Astra by Chris Platt Page A

pick up a road apple and bounce it off Charlie’s head. “You should have just stopped at thanks ,” she told him. She shook her head, moving toward the stall door. But a loud groan, followed by a rustling of bedding, stopped Lily in her tracks.
    â€œWhoa,” Charlie said, his eyes widening.
    Lily turned in time to see Astra’s eyes open for a brief second, then close again as the gray mare took a deep breath and exhaled with a loud puff.
    Lily felt a surge of hope. She wasn’t sure what this change of circumstances meant. But one thing was for certain: between the fever subsiding and Astra opening her eyes, she could definitely argue for giving the mare more time.

Seven
    â€œCharlie, call Dr. Tison!” Lily ordered as she stumbled to Astra’s side and dropped to her knees. She ran her hand over the mare’s large cheekbone and Astra’s eyes flickered open again for a brief moment. “Good girl.” She spoke softly, encouraging the horse to come back to her.
    Astra took a deep breath and let out another long groan. “Easy, girl,” Lily crooned, her heart breaking at the thought of the mare being in pain now that she was awake. Lily looked up to see Charlie still standing there, gawking. “What are you doing? Get going!” Lily practically yelled. “We need Dr. Tison here now!”
    Charlie ran from the stall and pounded down the barn aisle. Lily could hear him talking excitedly to someone in the tack room, most likely his sister or Thomas. A few moments later, Jill let herself into the stall and settled in the bedding beside Lily. “Is it true? Did Astra really open her eyes?”
    Lily nodded. “Twice, and now she seems to be breathing a little heavier. I think the medication is wearing off. She seems to be having some pain.”
    Jill reached out and smoothed Astra’s tangled mane into place. “I called Dr. Tison. He’s on his way.”
    â€œThanks, Jill.”
    They sat in silence, waiting for the vet to arrive. Charlie hovered outside the stall, kicking at stray pieces of hay and tossing pebbles down the barn aisle.
    Word traveled quickly and soon Mr. Henley poked his head into the stall. “Dr. Tison just pulled in. So Astra’s waking up?” He eyed the still form of the mare dubiously and looked Lily straight in the face. “This isn’t another stalling tactic, is it?”
    For a brief moment, Lily felt insulted. But she knew that if they did insist on putting Astra to sleep, she’d come up with every excuse in the book to give the mare more time. She couldn’t blame Mr. Henley for asking.
    She opened her mouth to answer, but Jill intervened. “Charlie saw her open her eyes. She’s fighting hard to live, Dad.”
    Lily heard footsteps coming down the barn aisle, and Mr. Henley opened the stall door for Dr. Tison.
    â€œSo, she’s coming around, is she?” The vet knelt beside the mare and pulled his stethoscope from around his neck, listening to Astra’s heartbeat. Then he moved his stethoscope to several other spots, checking out Astra’s heart and lung functions.
    â€œShe opened her eyes,” Charlie said. “And she groaned really loud.”
    As if on cue, Astra grunted and twitched an ear. Everyone gasped in surprise.
    Dr. Tison finished his examination and stood, pulling the stethoscope from his ears. He looked at Lily and smiled. “Her heartbeat is stronger and steady. Her breathing rate is elevated, but at this point, that’s a good thing.” He winked at Lily. “I guess we can probably do that blood test now. It looks like Astra might live long enough for us to read it.”
    The mare’s eyes fluttered open again and she looked about the room. This time she didn’t close them immediately. A murmur of appreciation went up from those gathered around the stall. Astra was improving!
    â€œI’ll go get the things I need to draw the blood