Home was never safe
1086 Words
Mia was just about to exit Sector C when the radio crackled again.
> “Unit 7, report your status.”
Mia froze for half a second, her eyes flicking to Jacob.
Then she grabbed the radio.
“Unit 7,” she said, forcing calm into her voice, “I’ve got an injured animal in Sector C. Looks like it got through the perimeter fencing.”
A pause.
Static.
Then—
> “Copy that. Security will be dispatched.”
Mia’s stomach dropped.
“No!” she said quickly. “Negative, control. It’s already spooked. Too many people will push it further into the pit. I’ve handled livestock before—I can move it out safely.”
Another pause.
Longer this time.
---
Jacob watched her closely.
---
> “You’re saying you’ve got it under control?”
---
Mia swallowed.
“I do.”
---
Silence.
---
Then—
> “Fine. Let us know if we need to send security to end it.”
---
Mia exhaled slowly.
“Copy that.”
She clipped the radio back onto her shoulder.
---
Jacob raised an eyebrow slightly.
“That was bold.”
---
“That was necessary,” she shot back. “Now if you’ve got a better plan, I’m listening.”
---
“I do.”
---
She blinked.
---
“I have a vehicle.”
---
Mia frowned. “You *what*?”
---
Jacob jerked his head toward the edge of the sector.
Its parked at the old dozer slots —
A dusty white LDV.
---
Mia stared.
---
“You drove that into a restricted mining zone?”
---
“Yes.”
---
“How?”
---
“I’m a mechanic,” he said simply. “People assume I belong wherever there’s broken machinery.”
---
Mia let out a short, disbelieving breath.
---
“That’s either genius or incredibly stupid.”
---
“It worked.”
---
She shook her head.
---
“Fine. We use it.”
---
Together, they moved quickly.
---
The tarp went down first.
Then the rope.
Then the careful, controlled movement of shifting the unicorn onto it.
---
It was harder this time.
---
The creature was weaker.
More fragile.
---
But still—
It didn’t fight her.
---
Not once.
---
Jacob noticed that too.
---
By the time they got it to the LDV, Mia’s arms were burning.
Her breath uneven.
---
“Careful,” she murmured, guiding its weight as they lifted.
---
Jacob adjusted instantly to her movements.
---
Silent coordination.
---
Trust—
Whether either of them liked it or not.
---
They got it onto the back.
Covered it.
Secured it.
---
Mia stepped back, chest rising and falling.
---
“Okay…” she whispered. “Okay… we’re doing this…”
---
The radio crackled again.
---
> “Unit 7, status?”
---
Mia grabbed it.
---
“Animal’s contained,” she said. “I’m escorting it off-site to avoid further risk to operations.”
---
A pause.
---
> “You’re removing it yourself?”
---
Mia didn’t hesitate.
---
“Yes.”
---
Another pause.
---
Then—
---
> “Alright. Log it when you’re done.”
---
Mia released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
---
“Copy.”
---
She clipped the radio back on.
---
Then looked at Jacob.
---
“Now we go.”
---
---
The drive felt different this time.
---
Not just tense.
---
Heavy.
---
Like something had shifted permanently.
---
Mia kept one eye on the road.
One on the rearview mirror.
---
The tarp moved slightly with the motion of the truck.
Still breathing.
Still alive.
---
Beside her, Jacob sat in silence again.
---
But this time—
His attention wasn’t on the road.
---
It was on her.
---
“You didn’t hesitate,” he said quietly.
---
Mia didn’t look at him.
---
“It needed help.”
---
“That’s not what I meant.”
---
She tightened her grip on the wheel.
---
“I don’t overthink things when something’s dying,” she said.
---
A pause.
---
“That might get you killed,” Jacob said.
---
Mia gave a dry laugh.
---
“Yeah. Probably.”
---
---
The farm came into view as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon.
---
Mia felt the tension in her chest ease—just slightly.
---
“Home…” she murmured.
---
Jacob didn’t relax.
---
Instead—
He stiffened.
---
“There’s something here,” he said quietly.
---
Mia frowned.
---
“Yeah. Me.”
---
But even as she said it—
She felt it.
---
Something in the air.
---
Something that hadn’t been there before.
---
The truck rolled to a stop near the stables.
---
The engine cut.
---
And immediately—
---
A sharp, powerful whinny split the morning silence.
---
Mia’s head snapped up.
---
“Blue.”
---
Before she could move—
The stable gate rattled violently.
---
Then burst open.
---
Blue charged out.
---
Faster than she had ever seen him move.
---
Mia barely had time to react before he reached the truck, skidding to a halt.
---
“Hey—!”
---
But he wasn’t looking at her.
---
His attention locked onto the back of the LDV.
---
To the covered shape.
---
To the unicorn.
---
A low, deep sound rumbled from his chest.
---
Not fear.
---
Recognition.
---
Jacob went completely still.
---
Mia’s heart started racing.
---
“Blue…” she whispered.
---
Slowly—
Blue stepped closer.
---
Then pressed his forehead against the side of the vehicle.
---
Right where the unicorn lay.
---
And stilled.
---
Mia’s breath caught.
---
Jacob’s voice came low.
Certain.
---
> “Your horse… isn’t what you think he is.”
---
Before Mia could respond—
The front door creaked open.
---
“Mia?”
---
Isabel.
---
Mia turned sharply.
---
“Gran, go back inside—”
---
But Isabel had already stepped out.
---
And then—
She stopped.
---
Her eyes moved across the scene.
---
The truck.
The covered shape.
Blue.
---
And something shifted in her expression.
---
Not confusion.
---
Recognition.
---
Mia’s stomach dropped.
---
“Gran…?” she whispered.
---
Isabel looked at her.
Slowly.
---
And said—
---
> “It’s started… hasn’t it?”
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD