Stevie Read online

  My parents think riding is too dangerous. They knew someone who had a freak accident on a horse and got brain damaged or something. They’re sure the same thing will happen to me. That’s why they spend hours before each class warning me to be careful. It’s totally boring, but I have to let them do it or they won’t let me ride at all.

  STEVIE

  Then you should definitely let them do it. Besides, it’s important to always listen to your parents and other adults, like teachers and headmistresses, for example. They’re older and wiser than we are.

  DINAH

  Yes, that’s true.

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR Sugarbush Stables. There are no other people in sight, and no sounds aside from those made by horses in their stalls.

  DINAH

  (worried)

  Uh-oh. There’s nobody here. I have the funny feeling something’s up.

  NARRATOR (voice-over)

  Dinah was right. Something was up. But our heroines didn’t discover the truth until they encountered Jodi Hale.

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR A different section of the stable. CLOSE-UP on Dinah and Stevie, looking happy. There is the sound of a DOOR, and JODI walks out of one of the stalls. Jodi is a few years older than the other girls. She is dressed in stable clothes, but her hair is carefully styled and she wears makeup. She is scowling. Dinah and Stevie look surprised at her entrance.

  JODI

  (nastily; to Dinah)

  Your riding class is canceled.

  Dinah blushes. Stevie looks surprised at the older girl’s meanness.

  STEVIE

  (very politely)

  How come class is canceled, Jodi?

  JODI

  Because most people are busy with the sugaring. Also, Mr. Daviet has to spend the whole day at the Sugar Hut, so he can’t teach.

  DINAH

  But Goldie’s here.

  PULL BACK to reveal a horse in the stall behind Dinah. CLOSE-UP on GOLDIE, a perfectly gorgeous and wonderful golden palomino gelding. His eyes shine with friendly curiosity. His beautiful pale mane floats gently in a slight breeze. He stares lovingly at Dinah.

  DINAH

  (hopefully)

  Can we at least go for a trail ride, Jodi?

  JODI

  (rudely)

  Forget it. You know the rules. I’d have to go with you. You’ve got to have an experienced rider along on a trail ride. And I’ve got Mark Carey coming over here in half an hour for a lesson in tacking up. So scram, dummies.

  DINAH

  (meaningfully)

  Uh-huh. I just bet that’s why Mark’s coming over here.

  Stevie suddenly smiles. She has an idea.

  STEVIE

  (innocently)

  Tacking up? Great, I could use some pointers on that. Maybe Dinah and I should just join in on that lesson. I forget, which do you put on first, the saddle or the bridle?

  Jodi gives Stevie a dirty look.

  JODI

  I just had a thought. Stevie is an extremely experienced rider. I’ve heard she’s one of the best riders in the whole state of Virginia, or possibly the whole entire East Coast. So why don’t you two go out alone?

  DINAH

  (eagerly)

  Can we go on the Rocky Road Trail?

  JODI

  Whatever. But don’t tell Mr. Daviet.

  DRAMATIC PAUSE as Jodi looks around to make sure no one is listening.

  JODI

  The Rocky Road Trail has been closed all winter. Mr. Daviet doesn’t want anybody on it until he has a chance to check it out later in the week. So be careful and keep your mouths shut and everything will be fine.

  DINAH

  (trustingly)

  Okay, Jodi. Whatever you say.

  Stevie nods, looking a tiny bit worried.

  CUT TO a few minutes later. Stevie and Dinah are riding through breathtaking Vermont scenery. They are in the mountains, following a clearly marked riding trail.

  STEVIE

  (happily)

  The scenery here is stupendous, Dinah. All this snow reminds me of some of the many things I’ve learned in science class this year. For instance, did you know that the freezing point of water is thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit? That’s the same as zero degrees Celsius.

  DINAH

  (admiringly)

  Wow, Stevie. You sure do know a lot about science.

  STEVIE

  (modestly)

  Oh, it’s nothing. I just always try to do my best.

  Suddenly there is a THUMP. Stevie’s horse, EVERGREEN, jumps in surprise but calms down again quickly.

  STEVIE

  What was that?

  DINAH

  (not worried)

  Just a clump of melting snow falling from a branch.

  Stevie reacts, understands what Dinah is saying, and nods.

  DINAH

  You’ll hear a lot of that at this time of year. The horses won’t even notice it next time.

  At that moment there is another THUMP. The horses don’t flinch.

  PULL OUT to show more of the scenery the girls are riding through. We see the entrance to several trails, including a very steep, mountainous one.

  DINAH

  (points to steepest trail)

  There’s the Rocky Road Trail. Let’s go on it. Is that okay with you?

  STEVIE

  (surprised that she is asking)

  Of course. I love steep trails. And Jodi seemed to think it was safe enough.

  The two girls turn their horses toward the steep trail.

  FADE OUT

  DRAMATIC MUSIC

  NARRATOR (voice-over)

  (ominously)

  Little did those two innocent girls realize the horror and danger that awaited them on the Rocky Road Trail …

  FADE IN on Stevie and Dinah riding at a higher point of the Rocky Road Trail. They are leaving an area thick with evergreen trees, entering a flat, open plateau covered with snow.

