Andi's Barn Mystery

 by Nora H. 

The latch rattled and began to rise. Andi frantically looked around for a place to hide. She was in the tool shed in the barn, sitting on top of the windowsill. It was too late; the door started to open. She had nowhere else to go… *** “Ridiculous. Prince Loco was the one who should have been blamed. I was only trying to help Chad…”, Andi murmured to herself as she lifted the latch and slid the heavy door aside, entering the stable. She was on her way to console Taffy. Recovering from a recent abscess in her hoof, Taffy needed Andi’s complete support. Andi had snuck out of the house, looting a bag of sugar cubes, Taffy’s favorite treat. No one knew where she was, because she was not supposed to be in the barn. Mucking out Loco’s paddock had ended up not being the brightest idea of the day. Now on her way to the tool shed, Andi thought of a good place to hide her bag full of sweets. *** Sneezing, Andi opened the old trunk. Peering inside, she found a good place to set her bag. Andi was about to shut the trunk when she heard a donkey braying outside. There was a long rectangle window that sat above the top shelf on the wall. Knowing she could see the ranch yard from there, Andi shimmed up the rickety shelf and sat on the windowsill. Hee-Haw Handyman was Circle C’s newest addition. Right now, he was giving Chad a run for his money. Kicking up his heels, Hee-Haw got loose and galloped into the barn, as if it was a place of refuge. Andi quickly realized with dread that she had left the toolshed door wide open! Trotting brown legs and some big, fuzzy ears came into view. Chaos struck as Hee-Haw Handyman not only found the sugar cubes but ate most of them! With the door having been kicked shut, the latch rattled and began to rise! Chad could be heard yelling something incomprehensible on the other side of the door. Andi, perched on the windowsill, had nowhere to hide. *** Later that day… Andi sat on her bed and waited for her mother to come in. After Chad had found her, put Hee-Haw away, and brought her inside, he let loose to mother about the whole ordeal. Stealing the sugar cubes, being in the barn, and the fact that their new donkey had devoured too many treats. She knew that she messed up, and she was sorry. Everything that had been done was wrong and she knew it. She picked up her bible and flipped to 1st Kings 3: 9 “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.”

A Note of a Wild Night

 by Sara M. 

Andi, I’m a friend of Jenny’s. I need help. Please. Don't deny me this. I beg you, meet me tonight at 11, at the edge of your land, north side. By the big oak tree. Please! I need help! Don't tell anyone the contents of this note. GM.

I let the note flutter from my fingertips as a chill ran up my back. The letter Cory had just slipped onto my desk made me feel nauseous. Who in the world was GM and why did she need her help? Jenny never mentioned anyone whose name started with G or M… I bit my lip. I had till tonight to decide what to do. ***** Sure glad it's a full moon tonight. I eased the house door closed behind me. It was a half hour before 11 o’clock and the few hours I was supposed to be sleeping were long. I walked quickly, quietly to the barn and called softly to Taffy. In the dim light coming in the open barn door, I saw her raise her head and look at me. I grabbed a bridle and slipped it over her head. “Bareback tonight,” I said. “Andi?” Talk about startling someone! I nearly screamed. “Chad!” “What on earth are you doing this late in the barn?” “I needed to check Taffy,” I said, which was true; I was checking her on her…to take her out—not that I would tell Chad that. “She’s fine. Go to bed.” “Okay, I will.” Just not right now. Chad shrugged and walked away. I lingered by Taffy’s stall, waiting for Chad to shut the door behind him. Thankful that Chad hadn’t noticed the bridle on Taffy, I led her from the barn after a few minutes. Off to find out who ‘GM’ was. Apprehension filled me. Was this a good idea? I neared the place GM told me to meet her at. It was silent, lit in the moonlight. I heard a wolf howl in the distance, and shivered. I do not like this at all. Keep going? Turn back? At last, I saw a horse—or was it a pony?—by itself. I kept Taffy at a walk, ready to turn and run. A figure bolted off the ground when I neared and grasped the pony’s reins. “Who are you?” A pause. “Andi Carter?” I halted Taffy, but stayed on her back. The figure neared, and I got a good look at her. She wore trousers and a wide-brimmed hat. She pulled off the hat. I held my breath. Two things were instant to me. Her eyes—his eyes—matched a pair I knew well. Jenny Grant’s brother. How in the world was he on Circle C land when the Grants lived in Washington Territory? “I’m GM.” “How? You’re Micah Grant.” “GM, my initials backwards.” He gave a tired grin. “I need help, Andi, and from what Jenny always said, I knew I could trust you.” Suspicion filled me. I had my share of tight situations and had no desire to get into another one. But…if a friend needed help… “What’s going on?” “Jenny’s in trouble; I need your help.” My heart raced. “What do you mean?” “She’s being held by a group of horse thieves. They had us both; I escaped last night. Jenny told me a lot about you, so I knew you lived here.” His eyes turned pleading. “Can you help us?” I didn’t hesitate. “Yes. Let’s go.” I didn’t let myself think that I had no pistol or rifle, and that none of my family knew where I was. Jenny needed help, and sooner the better. Relief swept over Micah’s face. “Thank you, Andi.” He mounted his horse and turned north. “This way. It's a couple hours.” The hours hurried by, and soon, Micah motioned for me to stop. “I’m going to go forward and make sure they are still there.” Worry filled his voice. There was no doubt he cared deeply for his sister. Less than five minutes passed, and he returned, breathing hard. “They’re there. I saw Jenny.” His expression revealed nothing. I shoved down the concern inside me. “Is…is she okay?” “I don’t know.” Urgency filled me, but along with caution. I stared at the valley below us, my mind racing. We had one chance to rescue Jenny, and we could not mess it up. “Here’s what we’ll do…” Micah nodded once I explained. “It’s the best thing we got. If we don’t get her by dawn, I know they’re moving and getting on a boat today.” All the more reason to not fail. I knew the plan was plenty risky. Micah rode out first to distract them. I pulled out my pocketknife from Taffy’s saddlebags and left her untied. I crept toward the camp, paying attention to every noise Micah made. I heard two–or was it three—men going after him. Micah said there were four men, so I had to deal with one or two. I can’t do this. You have to! If you don’t, Jenny will be gone. Micah is relying on you! It was over in seconds. As soon as the one man left in camp turned his back, I raced to Jenny and ducked beside her. “Jenny.” I cut her ties, and together, we stood. Her face shone with gratitude; she opened her mouth to say something, but I quickly put my finger to my lips to hush her. We had to go. The man looked away again, and we took the chance. Together we sprinted in the woods, toward Taffy, toward safety. Never before have I mounted Taffy so quickly, pulling Jenny up with me. I kicked Taffy into a gallop. In the moonlight, far off, I saw Micah riding toward us. He had gotten the three men off his trail. I laughed aloud in joy. We made it out, with Jenny, and we were okay. “Thank you, Father,” Jenny whispered behind me. I patted her hand that wrapped around me and sighed gratefully.