The Christmas Wish
By Sara Hill
It was Christmas Eve, it had snowed earlier that week about six inches, there was frost on the window and the cold creped in around the frames. Tracey peered though the frosty window to see the old stable and Paddock, in the paddock was her horse. She had made it earlier that day, but soon her horse would be gone as the rest of the snow this spring. Tracey and her family had just moved this fall to the rickety country home, the house hardly kept the snow out, but Tracy's chance of owning a horse doubled, because of the old stable and paddock. Tracey's thoughts broke when the telephone rang, Mr. Dale their next door neighbor had called, and Mary (Tracey's mother) was holding the phone out to her.
"Hello" said Tracey.
"Hi there Tracey, I had to call and admire that beautiful snow horse you made!" said the older man.
"Oh thanks! Dose it look real?" asked Tracey.
"You bet, it reminds me of Chance" said Mr. Dale.
Chance is the very old but friendly horse that Mr. Dale had owned for years, the man new how much Tracey loved horses, and would invite her to come and play with chance often.
"How is Chance Mr. Dale" asked Tracy.
"Just fine, a little lonesome though" the man said, presenting the girl with the chance to come and visit the old horse.
"I could came and cheer her up!" suggested Tracy excitedly.
"That would be fine" Mr. Dale said.
Before Tracy said goodbye, she was in the kitchen putting her rubber boots on and zipping up her coat. She ran to the refrigerator and got some apples, then rushed out the door. It isn't to far to Mr. Dales barn where Chance is kept, just though the back yard, over the paddock fence, across a thin strip of woods and past Mr. and Misses Dale's house to the barn.
Tracey opened the large barn door and slipped though, she went straight to the stall where Chance is kept.
"Hey girl, how are you doing" Tracey said softly, to the half blind old mare.
Tracy left the stall to get a flake of hay and a few brushes. When she returned, Chance nickered to her, as if to say "Yay! A flake of hay, bushes to be bushed with, and wonderful company who loves me!" Tracy reached up and pet Chance's noise which was worm and soft.
"I have missed you so much Chance! Even though I just saw you the day before yesterday" giggled Tracey. She bushed the mare's dark bay coat, which was very fluffy from the cold weather.
"You just wait till tomorrow sweetie, I have wonderful Christmas presents for you! I made everything myself!" said Tracey, giving Chance a big hug around the neck.
After Chance was bushed, and on her second flake of hay, Tracy climbed up on the side of the stall and slid onto the mare's back, as she did often. Tracy never bothered to put any halter or saddle on chance for there was no need. Chance was too old for anything but a short walk around yard or just to stand in the stall with a rider. And Tracy trusted her whole heartedly to behave while she sat on her.
"And what did you get me for Christmas?" asked Tracy, to Chance.
"Because tomorrow morning, when I come to give you my gift, I'll expect something" Tracy laughed. Chance lifted her head, reached it around and nudged the girl's leg. Tracy leaned down on Chance's neck and just relaxed.
"You haven't lived until you have spent a cold Christmas Eve on a horse's back" said Tracy, with a smile.
Just then the barn door opened and Mr. Dale came though.
"Your folks called, they where wondering where you were" said the man.
"Oh, I forgot to tell them I was leaving!" said Tracy, slipping down off of Chance.
"I guess I should go home soon" replied Tracy.
"Well you sure cured Chance, she doesn't look lonesome anymore!" Mr. Dale said.
"Mr. Dale, why is Chance named Chance?" asked Tracy.
"Well, I remember I named her that, many, many years ago, so many years that I haven't been able to keep track, well anyway she was born on a very cold night such as this one, she was very sick, and the cold weather was making it worse. We figured her chance of living though the night was very small, so we named her Chance." The old Man explained.
"Wow, it's sad to think there might not have been the mare" said Tracy.
"Yes, you know, now that you have me thinking about way back when, I remember the strangest thing" said Mr. Dale, with a smile. "Silvia, my daughter who's now a adult, used to clam that Chance was a special horse, when she was a girl, every Christmas Eve she would come out to the stable and tell Chance her Christmas wish, Silvia said her wish always came true… my, my I never saw a girl with a imagination like Silvia's."
