Finny and the Boy from Horse Mountain

by Andrea Young

  “I’m sorry, not sure I’m even going. If I do, I’ll let you know.” Finny turned away again and made her way to class. Three more hours until Joe and Sky. She didn’t think she’d make it.

  The bell rang just before Finny lost her mind. She ran to the buses, only to be stopped by her mom who was waiting for her at the curb.

  “Let’s go, Finny. We got a cell phone to buy.”

  An hour and a half later, Finny was on her way to Azure Hills setting up her pink rhinestone-covered phone to play a cool ringtone. The only things that could make her birthday better would be seeing Joe and not getting bucked off of Sky. She couldn’t wait.

  “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best. I’ll see you at six!”

  “Bye, baby.” Finny gave her mom a kiss on the cheek and ran up the Azure Hills driveway. She saw Sky tacked and ready and Joe on the chair tipped back and waiting for her. When she got close she noticed a red ribbon on Sky’s bridle. Then she noticed the bridle. It was a show bridle, a top-of-the-line expensive one. It was beautiful with its ornate stitching and it fit Sky perfectly.

  “Joe, oh geez.”

  Joe smiled and dug at the dirt with his toe. “Happy birthday, Finny,” he managed to say. Finny looked at the bridle. Joe could have bought just an average one for everyday use. But Joe, knowing Finny wanted a showjumping horse, bought a show-jumping bridle as if to say, I will make your dream come true. Finny ran her fingers down the soft leather.

  “So are you ready?” Joe said. Finny grabbed him in a hug. She didn’t care if it was right or wrong, she held him tight. Joe was so special, so wonderful, she never wanted to let him go. He didn’t tense up; in fact, she felt him relax as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. It was the most warm, wonderful feeling in the world.

  Sky nickered and shoved the pair apart with his big head, making them both laugh.

  “I think he was getting bored,” Finny reasoned.

  “I think he was gettin’ jealous,” Joe said.

  Finny hugged Sky, then told Joe to hug him too because she wasn’t sure who he liked better. Joe laughed again and gave Sky a hug.

  Once mounted, Joe and Sky walked around the arena. The horse responded and moved beautifully off his leg. After a few minutes Joe asked for a trot. Again, right off the leg, smooth and steady. Joe asked for a few transitions and was pleased with Sky’s behavior. He rode over to Finny and slid to the ground. A moment later he legged Finny up on Sky and led her once around the ring. Finny tentatively asked her horse to walk forward. Sky listened.

  “Finny, be bold and take charge when you’re on his back .”

  “Okay.” Finny gave him a little kick and asked him to trot. She got about ten steps before he stopped, humped his back, and threw a buck. Not as hard as the first one, but still enough to take Finny to the dirt. Once she was on the ground Sky came to her, blew in her face, and then ran to the other side of the arena.

  “Oh no, not again! Joe, he hates me.”

  Joe was instantly at her side, helping her up.

  “No, unfortunately it’s the opposite. You’re like a plaything to him. He likes you, but on his terms.”

  “So what does that mean?”

  “We got to keep trying. I’ll get on him again.” Joe jumped back on Sky and worked him for a solid five minutes.

  “I’m gonna see what he does when I make him aggravated. I’m not gonna hurt him, I’m just gonna work him ’til he’s tired or bored.” Joe rode for a solid twenty minutes. Sky was covered in sweat but still going strong. Not getting any negative reaction, Joe upped it a notch. He asked for a canter. Sky took two canter steps before bolting out of control around the arena. Joe sat deep in the saddle and rode it out. He knew that as long as he didn’t panic he could ride out a bolt. Joe hauled on the reins but to no avail. If Sky even felt it, he didn’t care. Joe was amazed by the horse’s power and strength. The mustangs and quarter horses he was used to were half the size of this animal, and Sky felt at least ten times stronger. Using both hands, Joe was able to yank the right rein and turn Sky’s head into the fence. That finally got his attention enough to slow him down. Once stopped, Sky let out a huge buck. Joe, who had ridden rodeo broncs for years, just barely held on. Now covered with sweat and totally out of breath, Joe slid down from the horse and took off his hat. He used his shirtsleeve to dry his forehead, walked over to Finny, handed her the reins, and fell in the grass exhausted.

