Lily had always loved animals, but she never thought she would have one of her own. She lived in a small apartment with her mom, who worked long hours as a waitress. They barely had enough money for food and rent, let alone a pet. Lily dreamed of having a dog or a cat, but she knew it was impossible.
One day, on her way home from school, she saw a sign that said “Horse Riding Lessons”. She followed the arrow to a large field, where she saw several horses and riders. She was fascinated by the sight of the majestic animals and their graceful movements. She wished she could ride one of them.
She approached the fence and saw a man standing next to a trailer. He had a clipboard in his hand and a stern expression on his face. He looked like the owner of the place.
“Excuse me, sir,” Lily said timidly. “How much are the lessons?”
The man glanced at her and frowned. “Fifty dollars an hour,” he said curtly.
Lily felt her heart sink. She knew she could never afford that. She turned to leave, but then she heard a soft whinny from inside the trailer. She peeked inside and saw a horse lying on the floor. It was skinny and dirty, with patches of fur missing and scars all over its body. It looked like it had been beaten and neglected for a long time.
Lily felt a surge of pity and anger. How could anyone treat an animal so cruelly? She looked at the man again and saw that he had a whip in his belt. She realized that he was the one who had hurt the horse.
She decided to do something about it. She waited until the man was busy talking to a customer, then she sneaked into the trailer. She untied the rope that held the horse and gently stroked its head. The horse looked at her with sad eyes and nuzzled her hand.
“Shh, it’s okay,” Lily whispered. “I’m here to help you.”
She led the horse out of the trailer and ran towards the road. She hoped to find someone who could take care of it. She didn’t care if she got in trouble for stealing it. She just wanted to save it from more suffering.
She ran as fast as she could, but soon she heard the man’s angry shout behind her.
“Hey, you! Stop! That’s my horse!”
He chased after her, waving his whip. Lily was scared, but she didn’t stop. She knew she had to get away from him.
She reached the road and saw a car coming. She waved her arms and shouted for help.
“Please, help me! This man is trying to hurt me and this horse!”
The car slowed down and stopped next to her. The driver was a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked kind and friendly.
“What’s going on here?” she asked.
Lily quickly explained what had happened. The woman gasped and shook her head.
“That’s horrible! You did the right thing, honey. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you and this poor horse.”
She opened the door and helped Lily and the horse get inside. The horse was too big to fit in the back seat, so it stuck its head out of the window.
The woman drove away, leaving the man behind. He cursed and threw his whip on the ground.
Lily felt relieved and grateful. She hugged the woman and thanked her.
“Thank you so much, ma’am. You’re an angel.”
The woman smiled and hugged her back.
“You’re welcome, sweetie. I’m glad I could help.”
She introduced herself as Sarah, and said she was a veterinarian who worked at an animal shelter nearby. She said she would take care of the horse’s injuries and find it a good home.
She also offered to let Lily stay with her for a while, until she could sort things out with her mom.
Lily accepted her offer gladly. She felt like she had found a new friend.
She also felt something else: a new passion.
She realized that she loved horses more than anything else in the world. She wanted to learn more about them, how to ride them, how to care for them.
She wanted to be like Sarah: a veterinarian who helped animals in need.
She decided that this was what she wanted to do with her life.
She smiled and looked at the horse, who licked her cheek.
She had found her passion when she saved a mistreated horse.
And she couldn’t be happier.