"I think I met your daughter once, is she the pretty lady with the long blond hair?" asked Tracy.
"Yes, that's Silvia, if I mentioned her Christmas Wish thing now, she probably wouldn't even remember" said Mr. Dale. "Now it's getting late young lady, you better run along, I'll give Chance the rest of her night hay."
"Oh, I'll give it to her, and then I'll go straight home!" said Tracy.
"Well… ok, good night!" Mr. Dale said.
After the man had left the barn, Tracy couldn't help but think about what Silvia clamed in her childhood. Chance brought Tracy back to the reality with one of the comforting soft knickers.
"I'm getting it, hold you horses" said Tracy to the mare, as she gathered up the night hay. When she brought it in, she had to ask "Now tell me the truth, are you a magical horse?" asked Tracy with a giggle. Chance did one of her knickers again, which made Tracy want to stay out in the barn forever. But she had to get home, and get some sleep, after all tomorrow is a busy day.
"Good night my beautiful sweetie, I will see you bright and early to give you your gifts, don't forget mine!" said Tracy, but just as she was getting ready to leave the stall she whispered something in Chance's ear, just in case that special horse myth is true after all.
Merry Christmas Trace! Yelled Charlie, the next morning, as he recklessly ran around is older sister's room.
"Christmas?" questioned Tracy. "Oh, yeah Merry Christmas Charlie, get out, please"
"Hurry! Have you been in the den, we have stockings a mile high!" the little boy screeched in excitement.
"You go ahead Charlie, I'll check it out later" said Tracy, giving him a push out of the room. As soon as she got the door shut, Tracy got some worm cloths on, and bolted out of her room to the kitchen. Her Mom, Dad, and little brother were at the table drinking hot chocolate.
"Where you going honey, don't want to open your gifts?" asked Mary, as Tracy pulled her boots on.
"Later Mom, I got to wish Chance a happy Christmas" said Tracy, picking up a large paper bag which she left by the door, the night before. With that she dashed out the door, on her journey to the old mare. As she went by Mr. and Misses Dale's house she fall flat on her face into the snow. "I need to slow down" Tracy told her self, as she got up. Quickly she opened the large barn door and slipped in, as she had done many times before. Chance nicked softly, as she went though the stall door.
"Merry Christmas to you, to! Now let me show you your presents!" said Tracy "Here is a beautiful red bow to go in your mane every Christmas" Tracy reached up and tied it in Chance's black mane and gave her a pet on the noise. "And here are some tasty carrot cookies, invented by me, I'll give you one everyday till we run out. Here is a stocking I made you, with a few peppermint canes inside! Notice it says Chance on the outside of the stocking" said Tracy with a giggle, as she went outside the stall with a push pin, and hung the stocking on Chance's stall door.
"Now, what did you get me!" asked Tracy smiling, standing right in front of Chance.
"I'll tell you what Chance has for you" said Mr. Dale, who must had just walked in.
"Oh hi, Merry Christmas Mr. Dale!" said Tracy surprised.
"Merry Christmas Tracy, Well do you want to know what Chance is giving you?" asked the old man.
Tracy Smiled and said "Of course I do!"
Mr. Dale walked into the stall with Tracy and gave Chance a pat on the neck.
"Chance is giving herself to you, Tracy" said the old man.
"I-I don't understand" said Tracy confused.
"Just what I said, I'll help you fix up your stable, Chance is yours!" said Mr. Dale.
"Oh, thank you! The best gift I ever got!" said Tracy so excited, she gave the old man a big hug.
"By the way Tracy, what did you wish for?" asked Mr. Dale.
"Wish for" asked Tracy.
"Yes, I could see last night, you where dieing to tell Chance your wish" said the man with a smirk.
"Well… I wished for Chance" admitted Tracy.
"Then I guess your Christmas Wish did came true" said Mr. Dale.
Then realizing the truth Tracy said "So it did, Silvia was right all along! Chance is a special horse!" With that Tracy flung her arms around the old blind mare's neck "This is a Christmas Wish I'll never forget!" Chance nickered softly as if to say "neither will I, no one ever wished for me before! The old blind horse…"
The End