  “I’ll cool him out and put him away, Joe. If you’re not back on your feet by then, I’ll call nine-one-one.”

  Through panting breaths Joe said, “It’s too late.” Finny laughed at his melodramatics.

  “If we get this one broke, we can break anything. Lions, tigers, bears, anything,” Joe called after her.

  By the time Sky was hosed off and put in his stall, Joe was back on his feet. Finny was just closing the barn door when she heard her mother’s car horn.

  “Uh, Joe, what do you think about getting a cell phone?”

  “Never thought about it.”

  “I . . . sometimes, need, or would like to talk to you but can’t until I see you . . . and the business, if you had phone, people could call you directly instead of having to go through Vel.”

  “Okay.” The horn honked three more times.

  “Great, we’ll get you one Saturday! I’ll see you tomorrow.” Finny dashed off toward her mother’s car.

  “Hi, Mom. Where are we going?” Finny asked, when they turned away from home.

  “To a birthday dinner for a very special daughter.” Finny smiled. She knew her mom was up to something. She could see it on her face.

  It was the shock of a lifetime. Her father was there with Linda and their kids. It was the first time they all were together in one place, ever. Expecting the worst, Finny found her parents and stepparents at ease in each other’s company and the four little kids fell into an instant friendship. Finny, for the first time in a long time, felt there was hope.

  It was her birthday, so Beth couldn’t say no when Finny wanted to run to Silver Spur with a piece of birthday cake for Joe.

  “Be quick,” Beth said as Finny dashed out of the car and around the barn. Elsa’s car was parked in Joe’s drive. Finny looked at her watch—it was almost nine. She stood and stared, paralyzed with dread for five long minutes, positive she was going to be sick.

  This was why he never made the next move. He’d fallen for Elsa. It was crystal clear now. He only acted like a friend because that was all he was. Finny went to the side of the trailer and peeked into a window from a distance. She saw them standing in each other’s arms. The piece of cake dropped to the ground. Finny bolted back to the car, said nothing to her mother, and made it home just in time to throw up.

  Chapter Seventeen

  THE DAY WAS BRIGHT AND SUNNY BUT TO FINNY it was socked in. A fog of misery followed her every move. First period dragged on forever and she wasn’t sure she heard a word her teacher said. Biology was next . . . Dale was next. She’d have to face him now; he couldn’t be sick forever. And he wasn’t. He was walking down the hall toward her. Finny opened her locker.

  “Hi, Finny.”

  “Hey, Dale.”

  “You okay?”

  Finny shrugged her shoulders.

  “Are you getting sick?”

  Finny shook her head.

  “So, I hate to be a pest but the dance is Friday . . . am I picking you up?”

  “Sure.” Finny gave him a small smile.

  Dale frowned. “I’m looking forward to it. It’ll be a blast.”

  “Good, I could use some fun.”

  It felt like it took several years but the school day finally ended. Finny, not wanting to deal with Dale, hid till he left and then went to the buses.

  Once at Azure Hills she found Joe waiting as he usually did. He was a man of his word, after all. Finny made her way toward Joe, flipping up her phone to check her message from her mother.

  “Wow, you got a phone!”

&nbs
p; “For my birthday.” She handed it to him.

  “Perfect! When I get mine we can talk whenever.”

  We? Finny thought. Elsa wouldn’t tolerate any we when it came to Joe. It would only be a matter of time before she broke up their friendship. All last night and all day Finny had struggled to get it okay in her head. After all, her life’s ambition was not to be a stupid suffering-after-a-boy girl.

  She’d convinced herself she wanted it that way because she was more evolved, more enlightened, but the truth was, she was just a big chicken. She didn’t want her feelings kicked around and to suffer heartache. Watching her mom’s downhill spiral after her dad left had been more than instructive; it had been devastating.

  Finny watched Joe as he checked out the phone. Maybe once they were together for a while and Elsa got what she wanted, she’d get bored and kick him to the curb. Maybe then, Joe would want her.

