- Ah-lam goes with her mother Ming to the Taming Center on a snowy morning, where they see a white mare named Thorn that will be transported to their new home in the country.
- Ah-lam is surprised to learn that her family is moving to a new home. At the new home, Ah-lam asks to ride Thorn and falls off when the horse bolts, but is unharmed. That night, Thorn escapes from her pen.
- Ah-lam goes out in search of Thorn and gets lost in the woods, hearing wolf howls. She finds Thorn and rides the horse back home, latching the pen securely. Her successful domestication of
1. Lost In Snow
Taming Center - 9:10 AM-Tuesday
It was a winter morning. Snow fell from the light grey clouds. The snow covered the ground like
a white sheet. Ah-lam had gone with her mother, Ming to the Taming Center. Ah-lam’s black hair blew
back in the cold wind. Ming opened the door to the Taming Center. Ah-lam walked inside. Ah-lam was
still cold however; she was beginning to warm up. She now wished that she had stayed home with her
brother, Jai. Ah-lam thought her 19 year old brother was lucky to stay home. Ming closed the large door;
it made a large bang that made Ah-lam jump.
“Now let’s go Ah-lam.” Ming said in a soothing voice. Ming began to walk down the hall. Ah-lam
hesitated for a few moments. She soon turned too caught up to her mother. Then Ming opened the
door to the stable. Her mother went to one of the stalls for the horses. Ah-lam had heard about the
horses that were going to be tamed. Ah-lam saw her mother stroking a white mare. “This is Thorn; Mr.
Johnson is going to transport her to our new home in the country.” Ming Explained. This was the first
time Ah-lam had heard of this ‘new home.’
Ah-lam turned to look at Ming. “What do you mean new home?” Ah-lam asked. Ming seemed to
not want to make eye contact with her 16 year old daughter. Ming then looked at Ah-lam. “Well, we are
moving.”
Morrison’s New Home-1:02 PM-Wednesday
Ah-lam lies on her small cot, staring up at the roof. She stood up to look out the window to see
her brother and mother getting Thorn into her pen. Ah-lam went down stairs and put in her coat. She
opened the door, closing it behind her. Al-lam wanted to ride Thorn, thinking it would be fun. “Mom,
can I ride Thorn?” Ah-lam asked with pleading in her eyes. Ah-lam’s eyes were soft. She thought that it
was the only bright side of moving. Ming smiled at her daughter. “Sure, but Thorn is a little wild, so be
careful.” Ming warned. Jai and Ming held the rope tight to keep Thorn steady. Slowly Ah-lam climbed
onto Thorn’s back.
Then Thorn began to move. Jai and Ming lost grip of the rope. Soon Ah-lam fell off of Thorn and
without hesitation; Ah-lam got up and ran to Jai and Ming. Ming hugged her, happy that she was okay.
They all got out through the gate without a word. Shocked from what had happened, they forgot to put
the latch down on the gate.
2. Morrison Home-11:21 PM- Wednesday
That night, Ah-lam woke up. She woke up to a dark cloudless sky. Ah-lam looked out the window
to see that Thorn wasn’t there. Ah-lam quickly went down the stars, trying not to wake up Ming or Jai.
Ah-lam grabbed her jacket and went through the door. She began to run, calling for Thorn. Ah-lam
hurried, looking for Thorn. They have only begun to domesticate horses and Thorn was one of the first
batches. She had not thought out her plan. She then stopped, listening to the howls of wolves. Scared,
Ah-lam turned tight, away from the noises. She soon became lost.
Ah-lam then heard steps and wanted to run, but saw Thorn. Ah-lam walked towards her,
swinging her arms around Thorn’s neck. Ah-lam climbed onto Thorn, holding her mane. Thorn began to
run, taking Ah-lam back home. When they returned, Ah-lam opened the gate and Thorn walked into her
pen. Then Ah-lam latched the gate, so it wouldn’t happen again. The next morning, Ah-lam woke up,
tired from last night.
Well her family sat down for breakfast she began to tell them what happened that night. How
Thorn had got out to when he was riding her home. Her mother smiled, which was good. This meant the
domestication of horses was getting somewhere, and this meant that the future would be brighter for
China.
By: Chelsey M.