Excerpt: Stepping Stones

BZZ BZZ BZZ

WHACK!

Sitting up in bed, I slammed the alarm off. Yawning and stretching, I looked over at the alarm clock – it was 5:30 in the morning. I smiled and got out of bed, changing into jeans, long underwear, a sweatshirt and a T-shirt. I then exit my room and head to the kitchen, grabbing an apple and put my boots on before heading to the barn.

Let me tell you about myself – my name is Elizabeth Margaret Sharp, I’m 17-years-old and am a junior in high school. I live in the small town of Horse Creek, Montana, population 900 people. I go to Green Wall High School, located in Green Wall, Montana. It’s about an hour by bus, which takes forever, but I usually get by. I’m the outcast in the huge high school, but I don’t care – I have the horses, which are the best friends any girl could have.

Which brings me to my next point – my parents – Patrick and Kay Sharp, along with my brother, Gavin, my sister-in-law, June and I – run the Lazy W Ranch. Gavin and June moved in with us after dad got sick and we needed extra hands around the ranch. My favorite thing about the ranch is Halloween time – I love to scare the kids as they get into the wagon for the Haunted Wagon Ride that took place in the woods behind the barn.

Entering the barn, I turned on the overhead light and walked down the line of stalls. As I walked by each stall, the horse in the stall would poke their heads over the stall doors, blinking their big brown eyes and nickering softly.

I smiled when I stopped outside my favorite horse, Dude’s, stall. Dude is my Blanket Applassoa, which means he's chestnut with white splotches on his hindquarters. He also stands 15.5 hands at the shoulder. I unlatched his stall door and entered the stall, resting my head on his shoulder. I felt his nose sniff my hair, his warm breath running down my spine.

“Hi boy.” I greeted him, looking into his kind face. I took off his red blanket and placed it outside the stall. I then ran my hands down his legs and over his body, checking for any bumps or scrapes he might have gotten during the night. I hugged him around the neck – he was as healthy as a horse – no pun intended.

I then took him out of the stall and clipped a set of crossties on either side of his halter. I then went to the tack room to get a hoof pick, a currycomb and a body brush.

“Lizzie, what are you doing?” Gavin asked, entering the barn, June close behind him.

“Getting Dude ready to ride before I go to school.” I answered, brushing Dude all over with the body brush.

“Ride in the indoor arena, okay? It rained last night.” June spoke up. I rolled my eyes – to be truly honest, I really didn’t like June and I don’t know why my brother married such an awful woman.

Anyway, Dude was ready to go and I was ready to go. I led Dude to the indoor arena, adjusted my stirrups and mounted him from the ground. I rode for a little while before Gavin and June joined me on their horses Samurai and Yoda. I watched them ride side-by-side, holding hands. I secretly prayed that Yoda would spook and throw June.

After an hour of riding, I headed to the house and got ready for school, something I dreaded.