So, today is April Fool's day. I've got no reason to play any tricks or anything, so I thought I would share the first six pages of my daughters requested book: Lost and Found. For those of you new to blog, my daughter is 11, totally in love with horses, and requested I write a story just for her. Here's the first chapter. It's the first draft, so please excuse any errors you may find. Additional Disclaimer: This is the my first attempt at writing anything "childlike", so forgive me if you read/write this stuff and you see all my terrible mistakes.
Kelly Moore flung open her eyes and was delighted to see the sun shining through her curtains. Morning! She pushed the covers off and jumped out of bed, ignoring the sting on her foot when she stepped on her boot spur. Her mother had always told her not to leave those things lying around.
She limped from her room, wanting to run, but hampered by prick in her heel. Kelly stopped in front of her mother’s room long enough to tap on the door before letting herself in.
“Mom!” she called. “It’s today mom, it’s today!”
Kelly’s mother, Jaime, was already dressed and fixing her hair in front of her dresser. “Yes, dear. I know.” She put down the hairbrush and smiled brightly. “You’re excited aren’t you?”
“Excited? Excited isn’t even the word! This is going to be the BEST day ever!” Kelly squealed happily as she spun around and limped back into her bedroom as fast as she could. Darn spurs. She guessed that would teach her a lesson next time.
Still rushing, she threw on some old clothes, pulled a hairbrush through her long brown hair and slid on the boots that had attacked her foot that morning. Not even bothering with breakfast, she flew down the stairs and out the front door towards the barn.
She ran all the way, three-hundred-twenty yards to be exact, and she was huffing for air by the time she slide open the barn door. The summer heat was full blast even though it was still early morning and the humidity already had sweat dripping from Kelly’s face. She wiped the droplets of sweat with the sleeve of her shirt and rushed over to her horses stall.
“Good morning Rocket.” Kelly cracked open the door just as Rocket turned around and whinnied at her. Rocket pushed her nose right into Kelly’s face and she started to giggled. She reached up and stroked the mare’s thick neck and nuzzled her face.
“No, no Rocket.” Kelly playfully pushed Rocket’s head away when she tried to nibble some of Kelly’s hair. “You’re hungry aren’t you girl?”
Within seconds, Kelly had her arms full of hay and a bucket in her hand full of oats and sweet feed. Rocket started to prance around her stall.
“Easy girl,” Kelly said softly as she threw the hay into the stall and poured the feed mixture into the food bucket. “We don’t want you getting hurt before we compete today.” Rocket plunged her head into the food and Kelly laughed as she scratched the horse’s soft nose. Kelly loved her horse more than anything.
Rocket was a solid black quarter horse with a coat so shiny you would almost need sunglasses to shield your eyes on a bright day. The mare was beautiful with a long, full, mane, one speckled black eye and one blue, which was very rare with her coloring. She was thick bodied and built for endurance and speed. That’s what Kelly used her for: speed.
Kelly was a barrel racer and Rocket was her contesting horse. Rocket could run polls, flags, and keyhole as well, but she shined when she ran the barrels. It was in her heart, in her blood, and Kelly had worked long and hard to become the perfect teammate for Rocket. Together they accomplished things that people twice Kelly’s age couldn’t. At the young of fourteen, Kelly was practically just starting, but the connection she shared with Rocket made them almost unbeatable. Together they had won two state championships the last two years and this year Kelly was determined to not only win state, but nationals too. That would mean her and Rocket would be the best barrel racing team in her age group.
“There’s my girl.” Kelly whipped her head around and found her father, Darrell, standing in the bright doorway, the sun giving him the strong silhouette of a cowboy.
“Morning Daddy. I just fed Rocket her breakfast and then I’ll go work her out a bit.”
Darrell walked towards Kelly, his spurs clanging with each step. “Breakfast, uh? Mom says you ran out this morning without yours. Don’t you think you should eat too?”
Kelly wrinkled her face. “Awh, Dad. I’m not hungry right now. Rocket needs me.”
“Rocket needs to finish her breakfast, just as you need to go have yours.” Kelly frowned as her dad pushed her towards the house. “Scoot, mom’s fixing your favorite.”
Kelly’s eyes shot up. “Blueberry pancakes?”
“Yup, now run in, you can work with Rocket when you are done.”
