That night, Julian dreams he's back at the hospital, legs numb, the smell of antiseptic thick in the air. He hears voices outside the door—doctors, his parents, all talking about him like he's not there. He wants to shout, "Hey, I'm right here!" But no sound comes out.
He wakes up in a cold sweat, clutching the edge of the mattress, heart pounding.
The next morning, he forces himself out to the barn early, hoping for some quiet before the visitors arrive. Thunder stands at the far end of the paddock, head lowered, tail still. Julian approaches, talking softly the way he always does: "Hey buddy, sorry about yesterday. Guess we both had a rough one, huh?"
Thunder turns, eyes meeting Julian's, and for a moment, something in the tension eases. They spend the morning alone, moving through simple groundwork: walking, stopping, turning on cue. Julian doesn't push, doesn't rush. He just listens, lets Thunder set the pace.
Slowly, the old rhythm returns—the trust that got them through everything else. For a few minutes, it feels like nothing's changed.
But the peace doesn't last.
By afternoon, the festival organizers arrive for a press shoot. They want shots of Julian brushing Thunder, feeding him treats, laughing for the camera. Julian grits his teeth, performing the smiles, but inside he feels hollow.
Thunder keeps glancing at the equipment, nostrils flaring. At one point, a photographer asks Julian to wheel a little closer for the shot. The movement spooks Thunder, who knocks over a bucket, splattering water across the barn floor.
The flashbulb pops. Thunder rears.
Julian loses his grip, and for a split second, chaos erupts: shouts, scrambling feet, a camera crashing to the ground. Everyone rushes to help, but Julian waves them off, cheeks burning. "I'm okay! I'm fine." But inside, something cracks.
That night, his mom finds him staring at the ceiling, eyes wet. She sits beside him, silent, holding his hand until the tears stop. When Julian finally speaks, his voice is barely a whisper:
"What if I let everyone down? What if Thunder gets hurt because of me?"