August Story Contest

A Hopeful Adventure
By Alyssa & cocoa   age 9

Characters:
Girls: Claire (A girl who loves ponies.) 
Stacy (Claire’s best friend.) 
Sally (Claire’s little sister.) 
Adults: Mrs.  Lake, Claire’s mom and dad, Dr. Martin.
Animals: Hope, Heart, Queenie, Storm, Twixter, Pearl.

One afternoon twelve year old Claire Jones was walking home from school with her best friend Stacy.  Claire’s seven year old little sister Sally, was tagging along behind them.  They were just passing the local pony shelter when Claire said; “Let’s stop and look at the ponies!”  “Not again” groaned Stacy.  “We’ve been there a million times already!”  “I just want to look” said Claire.  “Just because you have your own pony doesn’t mean I can’t look at ponies!  Besides, you don’t have to come with me.”  (Stacy had a dapple grey pony named Heart.)  “Okay,” sighed Stacy.  “I’ll come.” After a little while Claire suddenly stopped and stared at a beautiful white pony.  It trotted over to her and nickered.  Claire rubbed it’s forehead and it nibbled her hair.  That made Claire giggle.  “Is this the pony  you want?” whispered Stacy.  “Yes” said Claire.  “Oh  yes!” Just then Sally came up behind  them.  “You’ve been looking at ponies for months” she said.  “When are you going to ask mom and dad if you can have one?”  “I’m waiting for just the right time” said Claire.  “So promise not to say anything.”

As they left the shelter, Sally started following them again.  “Sally”, said Claire.  “Can you please stop following us!”  “Why should I?” asked Sally.  “Because”... started Claire.  “Because Anne is walking over there.  She might want to play with you” Stacy said quickly.  As Sally ran off, Claire gave Stacy a grateful smile.  “Thanks” she said.  “Sometimes Sally can be a real pain.”“It was nothing” said Stacy. 

“Do you want to have a sleepover at my house?” asked Claire.  “Sure!” said Stacy.  The two girls walked home together, chatting about ponies.  As soon as Claire and Stacy entered the house, a delicious smell came from the kitchen.  “What are you cooking mom?” asked Claire.  “My famous spaghetti and meatballs” smiled her mother.  “Hi Mrs.  Jones” said Stacy.  “Can I have a sleepover here?”  “Sure” said Claire’s mom.  “But you have to ask your parents first.” Stacy dialed the number, and after a short conversation she said; “I can come!”

At the dinner table Claire’s father asked; “What’s new besides Stacy coming over?”  “Claire wants a pony” said Sally.  “A pony is a big responsibility” said Claire’s mom.  “I can take care of it” said Claire.  “We’ll think about it” she said.  “That means no” explained Sally. After dinner, Claire’s father had shut the kitchen door and locked Claire, Stacy and Sally out.  “Can you here what they’re saying?” asked Claire.  “Your mom is worried about the lawn” Stacy whispered.  “Now your dad has told her that horse manure makes things grow better.” Suddenly the door opened and Claire’s parents stepped out.  “We have decided that you can have a pony” said her father.  Claire and Stacy started to cheer, but Claire’s mom interrupted them.  “But first, you have to prove you can be responsible” she said.  Then the girls went into Claire’s room.

“How am I ever going to prove I can be responsible!” exclaimed Claire.  “You could get a job” suggested Sally.  “But what kind of job could I do?” said Claire.  “Look after peoples’ pet’s when they go away” said Stacy.  “That’s a great idea Stacy!” said Claire.  “Let’s make the posters right now!” This is what the poster said.  Claire’s Pet Sitting If  you want to get away from home and you have a pet, call 165-3067 where Claire Jones will happily look after your pet, only ten dollars a week no matter how big or small your pet is.  Then Claire and Stacy photocopied it and asked Claire’s dad to take them into town because it was getting dark.  As they taped the last poster to a lamp post a car slowed down to get a better look at their poster.  “The lady looks like she’s writing something down” said Stacy.  Just then a horn honked.  “Uh-oh” said Claire.  “That’s my dad.  I’ll get in trouble if we don’t leave now.”

 That night Claire sat by the telephone  for a long, long time.  Just when she was about to go to bed, the phone rang.  “Hello, Claire’s pet sitting. How may I help you?” said Claire.  “Yes.  No.  When?  Where?  Great!” Just as Claire was hanging up the phone Stacy ran over to her, still holding the magazine she was reading.  “Who was that, and what did they say?” asked Stacy.  “That was Mrs.  Lake” Claire replied calmly.  “She has asked me to look after her strawberry roan pony, Queenie, for one week.  I’m going over to her house early tomorrow morning to get Queenie.”  “Isn’t that the pony the people in town call, spoiled one?” asked Claire’s dad.  “That’s Queenie” agreed Sally.  “Now can we please go to bed Claire?asked Stacy  You’ve kept me awake long past when I usually go to bed!”  “Yes, we can” said Claire. 

