Rescue

by Jessie Haas

  “Or not,” Rosita said. “It’s about as good a way to go broke as farming!”

  “Have a farm restaurant,” Joni suggested. “Go broke twice as fast!”

  Dad said, “So—I’m taking that baler part to get repaired this afternoon. Olivia and Tobin, you’re milking, right? And I hope Rosita is cooking!”

  “And I’m going to Mrs. Abernathy’s for a riding lesson,” Joni said.

  “Thanks for letting me know. Let’s help Rosita clean up.”

  “I’ll do that,” Joni said. It wasn’t that she was in cleanup mode, exactly, but this day was lo-o-o-ng! Each hour seemed like a week. If she wasn’t going to have a friend next door, she’d have to get herself up to Danae’s and Alyssa’s a lot more, in spite of the difficult ride.

  Finally, it was time to head to her lesson. In honor of her polished tack, Joni put on a fancy riding shirt, the one she was planning to wear at camp on the final day. As she set out across the field, her heart pounded a little faster. Wave. Smile. Say hi and ride on. It had sounded easy this morning, but now she had to do it. At least it was true that she couldn’t stop to talk. She had to get to Mrs. Abernathy’s by three thirty …

  Wave. Smile. “Hi!”

  She rode down the trail. Along the gurgling brook. Out onto the road.

  Across the bridge, the white house showed through the trees. Joni felt Archie hesitate. She turned her face straight at the house, feeling that align her whole body. Not her spirit, but she could fake that. “Walk on, Archie!”

  He thudded across the bridge. The lawn was empty. The Venturas’ car was parked beside the house, but there was no one in sight, and no one came out.

  Was Chess watching out a window? Or was she upstairs in her bedroom with the celebrity posters, planning to free every animal in the world? Did she care that their friendship hadn’t worked? Was she mad?

  Passing the barn, Archie slowed, pointing his ears at the lush paddock. Joni looked through the open door, but no one was there, either. She felt disappointed, which surprised her. She’d been so relieved when Danae and Alyssa helped her figure out how not to be friends. But who would startle her anymore? Who would laugh like that, just about animals eating? Anyway, it wasn’t Chess’s fault that she didn’t know things. She was smart. She could learn. She’d been pretty awful yesterday, but something bad had happened. Joni had never even found out what.

  So it wasn’t fair to judge her by that one visit. She was like Archie, a challenge. And Joni might be a happy camper, but she was also “the kid who rides that gray pony.” She wasn’t someone who needed her life to be perfectly safe. Look at her now, heading off to a riding lesson with Mrs. Abernathy!

  So she wasn’t going to ride past, say hi, and be “friendly.” She was going to be friends with Chess, if she could figure out—

  Archie stiffened and stopped in his tracks. Then he whirled, staring across the Venturas’ field. Joni saw someone running.

  “Joni! Help!”

  TWENTY

  “I Can’t Stop Them”

  Chess came running toward Joni, stumbling in the long grass. Her breath came in loud gasps that Joni could hear halfway across the field. Archie raised his head in alarm and started to back away from her. Joni held him firm with her hands and legs, but fear flooded her stomach. Something terrible must have happened …

  It seemed to take forever for Chess to get close—and too late, Joni realized she could have ridden to meet her. But Archie wouldn’t have moved, and now Chess stood a few yards away, one hand pressed to her heaving chest.

  “They’re eating and I can’t stop them!”

  “Who?” Joni said. “Who’s eating?”

  “The ponies!” Chess pointed with her whole arm at the gap between the trees that led to the back field. “Hurry!”

  Cold suspicion trickled down Joni’s spine. She goosed Archie in the ribs and trotted past Chess. He arched his neck as he went by her, and curved his body away, a kind of alarm he’d only ever showed the day he met his first llama. They went fast across the first field, toward the gap between the trees. As they neared it, Archie’s neck came up again and his trot went hard and bouncy. He started a light snorting, like the rattle of a snare drum.

  “It’s okay,” Joni said. “It’s just your friends.” She couldn’t see anything but empty field.

  Archie whinnied suddenly and rushed forward around the corner, and then Joni saw it. Tucked back against the woods was a sort of corral, small and rectangular, made of electric fence posts strung with strands and strands of baling twine.

