Wild and Free #1: Freedom

CHAPTER FIVE: THE BLACK HORSE

Outside, Sable stands in the gently falling rain, watching the flames devour the barn, the place he was born and raised in. The place he spent many long, happy hours with Claire. The place his mother grew to love Mr. Timmons's father. He lets out a sad neigh, as if saying goodbye to the only home he has ever known.

Unexpectedly, his neigh is answered. Surprised, he spins around to face the tall hill in the distance. There, standing at the top, is the mysterious black horse. Sable stares in awe.

This strange black horse does the same thing that he did the last time he was here; he rears up on his hind legs, lets out a piercing neigh, and then runs off into the forest. Only this time, Sable isn't going to let him get away without first finding out more about him.

From inside the house, Claire also hears this strange horse's neigh. Hoping that it may have been Sable's, she rushes down the stairs and out the front door, where she sees her horse.

"Sable!" she hollers as she sees him near the collapsed barn. But the flames are still crackling loudly, so Sable is unable to hear her. Realizing that he is no longer in any fence or stall, he runs after the black horse and into the deep forest. Claire watches sadly as he disappears into the night.

Sable runs so fast into the forest that he almost crashes into a tree. He darts out of the way, and comes close to tripping over a rock. He searches and searches for the black horse, but the mysterious stallion is nowhere to be found. He jumps over a few logs, and then stops and looks around. He has no idea where he is.

Rather than turning around, though, he continues his search. He goes deeper into the forest, making all kinds of twists and turns. He goes right, then he turns left, then another right, and then another left... Yet he still cannot seem to figure out where that black horse went.

Realizing that he should probably get back home now, he begins to search for the way he came in. But he ran so fast, and took so many turns, that he can't remember which way he came from. He wanders around the forest, continuing to go deeper into it. He takes a few more turns, which only confuse him even more.

I might be able to find my way around here, if only it weren't so dark! He thinks to himself.

Stopping once again, he realizes how tired he is. Exhausted, he finds a comfortable place to lie down, closes his eyes, and then falls asleep. I'm sure I'll be able to find my way home in the morning, he thinks just before drifting off into a deep sleep.

The next morning, he finally wakes up. He has no clue how long he has been asleep, or how to get home. And the forest is still extremely dark. Even the rays of the bright morning sun are not enough to completely penetrate through the thick leaves of the trees. Desperate to get back to Claire and the humans he loves, he continues to wander deeper and deeper into the forest, little to his knowledge.

After a while, he realizes that he is hopelessly lost. He finally stops and looks around, taking in all of his surroundings. Suddenly, a few feet into the distance, he sees an opening of light in the thick forest. He runs toward it, and comes out on the other side of the forest.

What he sees takes his breath away. He is looking upon a lush landscape of bright green grass as far as the eye can see, rolling over many hills, short and tall, with the sun's yellow rays shining brilliantly upon all of it. The sun is hanging in a bright blue, cloudless sky, adding to this beautiful scenery. There isn't a house, barn, or any type of building in sight. The forest is all around, forming a circle around this beautiful picture, as if fencing in its beauty.

For a moment Sable just stares in amazement. A strange feeling comes over him, one that he has never known. He is not locked up in a fence, where his running room is limited. He is not stuck in a tiny stall with a closed door. He is free, with no one to stop him. