September Story Contest

Just Like Her Horse
By: Carly9
Age: 9

I want a black horse.
I'll name her Roxie.
And I'll never sell her.
Nor ever name her Spotchie.

Julie threw down her pencil and grunted. To think of it. She, Julia Princess Alexander, aged 14, couldn't even write a decent poem to enter in the yearly school contest. What's more, she wanted the prize so badly! The prize was a trip to a riding camp in the mountains called 'Lookout Point Riding Camp'. As long as she could remember, she had been horse crazy. She didn't mind being teased about THAT, but about her poetry! Humph! THAT was another thing.
"Is something wrong, honey?" Asked her mom.
"I'm fine." Julie replied, scrambling under her desk to find her pencil. Then she took out a piece of sketching paper and her colored pencils, and sat down again. She started to draw a horse. First came the head, then the mane, and on down to the tail. Then she took out her black colored pencil (which was very short by now) and colored it in. She leaned back and admired her work. She could almost hear the horse's hooves thumping on the ground. It was so real...

******

"Come on Flash! You can do it!" screamed Julie.
She was at the Grand National horse race in Liverpool, England. Crowds cheered as Coal-Black mare Flash dashed around the bend in the track. Suddenly, Flash stumbled, and her rider fell off! The crowd groaned. Julie Almost cried. 
"She's probably broken a leg", thought Julie "And if she has, She'll never race again!" 
And she had. "I'll sell her.", her owner said in disgust. "I won't buy that piece of trash", a man's voice mocked, "and no one else will either!"
Soon, the whole crowd was in an uproar, shouting their opinions.
"Can we but her, daddy?" Julie asked, holding her breath.
"Well," said her father, "well, I suppose that's a possibility. Yes, we'll buy her for you."
"Oh, Daddy!" cried Julie, practically choking her father with hugs.
"Under one circumstance." He continued, when there was silence.
"That you skip Christmas and birthday presents for 2 years."
"Oh, anything, Daddy!" replied Julie, and hugged her father again.

"Guess what, Chrissy!" Julie excitedly said into the phone. "Dad just got me a black horse and I'm gonna name her Roxie!" She told her the story of how she got the horse.
"Wow!" Chrissy said, "That's great! Have you got a poem for the school contest yet?"
"Never could, never will." replied Julie. There was a moment's silence. "You know," said Chrissy, breaking the silence, "You're just like your horse. You're not good as a poet, but as an artist. Your horse is not good as a racer (anymore), but as a friend."
"Just like Roxie." said Julie softly, "I never thought of that. Thanks. Thanks, Chrissy."

I hope you enjoy my story as much as I do writing it! :) ~ Carly9