January Story Contest

Three Sisters

by Microphone & Black Dawn

Age 11

 

Characters

Alison, Amy and Bella – the Three Sisters

Ginger, Sunflower and Twilight – the Normal Horses

Strawberry – the Magical Horse

Brambleclaw, Freedom, Snowflake, Shasta – the Extras

 

Prologue

"There will be three sisters who will have unimaginable powers and magical horses more powerful than any other."

 

Part One

Chapter One

Alison's Accident

 

"Bella, Amy – I'm going riding. I'm gonna practice the Cross-Country course," "Alison, wait a minute! I'm coming with you!" Bella called. Alison pulled on her helmet and protective vest and picked up Ginger's saddle. "Ginger!" She called. The chestnut gelding trotted towards her, his neon halter glowing. "Hey boy," Alison said, setting down the saddle. She took off the halter and hung it up carefully. "Stand still Ginger," she said, pulling on his bridle, "or we'll never go riding," Eventually Alison managed to tack Ginger, and swung herself into the saddle. "Oh dang – I forgot you're bell-boots." Alison said, and she dismounted, returning with two pinkish bell-boots. "Alison, are you done yet?" Bella had come trotting around the corner on Twilight, her grey Arabian mare. "Just the bell-boots left," Alison said. Bella waited until Alison had swung herself into the saddle before heading towards the gate. They trotted all the way to the Cross-Country course behind the stables. "You go first Alison," Bella said. "Alright," Alison nudged Ginger into a canter, which quickly sped to a gallop. And then Bella couldn't see Alison, just movement amongst the trees.

           "Come on Ginger!" Alison urged Ginger on, and he went faster. They were nearing the sharp turn near the cliff. It wasn't dangerous – there were three yards between the turn and the cliff. Suddenly it was upon them. Alison's eyes grew wide with horror. She yanked on Ginger's bridle to turn, but it was too late. Alison let out an ear-piercing scream as she tumbled down the cliff with Ginger. Then pain shot through her leg and head, and everything went black.

           Bella was waiting for Alison to finish, and she judged that she was near the sharp turn when she heard the scream. "Alison!" She screamed back, and kicked Twilight into a gallop. She wasted no time and took shortcuts throughout the course. After what felt like hours she reached the cliff. She looked down. "No! Alison!" She screamed. She turned Twilight down the steep path they used to get down into the meadow below. When she reached the meadow, she dismounted and ran to Alison's limp body. She was still breathing, but her leg was twisted and bloody, and blood streamed from a wound on her head. Bella picked Alison up, and put her on Twilight. She tied her to the saddle with a lead-rope. "Take her home Twilight," She commanded, and Twilight began climbing the cliff. Bella turned to face the other body on the floor by the cliff – a ginger chestnut horse. It let out a weak moan. Bella kneeled down beside it. Ginger's breathing was harsh and ragged. Bella looked sadly, tears forming in her eyes, at the saddle still on his back and the girth which dug into his flesh.. She unbuckled the girth and slid the saddle out from under the horse. Blood was staining the grass around him. She took off his bridle, and began to stroke him. Her hand turned red, and as it did so, Ginger let out another moan with a breath, and didn't take in anymore. His eyes glazed over and his head slumped to the ground. He was dead.

 

Chapter Two

Alison at the Hospital

 

Alison opened her eyes. Her vision was fuzzy, so she blinked them again until they cleared. "Alison? Can you hear me?" The voice drifted to her from far away. A face swam into view; Bella's face. Alison moaned, and tried to sit up. "No, stay down," Bella's voice was clear now. Alison turned her head towards her sister. She was sitting in a chair beside her bed. "Bella – Ginger-" Alison stopped. Speaking made her head hurt and her vision blurry. She suddenly became aware of pain in her leg and head. She reached up an arm to feel her head. It was heavily bandaged. "What happened?" She dared to speak. "Alison, don't speak. We'll explain everything when you're better. You're going to be okay," Bella reassured her. Alison felt blackness at the edges of her vision, and she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.

