Danger in the Arena

 By Katie and Laila, ages 15 and 13

#9 Andi and the Calf

As soon as the gate was flung open, Andi and her horse, Shasta burst out of the holding pen, abd dashed after the calf as it fled to get away down the arena. Andi and Shasta had a good chance of winning this year, they had been practicing all summer for the fall rodio, and it was finally here! Fifteen feet, ten feet, Andi swung the rope over her head in a perfect circular motion. 

By now she was standing in her stirrups; she tossed the rope , a perfect throw! But suddenly Shasta started to sidestep while trying to still do what Andi was telling her to do. Andi felt the change in her horse, but didn't know what. All she knew was that something inside her was saying "Throw the rope and hold on! By now the perfect throw, the calf, and everything else had faded into the back ground. All Andi cared about was the she, and her horse would be ok! 

She grasped the rope and thrust it with all her might to get it as far away as possible to keep Shasta from tripping on it. Then it happened, Shasta reared up. Andi grasped for the saddle horn, but it was to late. She felt herself falling. The all to familar memories of all the times she had gotten hurt flashed through her mind; then she hit the ground.

  "Everything was hazy! She couldn't soo right! What was happening to her? Then she remembered. Shasta reared she was falling, it was all to recent." Andi hazzily heard Riley calling her name, then Chad yelling for a doctor in the distance. She opened her eyes, and looked up into Rileys face. She tried sitting up, but couldn't between Riley pushing her vack dawn tellinf her to hold still till the doctor got there, and the shooting pain coming from her right leg.

  "Are you alright"? Rileys voice jarred her back to the present from thinkin avoit all the other times she'd nearly gotten killed, or atleast gotten severely injured. She looked up into his terrified face.

  "Poor Riley I've put him through a lot withall the scrapes I get into," Andi smiled, she didn't feel like talking right then, so instead she assured him with a grin. Just then the doctor hurried over. I'm glad to see your awake! Thats a good sign there's no concusion. Does anything hurt in particular?

  Andi swalloed and said in a quite shaky voice,"My right leg hurts really bad, but othr than that just maybe a few bruses."

"Well I;m glad you don't really feel anything other than that, but I do want to check out that leg," The Doctor turned towards Chad and Riley and said "If yall can carry her to mu office that would ve great. I don't want her putting any pressure on her leg till we know whats going on."

                               ****************************

  Andi winced as Doc. Weaver touched her swollen knee. "Well It's not broken, just dislocated. I'll put it back in place, but you'll have to wear a brace for a while."

  "Can I still ride Doc.?" Andi asked and then suddenly thinking of Shasta turned to Chad and said "Shasta is ok isn't she?" Her heart pounded. "I already lost Taffy! I just can't lose Shasta too"

  "Yes Shasta's fine," Chad answered.

  "And as far as your riding young lady I don't see why you can't and long as your careful" Doc. Weaver said.

  "I'll make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," Riley answered with a grin. His face was back to it's normal color again.

  Andi thought back over the accident, what had happened? "Why diid Shasta spooke and rear?" She asked Chad.

  "We don't know but I intend to find out." Andi felt herself pale at the sudden thought that whatever scared Shasta, it could have been ten times worse. She thanked God that it wasn't.

 

                                         Chapter 2

                                    Recooperating

  The next morning the Carter family ate breakfast as quietly as possible so as not to wake Andi, but just cause she was hurt wasn't gonna stop her. She'd set her alarm and woke up at the normal time. Andi hobbled out to the table and sat down.

  Once breakfast was over Andi asked Riley to saddle Shasta for her. Riley glanced at Chad as if asking permission to do so.

   Chad nodded and said, "Riley why don't you take the day off and take your fiance' riding? I don't want her doing any work right now, and I think yall both deserve a day off.  Get Louisa to put together some lunch and ride out to the hills or something."

  Two hours later, Riley pulled up Dakota and swung down then ran aroud to help Andi down from Shasta. They walked a ways and then sat down.

