Andi's Wild Race

 ”Please, Justin?!”  Thirteen year old Andrea Carter pleaded to her older brother early that afternoon.  “This is my last day in the city,” which I am not complaining about, Andi thought.  “The beach is so pretty and I never got to ride on it before!  Juan Carlos is a very nice man and I promise to listen to him. There are crabs and sea lions and I haven't had a good long ride in what seems like forever!” 

“Woah, slow down Andi,” Justin said, laughing.  “The city hasn't changed you a bit!  I thought maybe after these two long terms in the city you would have forgotten all about riding and the ranch.  Maybe you would prefer school over riding by now?”  Justin smirked and set his coffee down on the table. 

“Ohh Justin!”  Andi said.  “I would always rather ride than do school!! 

“I know that Andi,” he said, smiling, “and sure you can go, but be back before sunset, OK?”  

     Andi jumped from her chair.  “Thank you, Justin!”  She wrapped her arms around her big brother.  

     ”What is all the racket about?”  Aunt Rebecca came down the steps, her face stern.  “Young ladies do not squawk.” 

 Justin gave Andi a ready to head back to the ranch yet? look. 

“Sorry Aunt Rebecca,” she mumbled. 

“Andi is gonna go on a quick ride on the beach before she heads home, with her stable friend, Juan,” Justin said in his normal, calm, reassuring voice.  

     ”You better be careful, Andi,” Aunt Rebecca advised, “and be on your best behavior towards Juan. He's a nice gentleman.” 

Can't a girl have some space for once? she thought, but smiled at her aunt and said “OK.  Justin, can I go and tell Juan?”  

     With Justin's nod, Andi headed out the door.  Juan Carlos had been very glad that Justin said Andi could come, and even invited Andi's friend Jenny to come along.  

     As all three of them rode to the beach, Andi couldn't help wishing she had her horse, Taffy with her.  Everyone on the Circle C Ranch knew Taffy was the fastest horse there and Andi knew she could win this race with her beloved horse, but she patted the one that Juan had thoughtfully let her ride.  She missed Taffy, but this was a beautiful horse.  

     ”Wow! Look how pretty!”  Jenny's voice interrupted Andi's thoughts.  She looked up and saw the beach.  Jenny was right.  It was a beauty!  The waves crashing on the Cliff House shore made her want to pull off her sweaty boots and jump in!  

     Andi urged her horse to a trot.  “Look!”  she said a few minutes after they rode on to the shore.  Andi pointed to a colony of sea lions bathing on a rock.  “Can we get a closer look?” 

Juan nodded “Si, senorita.” 

She and Jenny rode closer to the shore.  A baby sea lion poked its head out from its mother and looked at Andi, then hid back under its mom.  “Could we go in the water for a few minutes, Juan?” asked Andi.  He nodded and the girls pulled off their sweaty socks and stepped into the cool water.  Little crabs scurried in and out of the water and Andi giggled.  Crabs walked so funny!  The water felt very nice.  She could have splashed in it all day!  

     A sudden growl made her jerk up.  She looked over at Jenny, who started giggling, saying, “Guess I am getting pretty hungry!”  Andi laughed.  

     Just then, Juan rode over to where the girls sat on their horses, still giggling.  “I see rain clouds in the distance,” he said worriedly.  “I sense a storm is coming.  We may have to head back,” he sighed, clearly disappointed. 

Andi looked out into the distance.  It was sunny, except for some dark clouds farther back.  “Aww, Juan, that storm is miles off!  We've got plenty of time.  Couldn't we stay longer?  Please?  I wanted to maybe find some seashells, and we haven't even raced yet!”  She could see Juan was thinking about it.  “You were the one who told me I haven't lived unless I race a horse along the shore!”  

     ”Oh fine,” Juan finally gave in.  “But any sign that it gets worse and we head back.  Storms come quickly in these parts.”  The girls nodded, relieved he hadn't made them go back so early.  “We can race, then have our picnic, if the weather allows.”  Juan said, looking at Jenny.  “Can you wait that long senorita?”  

     Jenny laughed.  “Yes!”

     The three of them found a nice place to begin their race, next to a pile of driftwood.  “Do you see the even bigger big pile of driftwood up there?” Juan asked.  The girls looked ahead and nodded.  “We will ride past the sand dunes, go straight along shore to that driftwood, then turn around and come back here.  Got it?” 

Andi and Jenny smiled and said they understood.

     ”Ready, set, go!” Jenny yelled, and Andi dug her legs into her horse.  She rode fast in the lead until she saw Jenny pass her with a smirk on her face.  I can't let Jenny beat me, Andi thought.  She urged her horse to go faster, but it looked as if Jenny's was faster. 