           After a week, Alison was sitting up in her bed. Bella visited her everyday, and Amy came too, but sometimes she had to take care of the horses and couldn't come. "Bella, what happened to me?" Bella sighed. "You fell down the cliff," Alison waited for more, but it didn't come so she said, "And? Wasn't I riding Ginger? I remember that much," "Alison, Ginger – well, he's-" "Tell me Bella," Bella didn't meet Alison's gaze. Tears were welling in her eyes. "Alison, Ginger – well, he didn’t make it," Bella spoke slowly. Alison stared at her. She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't until she had proof. But nonetheless tears trickled down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry Alison," Bella said, embracing her. "There was nothing I could do," "I know Bella, I know," Alison began sobbing into her sister's jacket.

 

Chapter Three

Alison Returns

 

After a month, the doctors said Alison could go home, but she wouldn't be able to ride for another month. Her leg, luckily, had had a clean break, so once it healed, she could ride. Bella came to pick her up. "Amy was out riding. She doesn't know you're coming home today," Bella said, helping Alison into the truck. "Here's your vest and helmet. They gave them to me when I visited you after –" Alison knew what she was going to say and finished, "burying Ginger. Bella, let's just go home."

           Bella parked the truck in its usual spot, and helped Alison out. She was still limping. As they made their way across the pasture, Amy came out of Brambleclaw's stall. "Alison!" She screamed excitedly. She ran towards her and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry I couldn't visit you! I've been busy. I didn't know you were coming back today! Oh Alison!" Amy was the oldest sister, at 18, but she acted like a mother, not a sister. She took on most of the responsibilities, but here she was like a child receiving a gift. Excited and happy, she was not her usual, business-like self.

Alison looked around, and spotted Ginger's stall at once. A red roan with a blaze and a sock stood there, gazing around, looking rather bored, with Ginger's neon halter on his head. "Who's that?" Alison broke apart from Amy and pointed. "That's Strawberry. Someone asked us to rescue him after your accident. They said they couldn't keep him anymore. I wouldn't have put him in your stall except that he's a stallion." Amy looked worried, as though she thought Alison might be angry with her. "It's okay. Ginger's dead. It's Strawberry's stall now," Alison said. "We can't live in the past."

 

Chapter Four

Alison Rides Again

 

After a month of just doing chores or staying in bed all day, Alison was finally able to ride again. But her mind swirled with uncertainty. Which horse to ride? Brambleclaw was too young and feisty for her right now, Freedom was in foal, Shasta was available, and so was Snowflake and Strawberry – it looked like Strawberry, Snowflake or Shasta. 'Shasta's ugly,' Alison thought, 'And Snowflake isn't nice. I'll ride Strawberry,' so she began to tack up the red roan stallion. "I'll come with you," "Me too," Bella and Amy noticed what she was doing and immediately began tacking up Sunflower and Twilight. "I want to go alone," Alison said firmly. Bella and Amy looked at each other. "Alright," Amy said, "But be back in an hour," "I need two," "Ok, two hours, no more," Amy finished, and continued tacking up Sunflower. "Bella, you and I can practice dressage. Sunflower needs some more training before the shows start, and Twilight could use some work too," Bella agreed, but watched as Alison walked off in the direction of the Cross-Country course. "I hope she doesn't try practicing cross-country – we've moved the turn farther in, but she's not ready for it," "Don't worry Bella – she's not stupid. She knows she can't handle it yet." Amy swung herself into the saddle. "Hurry up. I'll meet you there,"

           Alison walked Strawberry along the winding Cross-Country course trail. She reached the turn. She saw the broken piece of dirt that had fallen. It was like a rock, and a section had collapsed, and she had tried to turn, but Ginger had already been falling. The turn was no longer sharp, and from the start of the course, it was like a 'Z' with both turns together. Alison stared down at the meadow below Strawberry's hooves. She turned him towards the path that led down into the meadow. This was their land still, and sometimes they would put the mares 'in-foal' down here for better grazing lands. It was safe too. Mountain lions weren't in the area, and bears would die after the fall. 'Kind of like Ginger,' Alison couldn't help thinking. Berry had reached the meadow, and the soft, springy grass was inviting him to move onwards. "Whoa," Alison said, pulling on the reins. She took Ginger's old halter out of her English saddle bags and put it on Berry. She loosened his girth and tied him to a tree where she could see him, and he could graze. Then she proceeded to walk towards the stone that marked Ginger's grave. She had chosen the words written upon it. "Here lies a faithful friend and companion to Alison Roberts: Ginger. Goodbye, my friend – I won't forget you..." Tears welled in Alison's eyes, and she began to cry.

 

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