North Oak 5- Far Turn

by Ann Hunter

  “Does he have a name yet?” Carol asked.

  Alex thought Space Ice, because of how chill the lil guy was.

  Hillary shook her head. “He’s only a few days old. We’ve got a whole year ahead of us to think of a name.”

  So much could change in a year. Alex knew that from experience. Her own life had gone from orphaned street rat to having a family, to discovering she was the niece of a billionaire or something. Even though the farm wasn’t out of financial dire straits yet, Steven North still had to have some amount of money to keep the place afloat. Knowing she was his niece was the weirdest piece to Alex’s Cinderella story yet.

  In that time, she’d watched two horses go from babies to racing machines. Or at least one racing machine, and one in progress. Venus Nights was barely a year old. She’d start training soon. Alex hoped her fate would be as far away from the auction block as possible. She understood, however, the amount of money a daughter of a Breeders Cup winner could garner. That had been one of the harder lessons for Alex to accept; at the end of the day, no matter how much they all loved the horses at North Oak, it was still a business. And businesses had to make money by any means necessary.

  Carol’s giggle brought Alex back to reality. The spot they scratched on the young colt’s neck was making his lip wiggle, the way a dog might shake his foot if you rubbed its belly. Alex’s hands wandered over his shoulder and mid-barrel to see if he had any other ticklish spots.

  Hillary finished her checkup on Venus Galaxies. “Let him alone,” she said, but not unkindly.

  Alex grabbed his nose gently and wiggled his muzzle. “Later, dude.”

  She and Carol backed from the stall, rejoining Dejado. They helped Hillary finish checkups on four more mares, one of them which had a foal at her side. As they headed toward the Showmans’ house, Alex paused. She really did want to spend a little more time with Promenade than she had gotten earlier.

  “I’ll catch up with you guys.” She glanced to Dejado, pointing at him. “No sardines, Dorkface.”

  He grinned and crossed his heart.

  Alex made her way back to the training barn, whistling a tune, but she went silent when she got to Promenade’s stall. The big colt looked at her listlessly, not seeming himself at all.

  “Pro?” She let herself in, slipping an arm under his throat. “You okay, bud?”

  Alex gasped when she felt how hot he was. Was he sick? She didn’t think they’d been gone that long. It was only an hour or two at best. She went around to look him in the face and noticed his nose running. Was it doing that when he got off the trailer?

  Promenade groaned and fell to his knees, sending Alex scrambling. She hurried back to his side as he laid full out. This wasn’t right. She ran her hand over his sculpted neck, biting her lip.

  “It’s gonna be okay, boy.” She looked up and down him, and while it killed her to tear herself away, she had to tell Hillary. She left the stall and dashed back home, glad she’d been taking track at school, cuz she sure couldn’t have run faster otherwise.

  Just as she opened the front door, Hillary turned from the house phone, looking pale. Alex’s heart pounded.

  “That was Joe.” Hillary said hoarsely. “Oaklawn’s been put under quarantine.”

  COLD PIZZA

  “Promenade’s sick,” Alex blurted. “He feels super warm, and collapsed a few minutes ago.”

  Hillary glanced between all of them. She ducked around the corner, pulled out her purse, and produced some cash, then handed it to Carol. “Here’s money for the pizza.”

  “Is there anything I can do?” Dejado inquired.

  Hillary motioned him to follow, and grabbed Alex by the wrist. “We have to get Pro to quarantine.”

  Dejado was quick to question. “Shouldn’t he have gone there first?”

  “He was in quarantine at Oaklawn prior to coming home,” Hillary responded

  “How did he get sick then?” Alex asked.

  “I don’t know yet. Maybe if he was stabled next to another horse already sick but not showing signs yet…”

  Dejado pieced in the rest, “He could’ve caught it and not shown signs until now.”

  Hillary nodded grimly.

  When they reached Promenade’s stall, he was leaden. He lay on his side, breathing faster than usual. The colt sneezed, spraying some of the discharge from his nose. Alex’s own windpipe constricted involuntarily for a moment as her heart continued pounding away.

