Jodie and Misti Chapter Two

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Elinor returned with a tray of cookies and a full glass of orange juice for me. I nod politely and take a bite of a choc-chip cookie, while Elinor sips a cup of black coffee. ''You could start riding again, Jodie,'' says Elinor. ''Not after what happened with Storm,'' I say quietly. Elinor barely hears me. Mum turns to me, waiting for my approval. I look at my leg, twisted painfully and wrapped up. Elinor doesn't notice. ''What do you think, Jodie?'' Mum asks gently. ''I'm not sure,'' I say. I'm alright with seeing a horse again - but I don't trust myself. A series of upsetting images floods through my mind, and I quickly tell myself that it's ok, I'm safe, I'm with Mum. ''It's just... I'd be alright with seeing a horse, just not riding one,'' I say, mostly to Mum. Elinor listens too. ''I can take you to the stables,'' Aunt Elinor says. ''You can help out with the rescues,'' I nod. That seems like an easy task to do. So I follow Elinor out into the pasture, where several foals and a few horses are grazing. One foal looks up at me, eyes bright. I bend down to the foal's height. ''What's this one's name?'' I ask Aunt Elinor, keeping myself a small distance away from it. It trots nearer curiously. ''Ah! That one's Desdemona,'' says Aunt Elinor. ''She's rather sweet. Come along, then, we have some horses to attend to.'' She ushers me away from Desdemona, who seems intent on following me. ''Where's Forrest? I've missed him,'' I ask Elinor. ''At the stables. That's where we're headed to, so that you can meet the rescue horses,'' she answers. When we get to the rescues, my heart sinks. One horse is looking so thin that her ribs are sticking out, one stallion limping uncomfortably. ''Do you know the people who owned these horses?'' I ask, outraged. Elinor shakes her head sadly. ''Horses should never be hurt like this. They were from a farm. I was looking for some more stablemates for Forrest and Jade, and that's when I found them. They were about to be sent to an abattoir's.'' I move a little closer to the thin mare, and she nickers softly. I put my hand out - but she backs away. ''She isn't calm enough to be pet, but she will accept food,'' Elinor says. I walk over to where Elinors has stacked some feed bags and treats, and I grab an apple, walking to the mare. She crunches it up gratefully and licks my hand, hoping for me. It makes me giggle. Aunt Elinor is talking to a stable boy, most probably lecturing him on not feeding them too many sugarcubes. I get her another apple, this time a green one, and let her crunch it up before I go to the next horse.