Made That Way by Susan Ketchen Read Free Book Online Page A

Declan. “Not that it matters, because a pony that’s built like this one has lots of miles left in him.”
    â€œHow old?” I say.
    â€œDidn’t the vet tell you, from the pre-purchase exam?”
    â€œWhat’s a pre-purchase exam?” I ask.
    Declan turns to Kansas and another of those annoying unspoken adult messages passes between them. Perhaps two messages, because Kansas breaks her gaze and studies the floor.
    â€œWell then let’s have a look at his teeth,” says Declan and moves back to the pony.
    My heart races. If Brooklyn maims Declan, Kansas will never ever forgive me.
    But Brooklyn stands calmly as Declan strokes his face. Declan’s fingers linger momentarily over the scab in the middle of his forehead, then slide down and part Brooklyn’s lips to expose his teeth.
    â€œJesus Christ,” says Declan. “Would you look at these fangs?”
    My stomach turns over and I swallow hard to suppress a retch. A sharp-toothed unicorn is what frightened Taylor so badly. That was in my dream world, but there are so many cross-overs now between that world and this one my head is swimming, my vision is blurring. I blink hard three times, try to focus on something, and find Brooklyn’s right front foot, though now there seem to be two of them.
    â€œWhen’s the last time this pony had his teeth floated?” says Declan. “You’ll attend to that, will you Kansas? Have the vet out to do this?”
    I warily swing my vision to Kansas who has told me before that she is a boss mare who doesn’t like being told what to do, but a blurry Kansas is nodding agreeably, as though nothing would please her more than following instructions from Declan.
    If this is what happens to people who are in love, I want no part of it.
    â€œNow let me finish that foot,” says Declan.
    Brooklyn lifts his foot and Declan flicks away at it some more with his knife. A cloud of white shavings drifts down over the toe of Declan’s boot. I watch for a moment, but everything is looking fuzzy so I close my eyes. I hear the snicking sounds of the knife, I feel a headache building, and wonder what will happen first. Will my head explode or will my entire stomach fling itself out of my mouth?
    The cutting sounds cease abruptly and Declan says, “What’s this now?”
    My eyes pop open and I can just make out Declan using what looks like it might be a screw-driver to pry something out of Brooklyn’s foot.
    â€œYou found the abscess?” says Kansas.
    â€œNot an abscess.” He holds an object between thumb and finger. “This was jammed in between the frog and the sole of his foot.”
    â€œA rock?” says Kansas, who doesn’t have a good view.
    â€œI don’t think so,” says Declan. He has lowered Brooklyn’s foot and is using his knife to scrape at the thing. “I thought it might be a chunk of wood, but it’s harder than that. Looks like a bit of bone. Or antler maybe.”
    I lean my back against the barn wall for support. My legs go wobbly and slowly I slide until I’m sitting on the cement floor. I know what the thing is. It’s a piece of broken unicorn horn. Now everyone’s going to know.

CHAPTER SIX
    They don’t know. Neither of them figures it out even though it’s totally obvious. So I don’t say anything.
    I manage to eat some apple for lunch, but the headache gets worse. I almost tell Kansas about it, but then she says I still look pale and maybe I should go home and rest. Brooklyn can use some more time to settle in, she says. There’s no hurry to be riding him and Kansas has to pick up hay this afternoon anyway. She won’t have time to give me a lesson. I reluctantly go along with this. I don’t have the strength to resist. I even let her throw my bike in the back of her truck and drive me home.
    I let myself into the house with my key, pull the drapes in my bedroom and lie