Endeavor

Chapter 2

When my dad told me the surprise last night, I couldn't be anymore happy. I would finally be able to have a horse to call my own.

Although he gave me a maximum price of $3,000, I was sure I could find something for me. The first horse that came to mind was Isa, but I knew she would probably cost a ton, and they were not looking to sell her yet.

My thoughts slowly turned towards the direction of the nearest kill pen, and the horses inside of it. It would definitely be the place for me to find my horse. It was like I was being drawn towards it.

I quickly punched a number into my phone and waited for Alesia to pick up.

"Hey Maya, what's up?" I smiled as I heard my best friend's voice coming through the phone.

"Dad finally is letting me buy a horse! I am super excited and I've decided I'm going to go to the local kill pen and pick out a horse there. I was wondering if you could come with me?" I asked as I propped up my phone on my pillow and put it on speaker.

"Uh, of course! I'll be over in 10." Alesia hung up abruptly and I jumped out of bed to grab my outfit to bring with me.

In the end, I picked out a white polo and navy breeches to wear to pick out my horse. Right after we ship her, I was planning on taking her for a ride, depending on her condition. Even if I don't ride her, I still have my list of horses to ride for the day.

I yell to my mom that I'm going to go look at some horses and slip out of the house and into my garage. When I open the garage door, I see Alesia standing by the keypad, about to press enter. She smiles and gives me a thumbs up and jumps into the passenger seat of my truck.

I climb into the driver's seat and shake my hands nervously.

"What are you planning on looking for?" Alesia asked curiously.

"I was thinking a mare that is decently young. I'm also looking for good conformation and a nice color. Hopefully not really skinny or beat up, either." I said after a bit of thought.

"That might be a little hard, considering it is a kill pen. But then again, lots of different horses end up there." Alesia replied.

The rest of the ride consisted of excited chatter over my plans for the horse until we pulled up in the crowded grounds. Pens full of dirty horses surrounded us, and many nickered as Alesia and I stepped out of the car. A short man wobbled over to us from a dirty looking, white office.

"Howdy, my name's Chauncey Cross. I'm assuming you've come to look at some of these here things?" Chauncey spat, when he said things, he gestured at the horses behind him with a look of disgust.

"Yes, indeed we are. Can I see some of the mares you have?" I asked, trying to stay polite.

Chauncey grunted and started waddling over to a pen with around 20 horses crammed in it. I could see a red roan pony with ribs sticking out from her bony hide with a bay colt trying to nurse from her. We went through pen after pen of mares, until we came to the last pen that had 7 horses in it.