TSB/Young Rider Fiction Contest
7-11 Third Place

Sunset Surprise

By Lilly Belle Kalinauskas (Age 8)

 

“Rosie, time for bed,” my mom called from the living room as she got up from the couch.

“Alright Mom, give me a second,” I called loudly back to her as I added an eye to my horse painting. I loved all things horse themed. My family lived next to the beach, which was nice, but we weren’t near a barn, so I didn’t get to ride. Big bummer.

***

After I brushed my teeth, put on my pajamas, and said “good night,” I was just about to close my eyes when …

“Neigh!”

Huh? I was probably just imagining things, but did I just hear a whinny? It must have been the wind or maybe a car driving by … but definitely not a horse.

I peeked out from my bedroom curtains and sat on my windowsill, next to my knitted horse pillow. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It really was a horse! He was galloping across the beach, his hooves kicking up sand.

I couldn’t even tell what breed or color the horse was because he was going so fast, all I could see was a blur. Also, the sun had just set, so it was getting dark out, and his shadow made him look sleek black.

***

I knew I wasn’t supposed to go out at this hour, but I tiptoed out of my room, down the stairs, and across the hallway. I slipped on my flipflops, made sure to grab my flashlight, packed it in my backpack and headed out the front door. If I was going to meet this horse, I had to be prepared. I walked across the street, silently stepping onto the beach.

And that’s when I saw the stallion. He was real!

“Hi boy,” I said as I spoke to him as calmly as I could. He flipped his beautiful long mane and flinched when I stroked him. I suddenly stopped because I was afraid he might bolt away. And then I did something I probably shouldn’t have …

First, I unzipped my bag, pulled out my bike helmet and put it on. I clipped it under my chin tightly. Then I grabbed hold of the stallion’s mane. I counted to three and swung myself onto his back.

He didn’t seem too happy about this. He snorted, rooted, and, as if that wasn’t enough, he hopped and reared! I held onto his mane for dear life. I fell on his neck, hard, but somehow managed to regain my balance.

“Phew,” I gasped, as he straightened out and picked up speed.

There we were: A girl and a stallion galloping on the beach together like we’d done this many times before. I was riding the stallion bareback. It felt like I was riding a soft couch, but the couch had some itchy hairs!

After a while, he slowly went down from full-on gallop to a forward trot and then to a walk. He stretched down his neck as I ran the palms of my hands down his sleek, silky mane.

I should remember this day, but how?

***

Wow! I could just barely catch a glimpse of a piece of sparkling sea glass right next to the stallion’s front leg. Then I did something daring, once again. Now that he was just walking, I swung my right leg gently over the side of the stallion’s back and slid off.

“Ouch!” I cried. I think I must have twisted my ankle. If this was during the daytime, I would’ve oohed and aahed at that piece of sea glass all day, but it wasn’t. I quickly grasped one of the smooth edges, gazing at the beautiful teal color, before stuffing it into one of the pockets of my pony pajamas.

I looked up at the sky again.

“Oh no, if I don’t get back to the house, my parents will get really, really worried.”

***

That’s when I saw that I wasn’t with Sunset the stallion and I didn’t smell the saltiness of the ocean or feel the crunchy sand underneath me. Where was I? Had it all been a dream? I was sitting on the windowsill in my bedroom.

But wait! I looked at myself from head to toe. I was wearing my flip-flops! I was so startled that I fell off the windowsill, and a piece of teal sea glass came flying out of my pocket.

I smiled. Maybe it wasn’t a dream after all.

 

For details about our 2024 Youth Fiction Contest, click HERE.