  “So that’s it!”

  Most of the twine looked tight and secure. Chess had worked hard on it, and it would have been a good fence if it were electric. The corral was partly in the woods, in an area where there wasn’t much grass. So she had listened to Joni. She’d heard that much.

  But there were no minis in the pen. A section of twine had been pushed up and down, and beyond it, JD stood with his nose plunged deep in lush clover, eating steadily. Kubota stood nearby, not eating.

  Oh, good! Joni thought.

  Oh, not good! Kubota buckled his knees and lowered himself to the ground.

  For a moment, he just lay there. Then he raised his head and looked at his own round side. He bit himself in the belly, flopped over, and started to roll.

  “No!” Joni flung herself off Archie and reached for Kubota’s head.

  He had no halter on. There was nothing to grab.

  Joni looked up. Way back near the gap, Chess was floundering through tall grass that wanted to tangle around her ankles and trip her.

  “Where’s his halter?” Joni screamed. “Where are their halters?”

  Chess couldn’t get a word out. She pointed behind Joni. Joni turned and there were the two small halters and lead ropes, neatly hung on a tree. On the ground underneath lay the tiny grazing muzzles.

  Joni ran to the tree and grabbed the halters. When she turned, Kubota was up. Archie stood staring at him, too fascinated to either run away or start eating. Chess was close now, running much faster than it looked.

  “Catch Archie!” Joni yelled. “Don’t let—oh, no!”

  Kubota went down again. Joni ran to him, but she had to wait for his hooves to stop waving in the air before she could get close to his head. She slipped the halter over his brown nose, buckled it firmly, and hauled on the lead rope with all her strength.

  With a groan, Kubota propped himself up, sitting braced on his haunches like a dog. After a moment, he started to sag.

  “No!” Joni leaned on the rope, and Kubota heaved to his feet.

  He didn’t shake himself, the way Archie did after a nice roll. He just stood there with his small mouth pinched tight. His eyes looked dark and troubled, and his legs were quivery.

  Joni towed him toward Archie and Chess, and pushed the rope into Chess’s hand. “Walk him!”

  Chess looked blank.

  “You have to make him walk!” Joni said. “Don’t let him lie—no!” She took the rope back and turned Kubota in a circle until he stiffened his quavering legs. “Don’t let him lie down! Hit him if you have to!” Was she going to have to hit Chess? She was just standing there! “Do it!” Joni yelled. “If you let him roll, he could twist his intestines. He could die!”

  At last, Chess took a step, tugging on the halter. Kubota didn’t move.

  “Pull him!” Joni went behind Kubota and pushed on his butt. He leaned back, resisting, and Chess pulled harder.

  “He’s so strong!”

  “I told you they were strong!” Joni shoved again, Chess pulled, and Kubota unlocked his knees and took a reluctant step. Chess started him moving in a small circle, and Joni turned to look for Archie. He hadn’t bolted, thank goodness! She grabbed his trailing reins.

  Now what? Ride for help?

  No, first she had to catch JD, before he ate himself sick, too.

  She hurried toward the black mini, towing Archie behind her. JD lifted his head, looked at her for a moment, the
n trotted a few yards off and snatched another mouthful of clover.

  Joni followed.

  JD trotted away again.

  “No, you don’t, you little stinker!” Joni turned to Archie and leaped for the saddle, grabbing the horn to pull herself up. Archie made a lunge, ready to gallop off home. Joni pulled him in a circle, all rein now, no finesse at all, and pointed him at JD, who looked alarmed and started trotting faster.

  But Archie seemed to understand what Joni needed. He took off after the tiny black horse, passed him, and whirled to block him. Joni threw herself out of the saddle and wrapped her arms and the rope around JD’s neck.

  JD surged against her for a second, striking her shin with one hard hoof and almost breaking free. Then he surrendered, relaxing. Joni pulled the halter on, Archie poking his nose curiously over her shoulder. She pushed the two animals apart and led them both over to Chess. Kubota’s legs were trying to buckle again.

  “Keep him moving!” Joni ordered. She tied JD to a tree, making sure the knot was horse-proof, and turned around. “I have to go get help. You don’t have your phone, right?”

