Helping Hand

• Akierraleigh Denton
• Short Story
• 2019

It was a cool, windy summer afternoon at the ranch when Layla the
young lady that lives down the road from the Bartlett’s arrived to help
with the horses. Layla often came as she loves to lend a hand helping
Beau and Mavis with their chores. Layla has a favourite horse named
Flicka, time flew by and before she knew it.

It soon became very late and would be late for supper, so Layla ran
down the dirt road when she arrived at the tiny wooden brown house
with the old tin roof. Annie and Harry were standing on the porch
waiting for her.

Harry shouted out “your late again this time young girl
you are forbidden to go back to the ranch for one full month and there
will be no if’s or but’s”.

Layla was very disappointed she could not join the others back at the
ranch for some time, she refused to eat supper that night. Layla had to
think up a plan how to see Flicka.

“I am going outside for some fresh air.” Layla told Harry.

“Okay then but don’t stay out to long, I’ll wait up for you” Harry answered.

Later that night she decided to climb out the window and go to the ranch.

In the morning Annie asked Harry “Have you seen Layla?

Harry replied, “No, I haven’t, I’ll go and wake her”.

Harry came back and said, “Layla’s not there”.

When Harry goes over to the ranch, Harry told Mr and Mrs Bartlett that “Layla was missing”.

Harry had also told them “Layla wasn’t allowed to come back to the ranch for a month”.

“Okay, well we will miss seeing Layla around here, but time does fly, she will be back before we know it”.


Beau had to go to the stables to feed the horses. When Beau got to
Flicka’s stall there was Layla lying asleep in the straw, she was wearing Mavis’s old cloths that was in the laundry.

Beau told Layla,” Her father would be furious when he finds out”.

Beau pulled Layla out by the arm and called out to Mr Bartlett who
was very surprised what will your father say now girlie. When Beau and Bartlett took Layla home, Harry was not happy with her well my girl it seems nothing is going to keep you away from that damn horse is there.

That night Harry decided if Layla agrees to stay close with Beau and Mavis, he will allow her to go back to the ranch if Mr and Mrs Bartlett wants her.

Layla was so thrilled she would agree to any arrangement just to see Flicka again. It didn’t take long before Layla broke it, every chance she had she would sneak back to Flicka, either to comb her or rub her down, once even manage to take her for an exercise down in the fields and time went so fast, she thought she would have to be more careful. Beau was not happy with her nor was Mr Bartlett, they ended up saying if it happens again, they would have to tell Harry.

Mr Bartlett decided to set Layla chores away from the stables and help
with general ranch work which meant Layla had less time to spend
nearer the horses. The work was so tiring she was glad when evening
came to go home and relax.

Harry asked, “How was the ranch today”?

“Good, but I missed playing with Flicka so much, but I reckon ranch work is what I want to do”. Layla replied.