Moon Shadow

by Chris Platt

  “Somebody do something!” Callie screamed. Heedless of the sharp hooves, she ran toward the newborn filly, sliding to the ground beside her tiny body. She tasted the chalky earth as she wrapped her arms around the foal.

  “Callie, no!” Sam and Susan hollered in unison as they ran to help.

  The mare whinnied in alarm and began to thrash about. Callie felt a sharp sting as Moonbeam’s hoof scraped across her arm. She sucked in her breath and bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. The foal moved weakly within her grasp, tossing her head and flailing her legs in an attempt to free herself.

  “Justin, you help Callie while we try to find out what’s the matter with this mare,” Sam said.

  Callie yelped as Moon Shadow’s head connected with her cheekbone. The sharp crack echoed across the corral so loudly, she wondered if she’d broken something. Ignoring the pain, she pulled the filly closer to her body and rolled her out of harm’s way.

  Moon Shadow whinnied in protest, lunging against the arms that restrained her.

  “Hold her tight, Callie,” Justin said as he stepped in to help.

  Susan opened her medical bag and took out a bottle. “We’ve got to get this mare sedated before she really hurts herself.”

  The desperate mare flopped on the ground, banging her head on the earth of the corral. A second later, Moonbeam groaned and all four of her legs went stiff at once, as if she were having a seizure. Callie tightened her hold on the foal, ignoring the animal’s squeal of complaint.

  Justin put his arms around Callie and the foal, edging them over to the corner. “Let’s get out of the way so her momma doesn’t hurt you or her baby,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the sick mustang.

  The vet took advantage of Moonbeam’s temporary stillness and moved in to deliver a shot of tranquilizer while Sam held her head. Within moments, the quivering mustang seemed to relax and she lay on her side, breathing heavily. The pale light from the full moon reflected off the white blaze on her face.

  Callie could make out the rise and fall of the mare’s rib cage as her labored breaths disturbed the momentary silence. “Is she going to be all right?”

  Her words were only a whisper, but they boomed across the sudden quiet, startling the foal in her arms and causing her to renew her struggles. Callie buried her face in Moon Shadow’s neck and held on tight until she grew still once more.

  Callie said a silent prayer as she watched Susan move her stethoscope across the mare’s belly, listening intently. When the vet turned, Callie could tell by her expression that things weren’t good.

  The vet tugged the stethoscope from around her neck and shook her head. “This mare’s got a twisted gut. It probably happened on the run here, or when she lay down to foal.” She placed a sympathetic hand on the sedated mustang. “I’m not hearing any gut sounds. If this were just a colic, there would be plenty of noise in her belly. I think it’s too late to save her. I’m going to have to put her down before it gets worse.”

  “No!” Callie tried to shout, but the word fell from her lips like the last wilted leaf on a winter tree.

  This couldn’t be happening. Not to Moonbeam! She was a young mare. And now, she had a foal to take care of. What would become of Moon Shadow if her mother was gone? Callie’s head swam with jumbled thoughts. She hugged the newborn foal closer to her chest. “There’s got to be something we can do!” she cried. “Moon Shadow needs her mother. How will she survive without her?”

  The vet sighed. “If we put the mare down, we could be condemning the filly to the same fate. But we’ve got no other choice. This mustang has a twisted intestine. She’s already in unbearable pain. If we just let her go, she’ll die a slow, agonizing death. I can’t let that happen.”

  Callie stared through the moonlit night at the little mare that just a few short days ago had been full of promise and life. Now, with her coat saturated with sweat and dirt and her body wracked with pain, she bore no resemblance to the proud mustang mare that had raced over the desert hills.

  Moonbeam groaned and Callie tried her best to keep from crying. She knew Susan was right. The longer they waited, the harder it would be on the horse. Her eyes met Justin’s. He twisted his hat in his hands and looked away.

  Susan left the corral and headed for her truck. Callie knew she’d return with two syringes full of tranquilizer. The sedative would be painless, quick acting, and deadly when given in a large dose.

