Four years later….

I was busy doing nothing on my lunch break at work, when my mom called.
“Phoebe? Will you come help at the carnival today after work? There is so much work to be done!” She begged.
“Sure.” I answered in my usual one- word sentences.

After work, I rode my bike down to the fair grounds. It was the Annual Fragola County Fair. Every year there were roller coasters, arts and crafts…horse auctions…. and craft booths.
As usual, I shied away from the corrals that held the horses. I would have kept going if it had not been for a frantic whinny that pierced my heart. Without thinking twice, I ran towards the pens. In one small corral, a small horse raced around in a white blur, throwing up her head and screaming. In the middle, stood a man with a halter in one hand and a lead rope in the other. He looked pretty pissed.
Out of the corner of her eye, the filly spotted me. Instantly, her furious scream changed to a soft lament. It was an eerie sound that sent shivers up my back. I walked up to the fence and hopped up so I could sit on it.
“Howdy!” The man said.
“Your awful cheerful for being stuck in a tiny pen with a loco filly…” I retorted.
His expression softened.
“Oh she ‘aint loco! No siree! I believe that she is just waiting for the right person to be her angel and bring her pretty lil heart out.” He answed.
“Oh yea?” I couldn’t help it; my curiosity got the best of me.
The man sized me up.
“Wanna come in?”
I shrugged and hopped in. I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I repeated this to my self as I ran to his side.
Eventually, she slowed down and began to trot around the outside track.
“She have a name?”
“Yea-Angel.”
I could see why, I guess.
She had a white blonde coat and a matching mane and tail. But if they were naming her for her personality, my previous description of Loco fit best.
Angel and I eyed each other warily, until she decided I was all right. She began to walk toward me. I don’t know why, but I let her. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out an old mint and held it out to her. Her pace quickened and she lapped up the candy, tickling my palm. Hesitantly, I reached out to stroke her. She closed her eyes and I could feel her lean in.
“She’s been abused and beaten her whole life. I’m surprised that anyone even wanted her! She is very aggressive!”
“What!”
“Well you saw her, before you came she was-“
“No, no, before that! Did you say someone was buying her?”
“Sure did, missy. See that man over there? Yup that’s whose wantin her.”
I didn’t recognize the man, but the way he grinned that cocky arrogant smile, made me wanna hurl. And I gladly do it over his shiny new boots that must have cost more than my house!
“Ha-has he bought her yet?” I asked. I couldn’t bear to think of her going to him. Despite the pact I made to myself after Raina died, the one that I would always hate horses, fear them, stay away from them, I found the protective wall I had built around myself, start to chip away the moment that I saw this little horse.
“Nope! Not yet!” the man grinned.
I fingered the locket that always hung ‘round my neck. On one side, there was picture of the two of us hugging. The other side held a single lock of her hair. I figured that if Raina were here, she’d want me to do this. Quickly so that I didn’t change my mind, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my paycheck.
“How much is he offering?” I asked.
“100 big ones.”
“Here is 200, is he mine now?” My old energy and excitement over silly things was coming back as I reached for the halter.
“Not yet, there is still paperwork to fill out.”
Angel blew in my hair at the same time I sighed. The man laughed and reached out to stroke her. She jumped and went back to running around us. I stood there and waited ‘till she calmed down. The man got the paperwork and I quickly filled it out, handed him the money, and took the lead rope.
10 minuets later, I was walking away, leading my new horse and wondering what I got myself into.

As I was leaving, the man called to me.
“Hey! Miss!”
I turned.
“Yes?”
“I do believe that the pair of yeh’s jes found yer Angels.”
“Ya know what sir? I think we did.”


Needless to say, my parents were vary surprised to see the horse, but they hoped Angel would help me and she was quickly settled in Sugar’s old stall. As I was telling her good night, I couldn’t help but notice that her coat was the exact same shade of blonde as Raina’s hair had been.
“Hmm, Maybe you are an angel!” I grinned and turned out the lights.

For the next few months, Angel Rai-as I now call her- and I worked on building up our confidence with each other and finally tearing down our brick walls.

Exactly five months later, I got on Angel Rai for the first time. We went on a trail through the woods and, as I turned a bend, I realized with a jolt, that it was the anniversary of Raina’s death. There, in front of me loomed the giant tree. Taking a breath and gathering my reins, I urged Angel on. In my mind I saw the entire accident again and I nearly stopped. But than, I saw Raina’s face in my head. Slowly, a smile spread across her face and I smiled back, knowing it was ok.

I felt Angel’s muscles bunch up beneath me as she took off. We soared over the jump and cleared it with flying colors.