They raced around the sand dunes, then across the shore.  Juan was trailing behind them both.  The waves crashed at their horses' hooves as they rode, and Andi saw more crabs walk in and out of the water!  The race went on, first with Jenny in the lead, followed by Andi, then Juan. 

     Andi rode fast and free!  Man had she missed this!  Even if she wasn't going to win she loved the feel of riding, her braids flying in the wind and the steady galloping.  She could ride like this all day, no matter what speed. 

     But all too soon the race was over.  Andi had come in last.  

     ”I can't believe I won!” Jenny shouted, pumping her arms in the air. 

But Andi was quiet.  They had been having so much fun they failed to notice the huge dark clouds filling the sky were much closer.  Andi suddenly realized how chilly it was.  She could tell Juan had seen the storm coming because his face looked concerned.  

     ”We better be going!” he called out. 

“We will have to have our picnic at Aunt Rebecca's.  Andi nodded, this time without hesitation. She was ready to head back anyway. 

     From the look of the storm, it was not going to be a pretty one.  As they started to ride back, a huge gust of freezing wind swept through and she felt a few drops of rain.  It hadn't been that much earlier when they saw those same rain clouds so far away, but now they were right above them!  

     Andi shivered and rubbed her arms. 

“This storm is coming fast senoritas,” Juan said, “much faster then we thought it would!”  

     The wind was a lot stronger now and Andi noticed the waves were considerably bigger than when they had first ridden on the beach.  

     ”We have to find shelter!” Juan said, having to raise his voice so they could hear him over the wind.  “We won't make it back if we try and go home now!  Come, I know a cave not too far from here.  Follow me and stay close!” 

Andi looked at Jenny, who looked as scared as she felt.  They could all see that this storm was getting bad.  Both girls followed Juan as the rain started to pick up.  By the time they had reached the cave, they were drenched.  It was just big enough for all of them, if the horses laid down.  

     By the time they all got in, it was pretty crammed.  “What about bears?!”  Jenny said through chattering teeth.  “Do not worry about bears,” Juan said with a slight giggle.  “They do not live in these parts, senorita.”  

     Andi sat down, crouched in a ball, trying to stay warm as the wind howled outside.  The cave was packed and not very comfortable, but at least it was dry.  Please keep us safe God, Andi silently prayed.  She finally asked Juan a question that had been on her mind.  “Will.... will there be a hurricane, Juan?”  

     He shook his head.  “No.  The conditions are not right for a hurricane.  It is just a very bad storm.”  

     Andi nodded.  This is definitely a bad storm.  

     Just then, a huge gust of wind, that seemed to make the cave shake, sent a cascade of rocks tumbling down from inside the cave!    Andi screamed.  She pulled her leg away from a huge boulder that had landed on her leg!  

     ”Oh, Andi!!”  Juan yelled.  

     She groaned, pain exploding inside her.  He raced over to her and examined her leg.  It was already starting to get swollen.  

     ”Jenny, in my saddle bag, get me the towel.”

     Jenny brought it quickly and he wrapped Andi's leg tight.  

     ”Andi, can you sit up a little?”  

     She moaned and slowly pulled herself up and sat against the cave wall.  

     ”How.... how bad is it?”  Andi asked, taking deep breaths.  Pain shot through her leg, and she clenched her teeth so she didn't scream.  

     Juan looked at the purple and greenish bruise that was forming, beginning to inflate like a balloon.  He stood up, his face serious.  “It's getting swollen fast.  We need someone to ride back and get the doctor!  You can not ride with your leg like this.  Oh I should have made us go back when I saw those storm clouds!  Senor Justin will be so angry!”  

     ”It's....not....your fault,” Andi said softly between breaths.  Her leg throbbed so much.  

     ”The storm is slowing down, but it's still too bad for you to tell the way, Jenny.  I will have to go!  You need to keep an eye on Andi!  Make sure she drinks water and try to keep her leg elevated the best you can.  Use the saddle bags to prop her leg.  Do you understand, senorita?  I will be back as soon as I can!”  

     Jenny looked terrified, but nodded, and with that Juan mounted his horse and rode out into the awful storm.

     The wind and the rain swallowed him up as he galloped away.  

     ”Andi, are you OK?”  Jenny asked, crouching down next to her.  

     Andi closed her eyes and nodded.  But on the inside she was thinking, no I am not OK!  What if Juan doesn't make it back?  What if I am stuck here all night and my leg gets worse and worse?!  She tried to sit up straighter.  Pain shot through her like 100 knives and she let out a loud moan.  

     ”Andi,” Jenny cried, “hold still!  I need to keep your leg elevated!”  Jenny ran and got the saddle bags off the two horses.  “I am gonna have to lift your leg up, OK?”  

     Andi nodded and held her breath.  Jenny carefully lifted her leg and Andi bit her lip.  Her friend propped it up as carefully as she could, and Andi let out her breath.  Then she closed her eyes.  She was exhausted from all the pain and her eyelids were heavy.  She slumped and was soon asleep.  

