Summer Storm

 by Sara M. 

It was a wonderful day but Andrea Rose Carter was bored, she had ridden Taffy already but it was a hot day and Taffy was due to foal in a few months so she couldn't ride for long. Chad and Mitch were along checking the fences and tending cattle, Andi thought for a while “I wonder when Mitch and Chad will come back. I’m bored, what can I find to do? Taffy is hot. I’m hot.” her thoughts drifted from one thing to the other. 

 Andi was sitting on the porch steps when Melinda came out, “Hey Andi, Mother and I are going to town, want to come along?” she asked, plopping down on the steps next to her sister.

Andi shrugged,” I wish there was something exciting going on. I’m just plain bored.” Andi said

“Andi, you know better than to think that,” Melinda scolded gently. ‘Why don’t you ride along and see where Mitch and Chad are.”

“I guess so, I’ll see you when you get back then,” Andi said turning to the barn.

“Bye Andi!” Melinda called after her

Andi went into the barn, she looked over all the horses and chose Pal to ride, she glanced over at Taffy “I wish I could ride you, Taffy. I will after you foal though, bye Taffy.” Taffy neighed as Andi and Pal rode away.

 Pal trotted along at a walk and Andi turned him to ride through the hills and then find her brothers. As she rode along she didn’t notice some storm clouds gathering above to mountains, only when it started to thunder did she notice. “Pal! Giddy up!” she said and kicked her heels on his side, a bolt of lightning flashed in the distance and a huge crash of thunder startled Pal and he bucked, Andi tried to hold on but she was already nervous about the storm and wasn’t ready. Pal threw her and she landed hard and the breath got knocked out of her and she couldn't get up to get Pal under control. He ran off bucking all the while. Andi watched in dismay. “Now what?” she said aloud.

 Andi got to her feet ad looked around quickly, she had to get a shelter of some kind due to the storm. She spotted a sturdy pine tree and creep under it, she knew it might not be the safest place but where else would she go? It started raining, hard, Andi curled into a ball under the tree and was going to wait the storm out when she heard a loud crack, she dashed out from under the tree as a branch came falling down.

 Andi sighed, she was wet and cold, she decide to walk to keep warm. She couldn't see much but she made her way through the woods. After some time And tripped, she was too cold and tired to get up. She just had to hope her brothers would find her.

 At the ranch, Elizabeth and Melinda noticed the storm clouds and decided to go to town another day, “Melinda? Where is Andrea?” Mother asked

“She went for a ride as far as I know,” answered Melinda

“I hope she’ll be back before the storm hits.”

“I’m sure she will.”

 Not too long after that Mitch and Chad rode in “Looks like a big storm coming.” commented Chad

“Yeah, sure looks like it,” Mitch replied as they watched the clouds

Elizabeth came out “Have you seen Andrea? Melinda said she was going for a ride.”

Chad quickly scanned the barn, and he notice Pal was missing “Oh, no, this is horrible weather to be out in, looks like she took Pal. He will know to come back through a storm.” no sooner than he finished speaking they heard the rain come, hard and fast. They were standing there when they heard a scraping noise against the barn door “That must be them!” said Mitch going to open it, a horse came through, wet and cold, Pal. 

Elizabeth froze “Where’s Andrea?!” 

Chad hurried over, “Andi’s been thrown is my guess, Pal must have startled.” he said grimly

“We got to find her! I’m going,” stated Mitch, he started to tack up a horse, Chase, Mitch knew he would never buck and throw a rider, even in a storm.

“You mustn't go, Mitch! The storm is very bad.” said his mother

Mitch mounted Chase “I’m going,  I can’t leave my sister out in this storm!” he trotted Chase outside, in the cold driving rain. He heard Chad and Mother yelling behind him but he paid no attention. 

“I don’t have any clue where Andi is or where she went.” Mitch was thinking “I better just start looking.” he rode off, Andi must have been in the hills he thought so he went that way, Chase had a tricky time going through the driving rain but he did.

Mitch looked around frantically, but still, no sign of his sister. He kept riding slowly and suddenly saw one of Andi's hair ribbons! He quickly dismounted and picked it up, all the while holding Chase’s reins. He decided to walk on, it was raining even harder now and he couldn't see much from the saddle. 

 He was walking on for some time when he tripped, he fell but he had a tight grip on the reins. He started to get up when she saw a piece of Andi's riding skirt on the stick he tripped on. He gasped and picked it up, it was Andi’s so he kept going, he suddenly tripped on Andi! She was a few feet away from the skirt piece. He went over and tried to shake her awake. “Andi, wake up. We need to find shelter.” they certainly needed to, the storm was getting worse by the minute. 

Andi didn’t wake up, she moved a little but that was all. Mitch frowned, the rain was freezing and he had to get out of here! He leaned over and pick Andi up, still holding Chase’s rains he place Andi on his back and mounted. He gave Chase a gently kick with his heels and Chase trotted on. 

Suddenly the rain let up, Mitch looked up, Chase had found a rock that would protect them from the rain. It was a hollow in the rock, just enough for them to be in. Mitch dismounted and took Andi. Mitch sat down in the rock hollow and tried to wake Andi again. She was too cold and tired to wake. Mitch knew he was going to have to get to the ranch now. Andi couldn't stand the cold much longer. 

He mounted Chase again, holding Andi. “To the ranch Chase,” he said and let Chase have his way, Chase slowly and carefully picked his way through the pounding rain and they made their way to the ranch.  

Mitch spotted the ranch house ahead. Chase did too and he loped the rest of the way. Mitch dismounted and left Chase standing there and went inside, Elizabeth, Chad and the rest of the family were there “Mitch! You're back!” exclaimed Elizabeth 

“I am, here, take Andi, she is near freezing and is very cold and wet. Get her warm as fast as possible!” said Mitch handing Andi to her mother

Melinda ran and some towels and they took Andi up to her room.

Elizabeth tried coaxing her daughter awake. “Andrea, Andrea!” she called softly, Andi was warming up and starting to wake 

“Where am I?” was her first thought when she woke

She opened her eyes to see her whole family gathered around her “Andi! You're up!” Mitch exclaimed

She looked at him in confusion, “What?” 

Mitch told her what had happened. “Okay, the last thing I remember was tripping and falling.”

“You're okay now, that's what matters,” Elizabeth said, smiling warmly at her daughter. 

Chad turned to Mitch, “Mitch, I, well, I’m sorry I didn’t go with you, I should have.” 

“Chad, that’s alright. I made do. Thank you.” Mitch replied softly 

A few days later Andi was up and about, better than before! As Elizabeth watched her youngest daughter run outside she said aloud “All’s well that ends well!”