Silver Saddle Ranch

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Christa Tudor woke up crying. Why did she keep having dreams about the accident? It happened five years ago. Chris looked at the clock. It was 4:53. She put on a T-shirt, jeans, and boots.

She quietly crept into the attic. She got out her grandfather’s violin and played a few songs. She then went to the kitchen and grabbed an apple. After she took a bite, she went outside. She headed to the stables and stopped at her horses stall. There he was. Golden Legacy. She remembered getting him for her twelfth. birthday. It was the last birthday that her mom was alive to celebrate.

She gave Legacy the rest of her apple and saddled him up. Chris mounted him and headed to the woody part of the ranch.

She lived on this ranch her whole life. She grew up around horses. She knew her father was worried about her becoming a loner, but she wasn’t. As long as she had horses and God, she would never be alone.



Laura Jones awoke and couldn’t wall back to sleep. She lied there thinking about her life before coming to Silver Saddle Ranch. Her father kicked her mom and her out of the house when she was seven. They had an apartment, but got evicted. Her mom didn’t go to college. So, she couldn’t get a very good job. They lived at a Christian homeless shelter for a time. Then they were in the grocery store and heard some women talking about SSR. That’s how they got here. They had been here for three wonderful months.

She looked at her mom sleeping on the bed across the room. Laura knew that her mom was mad at God. Laura recalled the day she went to church with a friend and became a believer in God.

She remembered her mom saying, “If you wanted to believe that stuff, fine! But leave me out of it!”

She prayed for her mom everyday, and Laura would continue to do so until she found God.

Laura heard some noise outside.

Who could be up it’s 5:00 in the morning.

She slipped into some clothes and went outside. In the distance she saw Christa Tudor with her horse, Golden Legacy. Chris mounted to horse and began to ride.

Why is she up this early?

Gabriel took a notebook from the backpack he had just bought. He had not let Ryan or Laura see it, mainly because he wasn't sure what their questions about it would be. He took a pencil from deeper inside the backpack and started writing. He wasn't sure what was going on outside, the squealing and the rushing about, but then again, he didn't care. It wasn't any of his business, so he just kept to his writing.

Ryan nodded, "Sure thing, they'll do. Now..." he mumbled as he worked the grill. Once a flame came out of it, he put the hot dogs and hamburgers. There was a picnic table they could eat on, and they'd just need to go get the condimenents and bread. "I'm gonna go find Gabriel....if you see Brooke, tell her she can come to." Walking quickly, Ryan looked for Gabriel. After checking the edges of the woods, he turned to the stables. The horses whinnied softly as he entered quietly. Gabriel was writing, and to make it appear as though he hadn't been trying to find out what Gabriel was doing--which he did not--he came closer and said, "We're having a cook-out, would you like to join us now?"

Jason nodded and said, "The pleasure's all mines." He decided to make himself comfortable, because he plunked down onto the couch and flipped on the TV. Turning on to a soap opera, he said, "When'll we eat?" Melody shook her head slightly. Jason was not going to set up a good impression this way.

Gabriel looked up, startled that he had just been invited anywhere. "Uh, sure! Absolutely!" He quickly got to his feet and just as quickly put the notebook away. "Just as long as I'm not in the way. I'd love to help any way I can too."

Ryan smiled a broad smile, "I don't think you would be in the way. Come on, let's go." Walking back, he took one look at the grill. "The food!" he yelped and ran quickly. "Hmm...that was close, they're OK for now."

Chris didn't know what to think of this Jason. She could tell that her father was displeased with him. Chris ignored the tv and decided to have a conversation with him, "So, Jason, where are you from?"

Gabriel tapped Ryan on the shoulder and looked at the food. "Not too bad, but the edge is a little singed though." He said teasingly, and he stepped back just as he thought Ryan was about to punch him in the shoulder.

Ryan gave him a pretend hurt look, then playfully swatted him with his apron. "Thanks for the help, Gabriel." He flipped them and then shut the lid. Taking a seat on the bench, he gestured for Gabriel to do the same. "Have you seen Brooke by any chance?"

Jason didn't answer immediately, as though he were retarded. He was too busy watching TV. Finally he said, "I come from here in Kentucky, just further north from here." Flipping the TV channel, a smile broke out on his face. "Oh, the Young and the Restless is on!"

He decided to go hunting and shot a rabbit and started cooking it. After eating he wandered back holding the skin of the rabbit and the leftovers.

Gabriel shrugged. "I saw her in the Barn but I was too busy- er, writing to notice much else. Hey," Gabriel looked at the strange looking car in the driveway. "Is there a guest star that's going to be joining us or something?" Of course he was joking, but he couldn't hide the curiosity from his tone.

OOC: Hey Cal....I don't think we go around shooting rabbits and cooking them in the middle of the forest.

Ryan sneezed, then shrugged. "All I know was that he was looking for Melody. Maybe he's her boyfriend," he added teasingly. "Where'd you go after you saw Marcus?"

Gabriel shrugged. "Through the fields, and far away from him." Gabriel had looked away when he had mentioned the word "boyfriend". "Anyways, I'd rather be out and about than on some road leading to a place I already know of. Wouldn't you?"

