A Horse for Mandy (4 page)

T
IME is hard to measure when you’re alone in the dark. Mandy couldn’t even guess how long she’d been sitting there when she heard Laura groan. Instantly, Mandy leaned over her.

“Here I am, Laura. It’s Mandy. I’m right here and help is on the way.”

“M—my leg... ,” Laura whispered.

“I know. Don’t try to move. We just have to hang on a little longer.”

“What happened? How did you. ..?” Her voice trailed off.

“I guess you were thrown. We’ve been looking for you all day. Me, Dad, your family—half the countryside, in fact. But it won’t be long now.” Mandy tried to sound reassuring.

“Yes. Now I remember...” Laura grimaced with pain. “Diablo tripped. A hole of some kind. I fell... Diablo!” Her voice rose in alarm.

“He’s all right,” Mandy said. “We found him this afternoon. He was limping, but Dad thought he’d be fine.”

“That’s good.” Laura sighed. “How did you find me?”

“Just an idea I had. I remembered all the rides we used to take by the creek. I was just lucky.”

Laura grew very quiet and Mandy became alarmed. She felt that she had to keep her talking. “Laura?”

There was a long silence before Mandy heard Laura say, “Yes?”

“Why did you go out riding alone at night? Was it because of the mean things I said to you?”

More silence. Then Laura answered softly, “Because everything you said was true. I hated it when you got your own horse. You spent all your time with your horse.”

“I know. Oh, Laura, I’m so sorry. I was a rotten best friend. I didn’t help you train once all summer for Diablo’s fall show circuit. And David reminded me. ..”

The mention of David’s name put up another wall between them. “David,” Laura said painfully. “I wanted him to like me so much.”

“Oh, but he does,” Mandy urged eagerly. “Why, I saw you holding hands down by the lake. He even told me he likes you.”

“I was holding his hand,” Laura corrected. “But we were talking about you.”

Mandy decided to change the subject. “Let me tell you how I sent for help.” Quickly, she told how she’d tied their scarves on Solana’s reins and sent the horse back. “I just hope she has the good sense to go home,” she finished, half to herself.

Laura grew very quiet. “Laura,” Mandy said, shaking her gently. “Don’t slip away on me. Please, keep talking to me.” But Laura did not respond.

Mandy scrambled to the edge of the creek and dipped her hands into the cold water. She crawled back to Laura and patted her friend’s face with the water.

Laura moaned. “I’m so cold ...”

“I know. But it won’t be long now.” Mandy reassured her friend. She clutched her knees to her chest and prayed silently, “Oh, dear God, don’t let it be long now. Please.”

The night dragged on. Mandy tried to make Laura talk some more, but she only mumbled. Mandy found more moss and spread it over Laura, being very careful not to disturb the twisted leg. She went once more to the creek and took a long drink of water for herself. It helped refresh her, but did little to stop her growing hunger pangs.

Mandy began to think that when morning came she might have to set out on foot for help. She shuddered at the thought of leaving Laura out here alone. But she might have no choice. What if Solana had not made it back to the stable? What if she were off in some grassy field, wandering aimlessly?

“Well, I must stop thinking like that,” she told herself sharply. “Just take it one minute at a time. And try to get a little sleep.” Just a little—why she hadn’t been to sleep in her own bed for two nights now!

Two nights! The last forty-eight hours felt like ten years. How long ago it seemed since the start of the summer. How long ago since her birthday. ..Mandy drifted into a restless sleep.

In her dream, it was a brilliant white-hot day. She was standing and watching Solana graze in a large grassy field. She whistled and called to her over and over, but Solana acted as if she didn’t hear. Yet, when Mandy tried to climb over the fence into the field, she discovered that it was so high she couldn’t crawl over it. Helplessly, she called to her horse.

Then she saw Laura riding out into the field on Diablo. Mandy began to call to her frantically, but Laura couldn’t hear her either. Slowly, Laura got off Diablo. She walked slowly over to Solana.

Laura petted her, then signaled to the little Paso. Solana followed her like a puppy. “No, no!” Mandy yelled in the dream. “She’s my horse! Laura, don’t! Solana is mine!” But they never heard her.

Just then, David walked into the field. He was smiling at Laura. He took her hand and together they began to walk away. Solana followed obediently behind them both. Mandy called and called to them.

The day was hot and still, the grass tall and swaying. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get over the fence. From out of nowhere, rows and rows of shiny trophies appeared, each engraved with Laura Callahan and Solana de Omega.

From very far away, Mandy heard someone calling her name. “Mandy! Mandy!” Over and over . . . David . . . her father . . . Laura . . . over and over...

Mandy struggled through layers and layers of sleep. Again, she heard her name. With a start, she sat up and realized that someone really
was
calling her name.

“Mandy!”

“Daddy!” she cried, struggling to her feet. “Daddy! Here I am! I’m down here, Daddy!”

From above the rim of the embankment, she saw a glowing yellow light. “Mandy! We’re here, honey!”

Suddenly, the air was filled with voices, and her father was sliding down the steep incline. And suddenly he was there with her, hugging her to him. And she knew that she was safe— safe in her father’s arms.

L
OOKING back, Mandy was never really sure of what happened during the rest of that night and the next two days. She remembered anxious faces, many helping hands, the horsedrawn stretcher made for Laura. She didn’t remember any of the ride back to the Callahans’, only someone giving her hot tea in the Callahans’ kitchen, then shedding her clothes and sliding between soft, flowered sheets.

Even the next morning, she could only vaguely recall the smell of bacon and coffee, a phone ringing, hushed voices and hours and hours of deep dreamless sleep. In fact, it was late the next afternoon before Mandy really woke up.

She awoke with a start and looked around the Callahans’ guest bedroom. She got up and wandered down the hall and into the bright, sunny kitchen. Her father and the Callahans were sitting around the table with mugs of hot coffee.

