A New Adventure

 By Luca B. (ages 10-13)

Chapter 1 the beginning of the adventure

 

Andrea Carter raced her chocolate palomino, Shasta against her fiancé Riley Prescott.

She was ready for anything; well almost anything...

"Andi stop!" Riley's warning jolted Andi out of her musing and she pulled Shasta to a Holt.

 inches away from her was a buggy and inside where her aunt Rebecca, her older sister Kate and Andi's nieces, Betsy and Hannah and nephew Levi.

"I'm sorry." Andi said her heart still beating double its normal rate.

"Andrea," aunt Rebeca cried. "I declare you could have run us over. If it was not for that young man I shudder to think what could have happened."

Andi could not think what to say but, "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving Andi," Kate said as she tried to calm Aunt Rebeca.

 After everyone greeted each other Riley looked at Andi and said "We better get back to the house your mother and Luisa are making a feast for thanksgiving Dinner. "

Andi's stomach rumbled at the thought.

                                                                         ***

An hour later all of the family had arrived.

Andi's older brother Justin and his wife Lucy and there son Sammy (Lucy was going to have another baby and was due any day now)

Big sister Malinda and her husband, Peter, From town.

Everyone except Mitch.

Mitch (Andi's youngest brother) was going to collage a Berkeley so Andi didn't see him much anymore.

However it wasn't like Mitch to be late, she sat on the porch swing looking out for him.

"Hi."

Andi's heard spun round, it was just Hannah.

"You scared me," She said.

"Well you scared me when you almost ran us over earlier." She replied with a laugh.

Andi smiled, "I guess we're even now."

Hannah nodded and sat down next to her. They sat in silence for a while.

 Then a buggy draw into the yard and out stepped an angel.

 

 

Chapter 2 Thanksgiving dinner

She was not a real Angel of course but she really looked like one. She had long golden flowing hair, a gorgeous white dress and eyes that sparkled in the light.

Then Mitch hopped out and took her hand. Andi gasped, Mitch was bring a girl to thanksgiving dinner and did not say anything to us about it, she thought.

"Hey sis," he called with a wave, "Happy thanksgiving!"

"Hi Mitch I see you brought someone." Andi said. Brought someone to court, she thought but did not say to out loud.

"Oh right, Sam this is my sister Andi and my niece Hannah, girls this is Samantha." Mitch grinned.

Andi rolled her eyes. it was not that she did not want Mitch to court someone but this Samantha did not seem to be right for him; Mitch was easy going and a hard worker on the other hand Samantha seemed all look and smiles. I'm keeping my eye on her.

                                                                         ****

The Carter Family had a tradition that every year on Thanksgiving they would get together for dinner and go round  the table in order of age saying what they are thankful for.

It had only been six months since Andi and Lucy where saved from Procopio the red handed and his band of outlaws (Carages love) and the incident was still fresh in her mind.

 "Lucy and I are thankful for..." Andi announced when it was her turn for both herself and her sister in law, since Lucy was not a speech making person or so she said to Andi earlier the day. Andi suspected Lucy was just tired; being in the family way must be hard. "For being saved from being sent to Mexico with Procopio!"

and so on around the table, when they got to Sam she said "I'm so happy to be here with Mitch's wonderful family."

Just then Lucy stood, "I'm sorry but I feel a bit ill, I think I need to lay down."

"Of course," Mother said. "Nila please take Lucy to one of the guest bedrooms."

"yes ma'am."

                                                                                ***

After an hour of chatting over desert Andi was bored so when Hannah came over to ask if they could go riding Andi agreed.

she went up to her room to change.

 As Andi walked back down the hall she heard noises from the guest room.

She peaked in to check on Lucy, and what she saw made gasp in shock.

 

Chapter 3 Life turns upside down

Andi hurried into the room, "Lucy are you alright?" it was a question but Andi already knew the answer, Lucy was not alright. she was very pale and sweat dripped from her forehead.

"No I'm not, go get your mother and Justin I think the baby's coming!"

Andi raced out the room and down the stairs yelling, "Justin! Mother!" When she burst into the dining room she ran over to her brother who was in the middle of a conversion with Peter.

