Amelia's Wild Ride
Ages: Amelia 11 Joe 17 Hoss 23 Adam 29
Chapter 1
It was a beautiful day in April. Amelia Cartwright was riding home from school she rides into the yard, when her horse Sapphire stumbles throwing the eleven-year-old off causing her to fall hard onto the ground.
Ben Cartwright, the family patriarch and owner of the Ponderosa, runs out of his house along with the family's lovable cook Hopsing. Ben is frantic to see his only daughter lying face down on the ground. He quickly goes to her, he gently rolls her over onto his lap, he sees she's unconscious. "Hopsing, have one of the hands ride out for the doctor and send word to the boys, they're mending fences out on the north pasture" he ordered. Hopsing obeys hurrying to the bunkhouse as Ben lifts his daughter up in his arms carrying her to the house.
Hours later Ben is pacing in the living room worriedly, while the doctor is upstairs examining Amelia. Ben is lost in his thoughts and prayers when he is suddenly alarmed to hear the door open, his three sons Adam, Hoss and Little Joe rushing into the house frighten after hearing what had happened to their sister. "How is she, Pa?" Adam asked worriedly. "The doctor is with her" Ben said solemnly.
The boys exchange glances as they take off their hats and gun belts placing them on top of the credenza by the door and sit down; Little Joe sits down on the settee; Adam and Hoss both sit down on the edge of the fireplace. "What happened?" Hoss asked. "Her horse stumble as she was riding in the yard and was thrown off" Ben explained.
Little Joe looks up at the stairs fearfully, "How long has it been?" Ben takes out his pocket watch looking at the time, "About an hour and a half" he estimated. The room grew uncomfortably silent as they anxiously waited.
After a few minutes of silence, they heard movement toward the top of the stairs, the anxious men look to see Doctor Martin making his decent down the stairs. They meet him at the bottom of the stairs fidgety over what the news was. "How is she Paul?" Ben inquired feeling uneasy by the doctor's apathic demeanor. "Thankfully there are no broken bones but there is extensive nerve damage in her legs" the doctor informed.
The Cartwright's are stupefied by the news. "What does that mean exactly?" Adam questioned wanting to fully understand what condition his sister was in. The doctor looks at them soberly, "I'm afraid Amelia has no feeling in her legs" he replies with a heavy heart. The Cartwright's look at the doctor then at each other aghast. "Will she be able to walk again?" Hoss finally asked fearfully, the doctor looks at him somberly, "I don't know, Hoss. I just don't know".