Flash

14-year-old Connor forms an instant, deep bond with the chestnut colt Flash after spotting him for sale. He resolves that he must own the horse and spends time imagining the future they could share. This early attachment sets the family’s efforts into motion to buy Flash.

Connor starts working at the local grocery store to raise money for Flash and discusses the plan with his widowed father and grandmother. The family is financially strapped, making the goal seem distant but still worth pursuing. The decision to work signals the start of a long, slow plan to secure the horse.

David considers taking a five-month stint in the merchant marines to help with mortgage payments. He ultimately signs on, knowing it will keep the family afloat but pull him far from Connor. With a portion of the signing bonus, he buys Flash for Connor.

Shortly after David leaves, the bank seizes the signing bonus to cover past‑due bills. Laura must take a job at the local textile mill to help the family survive. The loss forces new sacrifices as the family’s financial plans unravel.

While working at the mill, Laura suffers a heart attack and dies not long afterward. Connor is left to face the loss and care for the family on his own. Her death deepens his resolve to honor her memory through Flash’s future.

To cover Laura’s funeral expenses and honor the woman who raised him, Connor sells Flash to the Rutherford family. The horse moves into Tad Rutherford’s care, linking Connor’s plan of rescue to a new, painful arrangement. This sale sets in motion Connor’s decision to stay close to Flash at the stables.

To remain near Flash, Connor volunteers to work in the stables for free. The Rutherford groundskeeper even offers him a room in the stables after their house is boarded up. He endures difficult living conditions while continuing to care for the horse.

Tad adores Flash, but his father trains the horse harshly as a racehorse and berates Tad for not pushing him hard enough. Tad whips Flash several times, and Flash reacts defensively, injuring Tad. Alfred Rutherford then threatens to have Flash put down.

Angry and fearing for Flash’s life, Connor takes the horse and runs away to stay ahead of authorities. The sheriff is actively seeking them, and their future hinges on keeping Flash out of sight. The journey to keep Flash safe becomes a desperate escape.

Connor and Flash begin a long, perilous trek north to evade capture. They rely on each other for courage and direction, with each mile bringing them closer to safety or ruin. The bond between boy and horse sustains them as they travel.

After four days on the road, they reach North Carolina and Connor wins a county horse race to earn money for the next leg of the journey. The victory offers a critical financial lifeline and validates Flash’s trust in Connor. The win marks a turning point in their escape route.

The race winnings are used to buy train tickets, carrying them at least as far as Trenton, New Jersey. The journey remains arduous, with Connor injured along the way, but Flash keeps moving. The plan is to reach David and reunite as soon as possible.

Despite a leg injury on the train, Flash carries Connor onward toward New York. Connor reaches David just as he finishes a voyage and collects his pay, and the two are finally reunited. The moment signals the end of their long separation and the beginning of a new chapter.

News of Connor and Flash’s journey spreads, and the town gives them a hero’s welcome back in Breckenridge. Alfred Rutherford storms in, furious and threatening to arrest Connor and have Flash put down. Tad defends Connor, admitting Flash belongs to him and that Connor’s actions were justified.

Tad sides with Connor, returns Flash to him, and their family finds a sense of closure. With his father David by his side, Connor takes Flash home to Breckenridge. The story closes on a note of resilience, as they begin rebuilding their lives together.