"Justin." She tugged on his sleeve.

"What is it honey?"

"Lucy!" Andi said out of breath.

"Is she ok?" He asked worry in his face.

"She having the baby."

Justin's face went pale and he dropped Sammy into Andi's arms. "Andi, take care of Sammy." she nodded.

Justin ran over to mother and they both when up to the guest room.

Riley came over to her, "what's going on?" He asked.

"Oh, Lucy is having the baby and we're going for a ride, all of us you, me and the kids. Now please meet me in the barn with them."

                                                                   ***

Andi met Riley in the barn with Levi, Betsy and Hannah along with Riley's dog, Tucker. Andi passed Sammy to Betsy and helped Saddle there horses. Andi let Betsy and Hannah borrow two horse name Daisy and Butter.

then they set off.

They rode for half an hour before they stopped by some tall trees to shade them from the hot California sun.

After a couple minutes a nose made Tucker run into some brush. "I'd better go get him." Riley groaned.

"I'll go with you." Andi said.

                                                                     ***

"We're never going to find him." Riley muttered.

"We will," Andi said. But even she was beginning to lose hope of finding the dog after 20 minutes of searching. then they heard it the unmistakable sound of a scream!

Andi looked at Riley, "I'm sure everything’s fine." he said, "but we better see." they raced back to where they left the kids. What Andi saw made her blood run cold, a bullet flying towards Levi and knocking him from the saddle. Patches reared up on his hind legs and land inches from Levi's head and reared up again.

"Levi!' Andi cried. Please God no! Levi was going to be trampled! memories from years ago when father was thrown from his horse and tramped filled her mind.

Not her nephew too!

 

Chapter 4: An old acquaintance

In the blink of an eye Andi was galloping Shasta towards the scared animal. She flung her hand out to snag the reins, but the horse came down and pulled her off Shasta.

 Andi landed and got the wind knocked the out of her. Lord help me! she silently prayed, I can't do this! Andi got to her feet, what am I going to do? 

Sugar! Andi felt in her pocket, yes! She pulled a bit of the sweet stuff out, "Here boy, it's ok, calm down." Andi soothed. ones Patches finished his treat he walked off like nothing had happened. Andi fell at Levi's side, oh no! Her nephew looked bad. He was  unconscious and the hair that fell over his forehead was stained with blood from a deep gash on the side of his head.

"Hello miss Carter, nice to see you again."

Andi's head spun round, there pistol still raised was a familiar face from four years earlier, Hugh Baker. the years fell away the trip with Mitch and her friends Jenny and Cory.

Anger, pain, fear, so much fear. fear for herself, for her friends, for her brother's life-

Hugh's next words  brought Andi back, "You haven't changed much girl still got that daredevil attitude."

Riley walked over and knelt next to Andi, "Who is this man?"

Andi sighted , "let's just say he's an old acquaintance. His name is Hugh Baker and a couple years ago he robbed the bank in town, his partner shot Mitch, he made my friends and I his prisoners."

"Stop your talking, Sam tie them up!" Hugh shouted.

 Andi was confused. wait what? Sam? Sam was helping Hugh and Sam was short for Samantha and Samantha was the girl Mitch brought to dinner! Why would Mitch do that? Unless he didn’t know? Andi's mind spun with questions.

Sam walked over from behind a tree with a long rope. Hugh still had his gun on them.

                                                                 ***

After Sam tied them up, she and Hugh rode off.

I guess there plan is to starve us to death. Andi thought, how are we going to get out of this mess? They gagged me so I can't scream. Even if I could no one would hear me we're miles away from anywhere. I'm cold, I'm hungry and my face is wet and- wait, wet?

Andi sat up with a start and looked around, Riley was free and Tucker, oh! Tucker was licking her face! she quickly scooted around and let the dog bit her ropes free.

Andi immediately raced over to were Riley was knelt next to Levi. Riley was wiping the blood away from the wound with his Handkerchief to look at it but it was so stained already it was no use.

"Here." Andi pulled her hankie from her pocket and handed it to him.

Just then Levi's eyes fluttered open, he groaned, "What happened? ow my head!" After Andi and Riley had filled him in on what had happened, Levi tried to sit up.

