For Love of Horses
By HorseCrazy Brianna

Chapter One:

"For Love of Horses!" I sighed as I read the sign next to the driveway:

Pinewood Stables

Looking past the large house, I saw two big barns, some pastures and a paddock.  I walked up the driveway, then up the steps of the front porch and knocked on the door.  While I waited, I scanned the pastures for signs of horses.  When I didn't see any, I started to turn away, disappointed.  But, suddenly I saw a horse that nearly took my breath away.  She was completely black with no sign of white anywhere, except for one tiny, barely visible star on her forehead. "Just like Schatze," I murmured.  Just then, a woman answered the door. 

"Yes?"  I tore my eyes off the mare and turned to the woman.  If only she were a horse. 

"Uh...  I'm looking for a job.  I could muck out stalls, care for the horses and you wouldn't have to pay me and it would just be for a place to sleep even if it's just the hayloft and..." 

"Hold on, there!  I get the picture.  What's your name?" 

"Uh, Carly Turner." 

"And you'll do any kind of work?" 

"Yes - anything that involves horses." 

"How old are you?" 

"Thirteen - almost fourteen - I'm short for my age.  And, I know mucking out stalls is hard work, but I can do it because I..." 

"You don't have to give me a reason, just so long as you can do it.  You're hired.  My name's Janet Johnson - call me Janet.  You can share a room with my daughter, Veronica." 

"Thank you!" I said, inwardly sighing with relief.  I was glad that she'd interrupted me, before I'd spilled out my entire story.   I used to live on a horse farm in Oregon, until my mom died.  Then my dad sold the farm and we'd moved to Chicago.  Added to the pain of Mom's death, Dad married someone who I didn't like at all.  Even worse, soon after, Dad had died in a car accident.  I didn't have to make any decision; I was basically an orphan.  I'd gathered all the money I'd ever had (which was a lot, because as far as I can remember, I'd never spent any money), gotten a ticket and flown to where I was now, in Virginia.  And all I knew was that I was going to find a place that had horses.  As I followed Janet to the pastures to get to know the horses, I gazed at the beautiful, black mare - the one I called Schatze - which means Sweetheart.

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