For Sale or Swap - Alyssa Brugman [57]
'What happened?' mouthed Erin.
So I got it wrong then.
She shook her head at Erin. She looked towards Pete's Pony Rides, but she couldn't see the paint pony whose back half looked so much like Blue's.
The judge awarded the prizes – first to Hayley, second to Erin and third to the other girl. Nothing for Shelby. They all congratulated each other and began to walk out of the ring. Shelby was in a hurry, but the judge stopped her.
'I wanted to let you know that I called you in because of the horse.'
'I beg your pardon?' asked Shelby.
'This is a rider's class, but I called you in because of this little gelding.' The judge indicated towards Echo.
'Oh,' said Shelby. She turned to go, but the judge stopped her again.
'It wasn't that you got the workout wrong either. You can handle a horse, but your technique is actually quite sloppy. I'm telling you because you'd do better if you had instruction.'
Under normal circumstances Shelby would have been devastated by a remark like that, but she just wanted to get away and find Blue.
'Thanks,' said Shelby as she urged Echo out of the ring.
Halfway across the showground, Hayley and Erin were waiting for her.
'What happened, Shel? What did she say?' asked Hayley.
'God, look at your face!' said Erin. 'Are you OK?'
'I've have to go,' said Shelby. She slipped off Echo's back and handed the reins to Hayley.
Mrs Crook was scooting around the edge of the showground towards the girls, her arms pumping up and down. 'What's going on?' she called out. 'What did the judge say?'
Shelby turned and ran to the edge of the grounds, back towards the sideshow. Towards the long tail. Towards Blue.
'Shelby!' Erin called from behind her.
'Has she gone bananas?' Mrs Crook said, finally reaching the girls.
Shelby kept running. There would be time to explain later.
28 Pete's Pony Rides
The boundary of the showground was ringed by a metal fence, waist high, and covered with boards of advertising. Shelby vaulted over it. Her boots landed with a thump on the small wooden bench on the far side. She ran up the shallow grassy incline.
A few of the show-goers were sitting on the grass eating hot chips from yellow cardboard cups and battered hot dogs on sticks. They watched Shelby curiously as she ran past them, as though she were part of the entertainment.
On the corner of the aisle a line of people waited for their turn on the dodgem cars. Shelby pushed through them. She accidentally knocked a woman's handbag off her shoulder and heard the woman protest. Only a few steps now.
When she reached the clowns she slowed down. A group of small children and their mothers were queued for Pete's Pony Rides. Shelby pressed her way to the front.
'That girl is pushing in!' complained a young girl, tugging on her mother's leg.
'I don't think she's going to ride,' replied the mother, eyeing Shelby's fancy show apparel. Shelby craned her neck, trying to see past the mothers' heads.
All of Pete's ponies were being ridden now. He had them tied nose to tail, like a cargo train. Pete was at the front with his fist tucked inside the cheek strap of the lead pony. They were coming around the far corner and Shelby, panting hard, flicked her eyes from one to the other.
She heard running footsteps behind her and the pressure of a hand on her arm.
'Shel?'
It was Erin. Shelby turned to her. 'I saw Blue – I swear it. I saw him.'
Erin looked at the row of ponies. They were shuffling along the far end of the marked-out area now. Erin shook her head. 'Where? I don't see him.'
'I only saw the back half. It was his tail. I'm sure of it.'
'Show me,' said Erin.
Shelby looked back again – her eyes examining