  Andi said, "Doc. says I should be able to get this brace off in six or seven weeks! That's just in time for me to be able to ride in the last rodio of the year!"

  "Yeah" Riley said quietly. "If Chad let's you ride in it!"

  " What do you mean? of course I'll ride in it!"

  "Not if Chad has any say so in it." Replied Riley. " He's plenty worried about you and doesn't understand why Shasta threw you."

  "How do you know that?" Asked Andi.

  "Well Chad really didn't even want you to ride till your leg healed, h=but your mother and me convinced him the Doc. said it'd be ok. But he say's he doesn't want you riding at rodio's any more just in case."

  "What! Thats just stupid!" Replied Andi, "I'm going to ride in that rodio! I don't need Chads say-so in everything! It was just that Shasta spooked."

  "Ok," Riley said, "But you'd better stay on Chads extra good side til then if you want even a chance of riding! You can argue the point with him then, but don't say I told you! And don't be mad at me I didn't do anything."

                                         **************

  "Andi." Andi jumped as she heard her name being called. She had been day dreaming as she say on the front porch. "You were a million miles away!" It was Jusitin, her oldest, and favorite brother. "Justin! What are you doing here? " She asked.

  "I came to see if you would be able to come babysit so I can take Lucy to a special dinner? You can bring Riley too if you'd like." He said grinning.

  "Oh I'd love to!" Andi replied.

  "Bring Riley or babysit?" He teased.

  "Justin!" She rolled her eyes. "Your crazy!"

                                         **************

  "You ready to go?" Riley asked smiling.

   Andi mounted Shasta. "Yep! I'm looking forward to the ride!" As they rode they talked about their up coming wedding. Riley tried to pry out of Andi what her dress would look like. "Thats bad luck according to Melinda" she laughed. "And any ways, I want you to be suprised!"

  "Fine." Riley said raising his hands above his head in defeat. "I'll just have to ask Justin how to get things out of you!"

  "Oh you'd better not if you know whats good for you!" Andi answered laughing. I'll make you change one of Sammys diapers tonight if you so much as say a word to Justin about it." She laughed when she saw the disgusted look on Rileys face.

  By then they had gotten to Justins and the two tied their horses to the railing of the front porch. Andi shivered at the thought of the last time she and Riley were here together. Then she thought back to that ride whenever she first told Riley she loved him. She giggled slighty at the thought of their first kiss though!

  "Whats funny Andi?" Riley asked looking puzzled.

  "Oh I was just thinking of the last time we were here."

  "That wasn't very funny!" Riley said

  " No that wasn't, but it got me thinking over the time that we had our first kiss, and I slapped you and stomped on you foot!"

  "Oh no! That may seem funny now, but I had a bruised foot for a long time!

  "Well your the one that came up with the idea!" Andi argued.

  "Yeah, I suppose so, and you did play the part well." He replied with a twinkle in his eye.

  "Yall gonna stand there all night or you gonna take the baby so me and Lucy can get going?" Justin asked laughing. "As much as I'd like to hear the story which I don't think yall have ever caved to tell me or anyone for that matter, I do have a wife that is ready to leave."

  "Aww, we havn't been standing here thta long big brother, but we're coming." Andi said.

  She scooped Sammy out of Lucys arms, and told them to have a good time.

  "Thanks Honey," Justin said as he kissed the top of Andi's head, "and thankyou too," Justin said laughing as he gave Riley a side hug.

  Once they'd finished supper, and Andi had fed the baby they started on the dishes. Riley suprised her by being able to do the dishes just as well as her.

  Andi said, "I guess all those years of helping cook finaly paid off."

  "What? You thought I couldn't do dishes?" Riley pretended to be suprised.

  "I didn't say that, it's just that I know my brothers wouldn't even touch the dish water!" She said laughing.

  Their laughter was cut off by the sound of shaddering glass. Andi paled, and glanced uneasily at Riley.

  "What was that?" Andi asked as the baby began to cry.

  "I don't know, just get the baby and stay with me." Riley replied urgently.

