Into the Sunrise

by Grace F.

This story is dedicated to my Mom who, like Jesse, is not a goose’s favorite person.

Chapter 1. The Goose, The Quarrel, and The Punishment 

      Jesse looked over a sea of brown longhorns from the second story balcony of his family’s two-story ranch house. To the left was the barn where ranch hands were putting their horses away for the night. To the right was the Circle C, a speck on the horizon. Just as he was about to go inside, his little sister Emma’s big fat goose, Mack, came swooping down at him. Mack pecked at Jesse’s face, honking wildly all the while. 

      “Stop it Mack! Ow! Get off!” He shouted. Flailing his arms about, he grasped the goose’s leg and restrained it from pecking him any further.

     Just then, he noticed his sister Susan standing in the doorway, looking as if she was enjoying the scene before her.

     Jesse felt his face get hot as he said: “Susan! How long have you been watching? You should’ve helped!” 

    “Only since you started ‘talking’ to Mack.”   

    “Why?” 

    “Mother told me to get you for supper, but I didn’t want to interrupt your and Mack’s little skirmish. It was actually quite amusing.” 

     Feeling his face grow even hotter, Jesse shoved mack off the balcony and stormed past Susan, stalking down the hallway to the bedroom that he shared with his older brother, John. Once he was inside, he changed out of his dust-covered shirt and into a clean one.  When he was ready, he went down to the family’s dining room and took his seat at the table. 

     Sitting at the head of the table was Mr. Gambrel. To Mr. Gambrel’s right were John, who was nineteen, Jesse, who was fifteen, and the twins, Peter and Phillip. They were six, but, Phillip being a few minutes younger, looked up to and adored his older twin and repeated everything he said, thus, they were aptly nicknamed, Pete and Repeat.

     On Mr. Gambrel’s left were Julia, who was seventeen, Susan, who was nine, Emma, who was twelve, and Robert, who was seven. Sitting across from Mr. Gambrel, at the other end of the table, was Mrs. Gambrel. 

     Mr. Gambrel prayed for the meal and all ten members of the Gambrel family feasted on roast beef and mashed potatoes with gravy.  As they ate, Susan began chuckling to herself. 

     “Why are you laughing, Susan?” Mother asked. 

     “I was thinking about what Jesse was doing when I went to get him for supper.”  Susan replied.

    “What happened?” asked Peter. 

    “Yeah, what happened?” Echoed Phillip. 

    “Well,” Susan began, “ When I found him he was talking to Emma’s goose!” 

     Jesse felt his face get hot again. He jumped up, knocking over his own glass and nearly knocking over John’s in the process. “That’s not true!” He declared firmly (And quite loudly too.) 

     “Jesse! you can stay calm and tell us without making a mess!” Mother cried, rising to mop up the puddle of water that was slowly dripping off the table and onto the floor. 

     Once the mess was gone and Jesse was seated once more, he began to tell what happened. “I was out on the balcony thinking, when Mack came out of nowhere and was pecking me to smithereens! I was not talking to him, I was yelling at him to get off. When I finally caught him, I noticed Susan standing there watching instead of helping get him off! I got steamin’ mad, but Ma- I didn’t do a thing. I just went past her and got ready for supper.”   

     “Oh really?” Retaliated Susan, “You stormed inside, stomped to your room and slammed your bedroom door! You also shouted at me for not helping you!” 

     “Okay, Susan,” Jesse said. “‘Stomped’ sounds a bit toddler-like.” 

     “Jesse, Susan, I believe you both need punishment,” Father said. “Susan, for bothering your brother and making fun of him, you will not go to the Circle C to see Andi for two weeks.” 

     “But Papa! We go back to school in two weeks!” Mourned Susan. 

     “I know dear,” He said. “Jesse, this is going to sound harsh, but, you did lie. You didn’t tell me that you slammed the door and shouted at Susan. You will not move the cattle to the next pasture with us this time because of your dishonesty.” 

     “Father!” Jesse exclaimed. “Anything but that!” 

 

Chapter 2. A Pig Predicament 

     The next day, Jesse ate his breakfast quickly and hurried out to the barn to saddle Tumbleweed, his brown shire horse. 