  Hillary opened the stall door. “Grab a few more lead ropes, we have to get him up and out of here.”

  Dejado nodded and jogged to the tack room, returning with several of the requested leather leads over his shoulder.

  “Alex, take Promenade’s head,” Hillary instructed. She glanced at Dejado. “We’ll work his back end.”

  Alex took one of the leads from Dejado, and clipped it to Promenade’s halter.

  Hillary and Dejado flanked the colt. “Ready?” Hillary asked.

  Both Alex and Dejado nodded.

  “Alex, you’re going to try to get him to sit up,” Hillary said. “By any means necessary.”

  Alex stooped close to the colt’s face, stroking the patch of white on his forehead. “You have to get up, boy,” she murmured. “Hear me? We have to get you to a safer spot.”

  Promenade looked at her, with the whites of his eyes waning like two crescent moons. He groaned softly as Alex started to tug.

  “Pull, Alex,” Hillary urged.

  Promenade’s head lifted slightly as Alex put more of her weight into it.

  Both Dejado and Hillary shoved on Promenade’s hindquarters. His head wobbled, as Alex pleaded with him silently. Their eyes locked, and she hoped the colt could hear her heart shouting for him.

  All these years he’d stood by her, and now it was her turn to fight for him.

  “Get up.”

  Promenade groaned again, slowly gathering his knees beneath him. Alex pulled with all her might, trying to support his muscular neck. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. “Please get up.”

  She glanced to Dejado and Hillary who were doing all they could to roll the colt onto his belly, and help get his legs under him.

  Promenade grunted, lifting his hind end, but collapsing.

  Alex gulped. “Come on!”

  Hillary and Dejado joined in on cajoling him into effort.

  “On your feet, soldier.”

  “Up you go, son.”

  Alex willed the colt to do it for her, even though in her heart that was too much of a fairytale. She let out a primal holler, beads of sweat forming at her temples. She had to get him up. He had to try again.

  She felt a strong resistance on the rope as Promenade finally pulled back against it, forcing himself up. He got his forelegs under him and sat, doglike, for a few minutes. Dejado and Hillary continued to shove on his hindquarters until he finally got those up too. They braced against him, keeping him stable.

  Alex swallowed hard, not quite with relief, but something. She leaned her head against Promenade’s blaze. “Drama queen,” she whispered with a forced half smile.

  “Let’s get him to quarantine,” Hillary said, catching her breath.

  She and Dejado linked their arms behind the colt to keep him steady, and Alex led him forward.

  “Joe said it’s a pretty bad case of EHV,” Hillary conceded.

  “Do you think it’s what Pro has?” Alex asked. “And what is it exactly?”

  “Likely. We won’t know for sure until I run a blood test. It’s generally a respiratory disease, but it can be pretty contagious. As soon as we get him comfortable, you need to be sure to clean yourself thoroughly. Clothes too. The virus goes wherever you go, and we don’t want an epidemic.”

  “Noted,” Dejado said.

  They took it slow as they guided Promenade to the quarantine barn at the other end of the farm. Hillary went over protocol with Alex and Dejado as they got the colt bedded down: no buckets, grooming supplies, or other typical items en
tered or left this barn that weren’t already there; scrub everything religiously, including themselves, before and after visiting the barn, and avoid contact with other horses unless absolutely necessary.

  Alex tried to get Pro to eat something, but Hillary said fluids were more important right now.

  “We need to keep him quiet, low on stress, and ambulatory. If he lays down too much, complications could arise; spinal issues, bladder infection, nothing good.” Hillary drew a serum into a needle. “I’m going to give him some medicine to get his fever down. It should help keep him relaxed too.”

  Alex wrapped her arms around Promenade’s neck, wincing as the needle pierced his skin. He barely flinched.

  Hillary did a last round of checks on him, including a nasal swab and blood draw. Alex couldn’t imagine a healthy Promenade being a fan of them, but right now he verged on zombie.