  “Congratulations,” Joe said, all smiles as he handed the phone back. Finny did her best to smile back. She’d just take things day by day. She wondered when Joe would break the Elsa news. She was sure he was hesitating because of their history. Sooner or later, he’d have to.

  “You ready for Sky?”

  “Who do you think should go first?”

  “I lunged him, took some of his energy down, so go ahead and try.”

  “Okay.” Finny stroked Sky’s long mahogany neck and spoke soothing words. Sky pinned his ears and ground his bit hard between his teeth.

  “Joe, he’s already mad and I haven’t even gotten on him yet.”

  “I see that. Let me try.” Joe moved into position and Sky stomped his foot to show his displeasure.

  “I’m going to take him to the arena and lunge him again.” Joe walked him over and before they even got to the middle of the arena Sky tried to bolt. Joe was able to stop him thanks to the line through his bit. Sky spun right to face Joe and dug at the ground with his hoof, grunting with every strike.

  “Come on, Sky, get going.” Joe asked the horse to circle around him. Sky tried again to pull away. Joe finally got the horse under control and going. It was at an all-out gallop in a circle around him, but at least he was moving.

  Twenty minutes Sky ran without stopping. Finny wondered what that translated into mile-wise. Sky, head down and pouring sweat, huffed and puffed like a freight train. Joe pulled Sky to a stop, quickly unhooked the lunge line, and swung up into the saddle as Sky was still battling for air. Joe patted him and kept him walking so his muscles wouldn’t cramp.

  Although Sky was dead tired his ears stayed pinned down and his tail swished periodically.

  “How does he feel, Joe?”

  “Tense through his back, mad.”

  “He looks mad.”

  “I’m going to try a trot.” Joe nudged him forward with his heels. Sky instantly kicked out at the pressure of Joe’s leg. Joe nudged him again and asked for a trot. Sky humped his back, then shot up in the air in a wild rear. Joe, caught off guard, grabbed Sky’s mane and held on. Sky dropped to the ground and bolted, bucking, twisting, anything he could do to dislodge his rider. Joe pulled him into a tight circle trying to get the big horse under control. Sky spun, then stopped suddenly as if frozen. Then, in a fit of rage, he threw himself over backward.

  “Joe!” Finny ran into the arena. Joe was trapped beneath Sky, the horse’s weight crushing his right leg. Finny grabbed the bridle and pulled, desperate to get Sky up. Joe pushed against Sky’s back in a fruitless effort to get the more than half-ton animal off his leg.

  “Sky, come on, get up.” Finny yanked again. Sky, dull and sullen, refused to move. Joe finally gasped and fell back to the ground, the pain overcoming him. Finny yanked again and again, then ran out of the arena and grabbed a whip. She lashed Sky across the hindquarters. She knew how he’d react and she was right. He bolted up, then spun and came at her. Expecting this, Finny jumped out of the way, just missing being bowled over. Sky kept going, across the ring, then jumped out, tore down the property line, and leapt over the fence into Silver Spur and disappeared out of sight.

  “Joe, are you okay? Your leg, that’s your bad leg.” Joe, pale and panting, got up to his elbows, looked at Finny, then closed his eyes, breathing like he’d run a marathon. “Joe, I’m so sorry. Please tell me you’re okay.”

  He sat up and gingerly put his hand on his knee. “I’m okay, Finny. I don’t know what’s wrong. He’s so angry. I’ve never come across a horse like this.” Joe lay back on the dirt and put his hands over his eyes.

  “Stay put. I’m going to grab your crutches—they’re still in the tack room. We’ve got to ice your knee.” Joe nodded without removing his hands from his face.

  Finny was back in a minute with the crutches and a cup of water. Joe was sitting up by the time she arrived. Using the crutches, he got up, then drank the water. They made their way to the tack room and Joe sat in the chair. Finny ran to Vel’s house and grabbed an ice pack. Joe rubbed his knee, then bent and straightened it without pain.

  “If it was broken, you wouldn’t be able to do that.”

  Joe put the ice pack on his knee. “You’re right. It just feels a little funny, doesn’t really hurt.”

