SADDLE OF LIFE--MY FICTIONAL STORY--Chapter 1-5

CHAPTER ONE “Preperation”
I started my day off like always: cleaning out Adrenaline’s stall and brushing him. Today I haltered him and clipped on his lead rope. Mom came in carrying the blankets and I picked out the blue one to go with his white coat. Adrenaline was an arabian quarter horse mix with a white coat and pretty blue eyes, and he was built like a quarter horse, with and arch in his neck from his arab side. He stood 16 feet from his hooves to his withers. As usual, his ears were pricked and his eyes were wide open with curiosity. Mom loaded the english and western saddle into the trailor and dad picked up two bags of grain and put them in the back of the truck with the four hay bales he loaded in the night before. Mom grabbed an extra halter and lead rope.
“Mom, the bridles?”
“Oh, yeah. Which one do you want to use?”
“Grab the hackmore and the one with the black leather, to go with the saddles. Oh, and please grab the blue saddle pad for the western saddle and the white pad for the english.”
I watched as dad grabbed the grooming kit.
“Anything else?” Dad had loaded the kit and was watching me lead Adrenaline in a circle to calm his nerves.
“Umm, the mouthwash?”
“Loaded.”
“Extra girths?”
“Loaded.”
“Bug spray?”
“Loaded.”
“Two horse blankets?”
“Loaded.”
“I don’t think we’ll be needing anything else.”
“Hoof kit?” was all dad asked.
“Sure.”
Mother loaded it and daddy opened the trailer door and I loaded Adrenaline. He snorted and settled in for the long ride.
Chapter two, “the trip”
Adrenaline nickered through the little windows in the trailer and then snorted to show his annoyance, he hated small spaces. I chuckled silently as I got into the truck and settled down and buckled up. We drove onto the highway and drove through town. We left the small town of Orville and drove toward the OrSwitt Mountain range. I opened the window and heard Adrenaline neigh and stamp his foot on the floor of the trailer. I stuck my head out a bit and let the wind tangle my hair pull at my face. I laughed and pulled my head back in. I fell asleep just as we passed OrSwitt lake. Next thing I know, I wake up and we are in Heather Junction. We stay at the hotel that night, one with a stable and paddock for Adrenaline to run around in. The next day, just as we are leaving and I was dosing in the back of the truck, mom screams and horns are honking and there is this huge collision and dad is knocked back. The last thing I hear is Adrenaline’s scream.
CHAPTER THREE healing
I wake up to see a doctor coming in the door.
I blinked and asked, “Where’s mother and daddy?”
A scream pierced through my memory. “Where’s Adrenaline?”
“Aw, Miss Henning, I see you’ve woken up. Your mother and daddy are in the ICU and both are in comas. I’m going to ask you some questions that couldn’t be answered.”
“OK.”
“What is your age?”
“15.”
“Full name?”
“Alisa May Henning.”
“Birthdate?”
“June 10th 1995.”
“Hm, thanks.”
“No prob.”
I turn my face away from him and stare at the wall. A single tear crawls down my face.
“Doc, you didn’t answer my last question…where’s Adrenaline?”
“At the animal hospital retrieving treatment.”
“How bad was he hurt?”
“The vet called and said he had scratches, and his forelegs are both broken.”
My cheeks flushed red with anger.
“DON’T YOU DARE PUT HIM DOWN!!!!”
Just then the vet walked in. He looked at me and sighed, shaking his head.
“Adrenaline was hurt badly and the fact we have to face is, he might not make it.”
I was crying like a waterfall now. I glared at the vet and he looked back.
“Don’t you dare kill my horse.”
He sighed and shifted his weight to the right foot.
“We’re going to try our best to help him recover.”
“How’re you feeding him?”
“Grain with vegetable oil to help gain weight, half bale during morning, that other half in the noon. He just woke up two days ago, and he should be fine. He’s been eating.”
“Head injuries?”
“Nope.”
“How long will it take him to heal?”
He had no answer.
CHAPTER FOUR, “information”
I stared at the vet, probably with pure hatred in my eyes. He stared back relentlessly. Adrenaline was on my mind. My beautiful horse, crushed and broken, without me and probably scared. I tried to get up, but the doc stopped me, and I sighed.
“Adrenaline…”
“I know.”
“I have to see him. He’s probably frightened. He needs me. Let me see him!”
The doc sighed and said; “Alisa, you have a broken arm and a fractured leg, not to mention, we needed to set three fingers and stitch up your right arm and bandage it. You are in no shape to see that horse.”
“Who are you to say I can’t see my horse?”
He sighed. I was being stubborn and I knew it. He knew I wouldn’t relent.
“You need to be at your best. Your horse needs your strength—”
“Drive me there now. Give me crutches and decent street clothes. I will not let my horse suffer alone.”
“You need to rest. I won’t let you—”
“Too bad doc. Let me out, please.”
The vet was watching the whole thing.
“She’s right. The horse is getting depressed and is barely eating. The only thing he really nibbles his food. He needs to see her. My wife and I will make sure she’s safe and on bed rest while she heals, but will have one hour in the morning with the horse, and two in the afternoon.”
The doc was defeated. “All right, but make sure she doesn’t hurt herself more.”
Success!
Chapter five, Adrenaline
Adrenaline was laying in a stall, he was worse then I thought. He was somewhat skinny, and his eyes were dull, he was grieving. Just then his nostrils quivered as he scented me, and he nickered eagerly as I stepped into the stall. I sat down next to his head and set my crutches behind me. He gently laid his head on my unbroken leg and looked up at me adoringly.
“I missed you boy. When I heard about what happened to you, you had me worried, and I fought the doc to be here with you. I love you, Adrenaline.”
His ears twitched in response as I gently stroked the blaze that trailed down his head. The blaze was lighter and white as snow compared to the rest of his white fur.
“Oh, Adrenaline, I’m so sorry this had to happen. Mother and Daddy are lying in hospital beds, on the verge between life and death, don’t you linger there too! I don’t want to lose the people I love. Or the horse that’s the best in the whole wide world.”
He snorted and the stall door opened.
“Hey, I’m Erik and I heard you are Adrenaline’s owner. I’m the Vet’s son.”
“Hey. I’m Alisa. Nice to meet you.”
Adrenaline lifted his head as Erik put the bucket down by him. It was grain and vegetable oil.
“Go on, Adrenaline.”
I look at Erik as he sits down beside me. He has jet black hair and warm brown eyes. It made me look albino, I thought as I tucked my caramel colored hair behind my ear. I hoped my green eyes weren’t red rimmed from crying. He looked at me and said, “Adrenaline was real bad when he arrived. He would not stop trying to get up. He was snorting and lifting his head, I know now what it was he was looking for. You two must be pretty close.”
I looked at Adrenaline happily eating his grain. “We are. You have no idea.”
“Then tell me about it.”
We made eye contact.
I started telling Adrenaline’s story.