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 gave an enthusiastic "YOW!" before finally coming back out again. "Okay," he said hold his foot, "You lead this time."

"Some people just don't listen," she said, feigning indignance. She then dropped the act. "You're okay though, right?"

Gabriel immediately put his foot down and leaned up against a tree on the same foot. "Sure I am, why do you ask?"

Brooke attempted to stifle it, but burst out with a hearty laugh.
"You're nuts," she said, and began walking into the woods.

Gabriel came up right behind her and whispered, "Eh, it beats boredom. That's for sure."

Brooke shook her head without turning around, but she was grinning.
I haven't laughed like that since Ashleigh left! she thought. Wow.Maybe he's a "kindred spirit", as she would say.

Gabriel stumbled under a tree branch, "So, where are you taking me again?"

Laura smiled at Ryan. She excused herself and hurriedly went to do some chores. She began to groom a horse. Calm down. There's nothing to worry about. You probably won't even see him again.

"Can't you just wait until we get there?" Brooke asked Gabriel, jumping nimbly onto a rock and down the other side, when she easily could have gone around.

"Oi vey," he wasn't able to say anything more because a small branch hit him in the mouth. As he spit out a leaf he got up on the same rock Brooke stepped on and leapt off it.

Brooke turned and laughed, but continued walking, just backwards.
"See? And that's why you should stop asking questions."

Chris was having a nice time with her sister. They hadn't spent this much time together in years. They kept the conversation light to avoid arguments.



Laura finished all of her chores. She decided to got take a walk in the woods. It might help her clear her mind. She put on some tennis shoes and began her trek.

Melody just yawned right then. "I guess I'm rather sleepy all of a sudden. Thanks for visiting me...." her voice started to fade.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know." Gabriel followed her through thick and thin, and chuckled at the thought.

Brooke wound through the woods for about five more minutes before she stopped in a clearing.
"Whad'you think?" she asked Gabriel, pointing to the small, natural pond.

"I think I just found my new favorite place in this forest." Gabriel stepped forward and sat down on the grass.

Chris said goodbye to Melody. She got in the car and started to head home. Instead of taking the short way, she decided to take the long way. The way that changed her life forever. Chris drove for a few minuted until she came to Maple Lane. She stopped the car and got out. This was where it happened.

Brooke swished her hand in the water, then knelt beside the pond and splashed the water over her face. She smiled slightly as she watched a toad skitter away.
She shook her head to shake off the water, then moved and sat down a few feet from the dark haired boy who was staring out over the clearing.

Gabriel took his hat and soaked it in the water, then put it on his head. He sighed and looked over at the girl next to him. How long has it really been since I last had a friend?

Laura hear some people talking. She headed toward the voices and saw Gabriel and Brooke. She walked over to them, "Hi. What's up?"

Brooke jumped, and litterally almost fell into the water, just barely catching herself on a rock. She shook her slightly wet boot, annoyed that she hadn't heard Laura coming.
"Nothing," she said quietly.

Gabriel was unfazed. He heard Laura coming, and he thought Brooke could too. "Just enjoying the view at the moment. How about you Laura," he turned around, "How's everything going with you?"

Laura tried to smile, "I'm okay...I guess," She turned to Brooke, "I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry. I thought I was walking loud enough for everyone to hear."

"No, no, it's my fault," Brooke said. "I was lost in thought."

Gabriel turned back toward the water. "What about?" he asked innocently.

"It doesn't matter," Brooke said, shaking her head.
Why shouldn't I tell them about Ashleigh, and how I can actually talk to someone now, for the first time in three years?

Gabriel shook his head. "As you wish." He looked up and saw a nest of Robins. He silently counted the chicks under their mothers wings.