Laura stayed quiet and watched Gabriel and Ryan talk. She was glad that they were getting along.

This guy is the rudest! She glared at Melody, "I'll be in the stable. Call me when dinner's ready," She then marched off to the stable.

Ryan nodded. "Yes, I agree. But I guess this is where I'm going to live until..." he left it dangling. Until what? Until he wanted out? Until this place closed down? What indeed?

Melody growled under her breath and turned to Jason. She hissed, "Jason. If you want to earn 'brownie points' with my parents, act nicer! And I'd rather you go apologize to Chris...now. She's outside." Jason gave her a hard look and stomped outside. Muttering the whole time, he passed by Ryan and Gabriel and Laura. Ryan stared at him, and Jason just shot him a stare. Finally he reached the stables. "Smelly horses!" he said. He looked for Laura.

If Gabriel was an expert at anything, it was reading people. And although Ryan looked uncertain, the man walking by caught his attention. He knew those looks. Contempt, arrogance, a low class kind of guy. "Ryan, who's the stiff?"

Ryan shuddered and gave the man a dark stare. "If I'm right, he's probably Melody's girlfriend. That's all I know. And he wasn't very nice to us the first time...I'd like to go after him." His fists were clenched.

OO: Melody's girlfriend?

IC:

Chris heard someone enter the stables. She waited next to Golden Legacy to see who it was. She stretched her neck out and saw Jason. What could he want?

Gabriel shook his head. "No way you're leaving me out of this one. I've done my fair share of spying, and that guy doesn't look like the lion and the lamb type of guy. Come on!" Gabriel stepped noiselessly across the grass and up against one of the glass-less windows of the stables, and kept to being just under the edge. He motioned for Ryan to follow, but he put a finger to his lips as he did so.

Brooke glanced up as the house door slammed, and watched Jason leave the house looking a little unhappy, until he went out of sight behind another cabin.
Well!!
She got up from her seat on the cabin steps and put her drawing things away, sliding her backpack on.
I wonder what's wrong with Jason, and where he's going... You know, I guess I'll go find out!! I can be outgoing for once, she teased herself.
As she rounded the corner and neared the stables, she saw Gabriel and Ryan crouched below a window, and heard voices, though not clear words, coming from inside.
Brooke scowled and walked over to Gabriel and Ryan.
"Hypocrite!!" she said rather firecly to Gabriel, with obvious irritation, and waited to see if he'd understand what she meant.

Gabriel shook his head when he heard Jason apologize. He crept away from the window and shook his head. "It's one thing to spy or eavesdrop when there's no reason to. But when a guy, especially a boyfriend, is in a rotten mood anything can happen." He got up and looked fiercely at Brooke, he looked her right in the eye. "I've seen what boyfriends to people, especially girls, when they've had it. They beat them Brooke, I know nothing about this stranger, but if he's going to go around with a cloud over his head then I'm going to follow him. I wont see another beating Brooke, never again!" Gabriel walked off, unable to say another calm word.

Jason scowled, looked at the floor, then said shortly, "Sorry for not being so nice to you earlier," and strode out.

Ryan threw his hands in the air and groaned. He ran after Gabriel as fast as he could. Passing Laura, he said, "Check the food for me, please." He trotted faster until he was up to Gabriel. He tapped him and looked at Gabriel firmly.

Chris watched him go away. She knew Jason did not come to apologize because it was his decision. He came because Melody asked him to. She gave her horse one more pat. Then she headed inside. It wasn't Melody's fault for Jason's actions. Not really.

Laura did as she was told. She wondered what was going on. She saw Jason and Chris walking back to the house. She cleared her mind and kept her attention on the meat.

Gabriel stopped short and turned around when Ryan tapped him on the shoulder. "You know, its easier to just say my name than to actually tap me on the shoulder. What's up?"

Ryan looked at him for a second, hard and long. "Why'd you just leave like that? And besides....are you coming back? To eat I mean."

Gabriel looked long and hard at Ryan, as if the answer to his [Gabriel] problems were in his [Ryan] eyes.
"I don't know anymore Ryan. Maybe it is best that I just stay away. Me and people just don't mix anymore. Ask Brooke, she can explain better than I can."

Ryan peered at Gabriel long and hard. This was a downer. "Won't you come back, please? It'll be less fun without you." He frowned.

Jason followed Chris back inside, grumbling the whole time about the dump this place was. When he got back inside, he didn't turn on the TV, but he went to sit down on the couch and pulled out a book to read instead.

After seeing a strange man walk inside he decided to investigate. He saw Gab and Ryan and decided to ask them about the man.

Cal jordon wrote:After seeing a strange man walk inside he decided to investigate. He gab and Ryan and decided to ask him.

OOC: Could you please edit that so it makes more sense? Because I have almost no idea what you just said...

IC: Gabriel sighed, then looked at Ryan. "Who am I to disappoint a friend? Yes I'll come back. But if I start to lose my temper, I'll-" He paused and softened his tone, "I'll politely excuse myself and walk away. Okay? I'm still trying to get used to people period Ryan, and patience isn't my best quality." He knew he was probably saying more than needed to be said, but being blunt was what he was used to doing.