June 2009 Story Contest

Angel, my best friend by Catstem

I am Mary-fay Janes. My horse is a palomino named Angel. Boy is she perfect! I was on the trail riding her with a little Golden Retriever puppy named Fluffy tagging alongside when Angel tripped over some rocks and fell down. She toppled and lay there, frozen. Her flexor tendon was scratched. I got off and pulled her gently up onto her feet. I walked her back home and into her stall. I washed her scratches with a wash towel that was wet with warm water. Then I put some medicine that wouldn't sting over it, and bandaged the scratch. She just laid there, horrifying me. Fluffy went up and put her head on Angel's stomach. I smiled at the sight of a little puppy cuddling with a big fat palomino horse. She was fatter than usual, I had noticed that earlier. I thought she was fattened up from eating, but no, I realized now that it was something different. I called my dad, because he was a horse vet. He came rushing into Angel's stall. I gave him a bucket of water and Angel's favorite blanket.

My dad did all this stuff on her. He told me it was called Foal Test( That's just what he called it. It's really something different). He stood up.

"Daddy I'm really worried. Is she okay?" I whispered, my voice shaking just like I was.

"She's going to have a foal Mary-fay. There's nothing to prevent her," my dad answered.

"Angel," I whispered so only I could hear. "Please be okay. I want this to be a successful foal." Tears filled up my eyes as my dad put his arms around me and rocked side to side. He sang about the meadows and forests. I couldn't keep my tears in anymore. One slipped down my face like a waterfall. I started squeaking, and my dad heard me.

"Don't cry Mary-fay, I'm ninety-nine percent sure that foal's going to be successful. It'll be okay," said my dad's gentle, comforting voice. I stopped crying. I stared at the palomino with her blanket over her and her water right there. I was staring at a palomino that was going to have a foal.

My dad left and came back with a blanket. He wrapped it around me and said,"You can sleep here tonight. Here's a pillow." He handed me a little pillow that had been made by my mother. I laid down next to Angel as my dad closed the door of the stall and left to go inside. I fell asleep thinking about Angel's foal.

I woke up at 1:02 in the morning to loud whinnies. Uh oh, I thought. The foal was being born! I stood up immediately and watched. The whinnies got louder. Something started coming out of Angel. Before I knew it, a whole foal had come out of Angel's body. Everything was quiet. Angel started licking her foal. I realized that the young beauty needed a name.

"What suits you little one?" I asked. The foal let out a little baby whinny. "Almost there. You still have a little hill before you reach the horse whinny," I said. "Nauna!" I half-shouted. "Nauna fits you my little filly!" I smiled. Oh Nauna, I thought. I am so glad God sent you into the world. I laid back down with Angel and Nauna and fell asleep.

"Mary? Mary-fay! Mary-fay Janes, get up!" snapped my older sister. I woke up and frowned at Missy.

"I slept the night in a horse stall so don't push me," I answered.

"You have riding practice at 10:00 and it's 9:12 already and you're only half awake!" Missy shouted.

"Tell Cathrine that I'm going to be late because Nauna, Angel's foal, was born last night," I told her. Once Missy had left I whispered," 14 year old girls." At 10:00 I was all ready for riding practice with Cathrine.

Angel, Fluffy, and Nauna all followed behind me as I walked down to lessons.

"Ten minutes late won't mind a bit. Especially if a foal was born last night. Congratulations Mary," said Cathrine.

"No Cathy. Don't congratulate me, congratulate Angel," I answered. "Angel, my best friend."

After lessons I went riding with a puppy and a filly tagging alongside. We rode through the forest but stopped at a bush. We heard crackling and the bush moved. An orange bushy tail peeked out. Then a paw. Soon a whole red fox. I got off of Angel and tied her and Nauna to a tree.

Fluffy stayed with them while I walked over and picked up the red fox. I looked into his eyes. Oh, I knew he would come along too. So I took the red fox and he sat in front me as we rode back home. I put him on my bed in my room. I walked into the kitchen and asked my dad if I could keep the fox just for a while.

"No Mary-fay. He doesn't belong here," said my dad.

"But Daddy-"

I was cut off by my dad. "No you may not keep him. Do I make myself clear Mary-fay Janes?"

I frowned. Yes, but-"

Missy stood up. "No buts Mary-fay Hiya Janes!" she shouted.

"Just here for three days! He's sick Daddy, please!"

My dad turned to me. "He's sick?"

I nodded. We went upstairs and Missy's mouth fell open. The bushy tailed fox lay on my bed asleep.

"Not only am I a horse vet, I'm an official vet," said my dad.

"After we've let him free can I visit on my trail rides?" I asked.

"When he's free you can visit him whenever you want," my dad answered.

"Can I name him?" I asked.

"Yes," answered my dad.

"Foxglove," I declared. My dad smiled. Once Foxglove was let free I would visit him every day and bring him a single chicken, and when it rained he would hide in a rock cave Angel had found for him. Angel, Nauna, and Fluffy were my true best friends, and I liked it that way. My life was as perfect as can be.