*****     

     The storm was getting worse!  Hail pounded on the outside of the cave and the waves were crashing on the shore close by.  Juan's screams echoed in the distance.... 

     Andi jerked away, breathing hard.  Jenny was still sitting next to her.  “Are you OK, Andi?”  Were you dreaming?  

     Andi nodded weakly.  

     ”Here, have some water.”  She took a small sip and thought she felt a little better, until she looked at her leg, and that quickly, with just a glance, all the memory and pain shot back in an instant.  Her leg felt as hot as fire and hurt so much.  She had never experienced this kind of pain in her whole life.  She laid her head back.  

     Jenny looked at her, a worried expression on her face.  “They should be here soon,” she said, trying to comfort her friend.  

     ”I hope so,” Andi replied.  

     The next half hour dragged by.  Jenny kept looking outside every minute, and Andi's leg hurt more and more.  The storm hadn't slowed down any since Juan had left.  The wind was still howling and sent scattered rain drops into the cave.  Lightning cracked in the sky and Andi shivered.  What if he doesn't make it back?  Andi thought.  What if his horse got spooked and threw him!  She shuddered at the thought.  Please God, make them come soon!  

     Finally, after what felt like forever, Jenny yelled, “It's Juan!  He's here!  And he's got help!”  

     Andi breathed a sigh of relief.  Thank you God!!  

     Juan came into the cave, followed by Justin and a doctor.  “Andi, are you OK?!” her older brother asked, his face creased with worry.  

     She nodded.  “It hurts, Justin,” she said, almost beginning to cry.  

     ”I know, honey.  You and Jenny were very brave.”  

     The doctor looked at Andi's leg.  “This is bad.  We are going to have to give you pain medicine,” he said to Andi.  

     She nodded, relieved to get rid of the pain.  

     He spooned a disgusting liquid into her mouth.  Andi's eyes dropped and within seconds she was asleep again.  

     When she woke again, she found herself on the couch in Aunt Rebecca's living room.  Justin sat by her in a chair reading the news.  He looked up and smiled at Andi.  “Hey honey, how are you doing?”  

     ”A little better,” she said.  Her leg didn't throb near as much as it did last time she woke up, but it looked a lot different.  Instead of a green and purple mess of colors, what she saw was a clean, white cast over her broken leg.  

     ”You gave as quite a scare, Andi!  That's one nasty scar.  One of the worst breaks the doctor has ever seen.  It seems wherever you go, trouble always follows, doesn't it little sister?”  

     Andi moaned.  “Juan wanted to head back right when we saw those storm clouds!  But I persuaded him to stay for the race.  It's not Juan's fault, Justin.  It's mine!  Punish me, not him OK?”  

     Andi looked at her leg all wrapped up and sighed.  

     Justin held up his hand.  “We're just glad you're safe, and besides, I think you learned your lesson.  At least a week of rest and you should be able to go back to the ranch.  At least with this cast you won't have to do chores when we get back home!”  

     ”Oh, you know Chad will have plenty of chores for me once I am all healed up!” Andi said.  

     The next few days were some of the most boring of Andi's life!  She spent most of her hours reading books or listening to her niece, Betsy sing her made up songs.  When the doctor had given Andi her crutches for the first time she had nearly fallen down trying to use them, but Justin had been there to catch her and he helped her use them.  

     By the third day, she practically begged her brother to let her go home.  “I am fine, Justin!  The doctor said that my leg is healing up nice and good and there is no infection or anything!  And it doesn't throb near as much anymore,” she said as she sat on the couch.  “Also,” Andi said, lowering her voice to a whisper, “Betsy won't stop helping me walk around with my crutches!  I almost tripped over her five times!”  

     Justin smiled.  

     ”And we're going on the train.  It's not like I am gonna walk the whole way home!”  

     ”Hmm,” Justin said, “the doctor said to wait at least a week before heading home.  You sure you feel up to it?”  Andi nodded dramatically.  “OK.”  Justin stood up.  “I'll check with the doctor and then see about going home on the earliest train.”  

     ”Thank you!”  Andi squealed with joy.  

     The next morning, Andi stood by the train station, still trying to get use to her crutches as she waved goodbye to Lucy, Aunt Rebecca, her nieces and nephew, and Jenny.  

     ”You'll come visit, won't you Jenny?” Andi yelled over the train whistle to her friend.  

     ”Of course I will!”  Jenny waved back.  

     ”I will miss you,” Andi hollered back.  

     ”After you!”  Justin held out his arm as Andi hobbled onto the train platform.  

     She rolled her eyes at him, but was smiling.  As she sat down on the train, she was filled with happiness.  Even with a broken leg, she couldn't wait to get home to the ranch!