Even in the Darkest of Times there is always a Ray of Sun

The sound of silence ringing in my ear. The whimpering of my prayers echoed in the air. “How did I get here,” I asked myself over and over again; however, this is not how my story begins.

“Zoey?” my mom called.

“What mommy?”

“Go feed Jet.”

“Ok,” Jet was my seven year-old thoroughbred stud. We call him Jet because of his pitch black coat that shimmers in the sun. Jet has been my best friend for 3 years now. As I trudged down to the big brick barn, I am met by my bright faced and giddy dog, Maggie. I hurry my pace as I reach closer to the barn. I can hear Jet soft nicker as I approach the stall.

“Hey, Boy, you hungry?” I asked. I began to break open the tightly bound hay bale and stuff it into a bag for Jet. After that I opened the tub with the dust pellets for him. I began scooping them into a black rubber pan for him.

“Zoey!” my mom called

“Coming!” I eagerly took off for the house to see what my mom was so anxious about. Once I got inside I quickly slip off my pink, well used to be pink, muck boots and jump up the stairs and find my mom standing eagerly in the kitchen doorway.  

“What Mom?” I asked.

“You were invited to the American Qualifier Round!”  I just stood there speechless when I heard the words trickle out of my mom’s mouth. I thought to myself, “Why me? Am I really that good?” Throughout the day that thought jumped in and out of my head. The one and only thing I became focused one was practicing and keeping Jet in top condition.

The next three weeks flew by and all I was thinking about was this moment, actually being at the Qualifiers. We pulled into an old rodeo grounds in Oklahoma. I peered out the window and see massive trailers and some of the top horses in the world.  I felt instantly as if I didn't belong. Everyone had huge fancy trailers pulled by the newest pickups, but we pulled in with our little fiery red bumper pull and rusted out truck. Immediately my heart sank.

“What am I doing here?” I murmured, “I think I made a mistake on coming here.”

“What did you say?” Mom asked in surprise. I just kept staring out the window acting like I didn’t hear her.  Finally we parked. I picked myself up off the black vinyl seats, and drag my butt to the back of the trailer to unload Jet. I unloaded and tied him to the trailer with a hay bag for him to munch on. As he was standing there patiently waiting for the race I began find things to do to keep myself occupied. I tried to keep myself as busy as possible just so I wouldn’t have a nervous breakdown.  

“Zoey, start getting jet ready,” Mom barked.  I began by brushing his shimmering coat, brushing out his tail, and braiding his long flowing mane into tight small braids. I put my Martin saddle with my Quincy tack set on him. I took a big breath and sighed, still in awe of what was going on. I brushed off my pants and patted Jet’s neck. All of this was actually happening and it was go time.

“All barrel racers come up to the arena,” the announcer called. My stomach began to turn and the little butterflies fluttering around in my stomach grew into elephants with wings.

“Number 147, Zoey, you're up,” the gate man stuttered as he almost got ran over by the nervous horse coming out of the arena.

“Ok, Jet, lets show ‘em what we got.”  As I eased Jet up to the gate he began to feel my ambition and began to prance about. After I finally got him to settle back down I approached the gate once more, but now all I heard was the pounding of my own heart and the Jet’s hooves striking the ground. Then just like that I placed my hands on Jet’s neck and he was off, racing for the first barrel. We rounded the first barrel perfectly, and so on. On our way home I remember the feeling of joy rushing through my veins, and the sound for rolling thunder coming from under Jet’s feet. As I rounded him off to a stop at the end of the arena I felt nothing but sheer happiness; I felt as though, Jet and I, together, could conquer the world. I glanced at our time and was overjoyed we had qualified for the American rodeo. I was ecstatic. I worked so hard for this moment and now I finally had a shot at it. My dreams were slowly becoming a reality.  

When I got back to the trailer I gave Jet the biggest bear hug ever. He was the only reason I am where I am right now.

“Ok, Zo, lets hit the road, we have a long drive home.” I hopped in the truck and was out like a light before we even left Oklahoma.

It was a week before the American Rodeo and I was out practicing with Jet, trying to get him in top running condition even though it was raining. I was always nervous about running barrels in the rain, but I had to do what I had to do. As we round the third barrel the footing gave out and Jet’s foot hit muck and he stumbled to the ground.

“Jet, no!” I shouted, “get up! Please! Mom!” a dozen thoughts popped into my head, but were immediately shoved to the side as the only thing I was worried about was Jet.  As my mom was calling the vet I sat right by my best friend never leaving him. When the vet got there she examined Jet’s soaking body, he was shaking and his breaths were shallow. The vet pulled my mom aside and the two began to whisper. I could not make out everything they were saying but my heart shattered when watched the words “put down” roll out of the vet’s mouth.

I began to bawl. Jet was my one and only. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. As the vet injected the shot to stop Jet’s heart I remember just holding his head in my lap whispering in his ear, “thank you Jet. I will always love you.” Within a matter of seconds he was gone. I was filled with sorrow for the loss of my best friend, also ease knowing he was put out of all misery.

The following week my mom and I took the car down to the American Finals. It was a tough drive, looking in the rearview mirror and not seeing Jet’s black nose sticking out of old bumper pull. We reach the rodeo grounds and I look out and see everyone working their horses and I was immediately hit by a wave of depression. I look, teary eyed, at my mom pleading to go home. She gave me a hug and we stood there and watched the cowgirls race their horses. All of the sudden I felt a nudge on my back and I whipped around to see a woman standing there with the most stunning colt I have seen in my whole life. I about passed out when my mom looked and me and told me that he was mine. She explained to me that this was the last baby that my beloved Jet had fathered. My eyes began to water as I wrapped my arms around the colts soft neck. I felt at peace,  I know that Jet would want me to be happy and to be able to love something as much as he loved me; and I plan to do just that.  Even in the darkest of times there is always a ray of sun that penetrates through the darkness bringing in light.