  Andi scooped up Sammy from the floor where he had been playing, and followed Riley into the living room. On the floor with glass shards scattered was a note tied around a rock. Riley quickly picked it up and read, "This is Procopias grandson. You killed my Grandfather now I get you Miss Carter!. "Andi gasped.

  Riley said, "We need to go find Justin and fast!"

  Riley found a pistol of Justins and slipped it into a gun belt and fastened it around his waist. They rushed out the door and to the horses. They seened a bit spooked, but were still there. Riley mounted Dakota and then took Sammy while Andi jumped on Shasta. And they raced away.

 

                                         Chapter 3

                                     Perfect timing

   As they neared the diner they saw Justins buggy at the hitching post. They were thankful he was there and not on the other side of town.

  Riley jumped off easily, but as Andi slid off Shasta she landed hard on her hurt leg. She winced in pain but ignored it as they hurried to the door.

  Riley saw her limping and asked, "You ok?"

  "Yeah or I will be." Andi answered.

  They dashed inside, and as soon as Justin seen them he jumped up and asked "Whats wrong?" Then when he saw Andi limping he asked "Are you ok Honey?"

  Riley answered, "warning from Procopias grandson. He's out to get Andi!"

  Justin paled at the news, and Lucy hugged Sammy against her. She had took him as soon as they'd gotten to their table.

  Justin said, "We'll go to the Sherrifs office on the way home and have him go with us home and he can tell us more about this grandson maybe.

  As they pulled up to the Sherrifs office Justin quickly went in and came back out a few minutes later with the sherrif.

  Sheriff Tate said, "I can't come with you as all of my deputys are out and no ones here to stay at the office, but I told Justin what to do, and I'll come check on yall as soon as I can get someone to stay here. Yall be careful!

  They stopped by Justins house and Lucy ran in to get an overnight bag for them and was back out in minutes and they hightaled it to the ranch house. When they finaly pulled up it was already dark, and Riley took the horses to the barn, and tied them down temporarily and then came back and helped Andi into the house since by this time she was limping pretty bad. When mother saw Riley helping Andi hobble to the dinning room where her and Melinda sat drinking coffee she jumped up "Andrea! what in the world happened?" She gasped as Riley helped her into a seat. "Mother don't worry about me," Andi said. "Just listen to what Riley and Justin have to say."

  "What's wrong Justin? Why are you here anyways? Elizabeth looked and her oldest son.

  "Where's Chad?" Justin asked. " We need to talk."

  "I'm right here." Chad said as he walked in the door. " What's wrong?"

  "Apparently Precopia has a grandson who isn't happy with Andi." Justin said sounding grim.

  "What?" Chad said sitting down, " A grandson?"

  "What did the Sherrif say?" Andi asked?

  "All he said was that he'd comitted a few petty crimes, but nothing major." Justin aswered.

  Just then the kitchen door creaked open. Everyone stiffened surely no one would be coming to see them at this late hour. Chad motioned everyone to be quiet as him, Justin, and Riley stood up. As they were doing so two masked men came in through the kitchen, both holding guns. The one said, "I warn you and you do what I want. " He laughed. Andi cringed at the sound of his mocking laugh. "You there," he motioned towards Riley "toss down your gun and gun belt." Riley obeyed slowly. "All I want is the little lady there." pointing his gun at Andi.

  "You leave Andi out of this." Riley shouted. " She hasn't done anything to you or your family!"

  Andi thought she heard another sound coming from the kitchen, and almost squeled when she seen Mitch step behind the two intruders. Everyone knew better than to say anything. How Mitch had gotten there she didn't know but the only thing that mattered was that he was there and the two men hadn't noticed. A minute or two passed. the twi seemed to be eyeing everyone daring them to move. And just like that Mitch punched the the guy that had been talking and just as quickly Chad and Riley were on the other guy. It was an easy take and once they had them secured Chad and Mitch hauled them to the sherrifs office.

          "Well I'm glad thats over with!" Mother said and then she sent Andi to bed to rest her knee Promising to talk more in the morning.