Sunset
By Grace

Chapter One:

I walked my dog around the back yard.  The sky was gray and filled with rain clouds.  That was what it was like inside, too.  Dreary.  That's why I came outside.  My dog, Buster, is usually fun to play with.  But, when I put him on a leash, he always drags me to the gate to see if my cat is there.  I once accidentally let him bite the cat, not knowing he would.  Now he always tries to bite the kitty.  Of course, I have habits of my own.  Once I rode a horse at the farina and now I want to ride horses whenever I can. 

Rain came pouring down and thunder boomed.  I hurriedly undid my dog's leash.  He ran to the gate, hoping to see the kitty.  He never goes into his dog house, even when it rains.  I ran inside, but soon it stopped raining, so I ran back outside.  Buster jumped on me. 

"Down, Buster," I said.  Buster obeyed.  "Good boy," I said, "Your a good dog."  I began scratching his tummy.  Buster licked the air.  I stopped scratching his tummy and he stayed on his back.  Then, looking up at me, he figured out that I wasn't petting him.  He got up and rubbed his head against my leg.  I just left and went to the front yard. 

It was still drizzling rain, making my chin-length hair moist.  Running into the garage, I picked up Kitty, went to a chair and sat down to do some thinking.

I couldn't have a horse.  I didn't even have a shed to keep a horse in!  I couldn't just put the horse in the back yard.  Or, maybe I could.  Maybe I could put him in the basement...  Maybe...

I walked outside, and suddenly, I saw a boy riding a horse.  He sat as if he knew how to ride.  Then, he rode up our driveway. 

"Are you Ashley?" he asked. 

"Yes," I answered. 

"Because, you know the ranch down on 4th street?" 

"Yes, why?" I asked.  I go there whenever I can, to ride the horses there.

"Because we need you to take the horse you usually ride," the boy said.

"Why?" I asked again.  The horse I usually ride is a Pinto - brown with white splashes.  I call him Sunset. 

"Because the stable needs you to have the horse.  Or else they can't take care of other people's horses," the boy said. 

"Al-Alright," I said. 

The boy unsaddled the horse and shoved the reins into my hands, like he didn't want the horse to leave.  I just took the reins and jumped on.  Just then, Mom came out.

To be continued...

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