  The foal stirred in Callie’s arms, whickering softly to her dam. Callie tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t go down. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but the pressure building behind her eyes and the back of her throat warned her that speaking might break loose the sobs that waited to burst from her chest.

  She swallowed hard. “Will Moon Shadow die, too?” she asked, looking directly into Sam’s face. He’d worked with horses for many years and had seen it all. He’d know the score.

  Sam pulled the hat from his head, slapped it against his dusty chaps, and stared into the star-filled sky.

  “I don’t rightly know the full answer to that one, Callie,” Sam said, working his fingers around the stiff brim of his hat. “I’ve seen an orphaned foal foster onto another mare that lost her own colt, and that foal ended up just fine and dandy. I’ve even bottle-fed a few and pulled them through the worst of times. But I’ll be honest with you. I’ve also seen a lot of them die.”

  Callie watched the man plunk his hat back onto his head and set his mouth in a firm line. He’d said his fill. She knew she’d get nothing further from him. She’d have to cling to those flimsy rays of hope.

  When Susan returned, Callie asked, “Will it work? Can we foster Moon Shadow onto another mare?”

  Susan rubbed her eyes. “That depends on whether we can find another mare who’s nursing a foal. Most of the time they won’t take another one, though. The best answer would be to find a mare that’s lost her own baby and is willing to take care of another mare’s foal.”

  Callie searched her memory, trying to remember how many mares and foals had been driven in that day.

  “Better turn that filly over to Justin,” Sam said, nodding toward his son. “She may struggle pretty hard when we put her momma down.”

  Callie clung to the filly a moment longer, closing her eyes and pressing her face into the soft hair on Moon Shadow’s neck. She breathed in the warm horse scent while hot tears streamed down the side of her face.

  Justin tapped her on the shoulder. Callie tightened her grip on the filly.

  “I won’t let anything happen to her,” Justin reassured her. He knelt in the dirt and put his arms around the tiny foal.

  Callie reluctantly gave way to the young cowboy’s firm grip on the mustang.

  “Hold these for me, Callie,” Susan requested. She handed two syringes to Callie before turning to stroke the mare’s neck, looking for the artery.

  Callie pursed her lips as she stared at the tranquilizer she held in her hands. It was too dark to see, but she knew the liquid in the shots was pink. She had watched Susan put down other horses. But this time it was different. This time Callie felt a personal connection to the horse.

  Callie gripped the syringes. She considered throwing them as hard as she could into the sagebrush, but a loud groan from Moonbeam brought her back to her senses. The mare was in unbearable pain. It would only get worse if they waited.

  “We’re ready,” Susan said as she motioned for the first shot.

  Callie stepped forward and handed her the syringe. When the vet administered the first dose, Moonbeam began a series of long, deep breaths.

  As she watched the mustang mare, Callie’s head began to spin and the ground tilted under her shoes. She wanted to run, to hide from this awful ordeal, but her feet remained rooted to the spot.

  Susan injected the final, fatal dose of the sedative. Moonbeam drew several more ragged breaths, then she released one long, breathy sigh and lay still.

  Callie felt the worl
d slip away beneath her. She cried out as she hit the ground, her palms scraping against the rough earth. A moment later, strong hands gently clutched her arms, helping her to her feet. She lifted her tear-drenched eyes to stare into Justin’s concerned face.

  “Take her over to my truck,” Susan said. “I’ll be there in a moment to take her home.”

  Justin pulled Callie by the hand, leading her back to the truck. She glanced back at Moonbeam as she stumbled along after him. The palomino mare lay still in the moonlight. Moon Shadow walked around her mother in confusion, nickering and poking her dam with her soft nose.

  The sight tore at Callie’s heart and a wall of tears came flooding loose. She tried to hold back her sobs, but she couldn’t stop them. She almost tripped over a rock, and Justin held onto her arm to keep her upright. Callie winced and dug her heels into the dirt, forcing him to stop. She knew it wasn’t fair, but the pain tearing at her heart made her want to take her frustrations out on somebody, and he was the closest.

  “Let me go!” Callie cried, pulling her arm from Justin’s grasp.

