Tales of Gloomsdale #5: The Gallop from Beyond

Chapter Ten

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground again. My head throbbed, but I didn't feel like I had been thrown off. No gasping for air, no feeling of the wind getting knocked out of me. But I had to have been. One minute, I was on the ghost horse, and the next, I wasn't. It felt more like I had waken up from a coma. My head spun as I struggled to shake away what I had seen, which was wasn't easy since I was on the same trail where that terrible accident had occurred.

As my vision cleared, I caught a glimpse of light through the darkness. I knew right away it was the ghost horse. As I reached my arm out, trying to get feeling back into my body, I jumped as I felt my hand connect with something soft and leathery. I realized it was the saddle, the one that had fallen off Midnight on the day of his death. It was all Abigail's family had left of her. Well, aside from that pouch. It was no wonder it was so worn down. I tightly gripped it while glancing around in search of Midnight, but I couldn't see him anywhere.

When I finally caught sight of him, I reached my hand out in relief. He looked just as dazed as me, stumbling slightly while shaking his head. He really looked almost like a normal horse now. I couldn't blame him, with what he had just experienced. It had to be even worse for him. I called out his name, eager to see him alive and unharmed. Then I almost scoffed at the thought. He wasn't alive, of course, but he was there, right in front of me, in some strange way.

He reacted to his name, but not as I expected. As soon as he turned his head to me, a strange expression crossed his ghostly face. His eyes were lowered along with his head, almost saddened. I couldn't blame him, with what he had just experienced. I was about to call to him again when he raised his head. His icy eyes narrowed as he observed me, almost angrily. I saw wisps escape his nostrils, almost like a real horse when angered. I closed my eyes while backing away. I stiffened as I heard him begin to move, thinking he was going to charge at me. But then I realized he was galloping in the opposite direction.

I opened my eyes to see the ghost horse running away like last time I visited him. I called out to him as he faded from view, like he had in the memory. Except instead of fading into a jet black blur, he became a wispy, silvery one. I could only watch as he disappeared into the night, feeling as helpless as in the memory.

I lay there in the middle of the trail, the silence ringing in my ears. I was almost relieved he was gone, so I could get my thoughts together. I still struggled to wrap my head around what I had seen. As I gripped the saddle, I suddenly figured it out. Wearing the saddle, or me riding him, must have caused us to return to the past. Or a memory from the past, since we couldn't interact with anyone. I had forced Midnight to relieve his terrible, tragic death, as if he was still there. It was no wonder he had run away from me.

I shakily got to my feet, staring around in the darkness. I felt like I had landed after falling off the edge of the cliff. I stumbled around while struggling to orient myself, feeling almost as numb as in the memory at first. I kept seeing Abigail and Midnight in the trail and imagining them riding here moments before the terrible accident. I didn't recognize the area, either. Midnight must've thrown me, just like he did to Abigail. I sped up, desperate to be out of here.

I groaned as I stumbled forward, remembering how I had left the saddle lying on the ground. I didn't really want it back anymore, since I had seen more than enough of the past just now, but I didn't like the idea of the old thing lying around this trail. If it really had caused us to go back into the past, or see a memory, it might do the same thing if Midnight came by the saddle again. It was probably hard enough for him to wander the place where he had died. I knew I'd hate to relive my terrible death for a second time, and it would be my fault if he did.

I reluctantly turned back, scanning the ground carefully. I wished I had never brought the saddle with me, but at the same time, I was glad I had. At least it had given me answers, even though Midnight definitely wasn't happy about it. I felt guilty for subjecting him to the painful memory. It was no wonder he had gone jumping off the mountain, desperate to join his long gone rider. I probably reminded him of her.