Black hawk down

  "Damn, that fence crawler just won't learn", sighed Jennifer.
She was referring to her pony, Pockets; a mischievous white pony with a girth to rival Santa.  
She had nothing against him, he was her pet after all, but she never had a smooth relationship with these hooved beasts. When she was little she ran away from home believing the same pony was going to eat her. Since then she has never fitted in her typical stereotype of her country girl kind, the one of the horse mad rider who competed in every show. The last bit was right, she liked to ride, but the rest was out of question.

The last thing she wanted to do today was chase the back end of another critter. She had enough trouble doing that to uphold her family role, being the eldest. Since her father was away on business, she was left in charge. At least her brother, Arjan, was here to help.
He was an active child who could run like the wind, but his mind lacked the speed his body expressed; a fact she often used to her advantage.

"Hey Jamdrop, get your butt over here!"
"What?" replied Arjan, chewing on the remains of his Nutella sandwich.
"You see Pockets over in the top paddock, over there?" stated Jennifer, waving her hand in a matter fact way towards the grazing beast.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"He is not supposed to be there. That's what, dumb head! Jeez, what were you doing when dad told us specifically how he does not want the top paddock to be used! Stuffing hay down your ears?"
"Hey, that's not nice, and I was listening, as a matter of fact. I'm going to tell mum!" huffed Arjan as he waddled to the gate.
"No, wait!" she called out, desperate to save herself from the wrath of her mother. "Please don't tell mum! Hey, I'll give you a deal. If you don't tell mum and get fatso out of there, I'll get you that… thing you have always wanted".

She was referring to her brother's obsession for planes. Ever since he had seen those stunt devils perform at the local show, he had dreamed of a career in aviation. Though she knew he would never be able to get there, with his being colour blind and all. Yet that hope has never died. From then on he had always wanted one of those model planes that he could fly around himself.  Mum and Dad had yet to give him permission to buy such a delicate thing. They were waiting till he was older, and hopefully more responsible.

You can't argue with an idiot, she thought to herself.

Arjan beamed at the proposition. "You really will get me that 007 Black Hawk I've been asking for?"
"Sure…" his sister slyly replied, conjuring up a plan; maybe she could get a second hand one from her friend's brother. He'd been trying to get rid of his junk for ages.
"You're the best!" sucked up her brother as he bolted towards the high paddock fence.
She had to sprint after him, not knowing what the hyped-up 10 year old was going to do next. She was almost half-way up the slope when she saw her brother charge at the back end of the pony like some nut case.

"What the hell do you think you doing, Jamdrop?" inquired Jennifer, "You will get your head …!" the sentence was broken off early, as the thud of mud covered hooves striking brittle bone rang out into the morning mist.
Her brother stood there for a few seconds, seemingly unaware of the blow. Then the adrenaline faded and he sloped towards the dew laden grass. Pockets turned around, ready to make the final blow.

She ran. She did not understand why and how she got to her brother's aid so fast. She could later recall how instinct just seemed to pull her there, like a moth to flame.
Standing above her brother's crumpled body; she raised her hands to deter the rearing beast.

"Hold it boy! Hey! Shhhhh…", Jennifer commanded firmly, trying hard to cover up her fear.
  Pockets swayed on his hind legs, unsure how to keep his balance. He plodded backwards slowly, unsure of his strength. Jennifer braced herself for impact. The pony's front legs came down with a thud, missing her and Arjan by a hair wisp. She patted the still frantic beast as far away from her brother as she could.

As soon as that task was done she ran to her brother's still body. She collapsed in a heap next to him, carefully pulling   his damaged head into her lap. Blood poured out of the crescent shaped wound, hair matted together.
She looked for any sign of life. He was breathing, thank god, but his eyes were screwed shut.
"Squeeze my hand Arjan! Please... squeeze my hand!" blubbered Jennifer as she clenched her brother's dirty hand.
"Hurmm…" coughed Arjan, grasping the touch of his sisters warm, blood soaked palm. "…Did I …get Pockets out…?"
"Yes! You got him out", sobbed Jennifer.
"…Does that mean…I… can have my plane now…?"
"Yes!... Oww… Yes, you will that plane you have always wanted. I promise you will"
"You… promise?"
"I promise!"
And she cradled her brother's head, and his glowing eyes stared back at her.