Cowboy's Salvation

Hunter

All 16 hired hands and Andi managed to keep busy with the 2 dozen or so horses. doesn't seem it should take that much work, just sorting and branding horses. I almost  wanted to try my hand at it, and that roan.

   An old truck pulled down the long driveway, the sort of dusty old work truck everyone drives around here.

   A girl I had never seen before stepped out. She was about the same age as me and Andi and had long black hair. She walked up to the fence and Andi rode up along side her. "hey, Lee" she called, "bout time you showed up around here again. Lee just smiled "need any help?" she asked. " sure, saddle a horse" Andi called back.

   She walked away, presumably to saddle a horse. I continued to watch the horses, almost wondering who she was but I didn't really care.

   She returned riding a black horse "desides to come back,huh little sis" Lurch called. "always bro" she called back to him. I wonder where she came back from, but decide I dpn't care.

   "what do ya think?" aunt susan said behind me. I jumped slightly, having not noticed she was there.

   I shrugged. "maybe you could ride a horse" she suggested. I didn't really like horses but ther was nothing else to do on this stupid ranch. At home I would skate board with friends or hand out on the beach. "maybe" I mumbled. "i'm sure anyone of the hands would help you" well, I sure as hell wasnt gonna ask them for help.

   I watched the roan kick out at a rider, narrowly missing. Most of the work was done for the day. As the hands untacked their horses I stood watching the roan insistently run around the corral. " It's useless" I said to him "you'll never escape, why bother trying" The horse kicked out at the frnce then reared in frustration, then proceded to run in the opisite direction, as if that would work. Aunt susan rang the dinner bell (seriously, an honest to God dinner bell, on the front porch,like in the movies) "stupid horse, give it up" i said turning to the house for supper. Several cowhands were washing their hands in a trough outside. I walked right in. They took of their shoes at the door and hung up their hats. Theses ranch people sure were a cheerful bunch, living just like cowboys in movies and the same hospitality, love thy neighbors type additude. We sat down and, only after saying grace, ate  biscuits, beans, and such. Everyone talked cheerfully, saying which horses they like and wether they should bother braking that roan. Some though he was good breeding stock and should be turned out, others though they were always in need of a good saddle horse, and others it was a challenge, they loved breaking horses. seems to me it'd just be more work, but none of the hands shied from hard work.

   Whoo! two chapters in a day, I'm on a roll! Hope ya'll like it so far, more coming soon, I promise.