April Story Contest
Summercamp
By: Microphone
Age: 12
CHAPTER ONE
My First OrdersA number. All I got was a number. And yet it was the most precious thing to me. The number on the sheet of paper was a gift.
The number was simply ‘14’, but to me it was the best number in the whole world. It was how many e-buddies I had. It was how many times I’d drawn horses in the last week. It was how old I was. And it was the number of the horse I’d be riding.
His name was Bluegrass, and he was a handsome blue roan Quarter Horse. Out of the 50 horses the stable owned, he was my favorite, though I’d ridden almost all of them.
Bluegrass would be my horse for an entire summer! Three whole months of riding and caring for him. To some that would seem daunting because he was energetic and mischievous, but that was why I liked him.
“Jasmine? Hey – Earth to Jasmine!” I started. My friend Abby was standing next to me.
“Who’d you get?” She asked.
“Bluegrass! Number 14!” I exclaimed.
“Awesome! I got Hannibal. He’s alright, but I’d have preferred Buttercup.”
Hannibal was a plain brown gelding with a snip. He was kind of a plodder, but when it came to barrel racing, he was energetic and quick and tried his hardest. Buttercup was my second favorite horse in the stable. She was a light buckskin mustang with a blaze and one white sock.
“Well, you’ll probably get second in barrel racing.” I said, trying to make Abby feel a bit better.
“Yeah. You’ll get first!” Abby grinned. “Bluegrass is impossible to beat. Even last year when Emily rode him, he won.”
I smiled. Emily hated Bluegrass. She had shut her eyes and just let Bluegrass run through everything. But Emily had only lasted three weeks. After that she left the stable and went home. She was not here this year either.
“Yeah. Then I started getting second on Sasha, and you got first on Buttercup.”
“Yep. I think Tammy got Buttercup this year. I guess she’s alright.”
“Who got Molly?” Molly was the oldest horse. She was an ugly liver chestnut with no markings and was extremely mean. Often she refused to start an event, digging in her heels and tensing her body, ready to buck at the slightest notice.
“I think Samantha got Molly – their temperaments match so maybe Molly will cooperate.” Abby replied.
“If you girls are done chatting, then go to Cabin 3. Unpack your things and then come in for supper.” Mia, the stable hand and camp helper interrupted us.
“Sure Mia,” I said. Abby and I made our way to Cabin 3. It was the largest cabin out of all twelve. Each cabin could fit four people, and every year all the cabins were full. Forty-eight people signed up for ‘Spring Stable’s Summer Camp’.
I’d been riding for seven years. I’d signed up for Summer Camp for six years. Every single year, the same people signed up for camp; Joey, Michael and Fred Hicks, Michelle and Adam Walker, Carla and Hannah Adamson, Brianna and Kit Westman, Amber and Samantha Tarp, Jill Hastings, Velma Nobin, Nina Myers, Sally Tea, and, of course, Abby Hope and myself, Jasmine Carter.
Two years ago Sally Tea traded places with Emily McDonald because she was in Florida visiting her sick grandmother, who passed away while she was there. This year I did not see Velma. There was a strange girl – I think her name was Rosie – in her place.
Every year we pick a number out of 50 and that is the number on the stall of the horse we’ll be riding.
Suddenly I found myself in front of Cabin 3. Abby entered first. Inside we found Michelle and Jill already claiming bunks. Luckily I still got my favorite bunk with the extra squishy mattress. It had clean white sheets, but no pillow. I pulled my pillow from my bag and placed it at the top of the bed.
“Aww... I get the worst bunk...” Jill suddenly realized that Abby had sneakily taken the third best bunk from right under her nose.
“Sorry Jill – better luck next time.” Abby said, and grinned.
It was rather unfortunate that Jill got the worst bunk in the cabin every year, simply because she took a long time to evaluate the comfort of each.
