Kyra and Eden's Story - April 2026 Story Prompt

 By Kyra and Eden Ages 18 and 15

Andrea Carter skipped to the barn under the hot California sun, brown hair blowing behind her. It was summer, and Andi could hardly wait to ride Taffy. 

“Good morning!” she cried, flinging the barn door open and walking to Taffy’s stall to brush her horse’s golden mane. “We’re going fishing, girl,” Andi declared, and Taffy whinnied in reply. She put on Taffy’s saddle and led her out of the barn where she saw a sight that startled her. 

A lone rider was coming down the road, and he looked... but it couldn't be...

She reeled back in terror as she recognized the rider-and that was what frightened her most. She turned, flying to put Taffy in her stall, then tore back into the yard and to the house, ignoring the buggy tied out front and Sid talking to the rider. 

“Mother!” she screamed, bursting into the sitting room. She stopped short; there was a woman and boy sitting across from her mother. 

Elizabeth looked at her daughter sternly. “Andrea, don’t yell in the house. We have guests.” 

“Mother,” Andi blurted, “There’s a man out front and-” her voice cracked, “it- looks like- Father!” 

To Andi’s astonishment her mother only gave an exasperated sigh. “Andrea, this is your Aunt Lydia and cousin Daniel.” 

Realization hit Andi like a bucket of freezing cold spring water. The man wasn’t her father, he was her uncle! She curtsied quickly to Lydia, then nodded to Daniel. “How do you do?” 

Daniel smirked, but Lydia smiled at the rumpled girl in front of her. “It’s so good to see you again, Andrea.” 

Mother cut in, “Andrea, go make yourself presentable.”

Andi nodded, blushing, then sped up the stairs. Why were Benjamin and Lydia here? Andi was racking her mind for the answer as she tugged on a pale green dress, when suddenly she remembered the telegram they had received the month prior. 

Lydia’s health declining. Doctor orders that she get out of the city. Would you board Lydia and Daniel for the summer? She needs to get as much time in the country as she can… 

Andi had totally forgotten! Her hands started to shake; what trouble would Daniel get her into this time?

 

* * *

 

One morning during breakfast, Chad put down his fork and looked at Mitch. “I need someone to drive the cattle to the north pasture later.” 

Andi swallowed her scoop of eggs. “I could go.” 

“I can go with her,” Daniel volunteered.

“Only if he can keep up with me and Taffy,” Andi mumbled.

Daniel stiffened at this and shot Andi a withered look. Mitch snorted and coughed into his napkin. 

Andi met Daniel in the barn that afternoon and showed him where Pal’s tack was. As she went to saddle Taffy, Daniel gave a low whistle. “Taffy’s a beauty.” Andi smiled at the compliment. 

They were a little ways off from the north pasture when, to Andi’s horror, Daniel rode up to a tree, broke off a thin branch, and began whipping at the cattle. 

“Heeya!” he yelled, and the cattle mooed uncertainly and began running.

“NO!” Andi urged Taffy after her cousin but he swerved away and continued yelling.   

“Daniel, stop!” she cried, but he ignored her and drove the herd forwards, right through the pasture’s new fencing. The cattle lowed at the impact and slowly stopped running. 

Andi looked over her shoulder to see Daniel galloping toward the house. She turned Taffy and urged her after him.

“May I take care of your horse, señorita?” Diego asked as she pulled up to the barn. 

“Yes, thank you!” Andi sighed, then turned around and bumped right into a glowering Chad. 

“Why would you think that it would be a good idea to drive fifty head of cattle through a fence?!?” he roared. “It’s going to take all day to fix it, and Mr. Milliner’s wheat will need to be paid for.” He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “What got into you? You’re grounded from riding Taffy for a week. Now go to your room.”     

“Chad!” tears sprang into Andi’s eyes. Had Daniel... lied? “It-”

Chad cut her off. “Room, now!” Andi turned and rushed into her room and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing.  

A soft knock sounded on the door, and Elizabeth stepped inside. She sat on the edge of Andi’s bed and placed her hand on her weeping daughter’s shoulder. “Tell me what happened.”

The whole story came flooding out, and Mother nodded understandingly.

“Mother!” Mitch called up the stairs, “José’s here, and he’s got a story to tell you.”

Andi followed her mother down the stairs and into the sitting room where José, Lydia, Chad, Daniel, and Mitch sat. Chad’s angry face relaxed as he listened to the ranch hand’s story. “I’m sorry I yelled at you Andi. Forgive me?”

“I forgive you, Chad.” 

“I’m so sorry Daniel acted like this,” Lydia apologized, tearful, but Mother shook her head. 

“Daniel should apologize, not you, Lydia. That was no way for a man to treat a lady.”

Lydia nodded, then turned to Daniel, who stayed silent. “Daniel,” she pressed.

“Sorry for lying,” he mumbled, then rose to leave. 

Andi rose, too. “I forgive you, Daniel.”

Daniel looked startled. “Wha- why?” 

“'And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.',” Andi quoted.

That night, she found a note under her door, reading:

 

Andi,

 I realize that it was wrong of me to start a stampede and then blame you. When you forgave me in an instant, and I saw that you had something different, so I got out my Bible, and I came upon Matthew 5. I read, and then I started crying. I just prayed, “LORD, cleanse me and lead me back to you. I will follow you, Jesus, for you are indeed the Messiah sent to save us all.” and yet I feel so... changed. I never realized how precious the Love and Grace of Christ were until now. Thank you, Andi.

-- Daniel