Welcome to The Horse Hill. Aaron is suddenly interrupted in school by a phone call. Is it some stranger or more?

Dear Ms. Jenkins,

My name is Aaron. I love horses. I want one of my own but I can't have one.

Aaron Manly stopped and chewed on his eraser. Then his friend, Jacob, tapped him on the shoulder. "It's snowing." He whispered. "Really! Cool! Maybe we..." Aaron was interrupted by his phone. "Aaron!" Ms. Lovic said.

Aaron slipped out and answered it. "Yes," He said. "This is Aaron, Katie's brother. Olivia? A horse? Of course!" Aaron hung up and ran down the hall.

He ran all the way to his house. "Aaron! What are you doing out of school?" His mom asked when he burst through the door. "Olivia, Katie's friend, she got a horse for us to foster!" Aaron gasped for breath.

CHAPTER 1

"Alright Class-bug. I'll drive you to... oh!" Mom slapped her hand to her forehead. "Your father has the car. I'll call him to pick this horse up. Anyway, you go back to school."

So, Aaron walked all the way back to school. Ms. Lovic made him inside for recess because he hadn't finish his letter. But Aaron didn't mind because a horse was coming!

Chapter 2

RIIIIIIING!

The school bell rang for the day. Aaron dashed out faster than any of the kids. When he was at his house he burst in and blurted, "Where's the horse!"

Mom opened her mouth to say something but Katie beat her. "Wow! Record time!" Katie said and held up a stop-watch. "One minute!"

"Where's the..." Aaron began again. "At the barn," Mom answered before he even finished.

Faster than you could say, "Polly pickled pineapple" Aaron was at the frosted red barn.

A big glob of snow landed on Aaron. "Whoops! Sorry Buddy!" Dad's headed peeked out from behind the roof. "Is the..." Aaron started. "She's in Justin's ol' stall," Dad said and continued his work of cleaning off the snowed black roof of the barn.

Justin was the chestnut horse the Manly's had fostered before this one. He was the first.

Aaron went straight to the old horse stall without glancing at the chickens or bunnies or even the pigs which was his second favorite animal.

A snow-white horse stood in the stall. Aaron's gaze

fell down onto a piece of wood that had the word Tutu on it. Tutu! What a silly name for a horse! Something like this deserves something like, Aaron's thoughts were interrupted by Dad. "Like our Tutu?" He asked with a joking gleam in his eyes. "Tutu?! What!?" Aaron exclaimed. "Yeah, we'll have to change that," Dad said stroking his goatee.

Just then Katie bounded in all bundled up like a penguin. "Her name is Princess!" She announced. "Not-o! It's Flash!" Aaron argued. "It's a girl!" Katie retorted. "Um..." Aaron thought of a revenge. "It'll be Snowflake then!"

There, Aaron thought, that'll take care of her. "Okay! I'll tell Mom!" Katie said and pranced off. "Snowflake! Snowflake!" She chanted.

Chapter 3

"Time for the first ride on Tu, I mean, Snowflake," Dad said. "Oo-oo! Pick me!" Aaron didn't usually pleaded like that but this was something different. "No! ME!" Katie practically shrieked. "Settle down. I'm letting her pick, not me!" Dad said.

Instantly, Aaron stopped. But Katie didn't seem to get the message. "Alright. Aaron, you go to that side of the barn. And Katie, you go the other end." Dad said. They both ran to their places.

"No pieces of anything in your pockets?" Dad asked. Both shook their heads 'no'. "Alright." Dad let go of Snowflake's Pink bridle.

As soon as Dad let go, Katie screamed, "Pick me-e! Snowflake, pick me-e!" But Aaron kept quiet. Snowflake shied, then turned toward Aaron's end. Katie stopped screaming. Snowflake turned back to Katie. Aaron whispered, "Here girl. Come on. It's okay."

Katie and the rest of the family could see his mouth moving but most thought he was trying to trick Katie.

Snowflake turned at the sound of a gentle voice. She trotted toward Aaron. She had chosen Aaron.

"A-man, as soon as you are off that horse, we're going to talk," A laughing Katie tried to say firmly.

Aaron laughed, tacked up Snowflake, and mounted.

This was the best. Their foster horse picked him. He was starting to love the white pony.

Chapter 4

"Hey, girl," Aaron said, stroking Snowflake's crisp white mane. "Okay." He picked up the reins and squeezed his feet into her sides, gently. Snowflake started into a gallant trot. Aaron urged her a little more, into a gallop. Snow flew through the air and Aaron laughed happily. His breath rose as a cloud.

He turned Snowflake back towards the barn. "My turn!" Katie called. Aaron smiled and dismounted. Katie strapped on her purple riding helmet and swung up onto Snowflake. She was soon lost in the snowy land.

"How's she ride?" Dad asked. "Amazing," Aaron breathed. "Sorry, we can't keep her, Buddy," Dad said, ruffling Aaron's shaggy hair.

Aaron headed inside. Who would want Snowflake? What about Maxine Will? She was ecstatic about horses and would love Snowflake. But she already had two horses, Fargo and Kokomo.

"Mom," Aaron asked. "What's Maxine Will's phone number?" "Don't

have time now, hon," Mom said. "Take the phone book." Mom hustled off. She was getting ready to have baby and everything must be perfect. It was still hard to believe the huge bulge Mom had was a baby!

Aaron rummaged in a few draws before finding the phone book. "Maxine Will, Maxine Will," He mumbled as he worked. "A-ha!" He called.

Aaron leaped up and ran to the phone. He carefully punched in the numbers. "Hi, this is Maxine Will. Can I help you?" A woman's voice said through the phone. "Hi-i, I'm Aaron. Aaron Manly," Aaron spluttered. "Buck Manly's boy? Howdy, Aaron! Whacha' need, fellow?" Maxine exclaimed. "We have a, uh, horse named Snowflake. All white. Want her?" Aaron asked, nervously. "Um, sorry, bud. I've got my hands full with Fargo and Kokomo," Maxine said, sighing. "Okay," Aaron said, crestfallen. "Hey, chum, why don't you ride that Snowflake over here and we'll get her a home. She's a foster?" Maxine offered. Aaron nodded then realized Maxine couldn't see