  Chess shook her head. She didn’t look panicked anymore. She was towing Kubota strongly, with a determined look. “Can’t you help him? You know all about horses—”

  “No,” Joni said. “A horse with colic needs a vet. He could die! Or he could founder—”

  “Then she won’t be able to drive him!” Chess snapped.

  “Then he won’t be able to walk!” Joni said. “Don’t you know what happens to them? All the sensitive part inside their hooves swells up, but it can’t go anywhere because it’s inside the hard part. Their bones get pushed out of shape! They’ll do anything not to put weight on their own front feet!” She felt tears hot on her cheeks, and brushed them away with the back of her hand.

  Chess stopped walking Kubota, staring at Joni with a horrified look on her face. This time, finally, Joni had gotten through. What if she’d tried harder before? Maybe she could have prevented all this.

  But there was no time for that now. “Is your mom ho—”

  No. Chess’s mother must be home because the car was there. But she would be flustered, she’d need explanations. Joni knew for sure that Mrs. Abernathy was home. She would know exactly which vet to call. Kubota should have a vet who knew him, and right away.

  She pulled herself into the saddle and wheeled Archie around, groping for her right stirrup. Chess looked like she wanted to fall to the ground and curl up like a caterpillar. So, good, she was sorry! That wouldn’t help Kubota. “Walk him!” Joni said.

  Chess started, and took a firmer hold on the rope. “I’m sorry, but you have to walk.” Her face was bleached white, her voice determined. When Kubota didn’t move, she whirled the end of the lead rope and popped him on the butt. He took a few steps, and then a few more. She was going to keep him going. Joni released the reins.

  Archie shot across the field. Joni didn’t think she’d ever ridden so fast, not even that day at camp when he ran away with her. Would they make the turn at the gap in the trees?

  She aimed her face that way, fiercely, and Archie swooped around the turn. In spite of everything being so terribly wrong, Joni let out a whoop as she felt his muscles bunch. “I love you, Archie!”

  They came to the road, and Joni prepared to haul him around in the opposite direction than he would want to go. But when she set her face toward Mrs. Abernathy’s, Archie turned easily. His hooves rattled on the hard gravel as he sprinted straight down North Valley Road, his silver mane flying in Joni’s eyes.

  She pulled him up at Mrs. Abernathy’s mailbox and turned him down the driveway. Mrs. Abernathy stood out by the shed. The electric fence gate was open. The two plastic gate handles lay on the ground. Mrs. Abernathy was looking out across the unfenced part of the field. The grass was trampled there, where Chess must have led the minis.

  Mrs. Abernathy turned to Joni, her face fierce. “They’ve been stolen.”

  “Yes,” Joni said. “My friend took them.”

  Mrs. Abernathy’s cheeks reddened. Her eyes flared with an icy light. “JD’s okay,” Joni said, her voice wobbling now, “but Kubota’s got colic. He’s trying to roll. Chess is walking him and—”

  “Where?” Mrs. Abernathy took out her phone.

  “The white house—” Joni pointed. “Way out in the back field, behind the barn—”

  Mrs. Abernathy punched in a phone number. “Sue?” she said after a moment. “One of my minis has colic. Yes, it’s an emergency—I see. Have him call this number when he can. The animal isn’t at my place, and I’m not sure just where I’ll be.” She took the phone from her ear, giving it a vicious tweak with her thumb. “Perfect! He’s out on a farm call, at least an hour away.” She took a swift step toward her car and doubled over, pressing one hand to her hip.

  “Give me your phone,” Joni said. “I’ll call Dad.”

  Mrs. Abernathy handed Joni the phone without speaking. Her face was rigid, her eyes bright and angry. She slid stiffly behind the wheel of her car, backed around, and took off in a spurt of gravel.

  Joni let Archie graze beside the driveway while she struggled with the unfamiliar phone. As it finally rang, she realized Dad wasn’t going to answer. He wasn’t home. He was off getting a part fixed—

  “Hello?” It was Rosita.

  “Is Olivia there?” Joni asked.

  “Is this Joni? They’re milking. Can I help?”

