~ 3 ~

Adam's Folly

Up ahead, Ben could see Adam and Isabella standing arm in arm at the shore of Lake Tahoe. He Paused for a moment, bemoaned the situation and urged Buck to continue onward at a full gallop.

Carlos rode clear up to Adam and Isabella, brought his horse to a quick halt, swung his left leg up and over her neck and slid down her right side. With two springing bounds he was in front of them. He grabbed Adam and tossed him away from Isabella as if he were weightless. Isabella stood frozen, pleading with her brother to stop. She managed to grab at him trying to reason with him but he ignored her pushing her aside; she was insignificant.

Adam kept his head as best he could. He was careful not to raise his voice or his pitch and maintained a soft deliberate monotone, repeating continuously as he backed away with his open palms facing Carlos at chest level, “Carlos, it was nothing. We were just out walking. It was nothing…”

Isabella, on the other hand, was becoming hysterical as she pleaded with him to think about what he was doing. She knew her brother and the look in his eyes frightened her. As she stepped in between them once again, Carlos put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her to his right.

She stumbled.

Adam turned to his left and extended his arms to steady her. As he did this, Ben called out to his son because he saw Carlos raise his arm and knew that he was about to take advantage of the opening and pummel Adam full throttle. Adam turned his head up, saw the fist coming at him and leaned back on his left leg. He swung his head to the side in the same direction as the approaching fist. Carlos missed - but Adam lost his balance and tumbled backward. Still holding on to Isabella’s arms, he accidentally brought her down on top of him and the two would have found this funny if it had not been so clearly violent and threatening. Adam asked her if she was all right and she smiled at him as she nodded making no attempt to get up.

This enraged Carlos even more.



To be continued...