“Mandy!” Her father grinned. “Welcome back. You’ve slept almost ’round the clock. Come on, honey. Have some food.”

She sat numbly while Mrs. Callahan prepared her meal. Mandy listened to all the details of the past twenty-four hours.

“First of all, Laura’s going to be fine,” Mandy’s dad assured her. “Her leg was badly broken. It’s a good thing you didn’t try to move her. She’s in the hospital now. But she should be coming home tomorrow. Her leg will be in a cast for at least eight to ten weeks, but she will be fine.”

“Oh, Dad, I’m so glad!” Mandy smiled.

“And you, young lady,” he continued, “are something of a heroine. No, I mean it. That was quick thinking, Mandy, tying those scarves on Solana with the river rocks in them. That little filly made a beeline for home. Once we got your message, we gathered up some gear and lights and came right to you. I’m very proud of you, honey.”

She smiled at him, a little embarrassed. “Laura would have done the same thing for me.”

“And another thing,” he continued, “that young man, David—he has the makings of a real horseman.”

Mandy looked up quickly at the mention of David’s name.

“Why, he’s personally taken care of Solana ever since you’ve been catching up on your rest. He’s groomed her, fed her, exercised her— taken real good care of her. And I don’t think she’ll have any problems with Founder again if you’re careful.”

“Oh, Daddy, I’m so glad. I never wanted Solana to suffer.”

Mandy was happy that it had all turned out well. But she was anxious to see and talk to Laura as soon as possible. She hung around the Callahans’ the next day, waiting for them to bring Laura home from the hospital.

Seeing them carry Laura into the house made Mandy’s heart lurch. The cast looked so big and heavy. It covered Laura’s entire leg from the thigh to her ankle. After Mandy was sure Laura was tucked comfortably into bed, she rapped gently on Laura’s bedroom door.

“Come in,” Laura called.

“Hi,” Mandy said a little shyly.

“Hi,” Laura returned. “Come sit down by my bed.”

Funny
, Mandy thought. They’d been friends for so long. They had lived through a nightmare together. Now they were acting like strangers.

“Thanks, Mandy,” Laura said. She sensed the awkwardness between them, too. “I’m so glad you found me out there and stayed with me. I don’t remember much, but I do remember that you were there.”

“What are friends for?” Mandy shrugged, embarrassed.

“Well, I guess that finished it for me and the fall riding show circuit.” Laura changed the subject sadly.

“No way!” Mandy said emphatically.

“What do you mean? I can’t train Diablo like this.”

“No, but I can,” Mandy said. “Look, Dad says Diablo’s leg will be fine in a few days. We’ve worked together with him for years. I know I can work with him and keep him prime for the season.” Mandy’s eyes were shining.

“B-but what about Solana?”

“So, she can tag along. Maybe she’ll learn a few things. Maybe she’ll start acting more like a horse and less like a puppy.” Mandy laughed.

“You’ll need help . . . ,” Laura protested.

Mandy took a deep breath, “David will help. He already said he would. At least until school starts and he gets interested in other things.”

“Do you think you could?” Laura began to sound excited.

“You bet I can!” Mandy said.

“I think that would be great. I really want to continue my show riding,” Laura admitted.

“And I’d like to see that wall covered with ribbons and trophies,” Mandy added, pointing to Laura’s trophy shelf.

“You really are my best friend,” Laura told her.

“And you’re mine,” Mandy said. “Now, I’m going to go out there and take that horse of yours out for some exercise. After all, I think he and I had better get reacquainted.”

Mandy left the bedroom, headed down the hall and out into the bright afternoon sunlight. On the far side of the lawn, she saw Solana grazing contentedly. Diablo stood tethered outside his stall. David was washing him down with a hose and brush. He looked over at Mandy. He smiled and waved.

Mandy took a deep breath. Then she headed toward the stables, her spirits soaring and her heart singing.

Paso Finos have been called the smoothest riding horses in the world. Columbus selected twenty stallions and five brood mares to come with him on his second voyage to the New World. The horses were a mixture of Spanish Barbs, Andalusians, and Jennets. In the New World, these horses became the foundation stock for breeding the future mounts of the conquistadors. These horses traveled great distances. They carried men in heavy armor over rough terrain. But the animals were agile, surefooted, and strong. Their smooth and comfortable gait made them highly prized by their owners.

Today’s Paso Fino is also a much-prized and popular animal. The Paso is both distinctive and graceful. The Paso measures from 13 to 15 hands and weighs from 700 to 1100 pounds. Shoulders are sloping and deep, the rump well-rounded. Legs are straight and rather delicate in appearance. The hooves are small and sure. Pasos come in all colors, with and without white markings. But it is their unusual and smooth flowing gait that sets them apart from all other saddle horses.

For more information, contact: Paso Fino Horse Association, Inc., 101 North Collins Street, Plant City, Florida 33563-3311.

LURLENE McDANIEL made up her first story in second grade, wrote a play in fourth grade, and wrote a book in high school.

Young readers from all over the country write to Lurlene to say how much they enjoy her books. They often ask the question, “Where do you get your ideas?” Lurlene says that ideas are everywhere. She uses her family and friends as character samples. She also gets ideas from television and newspapers and from her own interests, such as a fondness for horses.

Books about kids overcoming sensitive problems like cancer, diabetes, and divorce draw a wide response from her readers. Yet, Lurlene says the highest compliment a reader can give her is, “Your story was so interesting I couldn’t put it down.” Lurlene adds that basically that’s what writing is all about—creating an uplifting story that causes the reader to look at life from a different perspective.

Other books by Lurlene McDaniel include
Six Months to Live, If I Should Die Before I Wake,
and
My Secret Boyfriend
.