"Tack up that horse, Brat." Jake glared at Sam with his "mustang eyes". She was still brushing Blackie's coat, and stalling. "If you want to go riding with him now, you better hurry it up. I've got stuff to do." That was actually a lie, but how would she know? Sam scrunched up her face at him, her new way of showing she was angry, and stuck her tongue out.
Jake sneered in contempt. She was such a baby! He wished that Sam was a boy, or at least a bit older. It was frustrating when she chose to act like this. He and Magic were ready to go, and they'd been waiting for 20 minutes.
She staggered out of the tackroom, carrying the heavy western saddle, and he leaned against the stall wall. He wasn't going to lift a finger to help her, not one. She could do it herself. He watched as she she hoisted it up, and began tightening the girth painfully slowly. He waited, and waited, an waited….
Finally, Jake pushed her gently out of the way, and finished. She grinned, and he realized he'd fallen for it. Darn it! He'd have to get her back some way. Impatiently, he grabbed Blackie's reins, and walked him out. Dallas, watching from the nearby field, laughed at Jake's expression, and the triumphant look on Sam's face as she hurried out from the barn.
"I can do it myself! Let go!" she snapped, pushing him away, but Jake wouldn't budge. Glaring evilly, she mounted, and settled herself in the saddle. She leaned down on Blackie's neck, and murmured something in his ear. Jake leaned closer, hoping to hear what Blackie's secret name was. Zan-
"Jake!" Sam screeched. Blackie twitched slightly, but basically ignored them. He was used to the two fighting, but Jake decided to taunt her on it. "You're scaring the horse, you baby." He said loftily. "If you keep it up, he might throw you." Sam reached down, and petted Blackie's neck. "Sorry, boy." She whispered.
He hurried and mounted Magic. They rode out, and Jake caught Sam staring at him with envious eyes. He grinned, and let Magic prance a little more than she should. The bounciness nearly sent him flying to the ground, and he had to scramble to reclaim his seat. His cheeks flared red.
He nudged Maj into a walk, and Sam and Blackie followed. Sam was impatient, he could tell that. Jake waited for her to break, and demand something more exciting.
"Come on! We're bored." Sam finally ordered. He ignored her, until she rode up close, and smacked him. He jerked, and Maj swung away. She nipped at Blackie, and he jumped into a fast, bouncy trot. Sam rode in circles around until Jake was feeling sick. "Knock it off!" "Nooooo….." she sang. "That's in, we're going back!" He wheeled Maj around, and they cantered back towards the barn. Half the way there, he stopped. Sam was watching, half worried. When she saw him stop, she realized she'd called his bluff. She began trotting all over again.
They cantered back, and Jake was more than a little annoyed. "Let's go." He snapped. They cantered around the field, Sam holding onto the horn fiercely. "Let go of the horn! I'm watching you, I promise I won't let you fall!" She nodded bravely, and let go. An instant later, she was back to clutching it.
"Sit back on your butt! Stop looking towards the ground! You're going to flip over his head if you don't quit. Let go of the horn!"
She stopped in frustration. He rode over with Maj, and said "Sam." "What?" she asked miserably. "You got to let go of the horn. You can't steer properly if you're hanging on like that. I've seen you do, I know you can do it."
"No I can't. I'm just a baby." She stared down at Blackie's feet. "You are a baby, but you can do it. Do it now!" He and Maj rode away, and watched. Sam tried, he saw that she was, but she just kept grabbing for the horn. Blackie was picking up on his rider's fear and nervousness, and was dancing around. Jake ground tied Maj, and stomped up to Sam. "Take your feet out of the stirrups." he ordered. "Bu-" "Do it!"
She did as she was ordered, and he swung up behind her. Blackie was nervous, but Sam petted him and he calmed down. Jake grabbed the reins, and squeezed Blackie into a lope. Sam grabbed for the horn, but he smacked her hand away. "I've got you. You aren't going to fall." He said firmly. She relaxed.
After a few rounds around the field, he hopped down. "Ok, now you can do it yourself." He stood beside Maj, and waited. Carefully, she began trottinbg, and then began cantering. Her hands flew towards the horn, and he bellowed "HANDS OFF THE HORN!" she obeyed, and relaxed into theseat. He let out a silent whoop. "Good job, Brat." He hollered. She grinned, triumphant.
For the next half hour, they raced, and jumped over small pieces of wood(well, Jake did. Sam just cantered around, and around).
