On Horseback

Chapter 1: The Farmer's Grandson

BRRIIINNGG!!

"Eee-yikes!" I cried jumping out of bed. I hit my head on the ceiling, which I always do. I rubbed my head where I hit it, and climbed out of bed. I opened my window and took in a deep breath. "Ahh, another glorious day to enjoy!" I shouted, which startled one of the horses running around in the field. I laughed as I watched him run around in circles. I did that practically everyday.

After getting dressed, I opened my door and emerged into the main shop. Yup, my family and I didn't just own a ranch, but we also sold some goods to the townsfolk and any other travelling people in the area.

Chicken feed was one of our top products. We sold one to almost any customer that came in our doorway. Another favourite was the fodder, but it barely sold. Yup, that means all of our other products rarely ever get bought. I mean, ever since the Old Man on the farm passed away recently...

"Good morning, honey," my dad greeted me while sorting out some money. I gave my usual "top o' the morning, pops" smile to my father and headed straight for the front door. I opened it and slammed the door behind me after I had left my house. It was another beautiful day. The only better thing about the outdoors rather than watching it, was being in it.

I walked out to the field, where most of the animals were grazing or sleeping. My brother opened the barn door and gave me a small smirk. In the last year, my brother went from the I-won't-speak-often type of guy to the I-won't-speak-ever-again type of guy. The reasons for his sudden change were because of his recent accident. During the previous Spring Horse Races, my brother was thrown off by my horse, Cliffgard. His injury was severe, and he was told that he'd never be able to ride again. This greatly saddened him, and he'd been silent ever since.

"Good morning, Gray," I said in a little pleading type of voice. He just continued to stand at the barn doors, but finally said, "Hi, Ann." I walked into the barn, to feed some of the animals that hadn't been let outside. Our fodder supply was low, but right after winter, that wasn't the biggest surprise.

The current date was Spring 3rd. Our months and year system worked in a four month time period. Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter were not just our seasons, but months. Thirty days per season (or months, whichever way you want to put it) equaled one hundred and twenty days in a year. It didn't seem like a long amount of time...but when you're living on a ranch, by golly gee it is.

I put some of our last remains of fodder into the sheep's stalls and brushed my hands together. "That ought to do them for the rest of the day, I hope," I told myself. I walked back out into the field.

Gray was brushing some of the animals while I went to look for Cliffguard. I wanted to ride him, since the Spring Horse Races was coming up again, in no time at all. My family was hoping that our horse would win this year. We obviously didn't win last Spring due to Gray's injury, and we didn't even enter in the Fall.

I was hoping I could represent Green Ranch this year. I wanted to ride Cliffguard, or Cliff, as I liked to call him.

I rode Cliff for about two hours when I saw the Mayor of Flowerbud Village (our village) come into the ranch. Beside him was a tall and lean young man. He looked tall from where I was sitting, anyway. I heard them mumbling about something, so I decided to go over and see the two men. I got off Cliff, and raced for the ranch entrance.

"...You'll be buying a lot of fodder for your silo here, and chicken feed if you own any chickens," I heard the Mayor tell the man. "You can also get advice or tips from the owner, Hall, or his two children, Gray and - why, hello there, Ann." I walked over to the two people and put my hands on my hips when I came to a halt.

"Well, good day Mr. Mayor. I see you've come by with someone that I am not familiar with?" The Mayor chuckled and said, "Yes, yes, this is the Old Man's grandson. He was disappointed at his grandfather's fast death, and decided to take over the farm for him." I looked over at the grandson. "Well then, since we are no longer strangers" -I stuck out my right hand- "I'm very pleased to meet you." He shook my hand and said, "Pleased to meet you, too. My name is Jack."

Wow. What a...soothing voice. "Hi, oh, oops, what's wrong with me?" I blushed. "My name is Ann." I squeezed his hand so tightly that he had to yank it away from me. "Umm...yeah," he added on. I quickly turned my attention back to the mayor. "Are you showing Jack a tour of our ranch and what he would need to do if-" "Ann, Ann, Ann, slow down!" the Mayor interrupted me. "Yes, in fact, I am. Do you want to introduce him to your father and Gray?"

