her cool down, then we can ride back home.’ Then it hit him. ‘Ah, damn. If they’re going to my place, the folks are going to know what really went down tonight.’
‘It’s time they knew anyway,’ Briar said. ‘I told my parents about you. How we are . . . together now.’
He froze at that admission. ‘How’d it go?’
‘Better than I thought,’ she said. ‘They didn’t lock me in a tower or anything.’
He laughed. ‘It’ll be harder for my folks, I think.
‘I’m not giving you up. Not now.’
‘Same here,’ he said.
As they headed down the path, Joshua took one last look at the empty section of water. ‘Someone is going to take some heat for the bridge being gone,’ he said. ‘You know the county sheriff – he’s always bitching about how us kids are wrecking everything.’
‘That’s totally bogus,’ Briar said, falling in step with him. ‘Usually it’s just a couple of old drunk dudes from the Moose Lodge.’
‘Not to hear the sheriff tell it.’
They reached the footbridge far too soon for Briar’s liking.
‘You OK going over this?’ he asked, pausing on the bank.
‘Yeah. It’s got, like, real planks and everything. Major improvement over the last one.’
Joshua handed over the reins and then edged down the bank to wash his hands and then wet his face. He used the bottom of his damaged T-shirt to dry himself. When he returned, Briar grimaced in sympathy.
‘That looks bad,’ she said, gently touching near the wound. It was bleeding again.
‘Wounded warriors always get a kiss, right?’ he said, pulling her close. He smelt like sweat and blood and the river. She didn’t care.
The kiss they shared was breathtaking, as if they’d traded parts of their souls. When it ended, he smoothed her tangled hair.
‘I think you’re the bravest girl I’ve ever met.’
‘Really?’ He made her feel so good. ‘That works since you’re the bravest guy I’ve ever seen.’
‘I like how this turns up at the end,’ he said, tweaking her nose. ‘It’s cute.’
‘I always loved your eyes. They are so . . . expressive.’
‘You are supposed to love my bulging muscles, not my eyes,’ he said, grinning.
‘Yeah, yeah. Come on, we need to get you a bandage,’ she said, tugging him forward. ‘Can’t have my hero fainting in my arms. That would ruin your street cred.’
Instead of walking, he climbed on the horse and then pulled her up in front of him. As they clopped over the footbridge, he muttered, ‘You going to visit me when I’m grounded for life?’
She moaned. ‘Maybe our folks will let it all slide this time, because we did good things.’
‘You do believe in fairy tales,’ he retorted.
Sometimes they even come true.
Trouble lay in wait at Joshua’s house.
‘Oh no, that’s my parents’ car,’ Briar moaned. ‘What are they doing here?’
‘Lily must have called them. We are seriously busted.’
After they dismounted, he tied Arabella to the fence near a water trough, then stripped off her saddle. ‘I’ll be back, girl. Gotta go get my butt kicked, then I’ll give you a good brush down and some grain. You deserve it.’
Once they reached the door, Joshua held it open for Briar. She knew he didn’t want to go in first.
‘You’re being a chicken,’ she said.
He made clucking noses. ‘“Abandon hope all ye who enter here.”’
‘No matter what, we stay together,’ she said.
‘There’s no other way it can be.’
‘Joshua, is that you?’ his dad called out.
‘Yes. Briar’s with me.’ Maybe that would keep his father from tearing into him too much.
They barely got inside the door when they were mobbed. Briar’s parents pulled her into a tight hug, her mother crying. Joshua’s dad gave him a bear hug, then pounded his back like he’d just scored the winning touchdown. His mom gasped at the sight of the blood on his face and shirt.
‘Oh God, you’re hurt,’ and then she began to cry as well.
Throughout it all, Lily sat in the corner of the living room, a cup of tea in hand as if this kind of drama happened all the time. Reena sat next to her, watching the whole scene with a bemused smile.
Maybe we’re not as screwed as we think.
‘Thank God, you’re safe, son,’ his father said. ‘Come on over here and sit down. I’ll get the first-aid kit.’
‘It’s OK, Dad. Really. Arabella is too. She was magnificent.’
Another bear hug came his way.
Briar was still trapped in her parents’ arms. Finally she managed to wriggle free and after insisting she was unharmed other than a few splinters, they all settled in various chairs. Mrs Rose kept sniffling.
‘You told them about the bet and the race,’ Joshua said.
Lily nodded. And they believed you? She nodded again, as if she’d heard him.
His dad returned with the first-aid kid and began cleaning the wound. Joshua grimaced as he worked on it.
‘I don’t know if it’s going to need stitches or not. What do you think, Mrs Rose?’ he asked, sending a look towards Briar’s mom.
Though Joshua blinked in surprise, Briar jumped right in.
