Prologue: The Heartland Tragedy

 

The frigid air of the arena bit my skin, and my breath billowed out like white smoke from my seat in the middle of the stands. Even though I sat in the middle where it was generally the warmest, the winter still held the arena with icy fingers. My father had his arm placed about my shoulders but his warmth didn’t help at all. However, the cold was the least of my worries.

            A buzzing voice came from the judges’ microphones, drowning out all the excited cheers of the fans, “Next up; Lynn Heartland riding Sandy.”

            The crowd roared with anticipation, and I roared with them. We all watched with eager eyes as my mother’s first sandy brown and white horse, Sandy, came walking to the start of the show course.

            Mom looked beautiful on Sandy, with a black coat draped over a white shirt, her beige pants clinging to her legs. Her posture was perfect; sitting up, shoulders back, chin held up confidently. Her full pink lips were worn in a huge smile, which was at first directed to the crowd. After a moment of greeting them, my mother turned her face to where I was and winked.

            I winked right back at her and waved lovingly. I wanted to cry out “I love you, Mom!” but I was worried she might be embarrassed.

            She waved back at me and laughed to herself.

            “She’s going to do great today,” Dad voiced my thoughts beside me.

            The buzzer rang, and Sandy burst forward. I watched with total amazement at my mother, seeing Sandy and Mom’s deep bond of trust and companionship as they went through the course together. Sandy approached the first big jump, and my mother leaned forward right when Sandy kicked off.

            They made the jump perfectly, with enough running space to make the second jump just an instant after.

            Whistles and cheers rang out from the crowd.

            I saw my mother’s smile widen as she guided Sandy in an arc to the next set of jumps. There were only four more jumps to the finish, with nineteen seconds going on the clock.

            Sandy jumped the first three hastily but perfectly, and then went in another wide arc to prepare for the next. Thirty two seconds were counted on the clock.

            I burst upward in my seat and yelled above the crowd, “You’re doing amazing Mom! I love you!”

            Dad chuckled softly and shook his head.

            Mom looked up at me and smiled again.

That was her first…and last mistake.

            Sandy came upon the jump before my mother was ready, and the distraction made her fall off when Sandy landed. My eyes widened with complete horror, seeing Mom roll right under Sandy’s deadly hooves. It was only for a second, but it seemed like hours when I saw my mother being battered by the horse she loved so much. One of Sandy’s hooves knocked hard against my mother’s chest. Sandy jumped away when she could; letting out an agonizingly loud whinny.

            My mother made no move to get up.

            Horrified, the crowd gasped.

            I burst out of my seat, escaping my father’s arms and leaping down the stairs. The fence around the arena was nothing to me, and I climbed it in utter haste. When I jumped off of it I landed oddly on my foot, but the pain of the landing wouldn’t stop me.

            Paramedics burst out from the stables, running up to my mother.

            I’d gotten to her faster.

            I dropped to my knees beside her, pulling the upper half of her body towards me. My arms enwrapped her shoulders in a tight embrace and I pressed my face into her helmet. She didn’t make a move to hug me back, and I yelled desperately in her ear, “Mommy, wake up! Please!”

            “Jamie Lynn,” my father’s voice called, and I felt strong hands pull me away from my mother. He clung onto me so I couldn’t try to go to her again. I struggled against his grasp with all that I could but even that deemed worthless.

            “Mom!” I screamed, reaching my hand out to her.

            The paramedics swarmed around her and pulled her onto a stretch-out bed. Her arm dangled limply off the side of the bed, and I watched with tears streaming down my face as they took her away.

            That was the last time I ever saw my mother.

Reviews

[William Usry]

Very well written...I loved the way you paralleled the icy winter with the death of the character's mother. Very well detailed without falling into the pitfall of gratuitousness that plagues so many writers. You let the actions speak for themselves. There were a few points that were worded a bit awkwardly but all in all this is a stellar piece. I look forward to seeing where this goes.

[Sseoni]

Wow... such drama! I love it! The details and descriptions are amazing and wonderful! The emotions and feelings at great, and make the book more enjoyable! Such a horrible tragedy has occured... I wonder what's going to happen next... Awesome chapter! I can't wait to read more! This is very intriguing! :D