"You can't honestly think that this smelly creature is the answer to my problems. Your insain. I am NOT going to Tennessee and you can't force me to! I'm FINE!"
********************************
Their parents were killed. Their lives were about to c...
I woke up at four the next morning and pulled off my pajamas, folding Connor's t-shirt, and pulled on some skinny jeans, a tank top, and boots. Melody stirred in her sleep as I scribbled out a note letting her know I was going to work with Renegade. I left the room, quietly closing the door behind me, and padded softly down the hall to Connor's room. Quietly, I opened the door and set his shirt on his desk by the door before closing his door and going to the barn. The tack room smelled like clean leather and saddle soap with a small amount of carrots.
Grabbing a few carrots and Renegade's halter, I walked to the round pen and whispered.
"Hey boy." His ears perked toward me.
He walked over, quickly devouring the carrot and letting me put on his halter. I led him to the barn, clipped him in the cross ties, and began grooming him. His body was covered in dried mud and I decided a bath was a better idea, so I led him to the wash stall with my pockets loaded full of carrots.
He walked into the stall without much of a fight, but once the water was on, he was jumpy. Starting with his hooves, I fed him carrots while I worked the sprayer up his body slowly. He relaxed and once he was hosed down, I grabbed the shampoo, put a generous amount on the sponge, and began lathering his body with it.
He stood patiently while I shampooed his entire body and rinsed him off again. I then used the conditioner and used the same process before rinsing him off and using the sweat scraper to get off the excess water. I led him out to the isle again and clipped him in the cross ties. Running to the tack room, I grabbed his brand new mint green cooler, a carrot, and a Gatorade from the mini fridge in the tack room. His black and white paint coat was bright and clean as I covered him with the cooling blanket and gave him the carrot.
The sun was just starting to come up when I decided I was going to try to saddle him, so I walked into the tack room, grabbed a new mint green dressage pad, a dressage saddle, and a black fuzzy extended girth. When I got to him, I set the saddle on a saddle stand, put the girth on the tack trunk beside it, and let him sniff the saddle pad. When he was no longer interested in it, I gently set it on his back. He jumped slightly at the object on his back, but relaxed and stood still. I repeated the same process with the saddle and he pranced nervously at the weight he wasn't used to as I gently did up the girth. He wasn't cinchy as much as scared so when he was finished, I grabbed his lead rope, un clipped the cross ties, and led him to the indoor arena. When we got there, I grabbed the lunge line clipped it to his halter, undid his lead rope, and flicked the lunge whip to get him into a walk. He took off at a trot, then I let him go into a canter. His ears perked forward and he gave a happy kick. His flowing moves covered the sand and I let him know he was okay to slow down.
Renegade was relaxed, his head and neck low enough to show his relaxation and his ear was toward me, listening to my voice. I too was relaxed, a smile on my face as I watched the beauty before me.
"Whoa, Renegade." I finally said when I finished lunging him in both directions.
I un-clipped the lunge line and led him out of the ring with his lead rope. Knowing he deserved a treat, I grabbed an apple, a single peppermint, and a few sugar cubes. He wasn't sweaty so I un-tacked him and brushed him down while I gave him his treats and a large bucket of water.
Renegade looked content and I decided to take him for a walk on the trail. He followed behind me to the trail and we being walking. We are soon passing the spot that Redemption took me to and that's when it hits me. The acrid smell of booze hits my nose and I instantly find myself curious to see where it's coming from, so I tied Renegade to a tree and pushed past the bushes. When I enter the small clearing, a skinny girl wearing blue skinny jeans, a black tank top, and black converse. She was about mid height with long brown hair pulled into a ponytail but it was her eyes that intrigued me. One was an icy blue and the other a deep sea green. She smiles in my direction before asking, "Who are you?"
"Um.. sorry. My name is Shasta. Who are you?" I echo her previous question.
"Horse. Hayley Horse. Odd last name I know but whadda ya gonna do." She slurs slightly.
"Come on, I'll walk back with you." I offer, my eyes glued to the bottle of alcohol in her hand.
Hayley nods and gets up, following me to get Renegade. We walk for a while before she pipes up again.
"Whadda you in for, Huh? You seem okay to me." Hayley asks, her sobriety coming back now.
"My sister and I live with our social worker and she sent us here but I would rather not talk about it..." I say lowly.
"Oh. Okay. Well, I'm in because I've got 'behavioral issues'," Hayley used air quotes." I've been in foster homes for as long as I can remember. Never did know my parents and I love running but someone always catches me. I also got expelled for beating the crap out of a girl named Christy. She's a right bitch that one. I honestly hate foster parents. I once shaved one of my foster moms head.. and a few foster homes ago I rode a horse named Hanna. I got better for a while but I never stay in foster homes for longer than six months because no one wants to put up with me... I miss Hanna."
Hayley's story had me at a loss for words. Here was someone, an orphan for all intents and purposes, who was alot like me. But one question came into my empty mouth.
"What do you want in your future?" Why that question popped into my head I will never know but her answer shocked and intrigued me more that her eyes. It was one simple word: Love.
"That's what I want more than anything." She sighed.
"You know what, Hayley? We are more alike than you might think and when I feel ready to tell my story, I'll definitely let you know." I said, smiling brightly at her.
"Okay." Her bright sober smile made me smile again.
We walked in silence the rest of the way to the barn where she went to go find her horse. After I put Renegade back into the round pen, I walked in the direction Hayley had gone. I found her by a gorgeous black mare who's name plate read 'Melody Of The Heart.'
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"What breed is she?" I asked.
"Arabian Boerperd cross." She answered.
"She's gorgeous." I said. "I have to go find my little sister so I will see you later."
"What's her name?" She asked me.
"Who? My sister?" I replied. She nodded.
"Oddly enough, her name is Melody." I answered, then I turned and began to look for Melody.
Before I found her though, Connor found me, handing me the shirt I had left in his room.
"I gave this to you. You can keep it." He smiled, pulling me into a hug.
"Thank you." I answered, feeling like a child.
"Do you want to go on a trail ride?" He asked me, letting me go.
"Actually, I want to talk to you. But not here. Somewhere more private. I have a lot to tell you and I think I'm ready to explain now... Sort of." I said, my mind playing and replaying that night.
"Okay. Let's go. I know the perfect place." He said, his eyes curious, worried, and sad all at once.