“Girls, supper in 5 minutes.” Mia was going from cabin to cabin, telling everyone about supper. By the time she got to Cabin 12, the first people had already begun eating their dinner.
I dumped my bag on my bunk and left the cabin with Michelle, Jill and Abby. We headed to the mess hall. The usual smell of delicious food drifted to us on the evening breeze. My stomach grumbled and I quickened my pace.
After dinner the evening was ours. We could go wherever we wanted, as long as it wasn’t into the woods. Technically we weren’t allowed to meet our horses before the lesson the next day, but since everybody knew every horse, it didn’t really matter.
I wondered which horse Rosie had gotten. She seemed like a newbie – someone who’d never ridden a horse in her life. Our riding level was part of the number picking. I was quite proud to find myself in the advanced section, along with Michelle, Brianna and Kit Westman, and several others. Abby was in the intermediate section, meaning we would not be going on trail rides together. Rosie was probably in the lowest group, and had a choice between Racer, an extremely slow gelding, Glitter, a cute pony with no personality, Light Bulb, a slightly perky mare, Wind, a plodder, and Jack, my favorite beginner horse.
Abby had had a choice between Dandy, a yellow/brown gelding, Griffon, a spunky bay mare, Arnold, a pathetic excuse for a horse, Richness, a rich bay mare, Party, a light grey, Hannibal, and several others. Buttercup was alternately entered in the intermediate and advanced. This year she had been entered in intermediate, which made Abby’s disappointment even more acute.
The camp coordinators had two horses of their own; Lasher and Max. Eve McDougal and Sam Black were always welcoming and friendly. The camp helpers had to bring their own horses and keep them in the spare barn. Mia owned a spooky black horse called Smoke Stack, and others like Harper and Jessie owned Tango and Glyph.“Eve, can I please go see Bluegrass? I haven’t ridden him in months!” I begged.
“Jasmine, you know that’s against the rules. Only Rosie gets to meet Jack tonight, because she’s never been here before, and she needs a boost. Come and watch.” Eve led the way to the large indoor arena and there I saw Rosie, looking slightly frightened, but very happy, sitting on Jack, the black beginner pony. Sam was standing beside her, leading Jack around.
“Would you like to try the trot again?” he asked.
“Oh yes!” Rosie exclaimed. “Can I try by myself?”
“Alright, but only down one wall. I’ll follow behind.” Sam said. Rosie kicked Jack gently in the ribs and he started his smooth, even trot. As she passed Molly’s stall the ugly mare screamed and kicked the door, spooking Jack and sending him into a fast canter. Rosie screamed.
“Rosie!” I yelled. “Turn his head to the wall!” Rosie yanked on the reins, making his head turn to the wall. Jack slowed and finally stopped.
“How did you know to do that, Jasmine?” Eve asked, astounded.
“I learned it by mistake. I think Molly started into a gallop, and I panicked and yanked the reins back, but the right rein must have been tighter, because her head swung to the wall and she stopped.” I explained.
“Jasmine, have you ever considered being a camp helper? I could use someone like you, and...” Here she paused, heightening the suspense. “You would be able to ride Bluegrass no matter what!”
I stared at her in shock. “What?”
“You’d also be paid for your help, either in free riding lessons or money. If you wanted you could work permanently.”
“But I thought all the positions were full!” I said.
“Well, Aaron’s not here anymore. He left to live with his parents in Tennessee. So, is it a deal?”
“Of course! Does it start this year?”
“If you want it too.” Eve smiled.
“Wow! I think I’ll use the money to save up for a horse!”
I ran back to Cabin 3. The other girls were there, talking and changing into PJs.
“Guess what!” I exclaimed as I burst through the door.
“You’re excited?” Michelle asked.
“No! Well, yes, but Eve just asked me to be a camp helper and a permanent stable hand! She’s going to pay me and I get to ride Bluegrass no matter what!”
The three girls stared at me in shock.
“But... Jas... How?” Abby finally managed.
