Horse Camp by Nicole Helget Read Free Book Online Page A

HORSES! I was hoping and praying that Stretch had finally come to his senses and decided to ship out Brenda, that nasty old horse of his, who seems to take great joy in lifting her rubbery lips and snorting and biting! Every time I go near her, she shows her big teeth and stamps her hooves like she can’t wait to charge after me and kill me. Stretch thinks her poor disposition is no big deal. Here’s an example of a previous conversation between us on the subject of Brenda:
    Me: (My voice calm and very polite.) Stretch, your horse is going to kill somebody.
    Stretch: (Rude voiced and acting like there’s a simple explanation for everything.) Stay away from her, then.
    Me: I’m pretty sure that horse may need some medical attention or maybe needs to be sold. She’s very violent and angry.
    Stretch: (Walking away, practically ignoring me.) Mind your own business, Penny.
    Anyway, looks like that Brenda is here to stay, even though it’s very obvious that she has some kind of personality disorder. She was probably abused when she was a filly. At the least she was talked to very rudely, like the way Stretch talks to me, which can lead to serious problems later in life.
    This lady Sheryl might be Stretch’s girlfriend. I’m usually very perceptive about things like this. Sheryl has a daughter, named Sherylynn, whom everybody calls June Bug, and who treats Stretch like he’s her dad or something. She jumps on him and tackles him very playfully even though she’s my age, twelve, and shouldn’t be acting like that anymore. That’s more like how Pauly should act. Stretch doesn’t seem to mind, though, and he picks her up and acts like he’s going to throw her in the horse’s water tank or in the back of the truck, but he doesn’t. I’ve never seen a grown man act so childish before. I think it really bothers Sheryl because she shakes her head and puts her hands on her hips and asks what she is going to do with the two of them. Anyway, I think June Bug (what an immature nickname) has got the hots for Percy. She spent all afternoon laughing and acting happy to meet the boys and saying things like, This is great! and holding Pauly’s hand like he’s her little brother and not mine. Then she helped Percy and Pauly clean out the chicken coop because, get this, the boys are now the proud parents of about three million dirty chickens that they’re going to show at the county fair! They asked me if I wanted to show one, too, but I don’t even have to tell you my answer.
    June Bug is not very attractive, if you ask me, but I didn’t say that to her. When I met her, I was polite and acted very mature because that’s how Dad taught me to act when I meet new people so that I can set an example for them.
    June Bug: (Wearing yellow shorts and a yellow top, as if that really looks nice, and then having the audacity to give me a big, giant hug, as if we’re family or something.) You must be Penny! I’m really happy to meet you!
    Me: (Wearing a very modest T-shirt from a Bible camp that Dad once ran and some jean shorts that go almost to my knees.) It’s a pleasure to meet you, too, Sherylynn.
    June Bug: Oh, you can call me June Bug. Everyone does. I know it’s a little dumb, but I’m used to it.
    Me: My Christian name is Penelope Rachel. But everyone calls me Penny.
    June Bug: My best friend at school’s name is Rachel. I love that name. You’ll really like her, too, if you ever get to meet her.
    Me: We won’t be here long enough for me to meet her. Rachel was the name of the beautiful wife of Jacob. He had to work fourteen years to earn the right to marry her.
    June Bug: Wow! Are they your relatives or something? I mean, how do you know Jacob and Rachel?
    Me: Jacob from the Bible? Have you heard of the Bible?
    June Bug: Oh. Yeah, I know about the Bible a little. Not as much as you, though.
    Me: Jacob was the son of Isaac, who was