  “Let’s give him some space,” Hillary said, pulling off her disposable gloves. Dejado started to follow her out, but Alex clung to her colt. She wasn’t going anywhere.

  Alex bit her lip. “I have to stay.”

  Hillary sighed. “I suppose there’s no point arguing with you, is there?”

  Alex didn’t reply. She heard the stall door shut behind her, but Hillary didn’t lock it.

  “Let me know if he goes down again.”

  Alex nodded, still hugging Promenade. They left her there wondering how this had happened to her big, strong colt. What was the point of quarantine at tracks if it didn’t protect the healthy horses? How had Promenade gotten sick if he went in healthy? If he’d caught it from another horse who had it, how did the track staff not suspect the carrier?

  She let go of him slowly and moved to the corner where she could watch him. She remained still and quiet, not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable than he already was. Clear snot dribbled down his muzzle.

  How awful was it to be this powerful creature, never knowing weakness or illness in his life, and to suddenly be blindsided by… well, whatever it was Hillary thought he had. The thing that had shut down an entire racecourse within hours of Promenade’s return home.

  Her heart went out to him. When Alex had first arrived at North Oak, she had a terrific case of pneumonia; passing in and out of consciousness along with a raging fever. Promenade had stood guard over her when she collapsed in his stall, and now it was her turn to watch over him.

  What really bothered her though, was how it all seemed off. Like someone had been careless. Even Hillary hadn’t separated him from the other horses initially. Wouldn’t she, the head veterinarian of all people, have taken that precaution with the Kentucky Derby coming up?

  Alex pulled her knees to her chest and tucked her chin against them. The Derby was on the line, and one of its strongest contenders was sick.

  “You gotta pull through this, Pro,” she murmured. “You gotta beat this.”

  He barely flicked an ear.

  The door rolled open quietly, and Carol entered with a paper plate. She lowered herself beside Alex, and passed the plate to her. Alex glanced down at the large slice of pepperoni pizza, but it mustered no hunger in her.

  “Sorry it’s cold,” Carol said.

  Alex balanced the plate on her knees, and folded her arms over her chest.

  “How’s he doing?” Carol asked.

  Alex shrugged. “It’s just a cold.” It was a lie she desperately wanted to believe. In some ways, it made her feel better.

  “Your mom said I probably shouldn’t go riding while he’s sick.”

  “Why? The horses we usually ride are on the other side of the farm. How could riding be a threat?”

  “Because I’ve been around you, and she knows you’re not going to leave Promenade’s side. She was on the phone a long time after the pizza came. She called everyone to let them know quarantine is in effect.”

  It couldn’t be that bad, could it? Hillary said she wouldn’t know anything until Promenade’s tests came back in the morning.

  Carol slipped her arm beneath Alex’s. “I don’t know how often we’ll see each other over the next few weeks. Until he’s better, I mean. I don’t want to spread what he has. I don’t want this beautiful place to be ground zero of an epidemic.”

  She leaned her head on Alex’s shoulder. Alex hadn’t realized she was getting cold until Carol’s warmth seeped into her. She tensed for a split second and swallowed, her heart fluttering.

  “That’s why I’m staying here as long as I can tonight,” Carol said softly. “Cold pizza and all.”

  DANCE IN PLACE

  Alex only left Promenade’s side early the next morning to grab clean, warmer clothes. When she snuck into the Showman’s house, Hillary was at the kitchen table, massaging her temples in a circular motion, while pouring over a folder of papers.

  “You should be at school,” Hillary said flatly.

  Alex ducked into the fridge to grab a glass of milk, and some fruit for later. She’d say something snarky, like too cool for school, but she was too tired, too preoccupied.

  Hillary let out a long breath. “The results are back. It’s not looking good. It’s definitely Equine Herpesvirus. Now we just have to contain it.”

  “Is that necessary?” Alex asked. “Promenade’s in quarantine already. Are we really worried about the others?”

  Hillary rose, pressing her fingers against the table. “I’m going to gather teams today to go around and post antibacterial gel at the entrances and exits of every barn and home, and post notices about washing up as often as possible.” She looked at Alex. “Better safe than sorry.”

