The Sinister Ride by Andreas F. (ebook reader library .txt) 📕

It was late, a night of storm and rain. Outside the old trees were tousled by the weather`s wrath which made their knotty boughs groaningly brush against the roof of the house. The sky was ragged by numberless clouds looking dark and weird but also - in an indescribable way - very exciting.

This was the time when she decided to go for a ride. So she left the house taking the bridle with her to look for a horse. It seemed to be the warmest autumn night of this year. It was full of uneasy whispering and sweltering air that somehow smelled, as if lightning was near. People usually have the most nightmares on a night like this, so she knew that it was the right time to go on a ride.

There were a few houses in the neighbourhood, owened by some superstitous farmers who had fixed a horseshoe to the front door. They also had a big dog chained up near the chicken-shack, so she knew she had to be very careful.

The whole house was locked. Only one window was half-open, where she managed to wriggle through, transforming herself into a cat. Inside the building it was dark, but not dark enough for cat`s eyes, and she found the way to the upper story, where she then silently opened the first dor she discovered.

There she found the horse. He was sleeping unsuspectingly with disheveled hair and lips that seemed to move, but there were no words to be heard. So she came nearer, slowly and carefully moving, until she stood right before him, and then she put the bridle round his neck and mounted him.

At first it seemed that he didn`t realize what was going on. But just one moment later he suddenly opened his eyes and the sleep was all gone. Now he noticed the weight lying heavily upon his chest. He twitched with a terrified look in his face, gasping for breath, but every attempt to free himself was unsuccesful. It was too late, the headgear was fastened and the ride could begin ...

With one enormous leap the horse jumped through the window down onto the wet ground which he rooted up with restive hoofbeats, but she managed to keep him in check; and then they left the ground, climbing up into the sky, into the wild and restless wind, which carried them away from the land, further and further away; the storm and its incredibly exiting noise were now all around her, and she enjoyed the flying leaves and raindrops splashing against her face; the further they went, the colder was the air; in the distance she noticed the first flashes of lightning, and she wished this ride would never end.

She felt the horse`s body shivering and finally noticed that he was out of breath, so they had to return. They rode all the way back to the place where they had started, back into the house, into the room, until she finally dismounted and let him get his breath again. While he was still gasping she quickly removed the bridle and slipped away.

When she reached her home again a heavy thunderstorm began which would chase away the hot air above the ground. And before she went in she looked back to the sky with a smile on her face, feeling as if she had been reborn by the kiss of the storm she just had received ... or forced the storm to give her ...

Text: (C) Andreas F.
Images: (C) Caro Sodar using material from 123rf.com (Nr. 19720306)
Publication Date: 03-24-2014

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