Sequel to iAm at Home on the Range.
Chapter Fourteen; Quarantine and A Special Visitor.
Disclaimer; I don't own iCarly. I only own my own characters and animals.
"Quarantine!" Sam squeaked in shock, looking like she was about to pass out. "Oh my god.."
"Strangles has been spreading through out the area recently.. Most events have been called off, but a few minor ones have stayed running.. But warning people at the event there is a strangles outbreak, like the HarrodHouse One-Day Event."
"You mean, they know there is a Strangles outbreak.. Yet they're still competing and putting there horses lives at risk for the sake of some dumb rosette."
"Yeah."
"Wait a second.." Sam turned to face Freddie, who was looking confused. "What the hell is Strangles?"
"It's a highly contagious equine disease that can kill horses." The vet said before Sam could explain. " Abscesses form in the throat.. And they get so big, they basically choke the horse."
"Oh god.." Carly said, shocked. "Is she going to die?"
"No." He shook his head. "She's young and fit.. She'll get through it with just antibiotics. She just needs close watch and as long as she's isolated from the other horses, the other horses should be fine."
"We'll have to clear up everything that Dream has been in contact with and scrub it with disinfectant."
"Well, that would be everything.. The barn and the fields.. Everything will need to be disinfected."
"Then, I guess you don't need me here any longer."
"Thanks for coming." Amanda smiled at Mark. "I'll be in touch."
"No problem.. And I hope she gets better." Amanda escorted Mark out of the barn just as Addie and her mother burst through the doors.
"What's happening to my horse!" Addie yelled, running up to the stable door where Sam was stood with Carly and Freddie.
"She's got Strangles."
"What?" Lauren gasped.
"Strangles. Dream has Strangles." Sam explained again.
"Oh my god."
"It's this yard! It's disease ridden!"
"Excuse me!" Sam snapped at Addie. " My yard is perfectly hygienic."
"Oh right… so how has my horse mysteriously come down with Strangles as soon as we move our horses to your yard!" Addie shouted back. Carly and Freddie were staying silent, knowing it would be deadly to interrupt the two now.. Even if it was to defend Sam. Suddenly, Sam remember something that the vet had said to her. HarrodHouse One-Day Event.
"Addie… by any chance were you riding Dream at the one day event sponsored by HarrodHouse last weekend?"
"Yeah, so what?"
"Well, if you were even the tiniest bit smart, you'd know that when a show organizer warns you that there has been an outbreak of strangles in the area.. You don't ever compete."
"He said it was nothing to worry about!" Addie snapped, trying to defend herself.
"That doesn't matter! This is all your fault!" Sam shouted back, not knowing how someone could be so stupid. Lauren was watching the two argue but wasn't listening. She was too busy looking at Dream. "If it can jeopardize your horses health, you don't compete!"
"Oh whatever.. I don't need a 'how to look after your horse' lecture! I'm taking Dream.. And we're getting off this yard.. Tonight!"
"Oh no your not." No one had realized that Amanda had returned and was standing in the barn doorway. She took a few steps forwards until she was standing directly in front of both Lauren and Addie. "Now I don't mean to be rude Lauren because we've been friends for years, but if you attempt to move that horse from this yard, I'll have to phone the police. We're under quarantine.. And you could risk spreading Strangles to every single farm in Montana if you start to move that horse."
"Then what do we do?" Lauren asked Amanda.
"You leave the horse here, and that goes for the other two as well… they are potentially carrying the disease.. But we won't know until it starts showing more."
"You mean they could have it too?" Lauren squeaked sounding panicked.
"It's unlikely.. But possible." Amanda nodded. "Dream could have passed the disease to every single horse on this yard by now.. But we won't know which horses have it.. If any more actually do have it.. Until some signs start to show."
"Where do you want me to move her?" Sam asked her aunt.
"She can stay in the cattle shed for now.. It's the only other place we have that she can be comfortable in.. but be well away from the other horses."
"Okay, I'll move her now."
"Oh and Sam.." Sam turned back to her aunt. " I think it's best if you put America out back too.."
"What!" Sam's mouth dropped. "Are you insane!"
"Sweetie, she's has had too much contact with Dream.. She could be carrying the disease.. And if we don't quarantine her, she could infect the full barn! Including Apollo.."