  When the phone rang, both of their heads whipped around to stare at it. Hillary kept it on announce mode when she was busy during the day.

  “Call from,” the phone heralded, “Brooke Merrsal.”

  The phone rang again. Alex stared at the device vacantly as though it was this alien thing. Why would Brooke be calling? Maybe Joe wanted Brooke to pass on a message.

  Hillary crossed the kitchen quickly, and jabbed the speaker button, picking up the call.

  “Is anyone there?” The voice at the other end trembled. “Please help. Mags is really sick. They’ve moved us to quarantine, and scratched her from her race. I can’t get my deposit back. I’m all alone. I don’t know what to do.”

  Hillary and Alex exchanged looks. Hillary leaned in toward the phone.

  “We have an outbreak of EHV here as well. We’ll find a way to get you and that filly home, and quarantine her here.”

  “Don’t worry, Stick,” Alex called. “We gotchya.”

  Brooke sounded like she was trying not to choke up. “I’m at Churchill Downs.”

  “You’ll be back with your family soon,” Hillary reassured. “Just hang in there.”

  “What about Morning Glory? Is there anything I can do for her?” Brooke asked.

  “Make sure she’s taking liquids, and on her feet as much as possible. I’ll be in touch with North to wire you some money. You need to eat and stay strong for Mags, okay? We’ll get you back to North Oak as soon as we can.”

  “Okay,” Brooke replied, still sounding uncertain. “Thanks.”

  “Hey Stick?” Alex said. “See ya soon.”

  It seemed like the words Brooke needed to hear. She sounded a little more encouraged. “Yeah. Later gator.”

  Hillary leaned against the wall, folding one arm under her elbow, and dropping her face into her other hand. Alex chewed her lip. First Promenade, now Morning Glory. Did any day start worse than this?

  She ran upstairs to get the clothes she came in for, and left without a word.

  Upon returning to Promenade’s stall, she found him stretched out on his side, dozing. Hillary had wanted Alex to alert her if he went down again, but the moment Alex opened the stall door, Promenade startled and propped his forelegs under him. She went to his side, smoothing her hand over his mane.

  “You’re alright.”

  It was good to know he could get himself up. Surely Hillary hadn’t
meant a little rest would hurt him.

  “Go back to sleep, boy.” She stroked his face, then moved to the spot she’d occupied over the night. “I’m here.”

  The colt eyed her, still appearing a little disoriented, but he eventually eased himself back down.

  The next few days droned on with no improvement. Promenade snoozed listlessly both on and off his feet. Alex fought sleep to keep an eye on him.

  “Hey.”

  Alex hadn’t realized she nodded off until Carol woke her up. Alex rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up straighter. The days started feeling like they were running together. Had she been out here two days, or three? “I thought you said you wouldn’t be coming around with the virus happening.”

  Carol gazed at her from the open stall door, then scurried to her side. “I couldn’t stay away. I just couldn’t. I tried. Not being here with you made me feel like… I dunno… something was wrong with my day. It wasn’t whole anymore.”

  She tugged books and papers from her bag, and started passing them to Alex. “I brought your homework.”

  Alex grimaced, burdened with this school thing. She pulled the pile onto her lap. “What about not being able to ride, and the risk of spreading this thing?”

  Carol dropped her bag close to the wall, and sat beside Alex.

  “I choose you. I would rather be with my best friend than at home watching Jeopardy and eating mac’n’cheese.”

  “What about your book boyfriends?” Alex teased, referring to Carol’s recent interest in teen romance novels.

  Carol shrugged, casually bumping her knee into Alex’s. “You’re more interesting.”

  Alex tucked her hair behind her ear, smirking.

  “Shall we get to work?” Carol asked, opening up Alex’s math textbook.

  Normally, math would’ve totally put Alex off, but with a glance to Promenade asleep in front of her, it was a welcome distraction.

  “Still going to the dance?” Alex asked as she started to pencil in answers to her math facts.