"Lily", she called. "Sandbox"
Dark eyes gleaming a frightening white, muscles rippling, ragged stride, huge hooves. The big old thoroughbred stallion ran faster then he had in a long time. Three year old Lilly looked up, short wisps of golden hair flying in the breeze, her bright hazel eyes wide. The stallion reared up, sharp cries rent the air as he brought his deadly hooves down inches from Lily's head. Lily stood frozen, mouth open in her own silent scream as the stallion whirled around and skittered to the side. Someone reached out for Lily, a desperate hand clutching for the girl's shoulder, just as the stallion tossed his hindquarters in the air, his hooves hit her smack in the face. A panicked scream ripped painfully and the stallion reared again, tossing his head warily he shied and galloped up the fence line. Hooves trying to avoid Lily slipping and thudded down square on the chest, the stallion crashed into a beat up truck. Hopelessly trying to clear the bonnet and failing he ignored the bruises and gash down his side and skidded to a stop by a closed gate. Lily lay motionless; blood covered her screwed up face, trickling down to stain her hair, her clothes and the ground.

Abby's eyes jerked open, sweat dampened her forehead and she shivered, after seven years of trying to block out painful memories, Lily had come back to haunt her. Stumbling out of bed she hit the ground heavily, tangled in a mess of sheets and blankets. Grimacing she staggered up again, shoved on a pair of brand new jeans and white top and headed for the lounge. The carpet suddenly looked a lot more worn and discoloured to the carpet in her room. Showing where the parts of the original house had been before the renovations had been done so there'd be enough room for everyone.

Luke was eating breakfast; Abby sidled over to the TV and flicked through the channels until one caught her attention.
"Hey Abs", Luke greeted her. "Leah's gone to help exercise the horses at Tall Oaks, wanna help me with Gunsmoke"
Abby swung around to look at him in dismay, just the thought of the dark grey colt he was training for eventing scared her.
"Just kidding", Luke muttered, rolling his eyes.
"Well you shouldn't", Abby spat. "When that big brute of a horse kills you I won't be the least bit surprised"
"Smokey is nearly a pony", Luke pointed out. "And he really is a sweet gelding"
Abby folded her arms and stared hard at the television. "He is a huge menace and you know it "
Luke sighed and got up, shoving what was left of his breakfast in the sink. "You're hopeless Abby", he told her as he walked out the door.
Abby sighed and curled up on the couch, despite the sound of the television the house was quiet. Her mum and dad would already be up, checking on the new foal and preparing for the days lessons, Luke would be busy with Gunsmoke and Leah usually spent all her time over at Tall Oaks or Whitebrook, dreaming about her first race with her brand new jockey license no doubt.
Turning up the TV louder so it'll block out the silence of the house she pressed her head into a cushion and cried.
"Abby"? Her mum Samantha Nelson sat down on the couch beside her and put an arm around her shoulders.
"I don't want to help you with the horses", Abby clenched her teeth to block out the sobs and shook off her arm.
"That's not what I'm here for", Samantha replied softly. "I wanted to ask if you want to come with us to Ella's house"
Abby hesitated then nodded slightly. Ella was her friend and even though she loved horses more then anything she didn't push her, though she made it clear she didn't understand Abby when it came to the thoroughbreds she herself loved, she simply avoided the subject.
Samantha smiled and gently pulled the cushion from Abby's tight grip. "Great, go tell Leah she only has 20 minutes left to exercise Dreamer"

Abby was surprised to hear Leah was exercising Dreamer. Usually she was off somewhere else breezing hotblooded racehorses, 6 year old Dreamer was one of the gentler thoroughbreds at Whisperwood. Out of an old mare, Sterling Dream she shared the same passion for jumping as her mother but after a difficult birth it was decided Sterling Dream wasn't meant to be a broodmare and had only had two fillies, Allie's Wonder and Light Dreamer. Allie's Wonder pulled through despite everything and had gone on to become an amazing racehorse like her Grand-dam while Dreamer had always remained unexceptional. Small and slow to develop since she'd started being trained in cross country she had improved and though she'd never be a world class mare she had a lot of heart and even Abby didn't mind the quiet mare with her bright eyes and shy personality.