"But what if she doesn't have Strangles! She might catch it if she's locked up with Dream!"
"Sam, you know it's the right thing to do.." Her aunt reasoned with her and Sam nodded.
"I know.. But America is old, her immune system isn't as good as the rest of the horses.. If America gets Strangles, she could die."
"I know Sam, but it's a big risk we have to take."
"We can't.." Sam felt tears prick her eyes.. She has already lost Angel last year.. She couldn't go through the pain of loosing America too.
"We have no choice."
"Come on, we'll help you." Carly smiled softly at Sam. Sam nodded slowly and stepping inside to take hold of Dream's lead rope. The cremello snorted in protest, too drained to walk but Sam took a step at a time and eventually got Dream out of the stable.
"Addie sweetheart.. You go with Sam, Carly and Freddie," Lauren smiled softly at her daughter, not noticing the obvious tension between the two girls. "Dream is your horse."
"Fine." Addie shrugged and snatched the lead rope out of Sam hand earning a glare. Addie gave a sharp tug on the rope making Dream stumble forward and Sam growl. She horse was struggling to keep up but Addie continued to walk. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Lauren and Amanda share shocked looks, but both did nothing to stop Addie's cruel behavior. Freddie placed a calming hand on Sam's shoulder and immediately she relax.
"Come on, let's go get America." Sam nodded and walked out to the field where America was. Sam untied a head collar that was attached to the large metal gate and sighed. She looked fine now.. But then again, most horses with early stages of strangles looked fine too.
"America!" Sam yelled and the appaloosa's head shot up noticing the three teenagers. She happily trotted over to the gate, her tail swishing behind her.
"She's gonna' be okay, isn't she Sam?" Carly asked, stroking the mare's nose. Sam sighed, shrugged her shoulders.
"I honestly don't know Carls.."
"Let's stay positive." Freddie said, not wanting both girls to get even more upset. "Come on, let's get her moved." Sam nodded and unbolted the gate, stepping inside. She slipped the head collar onto the mare's nose and fastened it by her ears. With a sigh, Sam gripped the lead rope and lead America out of the field. The three of them walked her up past the barn and too where Addie was standing impatiently with Dream who had her head down.
"Finally!" Addie snapped. "You took your time!"
"Just shut up, Addie." Sam growled, walking America past the blonde brat.
"Or what?" Addie challenged.
"This is your fault! You know this is all your fault, so don't get on my bad side right now!" Sam hissed at Addie who shielded back slightly.
"Sam.." Freddie warned but she shook her head.
"No, Freddie!" Sam snapped at him and his eyes softened. "Half of the horses on this yard could die! This is serious! She's put them all in serious danger!"
"We know sweetie." Carly said in a very motherly tone making Sam relax. "Let's just get them settled down for the evening.."
"Okay." In silence, Sam put the two horses in the cattle shed from back when Havenfield was a working farm over twenty years ago.
She tied up a hay-net in each, although she knew Dream was unlikely to eat anything. She filled up two water buckets and helped Dream lie down on the deep straw bedding, knowing it would be less strain for her to be lying down rather than standing up. She made sure they were both settled, before they left the horses too it for the night.
The next day, Sam was scrubbing the bars on the stables, where Dream had been, disinfecting it when she heard a car pull up on the gravel. Raising an eyebrow, she dropped the scrubbing brush in the bucket and stepped out of the stable, a confused look on her face.
"Saaaaam!" She frowned hearing her aunt calling her name.
"Yeah?" She yelled back.
"Can you come out here please, there's someone here to see you!" Sam sighed and started walking towards the barn doors. She exited and stopped dead seeing a woman standing with her aunt. The woman's bright blonde cropped hair made her instantly recognizable.
"Tara?" Sam asked, shocked to see the international rider standing in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
Okay.. I just thought I'd tell you guys how much I love you all... I know, Weird yeah, but I do love you all for sticking with these stories for all this time. It's been almost two whole years since I first posted iAm at Home on the Range.. and it feels like just yesterday. It's honestly amazing how time flies.
So yeah, I don't know when the next update will be because I'm going on holiday in 2 weeks.. so you guys will just have to be patient. There may be another chapter between now and then but i can't promise anything, I'll try my best though! :D
Please Review! :)
-Dreamer