The next morning Claire woke up to the beeping of her alarm clock.  She remembered it was her first day of pet sitting.  Stacy might want to come with me to get Queenie, she thought.  “Stacy” said Claire.  There was no answer.  Claire looked at her watch.  It was 6:55am.  Five more minuets and she had to be at Mrs.  Lake’s house.  “I have to go now” Claire said to Stacy.  Still no answer.  Then Claire turned around and dashed out the door.  By the time she got to Mrs.  Lake’s house she was out of breath.  Mrs.  Lake came out from behind the house.  “Hello Claire” she said.  “My precious Queenie is all saddled up and ready to go.  Come into the paddock.” When Claire went in she saw a super-clean Queenie with polished western riding tack on.  Beside her was a wagon full of stuff.  Claire guessed it was for taking care of Queenie.  Mrs.  Lake pointed to an enormous pile of paper on top of the wagon.  “This is Queenie’s list” she said.  “Just follow it and you’ll know how to use these things.  I have to go now, bye!” Then she got into here car and drove away.  Claire stared at the list.  It would take her ages to read that!  I’ll call Stacy and tell her to take down the posters, she thought.  Claire reached into her pocket to grab her cell phone, but nothing was there!  Then she realized she was in such a hurry to get Queenie she had left it on her desk.  “Well Queenie”, Claire murmured.  “Let’s get you to your temporary home.” Claire tied a piece of rope to the wagon handle so she wouldn’t have to reach down to hold it.  Then Claire mounted Queenie.  She held the reins in one hand and the rope in the other.  When Claire reached her house, she unsaddled Queenie and put her in the paddock.  Just then Stacy came running over to her.  “Claire!” she said.  “I was just going to tell you”- “We have to take down the posters” interrupted Claire.  “Because Queenie has a list and it will take up so much time, I won’t be able to take care of the other animals.”  “We can take down the posters,” said Stacy.  “But you already have three more visitors.”  “What!?” exclaimed Claire.  She ran into her room.  Stacy was right.  A black cat, a budgie bird, and a white rabbit were in cages on her floor.  “The cat is named Storm, the budgie is named Twixter, and the rabbit is named Pearl” said Stacy, coming up behind her.  “They came just after you left to get Queenie.” 

“Do you want to stay for another sleepover?” asked Claire.  “I can’t” said Stacy.  “I have cousins coming to my house this morning and staying overnight.  Oh!” added Stacy.  “I have to leave now.  Bye!”

For the rest of the day, Claire took care of and played with the animals.  Just before dinner Claire’s mom said; “You better go feed Queenie.”  “But mom,” said Claire.  “Twixter is hungry!”  “Twixter is hungry!” squawked a voice from upstairs.  “I didn’t know Twixter could talk!” exclaimed Claire.  “Go and feed Twixter” laughed her  mom. 

Over the next few days, Twixter kept talking when someone was in the middle of a conversation, Storm broke a few things, Pearl escaped from her cage once or twice, and Queenie was super spoiled.  On the last day of Claire’s Pet Sitting, Stacy came over to see how Claire was doing.  “You look tired” said Stacy, when Claire opened the door.  “Why don’t you have a ride on Heart for a brake?” Soon Claire was mounted on Heart.  Sally had agreed to take care of the animals while she was away.  Then Claire cantered Heart.  The wind blew back her shoulder-length brown hair.  She felt as if she had nothing to worry about.  Suddenly a deer jumped in front of Heart and ran across the field.  Heart got spooked and took off in a gallop around the field, bucking every two seconds.  Claire couldn’t hold on any longer.  She went up in the air, then hit the ground with a thud.   “Claire!” shouted Stacy.  “I’m alright” said Claire.  “Just call my parents.” Then Claire closed her eyes and blacked out. 

