December Story Contest

SnowFire part 3 part 2 part 1
By: Warhorse
Age: 11

Chapter Seven

As I tugged at my mom falling arms I felt sweat running down my head, arms and my hands. I couldn’t hold on anymore!
“SnowFire” I called and soon my beautiful chestnut paint was behind me and had his mouth around my mom t-shirt.
“Good boy” out of breath I watched as he bought slowly back up my mom. My mom wasn’t moving though! I pressed my ear ageist her chest praying there would be a heartbeat…..nothing. I paused as though the world was on hold. SnowFire then, seeing how miserable I was, breathed on my mom’s now cold body.  My ear was still press on her body and as he breathed his warm breath I heard a faint ‘thump’ and again I heard it. Then lifting my ear off of her, she open her eyes and smiled. She was still pale and I now saw that Claire had called the medics. They put her into a carrier and placed her inside the white van. They were in a rush and had not thought of inviting me to ride with them. I jumped up and hopped onto Snowfire. We galloped after them. Snowfire knew there was an excellent reason to follow the van so he ran as fast as he could. I could feel his warm and tense body moving below mine. The van made a sudden turn and we followed will no difficulty at all.
“You’re a good boy. Run like the wind, SnowFire!” At my words Snowfire pushed his lean legs into the ground with great ‘thuds’ as he kicked into a even higher gear. I felt like I was on a racehorse, but really I was on a paint ranch horse chasing after a white van on a active highway.  I saw a truck bed on the side of the road and a car on the other. I turned Snowfire towards the truck and western saddle and all he soared over the truck as if he was jumping a pole. Everyone that day knew what this horse would be, all but me.  I leaned into a two-point as we raced on. The van stopped at a big building with tons of those vans. I remembered now that this was St. Andrews Hospital . This was supposed to be 5 miles away! We had run at top speed for 5 miles and Snowfire was right here at the same time as the van.
“Snowfire, I think I’m asleep.”

  ***

 The nurse came in with my mom’s food and looked at me with a hopeful look.
“Your mom is going to be just fine. We just have to take it easy on her for a few weeks. Here is what your mom should do for a few days.” The nurse passed me a few sheets of paper and a picture of a broken bone on her leg.
“Ok.” I read the pelmet over and over again until I have it down by memory.  “Will she need any thing special like tea or maybe ice?”
“All she’ll need is rest and no stress.” She passed my mom a wet towel to put on her head. Claire came in.
“Hey Lily, how’s your mom?” She looked, despite the fact that my mom was near deaf, cheerful.
“She fine but...” My mom raised her head and moaned “She in allot of pain.”
“Oh.” Her frown returned. “Well it’s better than her falling off a cliff, right?”
“Yeah.” But that had almost happened.

***

A yellow cab came to drive my mom home and I walked home with Snowfire. I knew that SnowFire wanted me to gallop back home by I wanted to walk by his side speechless. When I got home I found a woman standing by the door my mom was already inside in bed so this must be the lady they sent to help my mom.
“Hello young lady. You must be Lillian.”
“Yeah, but most people call me Lily.” She nodded and opened the door for me. I had already groom and let out Snowfire so I walked up to my room and read one of my favorite books, National Velvet. I loved The Pie and the racing and all the people who thought a girl couldn’t win a championship race. I smiled as I reached the ending and put down the book. Clue came trotting in and sat himself on his comfy bed.
“Hey Clue! How are you?” Clue walked over to me and moaned.  “What’s wrong boy?” Clue walked out of the room then turned back to look at me.
“Ok, I’m a coming.”  I followed Clue down the stairs and into my mother’s room. “Hi mom, how you doing? Do you need anything?” I whispered softly into the room. My mom was asleep, which was good. I left her but Clue sat down and did not move.
“Come on Clue.” I tugged at his collar. “Come on boy.” But Clue sat still staring at my mom’s bed. His eyes flickered towards me. As I looked into his heartbreaking eyes I knew that he wanted to stay here with my mom.
“Ok, But only till dinner” Clue whined. “All right till morning.” Clue smiled and wagged his tail in soft beats. I pulled Clue’s bed and my sleeping bag into the hallway of my mom’s room.
“Only till morning.” I reminded Clue. He seemed to say “All right but can we get some food?” As he trotted down stairs, with me following. I packed some water and snacks into a paper bag and went back to our small, cozy campsite. But when I looked outside a window in the kitchen I froze.
“SnowFire!” I called into the mist as I ran towards the fence. There was a man with a rope trying to get SnowFire into a trailer! SnowFire was rearing and kicking at him as the man ran off and into a bright red truck.
“You ok SnowFire?” I petted him as we watched Clue chase after the truck but lost.

