Today is one of those rare lazy Mondays when we expect no one to check in pets. I'm lingering over a cup of coffee and enjoying the cookies Delia baked.

I'm still riding on the high from a week ago, among other things. Onyx got three blue ribbons. People commented on what a beautiful beast he is and I felt proud. He has come a long way from an emaciated pony to a robust horse.

"Winter?" I hear Daisy call behind me.

"Yeah?"

"Who is Zoe?"

Shit! I forgot to log off from my email account. Daphne lifts her gaze from the newspaper to look at me. Dana smirks while scrolling on her tablet.

"Ehr... she is Pepe's owner," I say.

"You have a whole list of emails from her. Seems she is more interested in you than in her dog,"

I feel my cheeks burning. I hope she didn't open them.

"No surprise there," Dora says. "He's a man now. It was only a matter of time before a girl would catch his eye,"

"Who's the girl?" Dottie asks me.

"I met her at ENVY the week before I ended up here. She was in college and delivered for a bakery in the city. She recognized me when she brought the dog,"

"Why is she writing to the pension's email?" Darla can't hide her smile.

"Not the pension. His email," Daisy lifts her eyebrows.

Seven pairs of eyes are set on me.

"She wrote to the pension to check on Pepe and I answered from my email. We have been emailing since,"

"Several times a day so to see," Daisy says.

"Stop grilling the boy," Dora intervenes. "He is entitled to some love,"

"We are not in love!" I almost shout. They laugh at my sudden burst of emotion.

Dana shakes her head and signs: yeah right.

"Just because you are over the moon doesn't mean everyone else is," I hiss. "We are friendly with each other and that's it,"

I stand up and leave to the reception. I check my emails and just like Daisy said, I have a whole list from her. I open the second to last.

Hey Winter,

How are you doing? I'm having a great time. Andrew's family is trickling in and they are a fun bunch. Those people can cook. I'm afraid I won't fit my dress for the ceremony.

I dared to ride a horse today for the first time. Just as you said, I felt free and didn't find it scary. Do you think we can ride Onyx together when I come back?

We can then go to the village for some coffee. I enjoy our email chats and want to get to know you better.

X, Zoe

I will never admit in front of those seven I've been crushing on Zoe since she left. Each of her emails make me happy and I feel closer to her. I grin at the little x on the screen. I compose a new email and tell her I'll be glad to offer her a horse ride and we can head to dinner instead of coffee afterwards. I sign it off with a small x like she did, then move to her most recent email. The subject reads: You are famous.

I open the email to find several attachments. They are screenshots of social media sites and a photo of a newspaper. My face appears in all of them. Someone took a picture of me during the county fair and are searching for me. I zoom on the newspaper picture. It's from today. I stride back to the kitchen and take the paper from Daphne's hands.

"What the hell Winter?" she says as I hastily look through the pages.

I find the page and my heart sinks to my feet.

"What is it?" Dottie asks as they peek over the newspaper.

I sink on a chair and place my head on my arms.

"My face is everywhere. He will find me and finish me," my voice quakes.

Daisy caresses my hair. "You have us. We will protect you,"

"We could go to the police, but then we will have to disclose all the details on how you came to us. Years ago you begged us not to do it," Dora looks worried.

"Stay on the pension premises for a while. If you need something from the village, we will get it for you," Daphne says.

"It doesn't say Seventh Heaven in the caption and the photo is a crop of your face. The fair was a week ago, and this is only coming out now. The news will die soon. You also look different now than at 18," Delia says.

I hope they are right, but the uneasy feeling stays with me for the next days. I keep myself busy with my chores and on the moments when I need solitude, I take Onyx for a walk on the premises. Knowing I will see Zoe soon fills me with hope and makes me forget the death threat.

"I like her Onyx. I can only tell you about it. Be a good boy and keep my secret," I pat my horse's neck as we ride through the forest. "She is pretty, isn't she? I don't know why she is interested in me though. I hope I don't do or say anything stupid when we meet again. I can always rewrite an email but once stuff is said, you can't take it back. I wonder if she will let me kiss her. I've never had one and I'm not sure I will do it right,"

As I open my heart to my horse, I hear noises nearby. It sounds as if someone is whimpering. I try to keep still to figure where they come from. After dismounting Onyx, I tie him to a tree and check the surroundings.

I find a man with a bushy beard laying against a tree. His lips are parched and his clothes are torn and dirty. A backpack and an empty water bottle lay close by.

"Help me..." he whispers. "Water..." 

His breathing is shallow. I get my phone to call the emergency services, but I'm in the part of the forest with no signal. I don't have water with me and the closest place are the stables.

"Can you stand? I can bring you to a place to get water,"

I place my arms around him and help him to stand. He walks with difficulty. I get him on the horse and keep one eye on him as I gather his backpack. It looks as if he will faint at any moment.

We walk back to the stables and I pray that he doesn't die on the way. I support him as he gets off the horse, and he lays against the outside of the building. I come back with a full glass of water he drinks greedily. I fill it once more and he drinks it too. His breathing is more stable, and he regains energy.

"Thanks. I lost my hiking party and miscalculated my water supply," he says.

"I can call my aunts. They will bring you to the village and contact your friends," I say.

"Soon. Let me rest first. What is your name?"

"Winter. Yours?"

"Henry. You saved me,"

"It's what we do here,"

Henry takes an energy bar from his backpack, rips the packaging open with his teeth and takes a big bite. He then takes a second bar out and hands it to me.

"Apple flavor. They are delicious,"

I sit next to him and open my bar. I also take a large bite. Henry gazes at the forest as he finishes his snack. He then looks at me and smiles.

"I never thought I would find you so easily. Those horny girls did the work for me," he says.

I'm confused at his words. He then tugs at the corner of his beard and removes it. I let the rest of my bar fall on the floor and leave hastily. After a few steps, I find it difficult to breathe. I get my phone and dial the last number. Daisy answers but I can't talk. All I can make are spurting sounds. The phone falls from my hand as my knees buckle. A booted foot steps on it and I hear laughter... a well known one.

Through my blurry eyes, I see him standing above me.

"I knew those acting classes I took would come in handy one day. You should have died years ago. Unfortunately for you, no one can save you now. ENVY will be forever mine and I will continue to be the most handsome of them all,"

My energy abandons me and my eyes close. Rex... you win.