Page 98 of Saddle and Bound

I try not to think about our last conversation.

I try not to think that the love of my life is terribly and frighteningly in danger.

I try to focus on finding her.

Then, in the distance, I glimpse something. A flash of color among the green undergrowth. My heart skips a beat. I rush in that direction, pushing myself beyond every limit. When I finally reach the spot, the world seems to stop.

Rosie is lying on the ground, motionless. A trickle of blood runs from her temple.

"No, no, no, no," I repeat like a mantra, falling to my knees beside her. My hands shake violently as I try to check her pulse.

It can't be.

Not again.

Not her.

"Rosie, princess, please, open your eyes," I beg, tears blurring my vision. "You can't leave me, not like this. We promised each other forever."

Panic threatens to overwhelm me as I wait, in endless agony, for any sign of life. At this moment, I would give anything to see her open her eyes, to hear her voice.

"I love you, Rosie," I whisper, my voice broken by sobs. "Please, stay with me. I can't lose you. I can't."

With trembling hands, I pull out my phone to call for help, praying it's not too late. Time seems to stretch while I wait for an answer, each second an eternity of terror and desperate hope.

"Hello, emergency," finally answers a voice on the other end of the line. The words come out in a chaotic torrent, my voice broken with anguish. "I need an ambulance, now! My girlfriend... she fell from a horse. She's not responding, there's blood... oh God, please hurry!"

While giving the coordinates, I don't take my eyes off Rosie. Her face, so pale and still, breaks my heart. I gently caress her cheek, as if my touch could bring her back to me. The voice on the other end assures me they'll send someone soon but meanwhile bombards me with useless questions.

"She's showing no signs of life, her birthday doesn't matter, just send someone now!" I shout desperately. After an eternity, I end the conversation with the assurance they'll arrive with a red code.

"They're coming, my love," I whisper, my voice trembling. "Hold on, please." The minutes drag like hours. Each of Rosie's breaths, weak but present, is both a relief and torture. I hold her tight, trying to protect her, to transmit my strength to her.

"You can't leave me," I murmur against her hair. "We still have so much to live together, Rosie. Please, fight. Fight to live... I only care that you live."

Tears stream down my face, falling silently onto her motionless face. Remorse grips me, mixing with fear. What if these were our last hours together? What if I never had the chance to make up for my mistakes, to tell her how deeply I love her?

"I'm sorry," I sob, holding her tighter. "I'm sorry for everything. I promise if you wake up, if you stay with me, I'll spend the rest of my life making you happy. Just... don't leave me. I can't live in a world without you, Rosie."

In the distance, finally, I hear sirens. Relief washes over me like a wave, but fear doesn't loosen its grip. "Did you hear that, princess? They're coming," I say, my voice broken with emotion. "Just a little longer, hold on just a little longer."

As the ambulance lights illuminate the woods, I pray like I've never prayed in my life. I pray for a miracle, for a second chance, for the life of the woman I love more than myself. I even pray to give my life in exchange if there's no other way. I pray without knowing who I'm praying to... because I'm not actually religious. I pray to the universe, to nature... I don't even know.

"I love you, Rosie," I whisper one last time before the paramedics reach us. "Please, come back to me."

The sound of sirens tears through the silence of the woods, growing louder and louder. Blue and red lights begin to filter through the trees, illuminating Rosie's pale face with spectral glows. "Over here!" I shout with all the strength I have left. "We're here!"

In moments, the paramedics emerge from the undergrowth, followed by Chris, Fran, and Diego. Their faces are masks of worry and shock when they see the scene before them. "Please," I beg the paramedics as they quickly approach. "Save her. Please, save her."

I reluctantly move away from Rosie, allowing them to work. My legs give way and I fall to my knees, unable to take my eyes off the motionless body of the woman I love.

Chris reaches me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Hey bro," he says softly, "let them do their job."

But I can't move. I can't even breathe as I watch the medics check Rosie's vital signs, apply a cervical collar, prepare her for transport. "Weak pulse but present," I hear one of them say. "Possible head trauma. We need to move fast." Those words hit me like a punch to the stomach. Head trauma. Images of Rosie, smiling and full of life, violently clash with the reality before me.

"I'm coming with her," I ask, my voice barely a whisper. The paramedic makes a negative sign. "No accompaniers. You can follow us separately."

As they lift Rosie onto the stretcher, I stand up with Chris's help. My legs are shaking, and not just from the earlier fall.

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