• Mystery/Thriller Genre Winner of the 2018 Fruit Awards •
Just imagine, for a moment, that you were trapped; trapped inside a book, a story with no way out. Just imagine that you weren't real, only a character, only a work of fiction. Just imagine...
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I guided Opi down the winding dirt track that led out of the village and towards the distant farmers' fields. The light from my lantern hardly did anything against the thick wall of blackness that haunted the nighttime air. The moon was hidden behind a large bank of angry-looking clouds. A few sprinkles of rain landed on my face and neck. I glanced up towards the fast-darkening sky and gulped down my rising fear. It was too late to turn back now. I had to keep going.
It was a good thing I'd grown up around this area, for I knew the roads well. Opi had never been outside of the town fields before and was therefore acting very confused and unsure of her surroundings. I took it upon myself to guide her through the criss-cross of dirt roads, old tracks caused by the worn-out wheels of heavy wagons, and cobblestone pathways.
Eventually, after a three mile run, I pulled Opi away from the general path and towards a large field thick with dead grass and weeds. This field bordered the edge of our now run-down ranch. We used to let our horses graze here, but no one had been here in so long, it was now in disarray from lack of use.
We had to cut across this paddock to clear the boundary fence-line. As Opi neared the end of the field, I tugged on the reins and called out, "Whoa, girl, whoa."
Opi whinnied softly as she slowed down and came to a halt.
I pulled my jacket tighter around myself, suddenly feeling the biting edge of the cold that nipped at us. I lifted my lantern high above Opi's head and carefully scanned the fence-line. It was overrun with brambles and thick bushes.
However, upon closer inspection, I noticed something else I'd never seen before. Amidst the fling of underbrush was a small yellow sign. It looked fairly new as the light from my lantern reflected brightly off of it's shiny surface.
I frowned, leaning forward to read the black lettering imprinted on it.
K E E P O U T. D A N G E R.
I sat back, my eyebrows raised in confusion and surprise. I never remembered my Dad putting that sign up. He and Mum were always very welcoming to strangers and hospitable and understanding to those who weren't as well off as us. They'd never put up a sign telling people to stay away.
"That's strange, hey girl?" I whispered, addressing Opi. I tried to convince myself that it was completely normal for anyone to have a one-sided conversation with their horse, but in reality, I knew I was only doing it because I was scared and wanted to reassure myself.
Maybe coming back to the ranch after all these years had been the wrong decision.
"Stuff and nonsense!" I exclaimed suddenly, voicing the often-used phrase of my mother. "We're going in and that's that!"
