Since the past month and a half, I have been dying to experience something fun and adventurous during the summer, but my reality was more doomed with boredom. That was until, mommy gave us the exciting news, announcing that she and my father booked tickets for the entire family.
My parents:" guess what?"
My parents:" tadah! We bought tickets to a horse racing event! "
My father:" Do you remember when my sister, you , mom and I used to go there back in the days?"
My grandpa: " Yes I do, those were the days son"
Me:" What! horses! You two had to come up with something lame Uh?"
Me:" Forget it! it was better I had spent the rest of the summer doing nothing"
My parents:" That's no way to speak to us young lady!"
My parents:" Is anybody else backing out?
I then ran off upstairs. I was furious and did not find horse racing quite interesting at the time. I was merely unappreciative at times, but I had a strong conscience. I went into my room and sat by the bed. There I saw Zolene, licking her paws. Zolene then tilted her head to the realization of me being sad.
Zolene: " Woof! Woof !
She looked up to my face just as if she was trying to connect with me or maybe she was trying to confort me. I picked her up and started talking to her just as if she could talk back.
Me: " Do you think its fair Zolene?"
Zolene: "Woof!
Me: " I have spent the entire summer doing nothing fun! Well I did enjoy spending extra time with grandpa but, I truly desired to go to a amusement park or even to the beach. Something fun and different would do"
Zolene: "Woof! Woof!"
Me: " Forget it, you dont seem to understand whats happening here do you? Afterall your just a puppy-cat"
Zolene: "Why do you think I dont understand?"
Me:" I dont know Zo- Zo"
Zolene: "You should be happy that your parents are taking the family out, just go it might be fun trust me"
Me: " Maybe your right"
Me: " Wait what!"
Me: " Zo- Zo-, did you just talk back to me? Did you just answer me?"
Zolene: " Woof! Woof!"
Me: " Phew!"
I was relief of hearing Zolene barking but, I still thought that something was up because, I am not deaf. Maybe I was just hallucinating or maybe I was losing my mind but, I am sure I heard my puppy-cat responding to me. I put her on my bed and started to do some real thinking whilst lying upside down on my bed. I felt even more guilty by the minutes. Maybe I shouldn't have spoken in such a manner. Maybe I should hush up and go to the horse race, it might be more fun than I expected. I quit sobbing and decided to appreciate things more in life, at least I was going out with my family, some people don't at all. After a while, I went downstairs to apologise. It had not taken long before I had agreed on going to the horse race. I jumped in excitement as if I was not the one who did not have any interest in going on this trip. The event would be held the next day, so we immediately began to sort out the vehicle, travelling items, clothes, and money.
After a while, my tired forceful looking smile disappeared. I looked more pleased with our trip and started to forget about my disinterest. My parents set dozens of ice cubes for the igloo and packed the snacks overnight. My mother suggested that it would be better to take our own food because buying food on the way could be quite costly and my family was the type who prefers eating their own dishes sometimes.
Mommy picked out our clothes and as usual the outfits were totally different. As known, twins are expected to always be the same, like or dislike the same things, dress the same way and do voluntary movements at the same time. In reality or maybe it's just a preference for Lucy-Ann and I but, we rather to be different. We are two totally different girls with the same features. At the time, Lucy was the hot headed spicy twin, she always appeared cold hearted but, deep down she truly cared. My failure or dumb acts was a pleasure and laughter for Lucy. I was often oppressed by this but, Lucy and I always had an inseparable bond meaning that no scissors can cut our ties nor can a disagreement separate us.
My parents booked tickets to an all region horse racing championship which was held the following day, which was friday. The event would be held way out of town into a village horse farm far away. My clothes were neatly folded on the foot of my bed. I was eager to go even though I hated the idea at first. Hours passed and it had not gone long before morning. I was awakened by my mother early in the morning, perhaps before five a.m . We got ready and soon enough, we boarded the car. It was still dark and there were little or no vehicles on the road. By the time the tall buildings and concrete road started to disappear, more greenery started to appear just as there were dirt tracks and footpaths. After a while, the sun started piercing through the clouds signalling that it was the sunrise. The colors of the sun shining its lights gave the sky a beautiful pinkish color. The ride was smooth and long and deemed to put you asleep, but the car ride got bumpy on the way and it surely rocked me to sleep. The cool fresh morning air blowing against my face felt rather relaxing forcing my eyes shut. The breeze blew goose bumps all over my skin making me shiver, whilst my afro swayed through the window. This sleep was like no other, I was comfortable and well relaxed. I was running and limping into sweet dreams when my sister woke me up.
Lucy-Ann: " Wake up Lacey-Ann!"
Me: " What ! Leave me alone!"
Lucy-Ann: " We are here!"
As soon as I heard the news, I sprang up and flew out of the car.
