"Zac, we have a slight problem. How are we going to pay for this?" We were situated on the floor of the room at the Inn nestled at opposite ends of the sleeping bag. Strangely, neither of us saw anything wrong with being in the same bag at the same time anymore. Neither of us had wanted to take a chance at the bed. It was night and we were up talking before trying to get some sleep.

"I don't know. Do you have any supplies that we can afford to sell?"

"I'm sure I can dig some up." I said smiling, "the problem is finding a buyer in this time and place. I don't think when comparing to that stew we had for dinner anyone here is going to be tempted by potato mush." Zac couldn't help but laughing.

"Yeah, well, lets worry about it when the time comes."

"Okay." I lay my head back on the pile of clothes I was using as my pillow.

"Melli? Remember when you asked me what was wrong last night?" Zac asked a little uneasily.

He suddenly had my undivided attention and I sat up a bit and leaned on my arm. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, I think I'm ready to talk about it." I could see that this was hard for him. The feelings were obviously pent up and he didn't know how exactly to get them out. I wanted to reach out to him but I didn't. I just nodded and let him talk. " I . . . . . well, you know how I'm so famous and stuff like that. I really do love my band, my job. Singing is my life and I love it. It's just . . . . .It's just that sometimes I can't take it anymore. I get so sick of the girls hounding me. People judging me, hating me, saying they love me when I KNOW it's not possible. It hurts sometimes and I just, I just get so frustrated. It affects my whole life, I have no moments of peace. Sometimes even when I'm just with my family, the dogs are at my back. I can't even seem to talk to Ike or Tay about it. I don't know why it's just now getting to me this badly. I was fine before. I mean, I know I chose this path and I don't regret it, I just . . . . . I just want to be me. To get away from it all. Not the music, I can never leave the music, it's part of me, but from all the rest, just for a little while. But . . . . there is no where that I can go and not be recognized it seems. I just . . . . I just . . . . .I don't know what! I feel so . . . . . alone!" His face through the whole thing had been showing many emotions, all from despair to anger. Finally, as he finished, Zac's composure broke, as did him voice. He crumpled, and started to sob into the pillow. I saw him trying to fight the tears but it was a losing battle.

I could no longer sit and just do nothing. I scooted closer to Zac and put my arm around him. "Zac . . . . I'm here. You're not alone." He looked at me through tear filled eyes and saw the truth. I was all he had, he was all I had, and neither of us was alone. He sat up and so did I. He then wrapped his arms around me, and I let him cry his heart out into my shoulder. I myself had to sniff back a few tears, I just couldn't help it. "and . . . I think you are as far away from that . . . as you are ever going to get."

I woke up to the distinguished smell of burning on the air. Outside the window I heard shouting and horses neighing, and there was more light than there should have been at that hour of the night. It was also the wrong kind of light.

"Zac! Zac wake up! There's a fire!"

"Wha? Huh?" He woke up a bit slow. "Here?"

"No, not this building, I think we should go help. They don't exactly have a fire department."

"Okay lets go, just give me a second to wake up."

I smiled at him fondly, "I don't think I have a second to give you." I then turned serious, "I'm going to head down now. Come when you're ready." I walked out of the room, Zac was right behind me as I knew he would be. I smiled.

"Hey! I'm not going to let you go out there alone! I'm your bodyguard!" He stated from behind me. He was showing off, flexing his muscles. I tried my best to ignore him but failed and ended up laughing.

I stepped out onto the road and my smile was wiped away instantly. A ways down the road, a stable had caught fire. There was a chain of people who were passing buckets of water down, the last person throwing the water on the barn. I knew it was hopeless. I ran up to the barn and, without thinking, I entered. Many of the horses had already been lead out before the fire had spread too far but there were still a few in there way in the back. I ran through trying to avoid falling timbers. I opened all the stalls that I passed that had frenzied horses in them, running on. Once I got all of them open I realized that the horses wouldn't go out on their own. They were frightened and wouldn't move except for the rearing they were doing. Luckily for me there were only about five horses left. I saw a blanket that hadn't caught fire yet. I grabbed my knife which I had decided was a good idea to carry with me always. I cut the blanket into five strips which I in turn tied around each horse's eyes. I had no reins, lead rope or halter to lead them out so I shoved a rope into their mouth, mounted and laying flat as possible guided then out with firm pressures from my legs and help from the rope. The horses were obviously skittish so getting them to move at all was a feat in itself. I had to do the horses one at a time and each time I got out with another horse I turned the animal over to Zac and ran back inside. At first he tried to stop or help more but I quickly put a stop to that. He didn't know enough about horses. I myself didn't know that much but I knew enough to save those horses lives.

As I mounted the last horse the roof started to collapse. I got seriously worried, but the thrill of adrenaline was running in my system. I guided the horse, who was much more spirited than all those before, but as I was a quarter of the was out I heard a child yell from behind me. I immediately turned the horse, a beautiful black mare, and tried to pinpoint the sound. It came from the last stall in the way back. I finally reached the stall after what seemed too long a time as I was avoiding the burning timbers. There, was a small girl, about 8 years old, laying unconscious. I hoped to god that I wasn't too late and dismounted. I picked up the girl and swung her up onto the mare. I climbed up behind her and once more turned my horse. Suddenly a huge supporting timber crashed down blocking our exit, nearly immediately following, the blindfold I had tied around my horses eyes slipped. It was just my luck, but I had to continue on nonetheless. I shielded the little girl with my own body and urged the mare on. She shied. But I held on tight with thighs, used my legs to guide her once more and used my hands to calm the frightened horse. Silently I thanked my friend Tana for owning her horses and teaching me how to ride so well. Bravely and yet quivering with fear, the mare plunged forward once more. Pride and admiration swelled in my breast for the wonderful animal I rode. We approached the burning timber that blocked our path and I felt the mare's muscles tense and then we were over that log and out of there.

I leaned back and stopped the mare. I wanted to embrace this horse but I didn't have time. I slid off her back and brought the girl carefully to the ground. She wasn't breathing and had no pulse, so I started CPR. I once again sent out silent thanks, this time to my before hated Health teacher for getting me certified.

"My baby!" I vaguely heard but ignored, "What are you doing to my daughter??? Get away from her you devil spawn!" The woman was frantic, and it was only Zac, my faithful 'bodyguard' that prevented her from attacking me and in effect killing her daughter. I just concentrated on the CPR. Finally, I got a pulse, and then the girl was breathing on her own. I leaned back and rested, the girl finally came around and I nodded at Zac to let the woman to her daughter. I slowly got up and walked over to Zac and the mare. I just made it to Zac, then I collapsed and everything went black.