Thunderstruck and Thunderborn

Thunderstruck and Thunderborn

     Mitch leaned back against a large shaded tree with a rifle in his hands. He quickly pulled back his exposed foot into the shadows. Then he looked up at the moonlight shinning from the moon above. “Thank you for the bright light. Not only is it going to keep me away tonight it’s also going to help me with my observations.”

     After staring at the moon for another minute or two Mitch suddenly jerked his head toward the big red barn about a hundred feet in front of him. “I thought I saw something.”

     Pointing his rifle at that barn he slowly scanned all around it. “I guess not.”

     Mitch pulled his rifle down next to him. Then pulled it back slightly too because it was no longer in the shadow of the tree either. He then turned on his cellphone and hit the Recorder icon. “I’m recording this because I’m not very good at coming up with a story off the top of my head like so many writers. I like to be organized.”

     “I have written several articles for Horses Monthly. But I have never written one about a Triple Crown winner. That’s what Thunderstruck is going to be after tomorrow. That’s where it all begins.”

     “Everyone keeps asking us why we named them Thunderstruck and Thunderborn. Actually, we were calling Thunderstruck by another name. but when she got struck by lightning while giving birth to Thunderborn during a very bad thunderstorm we changed it. That’s how Thunderborn got her name too.”

     Suddenly Mitch jerked his head back toward the barn. “I’m sure I saw something this time.”

     A hand touched Mitch’s shoulder. That made him jump. He hit his head on a small branch so hard he broke it. Mitch looked up at Vivian rubbing his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

     “I wasn’t scared. You just surprised me. That was you next to the barn a few minutes ago. Wasn’t it?”

     “No, it wasn’t. Did you see someone sneaking around down there?”

     Both Mitch and Vivian looked at the barn. “I thought I did. But I guess I didn’t. That’s happened several times tonight.”

     “How is she doing? When was the last time you checked on her?”

     “I checked on her a couple of hours ago. And she’s doing just fine. She’s fast asleep whimpering. With humans it’s called snoring. But with horses it must be called whimpering.”

     “Let’s go check her out again. I don’t like that you think you have seen someone down there several times tonight.”

     A few minutes later they walked into that very empty barn. “Where is she? You fell asleep. Didn’t you?”

     “No, I haven’t. I can prove it too. My phone recorder has been on all night.”

     “Then where is Thunderborn? Who would want to steal a pony?”

     Vivian looked at Mitch. They both still had shocked looks on their faces. “We both know the answer to that Vivian.”

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     Sheriff Keith Montana was taking notes. “Do you have any idea who might have wanted to take Thunderborn?”

     “We already know who took her. It’s someone who doesn’t want us to go to the Kentucky Derby.” Vivian still looked mad. “We gave you a list of everyone we could think of who would want to do it.”

     “Why would taking Thunderborn stop you from going to the Kentucky Derby?” Keith asked.

     Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth answered that question. “It wouldn’t. But it would stop us from participating in it though. Thunderstruck won’t do anything unless Thunderborn is there watching her.”

     After talking about it for another half hour the family escorted him out. As he opened the door a box leaning against it fell. When it did a bunch of black roses fell out of it.

     Mitch bent down and picked up a note that fell out of that box too. “You don’t want to go to the Kentucky Derby today. Do you.”

     “That sounds like a threat to me. Have you been getting any other threats like this one?”

     “We have gotten several,” replied Vivian. “That’s why we have been watching Thunderborn day and night.”

     “I’m just glad Thunderstruck is already at the Kentucky Derby. If she wasn’t she probably would have been taken too.”

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     Vivian sat behind the wheel of an old truck. Sitting beside her was Mitch. Elizabeth sat in the back seat. Suddenly Elizabeth leaned forward. “We need to go faster. I don’t want to miss Thunderstruck winning the race.”

     “We aren’t going to miss anything,” said Vivian. “There’s plenty of time for us to get there.”

     "There is – unless something else happens,” said Mitch. “The way things are going today I’m sure something else will.”

     Just then Vivian’s cellphone began ringing. Mitch answered it. “Hello.” He listened for a few seconds. “WHAT! ….. Let me know as soon as you know anything about Bruce.”

     “Our jockey? What happened to Bruce?” Elizabeth asked.

     “He was in an accident on his way to the track. He’s going to be alright. But he’s not going to be able to ride Thunderstruck today.”

     “Oh great,” remarked Vivian. “Now what are we going to do?”

     “I can do it,” remarked Elizabeth. “Thunderstruck love me. I’ve ridden her lots of times – including some racing. Besides, I’m probably the only one who can get Thunderstruck to run without Thunderborn being there.”

     “I’m not sure, but I think there’s an age requirement. I don’t think that you can do it,” responded Mitch.

     “If there isn’t, or I qualify if there is, can I do it?” Elizabeth asked.

     Mitch and Vivian looked at each other. Vivian only did it for a few seconds. Then she returned to her driving. “What do you think?”

     Looking at Elizabeth Mitch smiled. “I think we should let her do it if she can.”

     “I don’t know who is behind this. But I am going to find out,” said Vivian. “First we have the Kentucky Derby to win – then the Triple Crown.”