Crows Don't Fly Through Autumn Rain
Summer
The last day of school was always the most difficult to sit through. Sitting in a classroom, counting down the minutes until the bell rings while the hot summer sun shines through the windows as if luring them outside.
Fourteen year old Dakota Kendall as she listened to her fellow classmates talk about their plans for the summer. Her summer would be the same as always; she would be working on their family ranch and helping with the horses as she usually did.
"I'm going to fly West in about a week," the boy sitting in front of Dakota said to nobody in particular. "I'm going to Alberta to stay with my cousins. What are you doing?" he suddenly shot at Dakota, as if determined not to be ignored by everyone who were all too busy talking about their own plans then to listen to anyone else.
Dakota straightened up in her chair as she brushed strands of her auburn hair out of her eyes, blinking rapidly as she attempted to come back to present time instead of her daydreaming. She cleared her throat and returned her gaze to Joel, trying to remember what he had just said.
"Working," Dakota mumbled, hoping her one word answer would be enough to satisfy his curiosity. Joel turned around momentarily as he began digging through his backpack and Dakota used this opportunity to check the clock. Less than half an hour until they were out. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, letting her gaze wander the classroom.
"Did you see this?" Joel spun around in his chair again, shoving a newspaper article onto Dakota's desk. "Aubrey Wright, world class dressage rider purchased the stables previously owned by Michael Anderson. It is now called Crow Nest Stables. More information can be found on their website." Joel looked up from the newspaper article, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Why would a famous rider want to move here?"
"I don't know," Dakota frowned slightly as she took the newspaper away from Joel. Finding that she wasn't very talkative, he finally turned around to talk to someone else. Dakota began scanning the article to see why exactly a world class rider would decide to buy a stable here in Misty Grove, Newfoundland?
Dakota hardly had time to finish that thought as the bell suddenly rang shrilly, announcing that school was out at last for the summer. All around her students were leaping out of their desks and heading for the door, still chattering on about their plans for the summer.
Grabbing the newspaper clipping, Dakota headed for the door. She made a brief stop at her locker to grab her bag and the rest of her belongings before heading out of the small school and for the road. Misty Grove wasn't a very large town; it would only take about half an hour for her to reach the edge of town and get home.
As usual, the walk home seemed quite uneventful. Dakota took a short cut through a field and along a trail to avoid walking downtown and was along the quiet road, admiring some horses grazing in a field nearby when she heard a truck approaching. Naturally she glanced back, hoping that it may be her parents who could give her a ride.
It was not their familiar red truck. It was a large white semi pulling a large, fancy horse trailer behind it. Dakota has never actually seen a trailer that large, but she could guess on who it belonged to. Sure enough, as the semi and trailer passed, she could read out "Crow Nest Stables" on the back.
Holding onto the straps of her backpack, she began to pick up the pace. The semi and trailer were long out of sight by now but she was anxious on returning home and finding out more about Aubrey Wright. She was curious on why this rider was in Misty Grove and was almost hopeful at the chance of getting coached by her.
A couple of minutes later, Dakota had finally reached home. She walked past the sign reading "Autumn Rain Farm" and hurried up the driveway, passing the six horse barn and paddocks as she approached the house. Spotting her parents in the barn yard speaking to some unfamiliar people, she ducked into the barn and out of sight. If they were speaking to potential buyers of some of their horses, she didn't want to interfere.
Fourteen year old Dakota Kendall as she listened to her fellow classmates talk about their plans for the summer. Her summer would be the same as always; she would be working on their family ranch and helping with the horses as she usually did.
"I'm going to fly West in about a week," the boy sitting in front of Dakota said to nobody in particular. "I'm going to Alberta to stay with my cousins. What are you doing?" he suddenly shot at Dakota, as if determined not to be ignored by everyone who were all too busy talking about their own plans then to listen to anyone else.
Dakota straightened up in her chair as she brushed strands of her auburn hair out of her eyes, blinking rapidly as she attempted to come back to present time instead of her daydreaming. She cleared her throat and returned her gaze to Joel, trying to remember what he had just said.
"Working," Dakota mumbled, hoping her one word answer would be enough to satisfy his curiosity. Joel turned around momentarily as he began digging through his backpack and Dakota used this opportunity to check the clock. Less than half an hour until they were out. She leaned back in her chair with a sigh, letting her gaze wander the classroom.
"Did you see this?" Joel spun around in his chair again, shoving a newspaper article onto Dakota's desk. "Aubrey Wright, world class dressage rider purchased the stables previously owned by Michael Anderson. It is now called Crow Nest Stables. More information can be found on their website." Joel looked up from the newspaper article, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Why would a famous rider want to move here?"
"I don't know," Dakota frowned slightly as she took the newspaper away from Joel. Finding that she wasn't very talkative, he finally turned around to talk to someone else. Dakota began scanning the article to see why exactly a world class rider would decide to buy a stable here in Misty Grove, Newfoundland?
Dakota hardly had time to finish that thought as the bell suddenly rang shrilly, announcing that school was out at last for the summer. All around her students were leaping out of their desks and heading for the door, still chattering on about their plans for the summer.
Grabbing the newspaper clipping, Dakota headed for the door. She made a brief stop at her locker to grab her bag and the rest of her belongings before heading out of the small school and for the road. Misty Grove wasn't a very large town; it would only take about half an hour for her to reach the edge of town and get home.
As usual, the walk home seemed quite uneventful. Dakota took a short cut through a field and along a trail to avoid walking downtown and was along the quiet road, admiring some horses grazing in a field nearby when she heard a truck approaching. Naturally she glanced back, hoping that it may be her parents who could give her a ride.
It was not their familiar red truck. It was a large white semi pulling a large, fancy horse trailer behind it. Dakota has never actually seen a trailer that large, but she could guess on who it belonged to. Sure enough, as the semi and trailer passed, she could read out "Crow Nest Stables" on the back.
Holding onto the straps of her backpack, she began to pick up the pace. The semi and trailer were long out of sight by now but she was anxious on returning home and finding out more about Aubrey Wright. She was curious on why this rider was in Misty Grove and was almost hopeful at the chance of getting coached by her.
A couple of minutes later, Dakota had finally reached home. She walked past the sign reading "Autumn Rain Farm" and hurried up the driveway, passing the six horse barn and paddocks as she approached the house. Spotting her parents in the barn yard speaking to some unfamiliar people, she ducked into the barn and out of sight. If they were speaking to potential buyers of some of their horses, she didn't want to interfere.