My eyes crack open and I turn over, looking at my clock in shock. It says; 7:46! I get out of bed as fast as I can and change into a green t-shirt and some dark blue jeans. I slip my horseshoe pattern socks on and my black hoodie that says; 'WARNING! Equestrian. May steal your horse at any given moment!' I snatch my phone from its charger, and I almost trip down the stairs as I race down them. I turn it on and text Sara:
" Get your butt over here! We are leaving at 8!" I wait a couple of minutes, while scarfing down an apple. No reply. Adam appears from behind a corner and smiles.
" Good Morning, sleepyhead! Hey, sorry I can't make it to the roundup, I'm heading off to Texas today." I pat him on the shoulder.
" That's okay! Anyway, drive safe!" I toss the apple to the garbage and sprint to get my boots on. I hobble out the door and freeze. Standing with the truck and trailer ready, is my mom, dad, Sara, and Cody. Sara smiles and walks up, hugging me.
" Hehe! Our plan worked!" She smiles. I turn to my amused parents and sigh.
" Okay, how did you do it now?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips.
" Well, I turned your alarm off while your father picked up Cody, who helped out with the trailer. Sara and I packed a lunch and set the truck up for the two hour ride. We all fed, watered, groomed and put the horses in the pasture already." My mom explains. I laugh.
" Wow! All for me?" Everybody nods.
" Okay, then! Let's get this show on the road!" We all hop in the big truck and we pull out of the driveway. I pop one earphone in my right ear and talk most of the way. And I'll tell you, it seemed like a very long drive.
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I shake Sara, waking her up and bounce up and down like a girl in a new stable.
" We're here! We're here!" She jerks awake and everybody laughs, as my dad shuts the truck off.
" God, Hayley! You almost gave me a heart attack!" We unbuckle our seatbelts and hop out of the dark blue truck. There are corrals filled with many coloured horses and foals. I switch my glance over across the road, and find an auction house. That's where I will be getting my horse. Dad looks over at one pen with a gray stallion. My mom walks over and pulls him away. A man with black, graying hair, walks up to my dad and shakes his hand.
" Hey, John. How's it going?" He asks my father.
" Good, Mike. Do you have any fine mustangs for my daughter set up?" I grin when I hear the word mustang.
" Actually, I do." He leads us to behind the main barn and tied to the wall stands; one blue roan filly, one bay mare, a white stallion, and a dun colt.
" I didn't know what age you wanted so I got you a mare, filly, colt and stallion." He explains to me as I approach the mare. She shies somewhat and paws the ground, nervously.
" Easy, girl. Its okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." She calms down a little and I hold out a horse treat, I have many stored in my pockets. She pricks her ears forwards and takes it, quickly, off my palm. I slowly rub her neck and as soon as I reach her barrel, I feel bones. Ribs. This mare is starving!
" Uh, dad? Can you come here?" He steps forward and I point at her barrel. He places one hand on her blood bay barrel and his expression changes rapidly.
" Mike! This mare is starving. All the other ones look fine, except for her. I want her in a stall and fed. Now!" he orders. Mike obeys and unties her, leading her into the barn. I walk over to the filly, waiting for her to kick out or bite. But, she just nickers. I place one hand on her neck and she takes it fine.
" Good girl." I praise. She looks only two years old. Patches of her pretty blue coat hides behind mud, matted to her hide. I give her one treat and walk over to the stallion. He just paws the ground and pulls on the rope, leaning backwards. I leave him to calm down and the dun colt somewhat panics before I offer him a treat. He cautiously takes it and munches it, calmly. I run my hands down his legs and make sure they are okay. Good. I look at his face and in his mouth, which he seems to hate with a passion. I turn back to the stallion, holding out treat. He looks at me, questionably, and sniffs the treat before scarfing it down. Mike appears from the inside of the barn and the stallion pins his ears back. I stroke him, trying to calm him down. But it seems that Mike makes the stallion uncomfortable, or even he is scared of Mike. I turn to him, stroking the stallions snow white neck.
" Mike, I really appreciate all of the horses, but none of them really stand out to me. You know?" He nods, stepping closer.
" I understand. I'll take these horses back to their pens now." He reaches for the stallions lead and he rears up, also snorting.
" I can do that." I offer. He smiles and unties the colt while my dad grabs the filly. Mike points to the stallions corral and I led him in, he is kind of warming up to me. As soon as I slip his halter off, he darts forward to the black and white mare. I step out and hear a very loud neigh. I walk towards where the sound came from and spot a pitch black stallion, being torn away from his herd. I throw the halter and lead on a square of hay and walk towards the stallion, offering to help.