"Stop that!" Andi said, "lie still."

Levi fell back down and  he slipped in to unconsciousness.

                                                               ***

That night Andi shivered even with the heat from the fire. Riley sat beside her. "Pretty cold for November isn’t it?" He asked.

"Yes. Riley, how are we getting home if Hugh and Sam took our horses?" Andi said.

"I'll probably have to walk back to the ranch tomorrow to get help."

Andi frowned, "No way. your not leaving me here with two girls an injured young man and a baby! can I please go?"

"Andi, I can't let you go alone anything could happen."

she thought for a moment, Riley is not going to give in, but I'll sneak off early tomorrow before he wakes up. She grinned, "Ok, goodnight Riley."

"Goodnight."

Andi rolled over and fell fast asleep.

 

 

Chapter 5: A surprise

The next morning Andi awoke to the sun rising. She suddenly remembered her plan to sneak away and get help, you better get going. she told herself.

Andi looked around, "what am I going to leave tell Riley where I am?" the answer can in seconds, Betsy woke up. "Good morning Andi."

"Morning Betsy, look I need to go to get help but Riley doesn’t want me to so," Andi took a breath. "I'm not telling him. If he asks say I'm fine and not to worry."

"Ok."  her niece said.

And so Andi's long walk began.

                                                                       ***

"Why did I want to do this," Andi grumbled to herself after thirty minutes of walking. "What's that?'  she asked as she spotted a couple horses nearby, "Maybe it's a search party come to look for us!" As Andi trudged over she saw it was not a search party but it was something almost as good, there horses! All of them Daisy, Butter, Dakota, Patches and... "Shasta!" Andi cried.

But before Andi could mount her beloved horse she heard a noise behind her. she turned. There she saw a someone that made her squeal with joy. Andi run to him and fling her arms around the neck of...

her brother!

"Oh Mitch!" She said. "It's so good to see you."

"Good to see you too but-"

"Where in California have you been!" Chad roared as he stomped over from behind Mitch. Andi stepped back, "I almost forgot, we need to go get the others. Hugh Baker-"

"Hugh Baker!" Chad said in surprise.

 "I'll explain of the way." She mounted Shasta and her brothers on there horses and led the rest of the horses behind them as they rode.

As they rode Andi told her story.

By the time she had finish they where back at there make shift camp site.

"Guys Andi's back! And she brought uncle Chad and uncle Mitch!" Hannah was so excited.

Riley look up from where he was. His eyes lit up when he saw Andi and in seconds he was pulling her from the saddle to inbrass her.  "Andi why did you not listen when I said you couldn’t go?"

Chad chuckled, "If you want to marry my sister you need to know something."

"What?"

"Andi never listens to instructions."

 

Chapter 6 The end of the adventure

Andi slid down the banister to her home a month later. Flying, flying- thud. She slid off the end and landed hard on the floor.

"Oh Andi."

"Don't 'oh Andi' me, Riley Prescott!" she said as he pulled her to her feet.

"Hurry up!" Riley urged.

"Why?"

"Justin came for a visit." Without another word they walked in to the parlor.

"Andrea Rose what in the world did you do to your dress." aunt Rebecca was quick to comment.

Andi looked down to see that her dress was wrinkled from her flite down the banister earlier. "I'm sorry."

Andi sat down beside Riley. "hello Justin, how's Lucy and the baby?"

"Yes," aunt Rebecca said. "how is little Andrea Grace?"

"Great, she, Lucy and Samuel are all fine."

aunt Rebecca smiled, "It's so nice you named your daughter after your grandmother."

"In all due respect," Justin said, "Lucy and I named Andrea Grace after Andi Because we want her to be as brave as my little sister."

Riley leaned over and whispered in Andi's ear. "That's going to be hard to do," he grinned. "Nobody is as brave as my Andi."

Andi smiled and gave him a quick kiss. she was happy everything was great, Levi's head was healing up fast, Hugh and Samantha where in jail and Christmas was coming soon.

She was ready for anything; well until her next adventure...

An Old Enemy

By Luca Bailey

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