Leah's bright red hair whipped around in the wind as she asked the small grey mare on. She looked startled when Abby leant on the fence to watch, turning around she grinned. "Come to see Dreamer?"
Abby sighed, what was it with her family and this horse obsession that they obviously thought she should have. "Whatever", she replied coldly. "I just came to tell you that we're going to Sundapple Field soon"
Leah raised her eyebrows and smirked. "I'm guessing that's Ella's new name for her house"
Abby smiled. "Last time we were there we sat in the big field under that tree in the middle and we were all dappled by the sun and shade. I think we'll keep this name, its cool"
"Whatever", Leah brushed a lock of thick red hair from her face and turned to look at Abby. "How long have I got"
"20 minutes" Abby replied curtly. "But you can hurry up, I don't want to hang around here any longer then I have to"
"This is your home, don't treat it with such disdain", Leah spat. Abby was surprised by the sudden annoyance in her tone.
"Well I hate this house, this place and especially the horses. Why do you think I spend so much time at school or at my friends houses"
Leah glared at her silently and Dreamer sidestepped anxiously, tossing her head and stamping her hoof. Abby winced as she watched the snow coloured mare, Dreamer turned to look at her and ignoring Leah, stretched out towards the smaller girl.
Abby leaped back and hit Dreamer with her hand on the nose. The mare skittered to the side, shoving against Leah.
"Stupid horse", Abby cried.
"Abby", Leah looked really mad now as she gripped Dreamer's halter. "Get out, no one wants you here anymore then you want to be so why can't you leave us alone" Coiling up Dreamer's trailing lead rope she didn't look at Abby. "I can't believe you, hitting Dreamer for no reason. That's just cruel and wrong"
"She was going to bite me"
"Don't be such an idiot"
Abby opened her mouth to retaliate when Leah turned to face her again. "No Abby, I don't want to listen to you. Come near Dreamer again and I will hit you"
Abby scowled and turned to run back to the house, as she ran she startled horses and she shuddered at the pounding of there hooves as they skittered round the paddocks.
"Abby?"
She froze when she heard Luke's voice. Her older brother grabbed her by the arm and pulled her round. "You don't have to run so fast, Leah isn't that scary"
"You heard", Abby guessed quietly.
"Nah, but you don't need much of brain to work it out. Leah loves horses and you –", Luke shrugged. "Well you don't, Leah can't understand that"
"Neither can you"
"Yea, but I don't let it get to me"
Abby sighed and looked up at him, standing patiently, right beside her brother was a big, dark grey gelding. Abby shrieked.
"Hey", Luke put a hand over her mouth. "There's no need for that. Gunsmoke's a sweet little horse, he won't hurt you"
"Liar", Abby mumbled before pulling his hand away and spitting the taste of – well she wasn't sure what Luke's hand tasted like but it wasn't good and was all mixed in with grit and dust. "Leave me alone, please Luke", Abby whispered. "Horses just –"
"Scare you?"
"No", Abby drew herself up and glared at Luke. "Horse don't scare me, I just don't like them, and I don't understand why anyone could like such ugly, smelly, annoying beasts. They are stupid and will kill you just for a piece of carrot, they –"
Luke was ignoring her, fiddling with the halter.
Abby gritted her teeth and walked on. They always ignored her.

The love of horses in her family seemed to go back for generations and Abby was always left alone in the large gatherings of friends and family. Until three years ago she had always been apart and though she'd meet Ella several times before she had always avoided her as she did all of her family friends for not one of them understood why she hated horses. Then when Abby was eight and Ella was seven, the slender, little girl had come up to her and stared talking about Allie's Wonder's latest foal and comparing it to Wonder's Star's second foal. A bright chestnut named Star's Darkness because of his alternate personality. Abby had sidled to the end of the couch and tried to ignore Ella but then she stopped talking and looked at her curiously. Abby still remembered their conversation.
"You don't like horses, do you?"
"No"
"Oh, well I guess you don't want to hear about Darkness then", Ella sighed and shrugged. "What do you want to talk about?"
Nothing meaningful, deep or spectacular went into that conversation but it was first time anyone of her family's friends had just accepted she didn't like horses and continued on. Treated her like a normal person for once.

"Hey Abby!"
Abby looked up and waved to Ella who had a massive grin on her face as she ran towards her.
"I got to ride Darkness, Mum finally relented though I wasn't allowed to go very fast, he is so great and he really likes me, I just know it"
Abby smiled for Ella's benefit, though she didn't know what Ella saw in the aggressive chestnut stallion. He was worse then Gunsmoke.
"So", Ella stopped bouncing and brought herself in check. "Could you help me with me homework"

"I thought we could go over to the tree house today", Abby suggested.
Ella shook her head. "Dad says it is too dangerous, he is going to fix it up", Ella rolled her eyes and sighed. "Whatever, I doubt he will ever be able to drag himself away from his horses. He just got this new thoroughbred he is training for eventing and…", Ella trailed off.
Abby nodded though. "My family can never drag themselves away from the horses, I know what it's like"
"I guess your not looking forward to the Keeneland Auctions", Ella laughed.
Abby nodded in reply, it was January and her family usually went to look at the thoroughbreds even if not to buy, this year though Luke was allowed to choose a thoroughbred he liked the look of, providing the price didn't go to high.
"Well at least you'll be there, I don't belong at places like that Keeneland Auctions"
Ella didn't reply, instead looking in the direction of a horse neigh.
Abby sighed then tried to brighten up; the conversation had taken on an awkward air.
"How's Flash"
Ella turned around and grinned. "He's great, wanna go see him"
Abby didn't get a chance to reply. She only laughed as Ella grabbed her hand and towed her up to the house and into the backyard where Flash was lying down, chewing on a faded blue ball.
"Hey boy", Ella called. Flash got up and went to bound up with her but seeing Abby diverted track and jumped on her, covering her with licks before turning to perform it all again with Ella.
Abby watched laughing as Ella persuaded the enthusiastic dog to calm down and Abby buried her hands into Flash's thick coat. A stray sheepdog they'd adopted Flash was not the best looking dog but Abby thought what he didn't have in looks he made up for with his happy personality and bright, shining eyes.

They decided to walk Flash around the small farm that was Ella's home and Ella insisted on walking pass Darkness's paddock. There were quite a few horses around but Ella wasn't involved with them. They were her dad's horses, except for Darkness and his sire Wonder's Star, Ella rode instead at Whisperwood where Abby lived.

Afterwards they took Flash out into the country, the land around here belonged to Ella's neighbour but they were allowed to use it whenever. There was proper cross country course set up around the hilly paddocks, forest and river that stretched out into several small streams Abby, Ella and Flash had to jump across, but could do so easily.

Flash grabbed a stick and was chasing after them, urging them to toss if with soulful eyes. Ella relented and threw it, Abby grabbed another stick as well and they began to have a competition on who could throw it the furthest to Flash's delight and confusion. It was that kind of day, lazy with nothing to do but somehow they had fun chasing after Flash and laughing at the dogs antics.

Abby's cold heartedness towards horses seemed to make her family think she was cold hearted towards animals. It was Flash with his bright eyes and happy personality that had helped Abby and Ella become friends, it had also made Luke decide that she wasn't a lost cause. If she could love a dog, why not horses. Abby just glared at him. He knew why she hated horses, they all knew.