" No, its okay. I got this one." Says the man who is just inches away from his huge, dark, heavy hooves, that are flying around in the air. The stallion lands back down on his four hooves and snorts at the man. But, suddenly, he freezes. He pricks his ears forwards and nickers to me. I step forward, holding out a carrot flavoured treat. He eats it, eyeing me suspiciously. The man's jaw drops and hands me the lead, backing up with arms up in surrender.
" I don't know what you did to that raging stallion, but keep it up. Its the best he's acted ever since he got here." I nod and lead him to an open stall that was waiting for him. As I unclip his lead, Cody and Sara come sprinting in, spooking the stallion.
" Hayley!" Cody yells and pulls me from the stall, slamming the door shut.
" That crazy stallion almost squished you! What were you doing?" He tightens his grip, eyes filled with fear.
" He was perfectly fine, until you two came running in. Sara, I told you not to run in barns, it spooks most horses." She looks down at her feet. My parents walk in and as soon as they spot the stallion, my moms face turns white and she notices his blue halter in my hands.
" Hayley, what were you doing?" She questions. I explain to everyone what happened and everything else.
" You know what? I have a good feeling about this one. Dad, when is the auction?" I ask him, his face turns pale.
" 1:30. Are you sure you want this stallion?" I nod, while stroking the black stallions neck.
--------------1:28 o' clock
As we sit in the stands, Cody grabs my hand. I smile and rest my head on his shoulder. Sara lets out an; " Aww!" and I snap my glance at her, glaring. She turns back to the front and talks to my mom. A woman walks in the front and turns her microphone on.
" Hello, everybody. Today, we will be auctioning off some wild mustangs and even some tame, trained and able to ride Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Drafts, and one Arabian. Please, help save these mustangs who need homes. And thank you for coming out today," A man walks up beside her and she introduces the man.
" Everyone, this is Mike Sonver. Mr. Sonver will be the auctioneer today." He smiles at us and the girl steps away. First, a small flea bitten gray mare is led out, a woman who looks in her thirties buys her for 150 dollars. After many mares, fillies, colts, two geldings and stallions are sold, I hear a familiar neigh. Emerging from the gate, the stallion prances out.
" And here is this lovely young stallion. Bid is 180. Anyone?" I raise my hand.
" 180 to the girl." He talks lightning fast.
" 200 to Mr. Kinky." Oh no. Mr. Kinky is a kill buyer. I raise my hand.
" 230 to Hayley." Kinky raises his hand again.
" 245 to Kinky. Going once, going twice," I raise my hand really, really fast.
" 300 to Hayley." He raises his hand again.
" 317 to Kinky." I raise my hand once more, knowing my budget of 1000 dollars.
" 400 to Hayley. Going once, going twice.... Sold! To Hayley Barnes! Hayley, the stallion will be waiting at the back for you." I smile at him and my stallion gets led out. Another roan mare walks in and he starts the bidding.
We exit the auction house and my dad goes to get the truck. I walk, in front of everyone, and lay my eyes on my black stallion. He slightly nickers as I approach and I feed him a treat.
" Good boy. Did you know that you're mine now?" He tosses his head in the air and whinnies, strongly. My dad pulls up with the truck and backs it up to the gate. The stallion spooks slightly, but I calm him down with soothing words. Sara and Cody open the back and wait for my mom to return. Two more poor looking horses, a mare and foal, get led out with my mom in front. The mare looks like a breed of pony, probably black but the muck stuck to her coat makes it hard to tell. The foal looks like a steel grey colour. My dad gives her a funny look.
" Oh, come on, John! My heart melted when these two came out. I only got them both for 600, together." He agrees. I try to load my horse up, but stop and let him sniff and check the trailer out. He paws the ramp and steps on, I lead him in and tie him to the hook. He dives into his haynet and we load the other two in, somehow. The mare refused to enter, but the foal was fine with her mom. I close the trailer up and give a hug to everyone.
" Thank you all. This really meant a lot." Everyone hugs back and we load into the truck. Exhaustion takes over and I fall asleep, next to Sara, in Cody's arms. I dream of my new, beautiful stallion. And that's all I can dream about.
A/N
Whew. That was some intense stuff! 1884 words, not including the authors note! Worked almost two hours, non stop, for this chapter. I put mu heart and soul into this chapter, so I really hope you like it! What else should happen? THANKS!!!
-Acacia