Stacy got out her cell phone and dialed the number.  Then she caught Heart and led her towards Claire, who was lying on the ground.  “It’s okay Claire” Stacy whispered in her ear.  “Your parents are on their way.” The next morning Claire awoke to the smell of homemade muffins.  She remembered what her mother had told her last night.  After Claire had been bucked off, she had blacked out.  Her parents had checked her over for injuries.  She only had a few little bruises.  Stacy had offered to look after the animals while Claire was resting.  Just then Stacy called; “Claire, Mrs.  Lake is here to get Queenie.” Claire jumped out of bed and quickly got dressed.  Then she rushed downstairs to meet Mrs.  Lake.  She went into the paddock where she found Stacy and Mrs.  Lake patting Queenie and a strange pretty white pony.  “Thank you for doing such a wonderful job of taking care of Queenie” said Mrs.  Lake.  “Me and Stacy agree that this is the perfect pony  for you” she pointed to the white pony.  “This is Hope” said Mrs.  Lake.  “ I keep her in a different paddock because Queenie fights with her.  I just got her a week ago.  Then I found out I’m moving to Seattle with my sister, the day after tomorrow.  I can only take one pony, so I’m taking Queenie.  Would you like to adopt Hope?” Claire turned around and saw her parents.  “Can I?” she asked.  “Yes, you’ve earned it” said her dad.  “I’d love to!” Claire told Mrs.  Lake. “Here’s the money I owe you” said Mrs.  Lake.  “Bye!” Then she drove away. 

“Wow!” exclaimed Claire.  “My own pony!” The morning was very busy.  After Mrs.  Lake had left, Storm’s, Twixter’s, and Pearl’s owners came and got them.  “Wow!” Claire said to Stacy.  “Forty dollars and my very own pony!”  “I’ll go and get Heart” said Stacy.  “We can take Hope and her on a trail ride together.”  Then Claire went into the stable and got some brushes.  “Hope!” she called. Hope came running over to her.  Claire started grooming Hope, and then saddled her up. Soon she heard the clip-clop of hooves on the road.  She looked up and saw Stacy riding Heart into her yard.  “Let’s go!” Claire said as she mounted Hope.  “I packed a picnic lunch” said Stacy, as the two friends rode side by side.  “Great!” said Claire.  They took a new trail.  When it stopped, Claire and Stacy both gasped.  What they saw was dark green grass surrounding a small pond with a mini waterfall going into it.  Bright colored flowers were all around.  “It’s so beautiful!” exclaimed Stacy.  “Let’s call it happiness garden” said Claire.  “It can be our meeting place.”  “Good idea!” said Stacy.  Then they ate lunch and rode back. 

That night Claire went out to the paddock to say good-night to Hope.  Hope nuzzled her pocked.  “You’re right” laughed Claire.  “I have an apple for you.”  The next night Claire didn’t say good-night to Hope.  In the morning Claire ran out to the paddock to say sorry to Hope that she hadn’t gave her an apple.  But when she got there, Hope wasn’t there! Claire called Stacy and then ran inside to tell her parents.  Soon they were all outside, planning a search party.  “When I came here I heard a frightened whinny coming from the forest” said Stacy.  “That way!” shouted Claire.  The sound came again.  Claire followed it until she came to a horrifying sight, and burst into tears.  Her parents and Stacy rushed to her side.  They all saw Hope lying on the ground while a cougar attacked her. Claire’s dad got out his cell phone and said; “I’m calling the park ranger.”  Soon the park ranger’s red van came up behind them.  The park ranger and his assistant snuck up on the cougar and stuck a needle into it, to put it to sleep.  “He’s put to sleep” said the park ranger. 

“That pony needs to be taken to the vet” he added.  “I’m a vet so can I check her over?”  “Yes!” said Claire.  “By the way, my name is Dr.  Martin” said the vet before, he got to work.  After examining Hope , Dr.  Martin said; “Hope has bites that need to be stitched, and has  sprained the tendon in her right leg.  I’d like to take her to my animal hospital so I can operate on her.  She’ll have to stay overnight, then you can take her home.  Then Claire gave Dr.  Martin Hope’s halter and lead rope.  He coaxed Hope up, and led her into the horse trailer.  “Wait!” said Claire.  “Can me and my friend Stacy visit Hope tonight?”  “Of  course!” said Dr.  Martin.  Then he got into his car and drove away. 

“I wonder why Hope ran away” said Stacy.  Claire scanned the woods around her.  She saw an apple with bite marks on it lying on the ground.  “It’s my fault!” she blurted out.  “How?” asked Stacy.  “At night before I go to bed, I give Hope an apple.  That night I forgot to.  So Hope ran away to find one.  She found an apple tree right here, and got an apple.  She was on her way back home, when a cougar jumped out and started to attack her.”  “Oh” said Stacy. 

That night Claire and Stacy went to Dr.  Martin’s clinic.  “I’m going to see Hope” said Claire.  “I’ll wait here” said Stacy.  Claire went into Hope’s stall and told her she was sorry that this had happened to her.  Then she sang Hope a song.  The pony nickered and closed her eyes.  “I hope you’ll get better, Hope” said Claire, when she had finished the song.  Hope nickered as if to say; “I will.”

                                            The End

Coming soon: Claire, Stacy, Hope and Heart’s next adventure: A Time to Enjoy