Ollie - Chapter 1

by Caroline
(Kildeer, IL)

A cool breeze entered the room. It blew against the ribbons on the pinboard. 3 blue ribbons. 1 red. Ali touched the ribbons with her bare fingers and shivered.

She remembered that brown pony. KiKi. She remembered his little stripe and blue eyes. Ali felt tears wipe down her eyes. So many memories. Now KiKi was sold. It was the hardest decision Ali ever had to make.

KiKi was happier now. In his home at Texas. Ali climbed onto her bed and layed down, staring at the ceiling. A faint neigh came from outside. Ali's house with her mom and dad was by a horse barn. Except she doesn't think her heart will heal. Ali crawled to her door and opened it, scrambling.

Outside was warm. The warm air was coming into the car window. Ali felt the rumble of the engine under her. "So." Her mom tried to make a awkward conversation. She looked into the mirror and glanced at Ali then to the road.

"Are you excited to go to the barn? I hope it reminds you of KiKi and makes you happier." Ali opened the door when the car stopped in front of a giant barn. She stepped outside and felt her stomach nauseous. She rambled about stuff in her head. The doors opened. A horse came out. A beautiful one.

Ollie - Chapter 2

by Caroline
(Kildeer, IL)

Ali blinked. The gelding was a chestnut with a star down his face. Her mom walked on, not realizing the gelding. She instead, walked to the barn and exchanged hands with the instructor. A blond-haired teenager was leading him. She glanced at Ali and walked toward her.

"Hi! I'm Holly. Your 'young instructor'. " Holly laughed at her own joke and realized Ali was moon-blinked toward the chestnut. "So your giving eyes to old Ollie here, huh?" She smiled and patted Ollie's neck. "Old Ollie?" Ali asked. He didn't look old. More like a young adult. "Can I ride him?" Ali asked quickly, staring into Holly's eyes. "Um, well sure. Mrs Hailey already said your riding him. Mrs Hailey is my mom by the way."

Holly handed Ali the lead rope and adjusted her helmet. "Go take him inside. I will tack him up for you." Ali nodded and walked him inside. Fans surrounded the stalls to cool the horses down. It smelled like barn. The best smell in the world. Holly took the rope and cross-tied the gelding. He raised his head high and yawned. "Don't get tricked by his yawning, OK? He's just playing with you." Holly said and got the saddle. Ali nodded and patted his neck.

"Kick him more! I know you can make him trot!" Holly walked along the rail giving directions to Ali. Ali kicked Ollie and he started to trot perfectly. It was super well balanced. She patted him and looked up. "Heels down, look up. Heels down, look up." She repeated in her head. But it was already perfect. "OK now were going to try a little canter is that OK?" Holly asked. Ali gasped. She smiled instantly and nodded.

"OK, well kick him with you right le-" Ali was already cantering. It felt like flying. Ali smiled so huge she thought her face would rip off. It was truly a perfect canter. Until Holly said to jump an "X".

Ollie- Chapter 3

by Caroline
(Kildeer,IL)

Ali remembered the last time she was told to jump. The horse tripped really badly and almost fell. Ali got out of control and the horse reared and she was swung from the saddle right in the wall. It flashed in her mind. "Ali? Earth to Ali?" Holly asked. Ali realized she was daydreaming and then she kicked Ollie. She knew this wouldn't happen again. Ollie was a good boy and she knew it.

He started a nice trot and launched off from the ground. For a second, Ali felt like she was flying. A thump hit the ground. She was alive. "Amazing. Isn't Ollie great?" Holly was surprised. Ali slowly trotted to Holly and nodded toward her.

Ali was already putting Ollie back in the dirty coral he stays in, when she remembered she had some carrots in her back pocket. She took one out and secretly fed Ollie one then put the rest in his empty bucket that was hanging on a hook on the fence. She smiled.

When Ali and her mom were home, Ali asked, " Mom, since were only 5 minutes away from the barn can I visit there after school?" Ali's mom was thinking pretty hard, cause she was doing the look. One eyebrow up with eyes up. "I guess so. By the way, which horse did you ride? I was talking to Mrs. Hailey the whole time." Her mom said.

Inside Ali was so excited. But then she had to answer her question. "Ollie." Ali said trying to hold her happiness inside. "Was he nice?" Mom asked. "Definitely! He has a amazing walk, trot and canter. And the best jump ever!" Ali realized she was yelling then quieted down.


The next day at school, Ali was shaking so much that she was asked to go to the nurse! She had to go home for no reason. One of the reasons, was she looked moon blinked. And the nurse was crept out by her. Ali ran home and went to the barn. She remembered to pack carrots and peppermints in her lunch box.

Ollie was staring at a bird when he heard the rustle of the bag. Except when he trotted toward her he fell to the ground instantly.

Ollie - Chapter 4

by Caroline
(Kildeer, IL)

Ali jumped over the fence quickly and fell to Ollie's side. He whinnied in pain. Ali started to panic wildly. Finally, she rushed inside the barn and screamed, "Help Ollie's hurt! Ollie's Hurt!" Everyone listened to her. The owner heard her and ran to Ollie. Holly came as well holding a phone. "Should I call the vet?" Holly asked quickly.

Mrs. Hailey nodded, closely examining Ollie's leg and the hoofprints he made. Holly started to dial the vet's number. When she answered Holly spoke words Ali didn't even understand. All she could think about is if he was going to make it.

