Once Upon A Rodeo!

Chapter 5

It takes about 10 minutes to get to the barn. Having such a big farm makes dad want to spread everything out so much. We're getting another arena soon and for all Eli and I know is that it could be way down the other end of the ranch.
When we get to the stables, we all go to the tack room.

"Ava your on Roy, Lucas your on Snowy, Mason your on Ella and I'm on Kit" I say pointing to their horses tack. Once we have got the tack and brushes. They all know where their horses are. The barn has 50 stalls in it but that still isn't enough to fit all the horses. We have about 200-250 horses, 20 bulls. 2,000 sheep and 2,500 cattle. Anyway back to the story.

Once we have all given our horses a brush and saddled them up, I grab Jimmy (another horse) and put on a special saddle that holds things. I go to the shed next to the barn and grab a tent, some food and drinks. I take them back to Jimmy and tie them onto him.

"Hey Paige" says Lindon. (One of Dad's helpers on the ranch)

"Hey Lindon" i say "I was just wondering if you know where the other tent is. Mum said we can go camping" I add. Pointing to Ava and the boys.

"Yeah. It's in the quad bike shed. Aren't y'all meant to be at school!"

"I don't want to talk about it" I say sadly. Lindon must have heard the news and gave me a hug before saying "go and have fun. She'll be alright. I'll come check on y'all later. Let me guess. Down by the back creek or the one where the fire was"

I laughed "you'll have to find us" I say and he chuckles. We wave good bye and leave.

Lindon is like another brother to me. I've known him since I was a baby. He 22 and one of dad's youngest employees (if that's what you want to call them).

I get on kit and I grab Jimmy's lead and we start towards the house.

"What about the quads?" Asks Lucas.

"Lindon, Annie, Mum and Dad will put them away" I say.

When we get there. I get off and grab the tent and tie it to Jimmy's saddle. I mount Kit again and we start towards the back creek.

"I have a rodeo in Gundagai if you's want to come to it. I'm taking my own car and the float and I think Eli is coming with me"

"Yeah. Definitely" says Ava "I wouldn't miss it"
I can always count on Ava to be there for me or with me.

"Umm can I get back to you. I just have to ask Mum" says Lucas

"Yea. I can come" says Mason.

"Okay. Thanks guys"

"Why isn't your mum going?" Asks Lucas.

"She's gonna be staying with Nan and Dad at the hospital" I say.

About 30 minutes later. We get to the back creek and tie our horses to a tree. I un-load Jimmy and we all start setting up the tents. Lucas and Mason will share a tent and so will Ava and I. After we set them up I run down to the tree where us 4 tied a rope. I take off my boots and grab the rope. I pushed myself out and let go. After a while Ava joins me. Eventually both the boys jump in to. We swim til the sun is gone than get out and I lite a fire. Mason grabs the marshmallows and we roast them. I check the time and it's 12:30.

"I'm gonna go to bed so we can go shooting tomorrow night" I say and  they all agree. Ava and I talk for another hour, then eventually fall asleep.

I wake up to the sound of an engine. I get up quietly, putting on a jumper and leaving the tent. I start to wonder who's here. It could be Dad, Lindon, Annie or Sarah (they are all of Dads workers, pretty much like family). I look up at the sky and see that it's 6:40am. I walk around to where the fire was last night and see Eli and Lindon sitting there. They have re-started the fire and are drinking hot chocolates.