Chapter Eight

After that red truck was out of sight and my breathing return back to semi-normal I put SnowFire into a warm stall with some warm mash. Locking the stall & barn door careful I followed Clue back inside the house. I was worried that whoever that man was would come back.
“Why did he want SnowFire?” I wondered out loud. Clue barked and I remembered that maybe he saw SnowFire gallop across that highway and thought he was a championship horse.
“Let’s go back to my mom’s room.” I said looking out the window. “Come on.” I led Clue up the stairs and we went back to our campsite in the hall. Clue made 10 whole circles before lying down in his bed. I knew that he was troubled to.
“It’s ok boy.” I patted him and gave him a small bone to chew on. In his sleep Clue flicked his paws and bark small, soft sounds. I knew that most dogs chase things in their dreams but Clue looked like it was something he had to get. I patted him many times before he finely stopped and slept soundly. In my own tries to sleep I kept thinking about that man and how I was going to keep the thing that had gave me hope & dreams safe, SnowFire.

***

The red truck blared its engine and roared away faster and faster, I followed on SnowFire bareback & bridle-less. SnowFire gallop along the hard road and turn onto a small, tight trail. I leaned forwards and whispered into SnowFire’s ears,
“Don’t let go” I pressed myself into the tangled mess of his mane. I heard hoof beat pounding behind and SnowFire turned into a dragon almost flying across the rained path. The rain hit us hard as we zigzagged through the harsh trees. A man’s voice called out to me,
“Stop this Lilly!” At first I wanted to stop but then the voice got cruel and began to tare at me.
“Never!” I shouted. The hoof beats fainted as SnowFire led us to a lake and cantered into the cold and icy water. SnowFire’s long swimming movements made me feel like I was flying. A huge, black horse reared at the edge of the lake. SnowFire reared too causing me to fall into the freezing water. I sank to the bottom holding only a sliver of SnowFire soft brown and white mane and heard the last pitiful sound of SnowFire’s last breath.

***

“Wake up! Wake up!” I was pushed by a hard hand of somebody.
“Get off of me!” I began kicking and punching out my arms.
“Ok! Ok.” It was Claire, my mom’s helper, Mrs. Woodburn, must have let her in.
“Sorry. I had a bad dream” She looked at me like I was crazy.
“How can you have a bad dream if you live a perfect life?” I told her about the man and the race in my dream and the sinking.
“Well, that is a dream there now isn’t it!” She looked out the window and was just about to say something when Clue jumped onto her and licked her face.
“Down boy, down!” She laughed and helped me up. “So why are you on the floor?”
“Clue here, wanted to stay with my mom tonight.” I petted Clue and raced him down the stairs.
“Hey lets have a sleepover at your barn tonight! Then we can watch over SnowFire and have fun!” She picked up an apple and bit into it.
“Yeah! That sounds fun!” I picked out and bright scarlet apple and ate it at the watchful eye of Clue.
“You know, most beagles don’t have blue eyes.” She looked at Clue like he was an outer space dog.
“Well, that’s what makes him special!”  When I looked out the window I remember my dream and then worried if it would come true!

To be continued….
 *Will her dream really come true and why does Clue have one blue eyes? Who was that man? All will tell in due time.*