Dreams Under Fire

The crowd cheered as the chestnut mare bucked wildly.  They laughed as the cowboy flew to the ground.  Jade and Steevie watched aghast as the cowboy went flying, and the beautiful mare reared in panic.  Steevie turned to Jade and whispered "How can they treat a horse this way?"
"I don't know" said Jade, shaking her head.
The horse was led out of the arena, and another was led in.
"Another who will suffer" sighed Jade.
Jade and Steevie were best friends. They lived in England, but they were on holiday in America, and at a rodeo for Steevie's brother's birthday party.  Both girls were horse-mad, but ponyless.
When the rodeo had finished, Jade and Steevie went to see the horses backstage.  The chestnut mare was tied to a tree, her ears pinned firmly back, and shaking with fright.  Seeing nobody around, the girls went over to the mare.  Jade stroked her gently, whilst Steevie mixed up a small feed for her.  The mare ate it hungrily.  She hadn't been fed for days!  Both girls were appalled at her condition.  Her feet were overgrown, and dirty.  Her mane was tangled, and her tail docked.  Her coat was dull and listless,and her eyes showed no pleasure, just pain, and hatred.  Jade's mum called, so they ran back to them, and they slowly walked back to the hotel.
That night, the girls were discussing the mare.
"She could be beautiful" said Steevie.
"She IS beautiful!  She just needs somebody to bring it out of her" replied Jade.
Both girls looked at each other.  Then they smiled.  They had a BRILLIANT plan.
It was midnight, and all was still.  Suddenly, there came hushed voices from the hotel.  The girls crept out in their pyjamas, clutching ropes, sacks, torches and a head collar.  They nodded to each other, and ran off down the road to the fair-ground.
Horses snorted, and munched on hay.
"Dream.......Dream........."called Jade softly.
"Where are you Dream?" whispered Steevie.
A horse figure could be made out in the shadows.  The girls advanced slowly, and they could just make out the chesnut mare.  They smiled, and slipped the head collar onto her.  Jade tied some sacking round each of the mares feet,  whilst Steevie kept an eye out for people.
Jade clipped a rope onto the headcollar, and they left the barn, and headed for the main road.
That night was a tough one.  All night the 2 girls, and the beautiful chestnut mare wandered the roads, looking for a place to stay, to stash Dream away, until the time was right.  Hotel after Hotel, Farm after Farm, they had no luck.  Then, they were approached by a woman dressed in white.  She had long blonde hair, and diamond eyes.  She smiled at the girls and their horse, and handed them a card.  It read:

The Palace Hotel
Pets Welcome
23 Broadlands Common
Large field out back.

When the girls turned round to thank the lady, she was gone.  The night was still again.

It was just before dawn when the trio reached the Palace Hotel.  A man greeted them, and put Dream out back.  The girls were ushered in,  and shown to a room.
"Well, this IS a nice place, is it not!?" remarked Steevie.
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm" grunted Jade, who was already half asleep.
"What shall we call the mare?" asked Steevie
"I've already called her Dream" grumbled Jade
"Well.......her show-name is: Dreams Under Fire!"
"Ummmmm" said Jade.

END OF CHAPTER 1

By Steevie Alana Pugh

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