Me: " Wow! This place is amazing"
There was a huge sign over the gate saying welcome to the annual all region horse racing competition. We paid the entrance fee and the security guard placed a paper hand band around my arms and gave my parents five tickets. I thought the event was going to be quite casual and boring but I was wrong. The place was separated in two. One side where the huge stadium and the horse tracks were. There were many obstacle courses the horses had to part take in and different tracks with mud and sand. Over the other side, there was a mini amusement park with bouncy houses, merry go around, swings, slides, see-saws and lots more. Many food and drink shops were in between the two segments. You could get your face painted by a clown as well or you could even purchase balloons. Since we already had our snacks and beverages, we didn't need to buy any food from the stalls.
My father and grandpa both carried the igloo's with snacks and juice over to the stadium entrance waiting for the security to let us in. Since we arrived early, the population was scanty and we could get the front row seats of our choice. Whilst my father and grandfather were reserving our seats, mommy took me and Lucy-Ann to get our faces painted. The clown asked Lucy-Ann what she wanted her face to be painted as and she chose the horse painting and bought a horse balloon. When it was my chance, the clown didn't ask me what I wanted my face to be painted as. Instead he carried on and gave me the same paint and balloon just as he gave me sister. I was not pleased as I sometimes liked to be different from my sister. I wanted to be painted as a unicorn but, maybe it was fine.
The clown:" There now you both look the same apart from the outfits anyways, that will be six dollars please"
I couldn't believe him. Soon, a crowd of people started walking in and that's when we walked speedily to take our seats. While waiting for the show to begin, I felt hungry so I grabbed a snack and a drink. Before I knew it, the stadium became crowded with thousands of people surrounding me. It was nosier and it got hotter by the second. A few sellers came and asked if we wanted to buy snacks or juice and we had to say no every minute. It got so annoying, are they blind? Don't they see we have two igloos before us? I wondered.
Boom!
I was alarmed by the sounds of huge drums knocking and trumpets blowing. The entire crowd was quiet and all attention was given to the host of the show.
The host: " Good morning all, Welcome to our annual horse racing competition!"
The host greeted the crowd and after some talking, he announced that the race will be ready soon. He then called and put fourteen horses on the tracks. The jockeys and their horses lined up side by side right behind the bar and when the signal was given to begin was shouted, the first horse bolted from the starting line and was ahead of the others. The jockeys whip their horses on the butt inorder for them to go faster. Dust was kicking up and horses were jumping up and down all around.
Lightning! Lightning!
The crowd shouts as the horse with number five labelled on it was near the finishing line.
Yeah!
The number five horse and jockey ended up winning the race as expected. It seemed as if lightning and his rider were the best players of all time. Round after round, lightning was the champion of every event and at the end, they were awarded first place, gaining many medals and trophies. Lightning's jockey was sponsored money as well. By the end of the competition the time was already noon. Before we left, our parents allowed us to go on the rides and it was so much fun. My sister and I went to the bouncy house, the see-saw, the slides and the swings. Before it had gone dark, mommy told us to stop playing and head out because the sky was overcast and it seemed as if rain could fall any minute. I was sad because I wanted to play more.
I sat in the car and looked through the window. As the car drove off, my eyes were pinned onto the horse stadium not wanting it to leave from my sight. My eyes felt watery and I somehow felt hurt. I blinked my eyes continuously just as tears ran down from my eyes. i could'nt believe I would have loved this place I did'nt wanted to go to show much. I held Zolene into my arms tightly and patted her head.
Me: " You were right Zo- Zo-, I did have fun and now I am missing it"
Zolene:" I will miss it too lacey"
Me: " What!"
Zolene: "Woof!"
I was for sure that this time Zolene did respond.
Me: "Zolene, you can talk?"
My parents, sister and my grandpa all turned around looking at me in confusion.
Me: " Mom, Dad, Zolene can talk I heard it, she even spoked to me yester evening in my bedroom"
Lucy-Ann: " Yeah, like we would believe you! your so crazy!"
My mother: " Stop it Lucy! cant you be nice for once!"
Lucy-Ann: "What ! why does'nt anyone like it when I am honest?"
My father:" Maybe your just hearing things, you know it happens to me sometimes.
Me: " I am telling the truth, I heard Zolene talking. Did'nt you?"
My father: " Am afriad no, we have'nt"
A moment of silence was in the car after th econversations. I was considering on whether I was losing my mind or what. When I got home, Zolene and I went upstairs. I locked my door whilst crying. Zolene jumped into my arms as if she was trying to hug me. After a while, I stopped sobbing and decided t go get some pet snack for Zolene, while I was on my way, I over heard my parents and grandpa speaking.
My parents: " Dad, do you think our little girl is going coconuts?"
My grandpa: " Maybe not, well am not sure. Most kids have imaginary friends and stuff"
My father: " Well if she continues to hear Zolene talking, maybe we should take her to a rehab for the mental or get her a child therapist"
I was astonished by hearing that. My own parents want to send me to a rehab. I started to panic and I got scared. I was trembling in terror and fear. Zolenes Glass bowl fell from my hand and broke into pieces. My parents and grandpa were alarmed. They asked me what I was doing there but, I had no breath left to answer.