The Missing Sparkle Chapter 2 - Close Call

by Shayna
(Ontario, Canada)

One of The Rescues

“What should we do?” Whispered Calli.

“Well, we have no halters or knives with us so we’ll have to get one at the barn,” said Sammy disappointedly.

“We could look inside here,” suggested Calli pointing at the slaughterhouse. Sammy slowly stepped into the building and gasped suddenly. Calli glanced at her with a confused face. Sammy just pointed and that instant she knew why Sam was speechless. Inside the floor was covered with dead horses just lying there. There were horses hanging by their necks, but to their surprise, there were 2 horses standing there.

“How will we get them home?” Stammered Sam. Calli just shrugged. Sam trudged through the pile of dead horses and something seemed strange. She heard a faint whicker and looked down. A horse was half dead laying there lifelessly.

“Take these two and the horse outside home and I’ll get this one home somehow,” demanded Sam.

Once Calli had left, Sam tried to get the skewbald mare to her feet but she just couldn’t manage. She was about to give up when she heard a rumble outside. Sam peered out the door and saw Braiden, Calli, Keera and her father approaching.

“Where is the mare?” Asked Travis. Obviously Calli had filled him in.

“Right here,” replied Sam rushing towards the mare. On the count of three they lifted the mare onto the trailer and drove to the house. Sam didn’t speak, all she was interested in was keeping these horses alive.

When they got back, Sam called Dave, the farrier, and Bill, the vet.

As soon as Dave arrived, he trimmed the brown and white mare’s hooves while she was lying limp on the trailer floor. Next, Dave conditioned her hooves with various hoof therapies to lessen the pain in her hooves.

Once Bill arrived, Dave started shaping the horse shoes for the mare. Bill did some tests and gave some therapies for them. He gave every horse it’s dewormer and vaccinations.

“You know what, if these guys live, it’ll be tota miracle,” mentioned Bill, not sounding very keen.

Once Dave finished his work he and Bill left and everybody else went in for supper.

The next morning was a Monday and Calli had to leave but Sam was allowed to stay there with the horses. Sam got on some boots and headed for the barn half expecting them all to be dead, but the other half was expecting the exact opposite. She opened the door to see the black horse and the chestnut laying down, Honey, the palomino mare, staring out her stall window and the skewbald mare laying on the ground, but she looked more lively. Sam could tell she was a fighter from her eyes and the way she nickered at you as if to say,

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you,”

Sam got a purple halter and adjusted it to what she thought would be close to Honey’s size. As Sam walked in the stall Honey turned her head sharply towards her and watched her cautiously, like you would if you were scared, but Honey sure wasn’t scared, more like she was... angry at the world. Sam took a step closer and raised the halter a bit higher and Honey struck at it viciously.

“Woah!” Sam shrieked and started towards the door and tripped. Sam, frightened out of her mind, glanced up to see Honey glaring down at her, not looking very happy.