Wild Fire Read Online Free PDF

to me. A little on the chunky side, and she’s even shorter than I am! Her hair’s mostly gray, but she wears it loose down her back with narrow braids on the sides. I wonder if mine would look good like that .
    Kara silently admired Anne’s outfit—a purple shirt tucked into black stretch jeans. Her clothes had a crisp, just-ironed look.
    She looked down at her own ratty tennis shoes, faded jeans, and dirt-smudged T-shirt. When she raised her head Anne was watching her.
    â€œA white fringed blouse and short denim skirt, I think.”
    Kara noticed the stove was now free of grease. Anne had cleaned the entire thing while she just stood there. Way to go, Wako . Her cheeks felt hot. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
    â€œFor the dance on Saturday,” Anne replied. “The hostess must look her best.”
    â€œThe dance . . . ?” Of course. The first guests would arrive Friday, and Dad had scheduled entertainment for Saturday night. Colin was expected to play his guitar and run the portable CD player. She was supposed to lead the line dancing. The thought of standing up in front of all those people made her want to throw up.
    Anne’s hand settled softly on her shoulder. “You will do fine.”
    She said it in such a positive tone, Kara almost believed her .
    â€œI will settle my room now. Your horse has waited long enough, I think.”
    Kara didn’t wait for a second invitation. She grabbed her boots and sprinted toward the barn.
    Lily’s nicker was muffled by a mouthful of hay. The feeder was full. So was the five-gallon water bucket. Someone had spread straw over the hard-packed dirt inside the stall.
    She grabbed a brush from the tack box and slid open the stall door. Ryan skidded to a halt beside her. “Colinmade Star a bed too. And one for Dakota. The others have to sleep outside.”
    Lily started and Kara spoke softly, “Easy, girl.” She turned to Ryan. “Slow down. You know you’re not supposed to run in here.” He hung his head and she relented. “Don’t worry about the other horses; they like to be outside, remember?”
    She heard Colin before she saw him. “Ouch. That’s the third time today I’ve banged my head. We’ve got to get more light in here.”
    The huge wooden barn was at least a hundred years old. Solid log beams supported the hayloft, but the wide loading doors weren’t quite as sturdy, and Dad had nailed them shut last summer. Now they stored hay and grain on a platform down below and used the small side door as an entrance. Not great for the horses, but once inside, the stall aisle was roomy, with a line of saddling stations on one side and rows of saddles and tack on the other.
    The housing stalls where Lily, Star, and Colin’s buckskin, Dakota, stayed were at the far end of the aisle.
    â€œI got a light.” Ryan took off in the direction of the voice. Colin had just come around the corner when Kara saw a flash and smelled sulphur.
    Her skin tingled in a rush of fear, then anger. She was halfway down the aisle before she saw the match was out. Colin had a grip on Ryan’s shoulder. When he saw Kara coming, he stretched out his arm as if to keep her away. “It’s okay, Wakara. I’ve got the matches. Nothing happened.”
    â€œThat’s not the point!” She could hear the fire in her own voice. Cool it. Yelling will just make it worse .
    Ryan was already sniffling as Colin handed the book of matches to Kara.
    â€œWhere did you get these?” Her voice was calm, but she couldn’t keep out the edge of anger. How would Mom have handled this?
    Ryan’s voice was strained. “From the drawer in the kitchen. I’m putting together a survival kit. You got to have matches in a survival kit.”
    Colin’s mouth twitched, and Kara flashed him a warning with her eyes. “In the kit, Ryan Sheridan, not in your pocket. You