Jackson's P.O.V
"Well consider yourself mighty lucky you made it passed the gators and the quick sand beds." I sang as I was bailing hay I had my earphones in and drinking sweet tea, kinda cheesy I know. The next song was Stay by Florida Georgia Line, "I'd sell my soul just to see your face, and I break my bones just to hear you pain in these times I need a saving grace, but time is running out and i'm starting to loose my faith." I stopped after that and just listened to the rest of the song.
After I got done bailing hay and loaded it and moved it to the barn. "Hey, mom when's the rodeo?" I asked grabbing a apple and taking a bite. "Next week, and you better eat you lunch because you didn't eat your breakfast." she said pointing I butter knife at me, I raise my hand in and say, "Ok, just don't gig me please." I said laughing and walking off, "Josh Blake get back he right now!" I heard my mom say, what did he do now I thought as I walked to my room. I took a shower and got dresses the headed down to the kitchen to eat some lunch. i walked in to see dad cooking chicken. "Hey dad I'm gonna go muck out the stalls ok." I said grabbing my ball cap, "Alright just be in here for lunch." he said as he pull the chicken in the skillet.
I walked out to see my sister Ellie coming back from a trail ride. "Hey sis." I said as I started muckin' out the stall, "Hi, is dad making lunch?" she asked taking the saddle off her horse, "Yeah, he's cooking fried chicken." I said finishing up with that stall then moving on to the next one. I can muck putt a stall in less that ten minutes. "Yum, can't wait." she said putting her horse in its stall the walking toward the house.
I washed the dishes after lunch then when to the barn, saddled up and rode off. I stopped at our little pond in the meadow where I always go, don't know why but I always ride here. "Here you go Ace have an apple." I said tossing him an apple, I put in my earphones and led back on the soft summer grass and I slowly fell asleep.
I woke up an hour later and I looked over to see Ace but he was gone, "Crap." I said getting up and walking around to see if I could find him. I hear I loud screech it sounded like a bobcat. "Oh no!" I said as I broke into a full on run, "Ace!" I yelled listening, and I heard I noise that will haunt me, it was the sound of Ace dying from the bobcat. I ran in the direction of the noise, but I dreaded what I would see when I got there.
"No Ace." I said as I knelt next to my slowly dying horse, I couldn't save him so I pulled my pistol from my saddle bag and I shot Ace and put him down. I didn't want to just leave him there some I called my dad and took him to bring a rope and the truck. As soon as he got there he helped me load Ace into the truck bed, I told dad that I want to sit in the back with Ace. He nodded, started the truck and drove to the house.
When we got back I went straight to my room and cried, call me a baby I don't care. I loved that horse and now he's gone. I didn't leave my room until the next morning when I went out to dig my horses grave. I started to cried again, but I still finish the job and then put my horse in the grave and covers him up,
"Goodbye Ace." I said one last time then I went to my room and just sat there. I heard my mom said a few times to my brother and sister, "Just leave him be." them the talking would end and then start up again. That night I had a dream that I was there and watching the damn bobcat kill my horse over and over again.