     “Tumbleweed, what should I do?” Jesse lamented as he lugged Tumbleweed’s big saddle over to the horse and heaved it onto his high back. “Father isn’t going to let us help move the cattle in a few days.”  

     As if to comfort him, Tumbleweed bent his big head down to nuzzle Jesse with his starred forehead. 

     “Thanks boy,” Jesse said to his horse. “What do you think? Should we ride over and see Mitch?” 

     Tumbleweed whinnied his approval as Jesse mounted him. They trotted out of the barn and burst into a gallop toward the Circle C. Halfway there he was met by Andi and Taffy. 

     “Hey Andi, Where are you headed?” Jesse asked as he slowed his horse to a stop. 

     “I’m going to see Susan.” 

     “Sorry, but, Susie isn’t supposed to see you for two weeks.” 

     “But Summer will be over in two weeks!” 

     “That’s pretty much what she said.” 

     As the two spoke, Tumbleweed began stamping his feathered hooves impatiently.  

     “Just a minute boy,” Jesse whispered as he bent to smooth his horse’s dark, rumpled Mane. “Well, Andi, I need to go, bye!” 

     With that, Jesse began to ride away, but, Andi called out after him: “Wait! I might as well come with you since I can’t see Susie.” 

     “Okay, I’ll race you!” And they both took off toward the Circle C.

     When they arrived, Chad and Mitch were unloading two giant, squealing pigs, or at least trying to. Chad was behind one of them trying to push it out but failing to do so. Mitch was locked in combat with the other.

     Andi and Jesse began laughing so hard that they nearly tumbled off their horses.   Suddenly, a pig let out a squeal that sent Taffy bolting away with Andi. Tumbleweed pranced nervously and threw his head back, ready to bolt at the next squeal. Another squeal came. Tumbleweed bolted in the opposite direction of Taffy.

     “Easy boy, easy! Whoa!” Jesse shouted, yanking the reins to avoid the chicken coop. 

     After a while of trying to avoid running in to things, Tumbleweed slowed next to Taffy, who was tied to a hitching post. Jesse looked around and spotted Andi sitting under a tree nearby, looking fully exhausted. 

     “Those pigs,” She explained, “Are Chad’s new pets.” 

     As she said this, Jesse noticed Melinda coming towards them. 

     “Andi! Mother needs you.” Melinda called from halfway across the yard. 

     “Bye Jesse!” Andi said as she ran across the yard.  

     Once Andi was inside, Jesse made his way back to the pigs. 

     “What are their names?” Jesse asked Mitch, who was still on top of the pig, fighting it with all his might. 

     “I’ll tell you -argh- once they’re -ow- in their pen.” Mitch replied from under the pig.   “Come on, you oversized piece of bacon!”

“We have some pigs,” Jesse said, “Maybe I can show you a thing or two. Where’s their pen?” 

     “Right there,” Mitch said, getting off of the pig and pointing to a large pen nearby. 

     “Stay there,” Jesse ordered as he pulled a sack of pig slop out of the wagon and carried it to the pig pen. He swiftly dumped the slop into the trough. 

     “Souie! Souie! Pig pig pig!” Jesse called.

     At that moment, the two duroc pigs came stampeding through the open gate. While they were eating, Jesse snuck out the gate and closed it behind him. 

     “I envy you, Pig Whisperer.” Mitch said with a smile on his face, as well as a couple bruises. 

     “Thanks Jesse,” Said Chad. “I need to go help Sid muck out the stalls, even though he’s probably done it all by now.”

     Once he was out of sight, the two friends debated what they should do.       

    “Jesse, let’s ride,” Mitch insisted.   

    “Okay!” Jesse agreed.  

     “Not so fast.” Boomed a deep voice from behind them.     

Chapter 3. The Race 

     They whirled around to see John standing there wearing a grin that showed his straight white teeth.     

     “Sorry, but, I need Jesse back at the ranch.” He said. “You can come if you’d like, Mitch.” 

     “Sure.” Mitch replied, rubbing a mark on his arm.       

     “What happened to your arm?” John asked him.        

     “That feather-brained hog bit me.” He answered, pointing at the big brown pigs in their pen. “Their names are Rufus and Cornelia.” He began rubbing his pig-bitten arm again. 

