Page 32 of Adam's Rising

He reached for one of the bottles. The plastic bottle rattled in his hand as he shook it. The label was bubbled and warped, like it had been sitting in a windowsill for months.

Opening the cap, he sniffed. No real smell. He poured a few into his palm. They were supposed to be joint supplements, but he didn’t recognize the brand. He set the bottle back on the shelf and reached for a different bottle. The label was so faded he couldn’t make out what it was. He snapped off the cap, sniffed, then poured a couple of the pills into his hand.

They looked identical — chalky beige, no markings, nothing like what his dad used to buy for their horses.

His brow furrowed. These weren’t just old. They looked…fake? He opened more bottles and discovered the same thing — the plain, odorless capsules were in every bottle.

He ran a hand through the open grain bin. The texture felt wrong — too dusty, like it had sat too long. A few darker clumps made him frown. Mold?

He lifted a handful to his nose and coughed.

Musty. Like wet hay. Not fresh at all. And cheap. He hooked his arm over his mouth and sifted through more. The deeper he dug near the bottom, the worse it got.

So they weren’t rotating the feed either, just tossing cheap grain on top of the old.

Why? To make it look fuller than it was?

He inspected the inventory books and delivery dates. Everything was logged and accounted for, but the records didn’t match the supply.

Adam spent the next hour cleaning out the feed bin. He salvaged what he could, bagged the spoiled feed, and tucked it beneath the obviously unused supplement cabinet — for now.

He stored all the tools he’d used and then did one final check that all stalls and gates were secured. A quick glance at the clock revealed it still wasn’t six. Close enough. He needed to speak with Clara Mae anyway, so technically, he wasn’t done for the day.

Growing up with two brothers, Adam’s father had repeatedly reminded him not to tattletale. “It’s not your job to take care of everyone, Adam.Your brothers’ wrongdoings will come to light on their own.You worry about Adam,okay?”

Adam sighed. This was not a tattletale that someone swept dust under their bed or didn’t brush their teeth — this was real life.

Overnight, Adam had stepped into a position where horses’ lives were at stake. The horses — all of them — had no one to speak for them. Well, they didn’t before. Now they did.

If Clara Mae knew and was letting it slide, that was all Adam needed to know. He’d buy back Bolt, and get Peter the hell out of here.

If she didn’t know what was going on, Adam knew why he was in Wasilla and not Anchorage.

* * *

Adam knockedon Clara Mae’s door, but she still wasn’t home. Rusty had mentioned tonight, so maybe this was a regular thing. Since the four hands were allowed a day during the week, maybe Clara Mae took off Sundays.

Outside the door to his new basement apartment sat a brown paper grocery bag that hadn’t been there this morning. Adam opened it carefully, peeking inside before venturing deeper. For whatever reason, he felt like he was walking on eggshells, as if someone might know who he is and about the money that was still in his possession.

Since nothing moved or jumped out at him, he opened the bag wider, thrilled when he saw a loaf of Wonder bread and jars of peanut butter and grape jelly. PBJs must be a ranch staple. No concern there, he could live on peanut butter sandwiches. And right now, he just realized he hadn’t eaten since the previous evening.

He tucked the bag under his arm and opened the basement door.

The steps creaked as Adam started down them.

While he wouldn’t be able to sneak up on Peter — the way their dad and then Thomas had — this also meant no one could sneak up on him, either. He kind of liked that.

Sneak-attacks perpetrated by his father and Thomas werenotone of his special memories. Thomas had been so concerned about them missing their parents that he upped the ante of all Dad’s quirks.

Christmas Eve, Thomas had read‘Twas the Night Before Christmasto them, even exchanging the line afterAnd laying his finger aside of his noseto the obnoxious,he pulled out a boogie, then continued with the real line…and up the chimney he rose. The dorky line got a hearty laugh out of Peter — as always. Then Thomas had carried both of them — at once — to their bedroom, promising that Santa would come down the chimney if they stayed in bed.

He sucked in a breath and blinked back tears. Thomas had said no crying, but that’s because his brother hadn’t expected to die — he expected to meet them in Anchorage.

Adam halted on the steps before pulling the chain for the basement light.

Had he?HadThomas planned to meet them in Anchorage?

Why hadn’t Adam questioned what Peter had realized so easily?

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