  “No, I need—” She needed Dad and the truck. But Dad had taken the truck. “There’s a sick horse,” she said. “We need—could I just talk to Olivia?”

  “Is it your horse? Are you okay?”

  “Not Archie. One of Mrs. Abernathy’s.” Joni was riding back up the driveway as she talked, the phone pressed to her ear, trying to guide and slow Archie with one hand on the reins. “He’s at Chess’s house, way in a back field—”

  “I’ll get them,” Rosita said. “Meet us by the road.”

  Suddenly, Joni heard the compressor motor over the phone. A sheep bleated. Rosita had gone outside. She must be close to the barn now.

  “But they’re milking—”

  “They’ll stop milking,” Rosita said. “Hang in there, Joni. We’re on our way.”

  TWENTY-ONE

  “You Girls”

  Joni fumbled the phone into the pocket of her shirt. She galloped back to the Venturas’ barn. Mrs. Abernathy’s car was parked there, and she was way out in the field, almost to the gap, limping, but moving fast.

  What would she say to Chess? It was going to be terrible. Joni was glad she had to wait out here. Music drifted out the window of the white house. Mrs. Ventura had no idea … But where was Olivia? Come on!

  Finally, she heard an engine sound. In a moment, Tobin’s van came wheezing around the corner, so fast it looked like all four wheels were off the ground. Joni could see three people inside it—so Rosita had come, too. The van angled into the barn driveway and Olivia jumped out.

  “Joni, are you okay?”

  “Yes, but Chess stole Mrs. Abernathy’s minis!” Joni pointed out across the field, along the trail of trampled grass. “One of them has colic. I rode to Mrs. Abernathy’s and she called the vet, but he can’t come and Kubota’s rolling. Olivia, I think it’s really bad!”

  Olivia pushed her hand up into her hair, like she was trying to squeeze her thoughts back into her skull. “Did you have any idea she was going to do this?”

  Joni shook her head. She should have. It seemed obvious now. “But, Olivia, if the vet can’t come—”

  “Right,” Olivia said. “Pony first. Tobin, can we—?” She pointed out across the field.

  Tobin shrugged. “Should be able to. Hop in!”

  Olivia slammed the door, and he drove straight toward the edge of the driveway. The van dipped, with a slight crunching sound, then rolled smoothly across the field, grass swishing against the back bumper. Archie surged past it, in a hurry to get to his new friends.

 
In the back field, Mrs. Abernathy was towing Kubota toward the gap. But she couldn’t walk fast enough to keep him moving. He buckled his knees and lay down again, stretching his neck against the pull of the rope. Chess just stood there, her face white and shiny with tears and her hands twisted into the hem of her shirt. By the corral, JD tugged at the tree he was tied to, sending shrill whinnies after his friend. Archie answered. Chess looked up with a start.

  She stared at Joni. Then she ran toward the woods and came racing back with a branch in her hand. She brought it down on Kubota’s rump. Once. Twice.

  Kubota propped himself up again and lurched to his feet. He braced against Mrs. Abernathy and she winced, pressing her hand to her hip.

  Chess reached for the lead rope. “I’ll lead him. He was moving for me!”

  Mrs. Abernathy’s expression was worse than any words. She turned away from Chess and hobbled another step. Kubota stretched his neck and braced his legs. The van pulled up, Olivia and Rosita hopping out as Chess pushed on Kubota’s butt. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry—”

  “Sorry?” Mrs. Abernathy turned with a fierce laugh. “That won’t save his life, will it, you stupid girl! Horses don’t need people who understand their feelings. They need people who understand what they are, and how to keep them from killing themselves!”

  Chess turned even paler. Her dark eyes were huge. She looked helpless and very small. Olivia said gently, “She’s only a kid.”

  “That kid just killed my horse!”

  Joni felt that like a punch in the stomach. But Tobin said, “She hasn’t killed him yet.” He slid open the side door of the van. “Olivia, Joni, where do we take him?”

  Take him! Of course! Kubota would fit in the van, just as well as he would in Dad’s truck. He didn’t need to wait for a vet to come to him. “Countryside,” Joni said. “The clinic down on the highway. They’re the best.”

  “Somebody call them,” Tobin said. “Tell them we’re coming.”