     “We should probably get going,” Jesse said. “I’ll race you two!” 

     At those words, all three raced to their horses and galloped toward the Gambrel ranch at top speed. At first, Jesse was in the lead, but, gradually, John and his appaloosa mare, Dottie, pulled ahead.

     Not too long after, Jesse glanced over to see Mitch riding alongside him on his horse. Jesse urged Tumbleweed to go faster and slowly but surely wound his way to the front. As he galloped into the barnyard, Jesse let out an Indian war whoop.  

     “I win!” He crowed.   

     “Good race,” John said as he patted Dottie’s rump. “Now, I’ll take your horses, you two go to the horse barn and fill up the water troughs.” 

     “Yes, sir!” Mitch exclaimed, saluting to John and picking up some water buckets. 

     As John trotted away on his horse leading the other two horses behind, Jesse and Mitch filled up their buckets at the pump and went to the barn. As they walked through the horse barn filling water troughs, they talked about everything from soup to siblings.  

     “What’s your favorite soup?”   

     “potato.” 

     “mine’s tomato. How’s Rob’s toe?” 

     “Fine, and so is the tea kettle he dropped on it! Speaking of siblings, I…umm… got in an argument with Susie and now I can’t help move the cattle.” 

     “What?!”   

 Chapter 4. Forgiveness 

     The next day, Jesse strolled out to the barn to saddle Tumbleweed for a ride. Unfortunately, Peter and Phillip came into the barn just as he was ready to go. The twins formed a barricade by standing in Jesse’s way. 

     “Move you two.” He told the human barricade in front of him. 

     “Not until you tell us a riddle with us and our horse in it.” Peter ordered. 

     “Yeah, tell us a riddle!” Repeated Phillip. 

     “Fine!” Jesse consented. “Pete and Repeat were on Willy, Pete fell off, who was left?”  

     “Repeat!” the twins shouted in unison. 

     “Okay,” Jesse said. “Pete and Repeat were on Willy, Pete fell off, who was left?” 

     “You already said that!” Exclaimed Pete. 

     “Yeah, You just said that!” Echoed Repeat. 

     “But you told me to repeat it.” Jesse said. 

     “What?! C’mon Phillip, lets go bother Emma!” And with that, the two little nuisances began to stroll away, but Pete turned around and said: “By the way, I wouldn’t fall off Willy!”   

     Relieved, Jesse began galloping toward the Circle C, but pulled Tumbleweed to a stop when he saw Susan sitting under a tree, looking quite sad. 

     “What’s wrong Susan?” Jesse asked, dismounting and going over to her. 

     “I was thinking about how much you wanted to help move cattle,” She said. “It would’ve been your first time, but I ruined it for you. I’m really sorry I caused all that trouble.” 

     “I forgive you, and I’m sorry too,” Jesse said. “I yelled at you and got mad. It’s my fault.” 

     “It’s alright, Jesse. I forgive you.” Susan replied. And then, with Tumbleweed looking on, brother and sister shared a big hug. 

 Chapter 5. The Sunrise 

     Very early in the morning, Jesse woke up to see his Father standing over him. 

     “Jesse, get up,” He said. “You can’t help move cattle in your pajamas.” 

     “Really! why? I thought I couldn’t!” Jesse asked. 

     “Well,” Mr. Gambrel began. “Your mother was watching the entire time you two were apologizing. She was so glad that you did it on your own, that she persuaded me to let you come move the cattle. Susie is going to spend the day at the Circle C.” 

     Jesse jumped up and began getting dressed. 

     A few minutes later, Jesse and Mr. Gambrel walked out of the house to a group of six. There were three ranch hands: Finn, Ike, Yellow Feather, and also John and Mitch.  

     “Mitch!” Jesse exclaimed, “What are you doing here?” 

     “Your Pa came and got me real early this morning so I could come!” Mitch answered.  

     “Are we all ready?” shouted John, who had also been standing in the crowd. 

     There was a big “Yes sir!” from the group and all eight men mounted their horses. 

     “Lets go.” John ordered. 

     And so, with lassos in hand and the dogs following behind, the two friends galloped into the sunrise.