“Well, Rosie was riding – she’s new so she needed a boost for tomorrow – and Jack spooked and I yelled at her what to do. Eve and Sam were there. So now I get a full refund for the camp and get paid instead!”
Abby was looking at the floor.
“Abby? What’s wrong?” I asked, noticing.
“Oh, nothing,” She said, looking up and attempting to smile.
“Abby, you’re my best friend. I think I can tell when something’s wrong.” I put my hands on my hips and stared at her.
“Alright... Walk with me...” She said, leading the way out of the cabin and into the evening. I followed.Abby was silent for a long time. When we reached the edge of the woods she turned to me and said.
“This is the last year I get to come here.”
“What? You mean summer camp? That stinks,” I said, feeling sorry for my friend.
“Yes, but I mean permanently. My parents can’t afford camp or lessons. That’s why I wanted Buttercup so badly.”
“Oh Abby! I can’t believe this! So, you aren’t gonna come here at all?”
Abby sighed. “I guess I could ask Eve for a position, but all of them are full, aren’t they?” It wasn’t really a question.
“I’ll give you my job!” I said.
“NO!” Abby yelled, sending the birds in the nearby tree squawking and fluttering off. “You keep your job. I’ll get by without horses.”
The next day was fun, despite my pity for Abby. Mia, Jessie, Harper and Tracey came and woke us up at 6. We had ten minutes to dress and prepare ourselves for breakfast.
I moaned as I pulled my riding breeches on. I was a bit sore, and I couldn’t think why because I had done nothing yesterday. I tucked my Summer Camp Rocks! shirt into my breeches and then pulled on my knee-high boots.
Though we barrel raced and did Western things, our main riding style was English, and we had English tack.
Abby and I made our way to the mess hall before any other girl. I knew that they were all messing with makeup and hairstyles. I really didn’t understand why the girls did that, because it takes forever and gets messed up anyway. I like to stick to a simple, low ponytail. Abby’s blonde hair is cropped short, so she doesn’t need to pull it back.
Breakfast was normal. Piles of toast and dishes of butter and jelly were scattered on every table. I knew what was coming and only ate two pieces. Then the cooks came out with platters of breakfast pizza and chocolate pudding, and I gorged myself on that, taking two pieces of pizza and several generous helpings of pudding.
“Alright! Now that everyone is well fed and happy let’s get down to business!” Eve stood on her chair so that everybody could see her. “Today we will be splitting into our groups and heading out on a training course. I would like to introduce you to Miss Jane Wheeler, who will take the beginner group, along with Harper. Sam will take the intermediate group with Jessie and Mia, and I will take the advanced group with Tracey and Jasmine.”
For a moment everyone let the words sink in, then there was whispering and muttering.
“Let me explain!” Eve said, holding up a hand. “Jasmine, come here.” she beckoned me and I stood up and walked towards her. “Jasmine has proven her readiness as a camp helper and a permanent stable hand. If she tells you to do something, then do it!”
The mutters continued throughout the day. I saw Samantha, the blonde ugly girl who was our enemy, whispering to her sister, Amber. Samantha was in the advanced group, and so was her sister. I knew I’d have my hands full with them.
Finally, when we had all assembled on our horses in our separate groups, Eve made the usual announcement to ours.
“Now, today, we’ll be taking our tents and camping for two nights near River Pond. While we are there, everyone should be calm and nice to each other. The horses will be kept in a pasture with a run in shelter. We will be working on outdoor cooking, camping and survival while we’re there. Jasmine, you’ve done this several times, so you will help Tracey learn how to teach the others.”
“Alright.”
“Now, when we get there, I will divide you into two groups. I will teach one, and Jasmine and Tracey will teach the other. Understand?” Eve stared at everybody in turn. Then she turned her horse, Lasher, and headed into the forest.
I turned in my saddle and waved goodbye to Abby. I saw her wave back, and then I’d been swallowed by the forest.