It started to get dark when Jake had an idea. It was great….if the Brat could do it. In the field they were in, there was another bigger one adjoined by a gate. Sam had always had trouble with gates, but she could manage this one, right? "Ok, Brat, let's go in the big field." She nodded, and bounced. Blackie neighed.
They rode over to it. "Open the gate." Jake ordered. "I-I can't." she said quietly. "Yes, you can. Do it, Brat!" Sam tried, but Blackie wouldn't hold still. She clung to his neck. "Come on!"
She tried again. Maybe I'm pushing her too hard. Jake thought. She swiped at the gate again, and it creaked. Blackie jumped.
But, she does have to learn how to do the gate. He realized, and continued to let her struggle. "All, right, I guess you're too much of a baby to do it. Let's go back." He started to turn, but she cried "No! I can do it." She leaned down further, and undid the latch. "That a girl. Now, just open it enough so you and Blackie can go through." He encouraged.
She tried, but it wouldn't go. "Jake, I'm scared." She cried. "I guess you're still too much of a baby. Let me do it." He walked Maj up, and Blackie shied. Sam pushed open the door, and he shot through in a full gallop. "Hold on! Pull the reins! Say Whoa!" he yelled.
She tried, but eventually just clung to the horn. Jake leaped off of Maj, and, tried to grab Blackie's reins. He veered away, and Sam finally let out a shrill scream. "Sam!" he yelled.
"Lean back and pull on the reins! Lean-" Sam lurched back, and Blackie reared. In Jake's view, it took an eternity for her to slide off and crumple to the ground. Blackie galloped away, eyes wide with fear. He barreled towards the fence. "No!" Jake tried to intercept him, but Blackie jumped over the fence anyway and ran off, jumping over the river. He disappeared into the sunset.
Jake ran back to Sam. She was lying on the ground, unconscious. Blood was streaming out of her head, and her eyes were closed. Jake was more afraid then he'd ever been before. "Brat? Wake up." He said gently, giving her a small shake. She moaned, but didn't open her eyes. "Sam? Samantha?"
Maj trotted over. "what should I do?" Jake demanded the mare. She snorted, and Jake tugged on Sam's arm. She yelped and cried out "Jake!"
"What? I need help!" he snapped. "Daddy. Go get Daddy." She ordered. "I feel sick." She whimpered. He stroked her arm like he would with a horse, and tried to boost her up on Maj. She screamed in pain, and turned violently green. He placed her foot in the saddle, and tried to throw her up. She ended hanging off, lying on her stomach sideways.
Maj jumped uncomfortably. Sam yelled, and began to cry. Jake urged her towards the house. He carefully shut the gate behind them. Halfway there, though, Sam was on the verge of throwing up, Maj wouldn't move, and Jake was to the point of almost crying, which he never did. Sam suddenly slid off, and threw up. Maj bolted, eager to leave. Jake made her stop.
"Are you ok?" he asked Sam. "Yeah." She whispered, curling up in the grass. "I'll be right back with Wyatt, ok? I promise." She nodded, and then passed out.
He galloped Maj to the house, jumping off at the last moment. He ran into the house. "Wyatt! Grace!" he yelled. Wyatt came hurrying towards him upon hearing the frantic tone in his voice. "What's wrong, Jake?" he asked. "Sam- Blackie- gate- fell- Blackie gone," Jake choked. "What?" "Sam and me were riding. We went out to the big field, and I made her do the gate(gulp). Blackie bolted, and Sam fell off, and I don't know if she's ok, and she puked, and I left her to grab you-" Wyatt ran out to the barn. "Dallas! Pepper! Saddle up. Sam's hurt."
Jake mounted Maj again. Wyatt rode Strawberry, Pepper rode Sweetheart, and Dallas rode Coyote. Jake led them to where Sam was. She was still sleeping. "Shoot! She'd unconscious." Wyatt exclaimed. Gently, he put her on Strawberry, and they all rode back to the house. She was placed up on her bed in her room. Jake kneeled beside it, and refused to leave.
"Be ok, be ok, be ok." He chanted. Eventually, he fell asleep curled up on the end of her bed hugging Jingles(an stuffed animal he hated). Be ok, be ok, be ok. He whispered, even in his dreams.
He woke up when they were taking her to the hospital. "I'm going with you. It's my fault." He said stubbornly. In the end, he lost then battle with Grace and Wyatt. He watched, angrily as they took her out to the car. "Wait! Jake, she wants you." Wyatt called. Jake hurried over. "Jake." She mumbled.
"I'm here. You be ok, all right Brat. You hear me?" "Yeah."she said. As she was put in the backseat of the Buick, he heard her faintly say "I love you."
He must just be imagining it.