{Ellie's Dream} Part 1

Hi!
sorry I haven't written for so long. On the first of February was my 10th birthday. I had a 'Little House on the Prairie' party (of course!).
Anyway, here is the start of the story I wrote that won the competition last year. It doesn't have chapters, only paragraphs.

                                ELLIE'S DREAM
Ten year-old Ellie flopped into the porch swing with a happy sigh. It was hard to believe it had already been one year since she had moved to the ranch with her parents. For her it was a dream come true to wake up every morning, pull on her cowgirl boots and go galloping across the ranch. Ever since she
could remember,she had dreamt of nothing except travelling around rodeos,being a barrel racer. She began thinking about the new quarter horse her dad had just bought. He was really beautiful.
"Ellie!" Mum's call broke through her thoughts, "Dinner's ready!"
Ellie called to Dad and raced into the kitchen. Delicious smells drifted up from their Homewood stove.
"How's the new quarter horse, Dad?" Ellie asked eagerly. "Do you think he would be good at barrel racing?"
"Well, I'm gonna try him out  tomorrow." Dad gulped down a spoonful of soup, "Any desert?"
  .............
At lunch time the next day Dad came in mopping his forehead with a handkerchief.
"Waste of money that horse," he muttered. "I'm selling him to any fool who wants him."
Ellie was shocked! He couldn't do that! What about barrel racing?
"You can't Dad!" she cried.
"Ellie," Dad sighed "you know there is no room on a ranch for a useless horse."
Ellie pushed back her chair suddenly and raced out the door. She stopped in front of the corral.
"Spirit!" she called. The new horse turned his head and walked over to her.He is not useless!
Ellie blinked back hot,angry tears.
"Oh!" she burst out so suddenly that Spirit reared up,"I will train you! Starting from...now!"
Ellie leapt into action. She picked an apple from the tree and stuck her arm through the railing.
"Spirit, come on," Ellie crooned softly. Spirit took a step forward. "Good boy!" she whispered. Spirit took a few more steps and nibbled the apple.
"Get away from him!" someone suddenly shouted. Ellie turned,"Mum?" her voice sounded surprised.
"That horse is dangerous, Ellie," Mum scolded, "and useless."
Mum pulled Ellie away. The girl's sparkling, blue eyes suddenly filled with tears,
"Please!" she begged, still sobbing, "Don't sell him!"
Mum sighed, "You'll have to talk to Dad about that", and left Ellie standing alone, crying.
.......