My crazy life

Chapter 1

It felt so comfy, the details so clear in my head, the newly oiled leather and the worn reigns. This was what home felt like. Although my fantasy of dreams was bothered by mother's startling voice, I could try to ignore it but I decided not to as she had probably been yelling at my other siblings as well. We are all very good at ignoring, I think it's called selective hearing... well that's what mum mumbles sometimes when no one will listen.

When I had finally willed my body to get out of bed and pull on the jeans I had worn yesterday the sun was up and the birds were chirping. I had definitely over slept, whoops mum will definitely be mad now.

I ran down stairs, maybe if I go fast but quiet no one will notice and I can slip out the door and down to the barn, before mum realises I'm up and gives me a job.

"Good morning Rebecca" damn it, Sam had seen me "Good morning Sam." I repeated to my annoying brother as I continued my trek to the door "did you say Rebecca is up sam" and there it was I had been busted my plan didn't work " yea I'm up mum" I said casually as I walked into the kitchen "great well I have some things I have to do in town today and I'm leaving in 20 minutes you can come if you hurry". Yes that meant I could look at the new hats in town, ollie my 2 year old brother had thrown it in the creek in the summer and I haven't had the time or the money to look for a new one yet. It was spring break now and I have decided its time to replace it and my birthday money is still sitting in my spotty piggy bank from a month ago.

I ran out the door toward the barn taring the rapper of the granola bar I had found on the bench. I knew I could get my chores done in record time and the twins were still sleeping so that gave me extra time.

The paddocks flew past the car window as we drove into town. I had my money in tow and my best shirt on. Mum was not to worked up yet which is always a good start to the day and the twins were sound asleep a great start to a shopping trip ( hopefully ).

" so what do you need while we are in town" I asked mum the silence was becoming unbearable, after a while she shied and said " we'll I have to get the grocery's and grandmas medicine which we have to drop of on the way home, then your brothers both need a new pair of jeans and Allie needs a new dress shirt for grandmas birthday. What about you ?" I was going to ask her when we went to get Allie a shirt but she asked so I told her my plan.

"Well I have decided to spend my birthday Money on an new hat so I was wondering if when we look for a shirt for Allie we could look for a hat for me?" I hope she says yes as other wise this was just going to be another trip I babysitting my younger siblings.

We walked into the grocery shop and the lady smiled at me while we got out two trolleys and bundled the little kids into the seats mum has the twins and I had Allie. We finally finished the long list and we hadn't had a tantrum yet although I knew it was bound to happen soon, mum was worried that she had left something off the list and the twins were fighting over the seat strap.

The chasher staired with huge eyes as we began to unpack our mountain of grocery's which would problem only last is a week. "So is this just for you guys" the casher asked as she checked the items into the computer one by one, " oh no I have two brothers at home to they are doing farm work" oh so that makes 6 kids wow your poor mother" I didn't know how to react everyone said something like that when I say I have 5 siblings, although you don't notice when it's your own family.

Finally we were on to our last job, getting Allie a shirt and me a hat. The twins haven't lost it yet so Maybe I will even have time to make a accurate decision. Normally I have to just grab the first one I see and run.

The man smiled at us as we walked through the door and I ran strait toward the hats. "I'll come over when I have chosen Allie a shirt" mum said kind of jokingly as I ran away from her I had a idea of which one I wanted although I didn't know for sure.

I finally worked my way thorough the rows of clothes racks and reached the very small selection of hats. We had never had a huge choice of hats so it made it easy. 

I had my options down to two and I really had to chose as I could hear mum coming and one of the twins was having a tantrum so I made my choice, it was a straw style 'cowgirl' hat and had thin leather stings and a feather on the end. I loved it.

Well when we finally managed to get out of the shop the twins were a mess and it was raining great, not ! We still had to stop at grandmas and drop off her medicine and mum wanted to show her Allie's shirt so Maybe I could show her my hat.

The dust churned behind us as we finally pulled into our drive way. Mum talked for ages at grandmas and then we had to Wait for some cattle on the road. When we got home sam ran out and yell at me to get inside the barn some thing was wrong with my horse Penelope.  I ran down from the hose an into the barn skidding to a stop just at the red wood door and swung it open, not stopping to close it I ran down the hall of stalls and stopped out side Penelope's stall unsure if I wanted to go into her stall and see her. Although the back of my brain yelled at me to go I as she needed me and I guess it was part of my role as a owner although I really didn't want to.

Mum rushed in after I don't know how long, I still had not willed myself to go in I knew jack and dad were in there.

Mum rushed over and grabbed me into a tight hug and I just cracked it into large sobs and I didn't know why. " it's ok she will be ok, come on Penelope needs you to help her through this".

I slowly walked over to the latch not wanting to lift my head and look at her yet. My hand shook as I unlocked the latch an I heard the hay shuffle.
I looked up slowly as I opened the door she looked bloated and was laying Down on her side and her legs lay limp.

Dad motioned for me to come closer and as I stepped she looked up at me and snorted as if to ask me to come closer and then her head dropped heavily back onto the hay. I stepped closer and lowered myself into the hay next to her head. " talk to her bec" jack said softly so I did the words came slowly almost stuck in my throat " please Penelope don't give up think of the things you will miss the green grass and the little bee's that play chase with you" I thought that if I mentioned all the things she loved maybe she would hold.

Suddenly the silence was broken by footsteps and dad lecturing someone if what Penelope's state was as the became closer I moved he head off my lap and stood up, Dr. Stewart walked in the familiar face calmed my racing heart as I knew he would do something about this mess.

It was 8pm and I still hadn't left the barn but I wasn't allowed into penny's stall In case my presence startled her. The latch was clicked and I jumped up startled out of my haze, doc walked out followed by dad.

"We'll missy you have a very sick horse although I am certain she will improve, I thinks she had colic but I took some tests and will get back to you as soon as I can with the results" my heart settled back to a solid beat "so no riding I guess" I asked questionably " no defiantly not and she will have to stay in her stall for a few days just to reduce the risk if infection then you can take her in small walks and in a couple of weeks she will be ready to ride again.