Race With the Wind

Chapter 39

They carry Calumbo's motionless body to the field. Sean uses his quad and trailer to do so. We all follow behind. The body is covered in a white sheet. Leona and Cara walk in front of us. Mine and Cara's relationship has been going good. We are back to being friends. She is talking to me. Not today though. It is the day after Calumbo's death. Sarah walks beside me. She scratches my wither. We head out into the field. There is a hole that Sean dug out. We all stop in front of it. Sarah and Sean carefully place the heavy body into the pit by using wood. We all stare at his body. Sarah takes of the white sheet. Calumbo wears his old indoor rug. Sean picks up his flute and starts to play old Irish music. I learned that Calumbo had served the army. He showjumped for them but later he became a racer. ''I never knew this big bay. We never were friends. He looked forward to see me walk in with a bucket of hot feed and a brush to groom him with. I would brush him for ten minutes, taking in his thoroughbred shape. He was what my friend Leona needed''. Sarah says to us all. Sean plays the flute staring at the ground. Leona walks up in front of Calumbo. ''His name was Calumbo. He...he was all I had left of my older sister. We used to do everything with him. I don't know a lot about his background but, he served the Irish army and he moved on to racing. When I seen him I thought he was the one for me and my sister. He was filled with life. Life that I wanted to see everyday. I will not see that life anymore. I have my other horses. They will keep me going. I have Sarah and Sean too''. Leona says to us. Leona pats Calumbo's neck and whispers goodbye. She walks up to Cara and hugs her. Sean stops playing the flute. ''I never knew much about this lad. He always greeted me though when I walked into the barn. A good horse''. Sean says. I look over at Glic. She doesn't have her head down at all. She served for the police. She stood tall and proud. Sarah walks up to Calumbo and salutes. She slowly lifts her hand to her forehead. She pats Calumbo and Sean starts to cover the body up. Sarah lined stones around the grave. Leona placed flowers and his headcollar. Sarah stuck a piece of wood in the shape of a cross into the ground and it said 'a good horse that will roam free all over Dolanstown'. Sean, Sarah and Leona leave us all there. We all stare at the grave that has our friend there. The leaves of the apple tree block the sunlight. Glic walks up to the grave. She stands in front of us all. She picks her head up high. ''He showjumped for the army. That's brilliant. He showjumped for his country. He was quiet and didn't say much about himself. He was quite grumpy and he had a hard life. He told me when he seen Scooter. He said there is something about her. They way she gallops. She is free. When she talks, she is free. Calumbo had a heart. He cared. He didn't show it though. In the inside he cared''. Glic says. She bows to the grave. ''To Calumbo''. Glic says. ''To Calumbo''. We say quietly. Cara stands still beside me. She looks over at me. ''Can you say something about him? I don't want to''. She asks quietly. ''Sure''. I answer. She looks at me kindly. I see her eyes glimmer for that little second. I walk up and stare at the grave. It is outlined with stones. It has a little wooden cross standing out of it. It is decorated with flowers and it is under the apple tree. I look up and I see a red apple. It is juicy and big. I leap up for it. I grab it in my mouth and I place down beside the grave. ''A present from all of us. I thought you were just a grumpy horse that hated everyone. You had a reason to do so. After my fathers death you wouldn't trust any horse. You locked Cara out when you noticed that you started to trust again. I'm surprised you didn't lock me out. I know why. You seen that I act like my father so much. You believed that my father was inside me. You found out that my father was, I believe he still is. You then decided to come out of your shell. You seen the way I trust all of my friends here. You were about to make a move for Cara and apologise. It was to late though. Calumbo told me to tell Cara that he is sorry and he has always loved her, even when he locked you out. He wants you Cara to forgive him. I'm sorry Calumbo. I wish I've known you longer''. I say quietly. I still see those bright eyes staring at me. Those bright eyes that I have seen very little. Those bright eyes that could have possibly looked my father's bright eyes. Cara looks at me thankfully.

My hooves pound the ground. Sarah sits low on my back. She loosens her leg grip and I lengthen my stride. This race is coming soon. It's been a two weeks after Calumbo's burial. We have all been quiet but, we are all talking to each other and getting used to not having him around us. I pant and grunt. My fitness has been getting much better. I could gallop for miles. The race is in two weeks. I'm feeling nervous already. I have to board a boat to England and travel to Aintree Racecourse. The Sky Princess has been winning every race. She is The Queen Of Fillies. Sarah wants to race me but Leona wants to surprise the crowd. Sarah told the newspapers that I will be there. She said I will win this. It's all over the papers. The war between us. I come back to reality and I pass the finish line. Sarah urges me on though for a second lap. She loosens more. ''Come on girl! Lets get rolling!''. She says to me. She gives me rein and I sprint on. My feet thud the ground and I flick the sand up. I gallop strongly. We reach the 800 metre post and I leap into a gallop. I gallop faster and faster. Sarah sits light. My heart is thudding in my chest. My breathing is hard. I keep running though. We pass the finish line at a fast sprint. Leona starts to clap and I pant and grunt as we slow down. ''She is ready''. Leona says smiling. She has been doing good after Calumbo's death. She has been doing a lot of flatwork with her new horse Soul. Soul is quite an awesome horse. She came from America. She was bred there. She is a Friesan cross with a paint horse. She is brilliant at faltwork. She told me all about the great racehorse that lived in America. They do flattacing instead of steeplechasing. I found it very interesting. She told me about Secretariat, Ruffian and Sea Biscuit. She said they were racing legends. She also told me about the modern racehorse American Pharaoh. She said all of these horses won their races. Some of them won Triple Crown. That is very interesting. I wish that I could easily win my races just like them. Soul said I will get there. Soul is very nice. A new friend!

''You're definitely ready''. Sarah says as she gives me my food. I munch it down as she secures a rug on me. Her dad hasn't returned for a long time. Sarah didn't say much about it though. ''Please Scooter! It's my dream! They need to know you are a good horse! You are! Please Scooter, together just you and I can do this''. Sarah says. I stop munching down my food and look at her. I know we are ready. The people know we are ready. We have their attention. It is battle between The Sky Princess and us. We will win this battle though. Calumbo knows I can. Sarah knows I can. My friends know I can. My mother and father too. I was given this life for a reason. To run and be free on the course. To enjoy myself and Sarah. The Sky Princess has no hope of winning us. I can feel it in my bones and heart. Sarah kisses me goodnight and I continue to eat my food. The Sky Princess doesn't know where I am at the moment. I know where she is at. She will have one big surprise when I show up on the course. She thinks I'm dead. I'm still alive though. Revenge will feel good, I hope!

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Hey guys hope you enjoyed!
I know it is a bit boring at the moment!
But! The Race is coming up!
Will Sarah and her dad be friends again!
Will Scooter be able to race The Sky Princess!
This book will be ending soon! I'm trying to avoid ending it early though! I'm trying to fit in as many possible chapters as I can!
Thank you for your support guys❤️❤️
Anyways guys! I'll see ya's in the next chapter!!!
Goodnight guys!🐴🐴❤️❤️