No Title Yet (Any Suggestions>) - Part 1

by Evangeline
(Anchorage Alaska)

The first sound I heard was the squeaking of the Rookling's old wheelbarrow. Julie was doing the morning feeds. I got up and stretched. Brr. It was cold in the crisp, moist morning air of the Virginia fog. I tossed some of the clothes at the foot of my bed. With one last longing look at my warm bed, I head out.

My name is Lee. Most people call me Lee 'cause my real name, Jubilee, is a bit of a mouthful. I am 12 and I live in the Morning Light Animal Rescue and Breeding Center. Morning Light Ranch for short. They can't fit foster home into the already-long-name so they leave it out, but that's why I'm here. I'm an orphan. My parents died when I was little (4 or 5) and my mom's distant relative was Mrs. Rookling.

Mr. and Mrs. Rookling (they tell the kids to call them Fred and Susie) are the closest I remember at having parents, and their as good as them. Their hearts are always open and they have an adoption day every month for kids and animals. The other reason I love it here is because the horses and Ace (he's really not into other kids,you can tell by the way he bucks them off).

'I knew how to ride before I knew how to walk'is a favorite statement of Susie's. My mother was really into horses and I got my first when I was 3. He came with me to the ranch but he died a few years ago.

Julie broke through my thoughts.

"Come on Lee! I've been up for an hour," she teased.

"What?" I shot back. "Flashing those long lashes at Job?"

We giggled and got to work.