  He let go and stepped back, looking at her like she was a snake ready to strike. “I was only trying to help.”

  “I don’t need your help!” Callie screamed between choking gasps of breath. “Just go back to the pen with your dad. You’ve got a dead horse to bury!” She saw the hurt look on the boy’s face and felt even worse. She covered her mouth to keep more sobs from escaping, then turned and ran the rest of the way to the truck.

  Callie climbed into the little white pickup and dragged her sleeve across her wet eyes. When her vision cleared, she could see that Justin was still standing in the same spot, watching her. She crossed her arms and stared defiantly at him through the windshield. He probably thought she was the biggest baby he’d ever seen.

  The long-legged boy walked slowly to the pickup and stared in the window. “I’ll take care of your filly, Callie,” he promised. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”

  Callie watched as Justin spun on his boot heels and walked off with his hands jammed in his pockets. She felt like a bigger jerk than ever. He was only trying to be nice to her, and she’d turned on him like a rabid dog. She’d gotten off on the wrong foot with him from the start. After the way she had just behaved, she doubted the young cowboy would ever forgive her. But worse than that, Moonbeam was gone.

  She put her head in her hands and sobbed.

  Seven

  Callie stared out the truck’s window at the full moon. She wiped her eyes with a tissue and took a few steadying breaths. It was time to stop crying now. Crying wouldn’t help Moonbeam or her orphaned foal.

  Susan opened the door of the truck and climbed in.

  “How’s Moon Shadow?” Callie asked, fumbling with the torn edge of her shirt.

  The vet turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. “There was some mare’s milk with colostrum stored at the office. We got a good dose of that down her with a feeding tube. I sedated her a little and left the tube in so the cowboys can feed her a couple more times during the night. In the morning, Sam wants to try putting Moon Shadow in with another mare and foal to see if the mare will take her. If not, we’ll have to try bottle-feeding her.” Susan glanced at Callie as she put the truck in gear and backed out of their spot. “If she won’t take the bottle, she probably won’t make it.”

  Callie leaned her head against the side window and stared at the shadowy desert that lay under the light of the moon. She’d lost Moonbeam forever. The beautiful mustang would never again gallop over this sage-covered land. She refused to lose the filly, too. She hoped the mare would accept the newborn foal. If not, then she planned to do everything she could to get Moon Shadow to take a bottle.

  Clamping her lips together in determination, Callie looked back toward the mustang pens. Somehow, she’d find a way to save Moon Shadow.

  “I called your folks and told them what was happening,” Susan said as she turned onto the road that led to Callie’s house. “Your mom has your dinner warming on the stove.”

  Callie wrinkled her nose. Dinner was the last thing she wanted right now. “Are you going back to the pens tonight to check on Moon Shadow?” she asked.

  Susan shook her head. “Sam assured me that he’s done this kind of thing a hundred times,” she told Callie. “He’ll feed the little filly during the night, and I’ll be there first thing in the morning. He has my cell number if he needs me.”

  Seeing that Callie was about to protest, Susan held up her hand. “Moon Shadow will be fine,” the vet said. “You need to get a good night’s sleep so you’ll have a clear head in the morning.” She slowed the truck down and turned into Callie’s driveway.

  Callie thanked Susan for the ride and made arrangements to meet her the next morning. Then she turned and walked toward the house. Her mother met her at the door with a big hug.

  “I’m sorry to hear about that mustang, honey,” she said. “I know how much that little mare meant to you. Susan tells me that her filly is still alive.”

  Callie nodded as she extricated herself from her mother’s bear hug and bent to take off her shoes. “I’m really tired, Mom. Is it okay if I skip dinner and go straight to bed? I’ve got to be up early to meet Susan in the morning.”

  Her mother started to insist, then gave in to Callie’s pleading look. “Okay,” Mrs. McLean said. “I don’t suppose you have much of an appetite now anyway. I’ll make you a good breakfast tomorrow.” She kissed Callie on the top of her head and shooed her toward her bedroom.