The vet came in 5 minutes and Ollie was laying in the sick horse stall at the back, nice and cozy. Ali sat on one of the chests. She tried to hold back tears. Finally Jamie one of the riders, told Ali she could go see Ollie. Ali took one breath and held the rest in. Every step she took felt like a 100 miles. She slowly pushed through the crowd and gasped.

Ollie, the once beautiful chestnut was in a sling, holding most of his body weight. His eyes were closed and his chest only went up a second and then down very slowly. Ali cried. She cried like she never cried . Everywhere she looked Ollie had some sort of wire connected to him.

"Is, is he dead?" Ali said, struggling to find her voice. "No. He's in a very deep sleep. He might not wake up for a while." Mrs. Hailey said. Ali looked down. She couldn't find words. Not even one.

When everybody left Ali pulled out a flower and peppermint from her pocket. She put it next to him and kissed his head. Then she left. She said nothing else for the rest of the day when she got home.
At night, Ali's heart ached. When she finally fell asleep, things got even worse. In her dream, she was rewinding everything that happened when she jumped an X. Everything that happened when she met Ollie. Even the time she last saw his eyes glimmer into hers. Then things got terrible.

Ollie broke his back and neck. And died. He got shot. He got killed. He is dead. It all rewinded into fast motion into Ali. Goodbye Ollie. Ali finally woke up from that worse than a nightmare horror movie. She was crying and trembling. Is that really the end for her beautiful chestnut?

Ollie - Chapter 5

by Caroline
(Kildeer,IL)

BTW sorry about the other story was supposed to be chapter 4 the one where Ollie gets hurt. Sorry!

Ali looked outside her window. She was pacing in her mind. The dream last night haunted her strongly. She broke out in tears every time she thought about what was going to happen to Ollie. "Ali! Come down here, sweetie!" Ali's mom called from downstairs. Ali managed to crawl out her bed. Her heart ached terribly. It felt worse than when she lost Kiki. Kiki.

Ali looked at the ribbons. Then at the picture she kept on her wall. Kiki. His soft brown fur. Blue eyes and stripe. Then it all rewinded in her. Jumping. Galloping. Bareback. Painting him. Even the funny things he did. Like smile when Ali gave him a treat and beg. And responding to her whenever she said him name. Ali walked downstairs. Heartbroken once again. She saw her mom outside and opened the door. She looked up and stood frozen. Kiki.

He was in her front yard. She ran toward him and tightly hugged his neck. She cried into his shoulder. "Mom. What is he doing here!?" She asked. Barely speaking. She was so happy. She didn't even think about Ollie.

Ollie - Chapter 6

by Caroline
(Kildeer, IL)

"Well, Kiki is staying here for 2 days then he's going ba-." Ali's mom was interrupted by her phone. It was a new text. She replied and kept talking. "Make that until tomorrow that he's going to back to Texas." She smiled. "Oh." Ali mumbled, hiding disappointment. "You get to ride this weekend though! Also, Ollie's better!" Her mom added on.

Suddenly her daughter cheered up instantly. She put on the brightest smile she could. But first she wanted to spend time with Kiki. "Can I ride him bareback?" Ali asked pointing at the brown pony. Her mom nodded and she took the lead rope. Ali walked him to the backyard. Put him in the empty corral they used for him and tied him there. She still had a bridle and saddle in the shed. But she was going bareback so she only needed the bridle.

Ali took Kiki's halter and rope off and slipped in the bit. She stretched it through his ears and fastened the straps. Ali slowly led him out of the corral and climbed on from the fence. She comfortable slumped down but straightened up again. She squeezed him and he accidently cantered. suddenly Ali pulled on the reins. "What's gotten into you? You never canter when I squeeze!" Ali said. She squeezed again and this time he galloped! She fell off and landed on the grass.

Kiki cantered a 6 feet away and bucked high in the sky. She backed up crawling. Kiki never acted like this. She stood up and grabbed the pony's hanging reins. Ali saddled him up and got on. She put her heels down and sat up straight. She kicked him this time and he cantered a nice straight line. Ali was really confused. After an hour of riding she got off and put him in the corral.

The next day, Ali saw Kiki go in the trailer and ride away. But it was Saturday. Riding until Tuesday. She got dressed and drove there. "Bye sweetie!" Her mom called from the car. "Bye!" Ali smiled and walked toward the barn. She smiled so bright. "Hi Holly! " She greeted when she saw Holly tacking up Ollie. "Hi kiddo? You ready to ride?" She asked as she finished buckling the straps for the bridle. Ali nodded quickly. She strapped on her helmet and took Ollie's reins.

"Oh, didn't you hear? Your not riding him." Holly got the reins again. "Who is then?" Ali asked. She got all her excitement up for nothing. "Maya is." She said as a blonde haired girl took his reins. She had an evil look on her face and was holding a crop that said her name.

"Hi." Maya said as she walked away in the arena. "who am I riding then?" She asked. " Duncan." Holly pointed to the last horse on the cross ties. He was a nice buckskin color with a cute bald face. He was ground tied though.

"Are you sure he wont run away? " Ali asked, looking at Duncan then Holly. Holly shook her head. Ali walked toward him walked him to the arena. She checked her girth and got on.