  DINAH

  Thanks for filling me in on all the news from Willow Creek, Stevie. Oh, look, there’s a clearing. Why don’t we trot for a while? Maybe we can even canter!

  STEVIE

  (doubtfully)

  On the frozen ground? Isn’t that dangerous? The horses could slip, and we both know the rules. Safety first.

  DINAH

  (ashamed)

  You’re right as always, Stevie. Sometimes I can hardly believe how smart and responsible you are, especially since you’re so cool and popular, too. No wonder everybody likes you so much. Okay, then, we won’t canter. Let’s just try a trot.

  Dinah urges Goldie forward without waiting for Stevie’s reply.

  NARRATOR (voice-over)

  Stevie was worried about trotting on the frozen ground. But she was too stunned by the beautiful mountain scenery to say so for a moment …

  PAN OVER beautiful mountain scenery

  NARRATOR (voice-over)

  … a critical moment that would change both their lives forever …

  DRAMATIC MUSIC gets louder, then fades away as Goldie trots with difficulty through the deep snow on the trail. Stevie, still looking worried, urges Evergreen after them at a very slow, cautious trot.

  STEVIE

  (calling to Dinah, who is ahead)

  Wouldn’t you rather just walk? That would be the responsible thing to do. And we’re both very responsible people.

  DINAH

  (admiringly)

  All right, Stevie. You know best, after all.

  There is a loud BOOM. It’s another clump of snow hitting the ground. It is followed by a loud CRACK. Evergreen flinches.

  STEVIE

  What’s that?

  DINAH

  It’s the sound of ice melting. As the weather warms, the water in the icicles expands—remember that lesson in science class? You studied extremely hard for that quiz, as I recall, although your teacher unfairly marked you down for some minor errors on stuff that wasn’t even in the cha
pter we were supposed to read—and the ice can crack as it melts. It’s a weird sound, isn’t it?

  Stevie nods, and the two girls ride on.

  DINAH

  (pointing, holding both reins in one hand) Look, there’s an interesting rock formation up the mountain, just ahead. We climb on it during the summer, and—

  An extremely loud BOOM interrupts her from somewhere nearby.

  Goldie takes off, terrified by the sound. Dinah is taken by surprise and does her best to keep her balance and hold on.

  DINAH

  AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

  STEVIE

  (reacts instantly)

  Hyaaa!

  She signals to Evergreen, who leaps forward after the runaway.

  DINAH

  (terrified)

  Stevie!

  STEVIE

  I’m coming, Dinah! Hold on!

  Suddenly the woods are filled with the booming sounds of cracking ice. There is also another sound: the sound of wood breaking and rocks skittering and cracking against one another.

  STEVIE

  (gasps)

  Avalanche!

  PAN FORWARD to reveal rocks rolling down the hill, straight toward the trail ahead of Dinah.

  STEVIE

  (pale and scared)

  And Dinah’s riding straight into it!

  PAN FORWARD to show Stevie’s point of view.

  SLOW MOTION Goldie is rearing about thirty yards down the trail. Small rocks tumble down the mountainside through the snow, kicking up puffs of snow and mud. In the middle of it is Dinah, clutching the horse’s mane for dear life. Goldie rears again, standing majestically on both his hind legs, whinnying and screaming in horror, his legs trembling with fear. As soon as he lands on all fours again …

  END SLOW MOTION Goldie bolts. Dinah flies from the saddle and lands hard on the snowy ground. She is obviously too stunned by the fall to move.

  STEVIE

  (gasps)

  Oh, no! She’s landed right in the path of the oncoming rocks!

  QUICK FADE TO BLACK

  NARRATOR (voice-over)

  (dramatically)

  Meanwhile, back at Pine Hollow …

  FADE UP TO

  EXTERIOR Pine Hollow Stables. A sunny early-spring day.

  CUT TO Stable interior. CAROLE and LISA are standing in the hallway. Lisa, a pretty girl with shoulder-length brown hair, is holding the receiver of the public pay phone attached to the wall. She is dressed in spotless preppy clothes and polished high boots, and her expression is very serious. Carole, leaning against the wall beside her, is a cute girl wearing an I HORSES T-shirt. She has a currycomb stuck in her thick, curly dark hair. She is busy cleaning a complicated pelham bit or a cavesson or some other piece of tack throughout most of the scene.

  LISA

  (as she dials carefully)

  It’s time to keep our solemn promise to Stevie and call Phil to tell him she can’t make it to his Pony Club meeting.

  CAROLE

  (a bit distracted)

  Huh? Oh, sure, whatever. Listen, do you think I need to add a little bit of corn oil to Starlight’s diet, since I’ve started jumping him a lot more lately? I do. I think I’ll go talk to Max about it right now.

  She starts to leave. Lisa grabs her by the arm.

  LISA

  (scolds)

  Pay attention, Carole. We have a job to do here. Don’t get flaky.

  CAROLE

  (abashed)

  Oops. Sorry. What’s our job again?