I took Jack out into the field where Gray was milking one of our cows. "Gray!" I cried. My brother turned his head and looked at me. "This is - what was your name again?" I looked at the farmer. "Jack," he replied. I turned my head back towards Gray. "You heard him! Shake hands with him, bro." Gray hesitated, but shook hands with Jack and said, "You'll never become a good farmer, you know." I looked shocked. "Gray! That's awful! The new boy in town and those are your first words for him?!" Gray grew a frown on his face and went back to milking.

I turned and looked at Jack. "I'm sorry; it's just that my brother has been down in the pits ever since his riding accident on my horse." That's when I told Jack the story of how my brother became gloomy. He seemed to have been a little interested.

"That's sad," he said. I shook my head. "Don't worry; it's not the biggest of deals." Jack nodded and looked the other way. "This is a beautiful ranch," he complimented. "And I just can't wait until I get some animals of my own."

As if on cue, one of the horses came running at Jack. "AHH! Jack, look OUT!" I screamed. A faint "Huh?" came from Jack, and he was slammed to the ground. I ran on over to him and helped him up. "I'm so sorry, it's just, the newborn colt around here is so hard to handle, even all three of us can't..." I stopped for a moment. "Jack, would you care to take the horse over to your farm?"

Jack looked surprised. "Really? Sure." "Yay!" I cried. I went running on over to our house and opened the door shouting, "Dad! Dad! Dad! Jack wants to take the newborn colt to his farm with him!" My father looked over at me as if I was crazy for a second.

I lead my father outside and explained the entire story to him. "New guy in town? Really?" Jack nodded at my father. "Well, if you're going to be running the Old Man's Farm, go ahead. That horse is not sane, so you'd better know what you're getting into." And Jack said that he knew exactly what he was getting into.

The three of us took the horse to Jack's farm, (which was the pits) and put him in the stable. "I'd better be getting to Florist Lillia and buy some seeds. I'll be trying to clear as much land as I can within the next few days." My father and I nodded and we waved goodbye to Jack, leaving him on his own.

"Maybe giving him that horse wasn't such a good idea," my father groaned as we returned to our house. I sat down at the table, and ate some lunch. "Believe me, daddy, it's all perfectly fine. Nothing to worry about!" My father didn't look so sure about himself, but said, "If that kid -Jack- gets into any mess, honey, you will be held responsible because you are the one who offered it to him." I took another bite into my chicken and said, "Yeah, yeah, cut the small talk, daddy. Jack's going to be fine with that little dumpling." Dad laughed and said, "Okay, now, if you ever so kindly don't mind, please pass the salt. Oh, and the pepper."

After lunch, I decided to head on over to Jack's farm to see if I could help him out with anything.

"Hey, Ann," he said as I walked in. "Did you come to help me?" I nodded. "I sure have." "Great!" called out the farmer, "you can start by pulling weeds from down there." I gave him and awkward smile and said, "Whatever you say, buddy."

Working on the farm was definitely hard work. Even when you're just pulling weeds or throwing rocks into the well. "You're doing me a great favour here, Ann," Jack told me. I was used to this. I had grown up on a ranch. Well, even though farms were slightly different from ranches, a lot of the work was all the same. "Should I come by and help out tomorrow?" I asked him, finally realising that it was time for me to go home.

"Sure."

"Okay, well, see you then," I said to Jack, waving goodbye.

I jogged back to my place where my dad was waiting for me. "Ann, it's almost midnight." I gave my dad a mean look and said, "Dad, I'm 20-YEARS-OLD!!" Dad laughed and said, "Only kidding, just try to be home a little earlier than midnight, hon."

I went into my room and locked the door. I never let anyone into my room after it was past my bedtime. I quickly got changed into my nightgown and brushed my teeth. The good thing about being an adult was that you didn't have curfews anymore, or else my father would have been racing around the town as if he were high on sugar or something. Oh, and he'd have been screaming my name, most likely, too.

BANG! BANG!

"Whhhaaattt???" I groaned, ready to get under my covers. Dad's voice was heard, saying, "Goodnight, pumpkin pie." I laughed. "Goodnight, daddy." Even though I was "old", I still didn't mind my father calling me baby names. I don't know why, though, all the other girls think that it's strange. Oh, well, they lose out on the funny names.

With that, I turned my light off, and went to sleep.