January Story Contest

Starfire

by skyberry & American Beauty

Age - 11

Part 1, STARFIRE

            The pounding of hooves, in unison to my heart, that surge of power. He turns his golden head and powers on. Suddenly, the crowd roars, snapping me back to reality. I am lead to the winner's circle, and the cameras flash. “You were amazing, boy!” I say to Starfire.  He lets out a sigh as the flowers are laid over his neck. Dismounting, I hug him. Leading him back to the stable, I talk to him. We walk into the stall, and I untack him.

“Out we go, let's walk you out, Star!”

As we are walking, he tries to stop and eat. “You are such a pig, boy!”

Laughing, I give him his well-deserved bucket of carrots. Leading him back in, he wants to drag me back for grass, but I trudge on, and he gives me one of his looks, “No, I’m not moving.” I shake some grain, and suddenly, he’s not glued anymore. I tie him up in the wash stall. Getting his bucket of brushes and soap, I notice someone left him a new bright blue halter.
               It looks gorgeous against his bay coat. He seems asleep as I groom him, so I grab some cool water and soap and start to lather him up. He snorts when I touch the water to him. I start laughing and he gets an indignant look in his eyes. “Oh, so now you are the king?”  I get him all soapy, and he shakes, splattering soap all over me. I swear, if he could smile and laugh, that's what he would be doing. I rinse him off and put a blanket over him, so he won't freeze. Taking him outside, I look up and see the many amazing stars, and think how lucky I am to own this amazing horse. I look down, Starfire is almost inhaling grass. “You are going to choke, silly goose, er, horse.”  I put him away in his stall, and let him sleep. So peaceful it is, when all you hear is munching. Oh my gosh! I almost forgot to give star his hay and grain! Slapping my forehead, I whisper, “I am so tupidsay!”(Pig Latin for stupid).  I grab an extra big portion, and give him his hay. Measuring his grain, he pokes his head over the door and pushes me. He gets a look like, “Are you ever going to feed me? You are starving me!” I finish measuring and pore it into his bucket. He gets a proud look, I leave him to it.

-Part 2, SATURDAY

           Racing, something so intense, I don't know. A cliff opens suddenly beneath me, AHHHH! Breathing heavy, I realize I awoke in my bedroom. Just a dream, just a dream...
I lie on my back, and thinking so confused, what was that? Red lights blink back at me, 2:34 am. I get out of bed and pad to the bathroom, connected to my bedroom. I splash the icy water on my face, and grab a towel, ambling back to my bedroom. I take out one of my books, and read...WAKE UP MIKAYLA! I sleepily open my eyes, thank god it’s Saturday. All ready 9:30, great. I smell bacon, the aroma fills the house, and sleep slides off me. I amble down the stairs and sit. Mom puts the breakfast before me, and I dig in. Mom laughs, “you can't be that hungry can you?” Getting dressed, I take off to the barn, to my beloved Starfire. Shrill whinnies fill the barn, and I say hello to all my favorites. “Hey there, mornin'”, the stable master says. I race-walk down to Starfire, he nuzzles me for treats. I slip a halter over his head and give him a carrot. “We gotta practice our speeds today, boy, lets go!” I tack him up, but he protests the girth. I give him my look that says “I MEAN IT.” He sucks in his stomach as I tighten the girth, I give him a pat. “Good boy.” He bumps me with his nose, as if to say, why so tight, I can't breathe! I imagine Starfire is thinking: Maybe she will slip under me again, like the first time she rode me!
 
               I take him out to the track, and trot him around once. Next I canter, finding his perfect spot in the saddle, where I won't fly. I feel his even rhythm, bumpety bump. Shortening the reins, I stand up and let him fly, his surge of power, mane flying, the hoof beats, once again controlling my heartbeat. Starfire so effortlessly picks up speed, “10 seconds a furlong we'll be Starfire!” I whisper. We gallop the bend, and too soon its over. I dismount, and walk him out. I groom him till his coat shines, and give him 3 big carrots. Back to the stall boy. I kiss him on the nose and leave, to see what may lie ahead of me this Saturday.
 
-Part 3, COLIC
 
               Driving home, I think about my ride with Starfire. Wishing that I could own him, if only, if only… SCREECH! CAPOW! I am jerked sideways; I scream “What's happening Mom?” “A Car just hit the one in front of us”, she yells. We start to slide, and I am jerked again as my mom frantically pulls us over. We fly to a stop. The finale jerk as mom puts the brake and jumps out. Bright orange flames engulf the car; a guy is being lifted into an ambulance. My mom calls home to let dad know that we are ok. We inspect the car and are glad to see only a scratch on the right side accompanied by a minor dent. We get back into the car  and drive till we reach home. Dad holds us tight when we jump out of the car. He whispers, “I don't know what I would do if you were the ones who were hit.”

That night, we listen to the news, and the car crash is being discussed. The person who was hit by the car survived and is in the hospital recovering from 2nd degree burns and a sprained knee. The other person died. He was drunk, and he swerved through 4 lanes of traffic before hitting. We sleep overnight, and I go to church. We pray that the person in the hospital is alright, and we are dismissed.

               I run over to the stable, only to be horrified. Starfire had gotten colic, and was in great pain. He had been lying down, and I hurriedly clipped a lead rope on, and called the vet. “Hello, Dr. Smith, my horse, er, um, Sunset Stable's horse Starfire has colic.” His voice answers  “Walk him till I get there, ok?” And he hung up. I walked him, but he showed a fear that I had never seen before in his gentle eyes. “It’s going to be alright boy”, but just then, he tried to collapse and lay there. I pulled him forward and made him walk. I heard a car door slam and walked Star over to Dr. Smith. Dr. Smith confirmed the colic, and gave him a pain reliever. “Walk him some more and see if he gets better” said the doctor. 2 hours later, I was still walking him, when Starfire got worse. He collapsed, and the vet rushed over. He decided that Starfire might have twisted his intestine, and it would take a lot to get him past. He underwent surgery that night. I never lost hope in my boy, and you know what? He survived. And now, I am in his stall, telling you this story. I own this horse legend. Starfire.

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