  LISA

  (sighs, then explains patiently)

  We have to call Phil for Stevie. Although I can’t help feeling awkward about it. After all, Phil is Stevie’s beau, her paramour, her inamorato, her sweetheart, her suitor. I can’t help questioning the ethical conundrum of us, her female best friends, calling him on the phone—which, in case you were wondering, was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876—when she isn’t here. It’s just a silly little thing, but I can’t help worrying obsessively over it.

  (sighs again)

  Still, a promise is a promise. And we promised her we’d call him.

  CAROLE

  Oh yeah! I forgot all about that. I guess I was distracted by thinking how Starlight’s mane looks so shiny and beautiful in the morning light. Do you think I should do his mane in high braids before our next lesson? He would look really good like that. Mrs. Reg has some spare thread in her office. I think I’ll go look …

  Carole starts to hurry off again. Lisa drags her back, rolling her eyes.

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR The home of PHIL MARSTEN. Phil, a very good-looking boy with deep, intelligent green eyes and a killer smile, is sitting on the couch doing his homework.

  The phone RINGS. Phil picks it up.

  PHIL

  Hello? Oh, hi, Lisa. How are you today?

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR Pine Hollow, as before. Lisa is speaking on the phone while Carole continues to clean the piece of tack she is holding.

  LISA

  Good morning, Phil. I’m very well, thank you. And yourself?

  She pauses for his answer before continuing.

  LISA

  (politely)

  Oh, marvelous. I’m so glad to hear that you’re well as well. But listen, Phil. I’m afraid I have some terrible news about Stevie. Well, perhaps I shouldn’t say “terrible.” You see, technically speaking, the actual definition of the word “terrible” could be construed to be the same as the word “terrifying,” which this news indubitably isn’t. And, of course, if you want to accept an alternate definition of “terrible,” which is “repulsive or objectionable,” that would also not supply an accurate description of this—

  CAROLE

  (interrupting)

  Give me that.

  She grabs the phone from Lisa’s hand.

  LISA

  Hey! I haven’t had a chance to tell him the news yet.

  CAROLE

  (ignoring Lisa)

  Hey, Phil, I just remembered something I wanted to ask you. It’s very important, so listen carefully. Okay, you know Starlight, right? Do you think he’s better at stadium jumping or hunter seat equitation?

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR Phil’s house.

  CLOSE-UP on Phil’s face. He looks confused.

  PHIL

  Uh, well, I don’t know. What do you think, Carole?

  CUT TO

  CLOSE-UP on Carole.

  CAROLE

  I’m glad you asked! I think he shows so much natural talent that he could be great at any kind of jumping. Why, just the other day I was working with him in the indoor ring, and Max had left up a small course—let’s see, I think there was a post-and-rail, a double oxer, a chicken coop …

  CUT TO the clock on the wall in the Pine Hollow office. The minute hand sweeps forward about fifteen minutes.

  CUT TO

  CLOSE-UP on Carole.

  CAROLE

  (still on the phone; speaking very quickly)

  … and so then I took him through the course one more time, and do you know, his hooves didn’t so much as touch a single rail on any of the jumps! Starlight is perfect. Did I ever tell you about the time he …

  CUT TO the clock again. The minute hand sweeps forward forty-five more minutes.

  CUT TO

  INTERIOR The stable hallway. Lisa is looking at her watch, her expression disgruntled. Carole doesn’t notice. She is still talking on the phone.

  CAROLE

  (leaning against the wall, still talking fast)

  … and then another disease I just learned about is lymphangitis. That’s problems with the lymphatic tubes, which drain fluid away from the tissues of a horse’s hind legs. Their legs can become terribly swollen and may even start to ooze fluid if left untreated. Fortunately it’s treatable, as well as being easy to prevent by cutting back on the horse’s feed on days he won’t be getting much exercise. Then there’s lungworm, which is—

  LISA


  (interrupting)

  Carole! Carole! We have to tell him about Stevie, remember?

  Carole looks annoyed for a second at being interrupted. Then a light dawns in her eyes.

  CAROLE

  (to Lisa)

  Oh, yeah! I guess I forgot about that.

  (into phone)

  Listen here, Phil. Stevie can’t come to your Pony Club meeting. She’s away. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. Lungworm …

  CUT TO

  CLOSE-UP on Phil, looking shocked and heartbroken.

  PHIL

  (interrupting Carole)

  What? What do you mean, Stevie can’t come to the meeting?

  CUT TO

  CAROLE

  (shrugs)

  Huh? Oh, she’s in Vermont or someplace. Maybe it’s New Hampshire. Or New Mexico. What difference does it make? Anyway, I know there’s a stable there, so at least she’ll get to ride while she’s away.

  PHIL (offscreen; through phone)

  But that’s terrible. I really wanted her to come to my meeting. It won’t be the same without her. Things are never the same without her sparkling personality and brilliant wit, of course, but this time they’ll be even less the same.

  CAROLE

  (shrugs again)

  Hey, what can I say? Tough break. So anyway, how’s your horse, Teddy? Have you taught him any more dressage moves or anything? By the way, did you know that the word “dressage” comes from a French word that means “training”? Also, it has been around for ages. In the fourth century B.C.…

  PHIL (offscreen; through phone)

  Wait! Carole, I have to ask you something. Something important.