‘Please, Mom. You were a nurse, you know best.’ She looked over at him. ‘You wouldn’t mind, would you, Josh?’
Joshua shook his head, though a bit reluctantly, as his mother was frowning at the notion.
‘Do you mind, Lora?’ Briar’s mother asked.
His mom took a deep breath, like most everyone else in the room. ‘I’m not sure you should be touching my boy after what you did to him.’
‘I told you I was sorry for what happened. I never meant to hurt him. I wouldn’t do that to a child. You know that.’
Joshua’s mom swallowed hard. ‘Doesn’t make it any better.’
‘So that’s it?’ Briar cut in. ‘We’re going to let Aunt Sarah’s death rule us until the end of time? That’s not fair to any of us. Especially Joshua and me.’
The silence stretched out until it was painful.
‘Yer children are wiser than their parents, at least in this case. Time to put it behind y’all,’ Lily said quietly. ‘Too much blood has been spilt. Too much pain has been endured.’
Joshua’s mother gave a faint nod, then looked away. ‘Go on, see if he needs stitches.’
He kept his eyes down as Briar’s mom checked the wound and found Mrs Rose’s touch surprisingly gentle.
‘I think you can get away with Steri-Strips,’ she said. ‘Do you have some of those?’ His dad nodded. ‘It might scar, though. You should prepare yourself for that.’
‘Just like Harry Potter,’ Reena said. ‘Well, not quite.’
Joshua grimaced as his dad applied some stingy antiseptic, followed by the strips.
Briar chortled. ‘Now one of your eyebrows is higher than the other.’
Of course it is.
‘So am I grounded like . . . a couple days?’ Joshua asked, hopefully.
His dad eyed him. ‘I’m thinking it should be until you’re at least forty. That might do it.’
‘Oh, come on, Dad! I didn’t do anything illegal.’ Other than some bridge destruction.
‘Even if I half believed everything that Ms Lily told us – and I’m not sure I do – you were wildly out of control, son. Way over the mark. You risked your life twice and you didn’t tell us what you were doing or what you were facing. That’s not right.’
Yeah, I’m screwed. His dad never used guilt unless he was really upset.
‘What he said,’ Mr Rose added, frowning over at his daughter. ‘Why didn’t you tell us where you were going, Briar?’
Joshua noted that question hadn’t been aimed at Lily. The parents were tiptoeing around the old woman for good reason.
‘You wouldn’t have let us do anything,’ Briar replied. ‘It was our job, not yours.’
Mr Rose sighed. ‘We are not going to agree on this. You’re giving your mother and me grey hair way too early.’
‘Hair dye is your friend,’ Briar said brightly. ‘I know that first hand.’
The humour didn’t blunt the parental disapproval.
‘Just tell me – how long am I grounded?’ she asked.
Briar’s fingers crossed as the parents thought it through.
‘Two weeks ought to do it,’
‘Two weeks!’ Briar groaned. ‘But school starts right after that and the garage is a mess. There’s a lot of junk in there and it’s way hot and—’
‘Yes, to all that,’ Mr Rose replied, wearing the This isn’t a democracy look her parents employed when they held the upper hand. ‘However, you can still do the re-enactment on Saturday.’
‘Really?’ She caught Joshua’s eyes and smiled. ‘That works.’
‘Same deal for you, son,’ his dad said. ‘Fourteen days should be just about right for you to paint the house.’
Joshua added his own groan to the mix. Not that.
‘Sounds fair to me,’ Lily said as she rose from the chair with Reena’s help. ‘I need to go talk to my great-granddaughter’s folks. They’ll probably hear what went on tonight and it’s best they know just how fine a daughter they have. Before they ground her.’
‘Oh, man,’ Reena murmured. ‘Do good and get busted for it.’
‘That’s often the case,’ Lily replied. ‘Don’t expect these kids to be the same as they were a week ago. They’ve grown up in a hurry. Had no choice about that.’
‘I know. I can see it already,’ Briar’s mom said, and took hold of her daughter’s hand. ‘We’re just happy she’s alive.’ She looked up at Joshua. ‘That all of you are alive. I mean that.’
Briar nudged her mom and gave her a pointed look.
‘I apologize for what I did to your family, Lora. Daniel. It wasn’t right. I had no idea it would get as bad as it did. I am truly sorry.’
Joshua’s mother only gave a stiff nod, but it was a start.
‘I can’t speak for my wife, but I accept your apology,’ his dad said. ‘This is done. We need to move on, all of us.’
A’-freakin’-men!
As Joshua and Briar headed towards the barn, he murmured, ‘This was so Shakespearean, you know. Like one of his tragedies.’
‘“See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love! And I, for winking at your discords too, have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punish’d.”’
He looked at her in awe. ‘What was that from?’