Kelly ran into the house, sweat once again dripping from the heat. She plopped down at the table, thankful for the cool air in the kitchen. As fast as she could, she gulped down her orange juice and stuffed her stomach full of her mom’s delicious blueberry pancakes. They had more than just blueberries in them, they had raspberries too. Her mom said it was a ‘secret ingredient’, but Kelly figured out the secret along time ago. But they still were the best pancakes around. Too bad she ate this so fast she didn’t even have time to taste them.
“Thanks mom!”
Kelly ran out back outside to the barn and found the Rocket had finished her breakfast as well. And she had made quite the mess in her stall. Grumbling, Kelly walked over to the muck bucket and grabbed the pitch fork. She loved her horse, but man, she hated cleaning up those big piles of poop. She always did it though; she knew it was part of the responsibility of owning a horse. Plus, if she didn’t, her parents wouldn’t let her ride and that would be like the end of the world to Kelly.
With the stall clean as a whistle and her boots covered with sawdust, Kelly made her way to tack room and pulled down everything she would need to warm up Rocket. She placed the items on the rack right outside the stall. Rocket was getting excited again, neighing and blowing puffs of air out her nose. Rocket knew what they were getting ready to do. Rocket loved it. That’s another reason they made such a good team. Kelly knew her horse had to have the heart to run and race, otherwise she would never be good enough. She had to find that perfect combination of enthusiasm and speed. Skill helps too, but Kelly knew that could be taught. After all, her father was a rancher who grew up around horses and he knew a thing or two about training. It also helped that her mother had been a national barrel racer. Kelly guessed the sport was in her blood too, just like Rockets. Rockets mom was famous barrel racer; she still held the world record for the fastest time.
Kelly went into the stall and put on Rockets halter, attached the lead rope and maneuvered her way into the aisle way.
“That’s a good girl,” Kelly spoke softly to Rocket as she rubbed her hand over the mare’s cantle and ears. She hooked Rocket to the crossties and proceeded to tack her up. “We’ve got a big day a head of us, girl. I need to you focus and most importantly – have fun!”
“Kelly!”
At the sound of her dad’s voice, Kelly peeked under Rockets neck. “Over here dad!” She straightened up and gave on last tug on the girth, to make sure it was nice and tight. Last thing she wanted to do was have her saddle fall off when she was going around the barrels.
“Bout’ ready?” Darrell asked.
“Yup, just give me two more seconds and we’ll be good to go.” Kelly slipped of the halter and put the bridle on Rocket. “All set!” She led the mare to the outdoor arena, the morning sun heating up even more. “Man dad, it’s really bad out today.”
“Sure is. Let’s not work Rocket too hard, we don’t want her coming up sick before we leave.”
“Yeah, that would stink.” Kelly turned to face Rocket, propped her left foot in the stirrup and threw herself up into the saddle. She spent a few seconds readjusting and then shot of towards the barrels.
“Easy!” Her father called out.
She couldn’t help it, though. Once she got up on Rockets back, she went into the ‘zone.’ That special place she shared with Rocket when they moved as one. It was magical. Kelly eased back on the speed, knowing if she pushed hard Rocket would dehydrate from the heat.
They ran warm-up laps first, just trotting the clover pattern around the barrels. Then Kelly decided to run a few practice runs. She positioned herself at the end of the arena and lopped her horse in a few tights circles. Then she spread out and shot towards the first barrel, full speed, hair blowing in the wind.
“Ay-ya!” She yelled as she turned the first tight corner around the barrel and shot off toward the second. She rocked in her saddle, easily able to keep her balance. Smooth as silk, the turn on the second barrel was flawless. A firm kick to the mare’s side and she went full speed to the final barrel.
“Ay-ya!” Kelly yelled again. Rocket spun tightly around the barrel and straightened up, ready to go towards the finish line.
Kelly loosened her grip on the reins, raised up in her saddle a bit and yelled hee-ya! Rocket picked up a gallop and sprinted to the finished line. Once there, Kelly leaned back, dug her heels into her stirrups and said “Whoooa.” Rocket locked up her hind quarters and came to a dead halt in less than a second.
Wind blown and breathing excitedly, Kelly reached down and padded Rocket on the neck.
“Good girl.” Kelly rubbed her hands across Rocket’s sweat slicked hair. “I think that’s the best run we’ve ever done, girl.”
“She’s in top shape today.” Kelly looked up and saw her father walk towards them. “I timed ya’. That was the fastest run you’ve ever had. 14.45 seconds.”
Kelly flew off Rockets back and jumped for joy towards her father. “Really?” She squealed. “That’s awesome!” She patted the mare’s thick neck again. “Rocket, no one is going to be able to beat us this year. I promise.”
