Dotty's Story - Chapter One
By mosquito
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11th Nov 2010 •
4,471 views
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8 comments
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Based on a true story...
Dotty shook her pretty, dark bay head. It was early – too early. It was still dark. It was way too early to be going out, but out they were going. Dotty’s mom looked over her shoulder. ‘Come on. You’ll warm up when you get moving.’
Dotty sighed deeply, and trotted to catch up with her mother as she walked down the long breezeway with the other mares and fillies toward the driveway, and the pasture. One of the grooms leaned against the heavy sliding door - it creaked, and slowly rolled open and out they went. The sun was just starting to come up, and although it was beautiful, Dotty thought it was way too cold to go out.
‘I wonder if my bed is still warm’, she thought, as she paused and looked back down the breezeway to her cozy stable.
‘Come on! Move along little girl!’ one of the grooms barked at her.
‘Alright already!’ Dotty thought, and stepped out into the cold air and the breaking sunshine. Then she stopped sharply. ‘Whoa!’ thought Dotty ‘What’s that?! Something’s on fire!” Dotty froze, every muscle tensed as she prepared to turn and bolt if her mother were to say ‘Run!’ But what was on fire was her.
Dotty snorted, and leapt backwards. Every time she snorted, smoke appeared from her nostrils!
‘Mom! Mom!’ Dotty cried, trying to back up as fast as she could away from her own nose. ‘My nose! My nose is on fire!’ She felt the groom stumble and fall as she backed into him, then into something else. It was Miller Maid, a big chestnut mare with a kind nature but limited patience.
‘Seriously, Dotty, pull yourself together!’ Maid said, her temper creeping into her voice. ‘It’s just the cold air. And today is a special day we don’t want to waste it. Get a move on!’
‘A special day?’ Dotty said, hustling to catch up to her mother. Dotty snorted over and over, and danced and dodged the smoke from her nostrils. In the back of her mind she wondered why her mother hadn’t even looked back when she had thought – however silly it was – that she was really on fire. ‘What’s so special about today?’ Another mare answered.
Solo was not as patient as even Miller maid, and nowhere as kind. Dotty never knew why, but Solo always seemed to be in a bad mood, and so did her daughter. Maybe that was the way with chestnuts.
‘Today is the last day’. Solo said, not even looking in Dotty’s direction. ‘Today is the day you and the other girls go to the other farm.’
‘What?!” Dotty thought. ‘We’re going to a new farm? How exciting!’
‘No,’ said Solo. ‘Not we. You. The mares stay here.’
Dotty hustled up to her Mom. ‘Is it true?’ she asked. ‘Mom, do I really have to leave?’
Her Mom had reached a nice spot with good grass, and had already buried her muzzle into the damp, sweet autumn grass. She knew the grass wouldn’t taste like this for long, and it would be hay, hay and more hay. She chewed for a bit, then turned and touched Dotty’s tiny muzzle with her own.
‘Yes honey.’ Mom said. ‘But it’s the way it is. It’s the way it was with your brother and sister too. This is how it is. It’s time for me to think about taking care of your little brother or sister on the way. You have a life of your own to live.’
Dotty had thought her mom was putting on a little weight, but she didn’t want to say anything. Dotty had to leave. And her mother didn’t even care.
‘What will I do? Who will keep me safe? I don’t want to live my own life. I want to life my life with you. Don’t make me leave!’ Dotty was so upset she could feel her legs begin to shake, ever so slightly.
‘Don’t be silly Dotty.’ Her mom said. ‘You’ll be fine. You’re lucky. You’ve been born on one of the finest stud farms in the country. Your dad was an amazing racehorse. You’re fast and I know it. Everything is going to work out for you. Just do as you’re told and try your best. Now relax, and try to enjoy the day.’
Dotty had no intention of having a good day. The hours seemed to fly by, and she wandered aimlessly around the pasture. Miller Maid’s filly came up to play, but Dotty was in no mood to run. Soon enough, she saw the huge trailer pulling up near the field, and the mares began to wander slowly toward the gate. They were all chatting to each other, even Dotty’s Mom. As if the world wasn’t coming to an end. But Dotty’s was.
The mares wandered into a small paddock, the fillies followed, then one by one the mares were taken out. Dotty stood in the corner, as the grooms lowered the ramp by the chute and started to herd the fillies on board. Some laughed and scampered in, some cried and tried to evade the grooms, but it was no use. Dotty watched her mother walk slowly through the big sliding door, and down the breezeway until she disappeared into the shadows of the barn. She never once looked back. Dotty felt one of the grooms lay a hand gently on her hip.
‘Come on teeny weeny, you’re last. Let’s go’. Dotty glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, sighed and walked up the ramp into the trailer. ‘Do as you’re told, Mom said’ Dotty thought. ‘Is that all it will be from now on? Do as you’re told?’
The grooms raised the ramp, and Dotty tried to find a comfortable spot. The air was damp and heavy, and it was much darker in the trailer than outside. Some of the fillies at the front were jostling and joking Miller Maid’s daughter was one of them. Solo’s daughter was pushing and shoving and snapping and trying to create a space where there really wasn’t any. Others were crying, trying to climb out of the small windows, and yelling for their mothers. One of them – Dotty couldn’t see who – fell and crashed into Dotty, and started scrambling to get up, catching Dotty in the knee with her hoof. Dotty winced, leaned as close to the side of the trailer as she could, and lifted her tiny muzzle close to the window. She heard the truck start up, and she smelled the exhaust puff as the trailer lurched away and moved down the drive, jostling the fillies even more. She snorted, and watched the barn – and her mother - disappear, peering through the smoke from her nostrils. It was time for her own life. But what would it be? Dotty wasn’t at all sure she was going to like it. |
Related: Dotty's Story - Chapter One, Dotty’s Story - Chapter Two, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Three, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Four, Dotty’s story – Chapter Five, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Six, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Seven, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Eight, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Nine, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Ten, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Eleven, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Twelve, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Thirteen, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Fourteen, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Fifteen, Dotty’s Story – Chapter Sixteen, Dotty’s Story - Chapter Seventeen - The End,
More In This Category: Horse Fiction
More From This Author: mosquito
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Unbridled Equus
Great Story!!!! Can't wait for the next chapter!
Great Story!!!! Can't wait for the next chapter!
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Nov 11, 2010
• 2,813 views
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PonyBox
MOD
Very well done, you should publish your own series.
Very well done, you should publish your own series.
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Nov 12, 2010
• 2,868 views
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Nov 13, 2010
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No Walkin Farms9
Why have I waited so long to read this? This is great. You have a way with words. Off to find part two.
Why have I waited so long to read this? This is great. You have a way with words. Off to find part two.
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47 days ago
• 2,821 views
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May 21, 2011
• 2,830 views
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Jun 7, 2011
• 2,809 views
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Balla Eclectic
MOD
I saw that you had finished the story - great effort. I hadn't been keeping up with each chapter, so I thought I'd come back to tbe beginning and start afresh and read it through to the end. Loving chapter one. Although a bit sad for poor dotty it sets the story and has me intrigued as to what's to come.
I saw that you had finished the story - great effort. I hadn't been keeping up with each chapter, so I thought I'd come back to tbe beginning and start afresh and read it through to the end. Loving chapter one. Although a bit sad for poor dotty it sets the story and has me intrigued as to what's to come.
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Jul 30, 2011
• 3,015 views
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Aug 16, 2011
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