  Callie washed her face and brushed her teeth, then crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. She closed her eyes, but sleep was hard to find. When the alarm finally went off in the morning, her covers were on the floor. With all the tossing and turning, Callie doubted she had slept more than two hours total.

  Reaching over to turn off the alarm clock, Callie squinted at the first rays of dawn spilling through the gap in her hand-stitched curtains. She slid her legs over the side of the bed and quickly pulled on her jeans and a T-shirt, then padded down the hallway.

  Mrs. McLean smiled when Callie entered the kitchen. “I made your favorite breakfast: oatmeal with cinnamon toast and a big glass of orange juice.”

  Callie shook her head and reached for her boots. “I’m not very hungry. I’ll just wait outside for Susan.”

  “Have a seat,” her mother said firmly as she pulled out a chair. “Susan called about ten minutes ago. She had an emergency to attend to on the other side of town and won’t be out to the pens for at least an hour or two. She said to tell you that the filly made it through the night.”

  Callie heaved a sigh of relief and sat down to breakfast. She still didn’t have much of an appetite, but she knew her mother wouldn’t let her out of the house without eating something. She stuffed a big bite of toast into her mouth and chewed quickly. She had to get to Moon Shadow as soon as possible. “Can you give me a ride to the pens this morning?” she asked as she reached for the glass of orange juice.

  “Your father’s already taken the car into town to deliver some fresh lettuce and asparagus to the local stores.”

  Callie couldn’t hide her disappointment.

  “Why don’t you take Celah?” Mrs. McLean suggested. “The pens aren’t that far away. The tractor’s still broken, but your father won’t need the mare until later today. I’ll drop him by the pens after lunch so he can bring her home. You can catch a ride with Susan when you’re finished.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Callie rose from her chair. “I’ll go get Celah ready right now.”

  “Just a minute, young lady,” her mother said as she pointed to the untouched bowl of oatmeal. “You’re not going anywhere until you’ve eaten a few more bites.”

  “Mom!” Callie complained as she sat back down and stirred the bowl of cooked oats. “I really need to see how Moon Shadow is doing.” She gulped a couple of spoonfuls of the hot cereal, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her mothe
r.

  “Moon Shadow?” Mrs. McLean’s eyebrows rose. “You didn’t tell us you’d named the little mustang.”

  Callie looked down at her oatmeal. By the time she’d come home last night, she’d been too upset to think. She’d forgotten to mention a lot of things—like her plans to adopt Moon Shadow if the foal survived.

  She knew her parents wouldn’t be happy about that idea. The mustang would be an unnecessary frivolity, as her father called anything they couldn’t sell or that didn’t earn its keep.

  Callie frowned. Did everything on the farm have to have some big purpose? They raised their own beef cows, grew their own vegetables—which Callie helped her mother can every fall. To pay for things they couldn’t grow, her parents sold the vegetables and herbs from their garden.

  “Look, honey,” her mother said as she ran a caring hand over Callie’s hair. “I know how much it hurt you to lose that palomino mustang. Maybe it’s not such a good idea to get attached to her foal.”

  Callie tapped her spoon against the bowl. This definitely wasn’t the right time to mention adopting Moon Shadow. She couldn’t bear the thought of her parents saying no. She had to figure out a way to bring the filly home. She might be Moon Shadow’s only hope.

  Callie slugged down the rest of the oatmeal and finished off the glass of juice. “Can I go now?” She scooted out of the chair before her mother had a chance to answer.

  “Here, take this,” Mrs. McLean said as she handed her an apple. “And make sure that you get a couple bites of it before you feed it to Celah.”

  “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.” Callie grabbed the apple and headed for the door. “I’ll see you later,” she hollered as the screen door banged shut behind her. She hurried to Celah’s pen and whistled for the big black. The mare lifted her head from the hay pile, turned toward Callie and flicked her ears, then went back to eating.

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Callie said as she grabbed the lead rope from the fence. “You’ll be dining on government hay today. You can eat when we get to the mustang pens.” She slipped over the fence and snapped the rope onto Celah’s halter, pulling several times before she persuaded the big mare to go with her.