  “Thank God. Joe will you be okay here? I better get Sky.”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

  Finny ran all the way to Silver Spur. She didn’t even want to think what damage Sky could be inflicting right now. Once at the ring, Finny was surprised to find it empty. This was a normal lesson time for the advanced students. She also noticed the barn doors were closed. A moment later the door slid open a crack and Clara peeked out. “Finny, please get that crazy horse of yours out of here.”

  “Where is he?”

  “I don’t know. He jumped into the ring, started to herd all the horses in the lesson. Jeff and Barbara ran to catch him. He charged them, then jumped over them and out of the arena. He ran halfway down the property, then turned and was coming back at us full speed. We all took cover in the barn.”

  “I don’t see him anywhere.”

  “Please go find him, and get him out of here!”

  “I’ll get him. I’m so sorry!” Finny dashed to the side of the barn. Sky was nowhere to be found, until she heard a bang and a crash. She closed her eyes and prayed, Please don’t be where I think you are. Finny ran to the feed room. The wooden steps to the door were broken, not meant for a now fourteen-hundred-pound horse. The door was splintered and hanging from one hinge. Sky was munching away on the bags of sweet feed that had just been delivered. Not happy with just one, Sky had torn all six bags before choosing which one to eat.

  “Oh, Sky.” The sound of Finny’s voice made the horse turn and look in her direction. Sky let out an earsplitting neigh and quickly trotted out of the feed room and jumped down the broken stairs. He went right up to Finny and nuzzled her cheek and blew warm breath in her ear. Finny sadly patted his head and took the reins, amazed the bridle was still in one piece. She poked her head into the barn and told everyone it was all clear. Finny apologized at least fifteen more times and headed back to Azure Hills.

  Once back, she led Sky to his stall. When Sky spotted Joe he let out a neigh and dragged Finny over to him. Sky immediately started rubbing his head on Joe, all but knocking him from the chair.

  “Okay, Sky, I’m not a scratching post. Behave.” Sky nuzzled Joe’s uplifted hand. Joe gave Sky a rub behind the ear before Finny put him away.

  “You’re not going to believe what he did. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m pretty much dead.”

  “Uh oh, what?”

  “He ran over, herded the horses in the lesson. Jumped over Jeff and Barbara when they tried to stop him. Jumped out of the ring, tore around the property, charged back to the ring, causing everyone to dash to the barn and hide. Then he goes to the back, walks up the steps to the feed room, destroying them, busts open the door, tears up bags of feed, then eats. That’s what he was doing when I found him.” Joe, who had put his hand over his mouth when Fin
ny began the tale, now was using both hands, trying desperately not to laugh.

  “Oh, glad you think it’s funny, since it’s only me who will be banned for life.”

  “I’m sorry, it’s not funny.” Joe just managed to get out before breaking out in hysterics. Finny pinched the bridge of her nose trying not to join him. She couldn’t help it—she laughed too.

  “Joe, you should have seen Clara’s face. All of them, hiding from a horse.” The two laughed until their sides stitched.

  “Joe, let’s get you home, since it’s the last time I’ll be allowed on the property.”

  “No, that’s not going to happen.”

  They made their way toward Silver Spur. At the fence line, Finny paused and said, “I hope you’re right, but honestly, this may be the final straw.”

  “No way. If they ban you, I’ll quit.”

  “You would? You’d quit?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t stand for them treating you like that.”

  “Thanks, Joe. That’s really sweet.”

  Joe nodded—it went without saying. She realized, as much as she loved him, losing him as a friend would be unthinkable. Finny was determined just to deal with it when he and Elsa became a public thing. She could do that for a friend, especially someone as special as Joe.

  “Thanks, Finny. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Oh, uh . . . I won’t be here tomorrow.” Finny felt like a pile of bricks had landed on her. The stupid dance she’d wanted to go to with him so badly was tomorrow. Standing there now, with Joe, it was painful to think about. “I got something to do.” Lousy excuse, but it was the best she could come up with.

  “Oh, okay.” Joe looked a bit surprised. “Saturday then.”