Rumor Has It

Ch. 24 ~Rumor's Story

Lizzy's POV

Sandy looked at me, and something flashed in her eyes. "The animal hospital is just down the road, if you would like to go see the horse," she said.

I looked at Aunt Steph and Uncle Pat with wide, begging eyes. Aunt Steph bit her lip and looked at Uncle Pat. He stared me down, then finally said, "Okay."

"YES! Thank you so much I'll be back soon I promise!" I babbled on.

Sandy got another worker to help my family, and then I followed her to their white BLM truck. I hopped in the front seat, and then looked at Sandy. She had tan skin, and dark brownish-blackish long hair that was pulled back into a low ponytail. She was very pretty.

"So, you're interested in this buckskin stallion?" Sandy asks me.

"Yeah, if it's the horse I'm thinking of, then we have been through a lot," I confessed.

"Like what?" she asked me.

"Well," I started, debating whether or not to tell her what happened. I decided that I will tell her; maybe she can help somehow.

I told her the whole story. How I heard his rumor, and then about Periwinkle, and Crackers, and Mr. Bentley. She listened, letting me vent on and on about the wild horse I loved.

When I finally finished the story, she just nodded. "Sorry, that was a lot," I said.

"No! It's fine. But the rumor about him, is it true?" Sandy asked.

"I believe so. His herd is the only herd that anybody's seen in Oregon for years," I said truthfully.

"Hmm," she hummed, deep in thought. I looked out the window as we pulled into the animal hospital's driveway. "Here we are."

Sandy parked the car, and I hopped out, searching for a stable behind the main building. I failed to see one, so I followed Sandy as we walked into the main building.

I looked around the animal hospital. It was fairly small. It had lot's of chairs and couches. There were desks along one wall, with doors behind them. I assumed those were rooms where animals were checked up on, or had surgery. There was an area with a coffee machine, and in the corner, there was a big cage with 3, cute, little kittens in it. I smiled when I saw them. One was sleeping in a bed, and the other two were playing with a pink ball.

We waited in line, and then when it was our turn to approach the desk, Sandy told the secretary, "We are here to check up on the buckskin mustang stallion from the BLM."

"Okay, take these passes, and go through that door, and then out to the stables," the secretary lady said with a wide smile.

"Thank you very much," Sandy said, and grabbed the passes. I followed her through the farthest door, which led to a room with many windows, and another desk. We gave the lady at the desk our passes, then went outside to a tiny stable.

As we walked into the stable, my heart raced. Please let it be Rumor! I thought in my head as we stopped at a stall.

I peered into the stall, and standing there was a sedated, sleepy-eyed, buckskin stallion mustang, with a splint/cast type thing on his left, front leg. It was Rumor.

When he realized there were people there, he looked at us, and pinned his ears back. "Rumor," I cooed quietly, and when he heard me, his ears pricked toward me, and he lifted his elegant head up. He gave a throaty nicker, and again, I said, "Rumor." He hobbled over to me, and I carefully stuck my hand through the bars of the stall to let him smell me. His nostrils flared as he took in my familiar sent, and then I felt the soft, velvety fur of a horse's muzzle on my hand.

***

A/N: I know this is a short chapter, but I liked how it ended here. how do you guys like this book? honestly, I think its one of my better stories, but that's just me. this one and the first NBACF are my favorites. but I'm feeling good about one of the books that I'm planning:)) I'm getting excited about it!

Random question: what is your favorite movie?

I absolutely LOVE Spirit, Flicka, The Black Stallion, really any horse movie you can think of. I also really like the movie Jaws, and all of the Jurassic Park movies. I saw Jurassic World, and I LOVED it!! I really like dinosaurs. and horses of course!

Ok guys bye! ~Kate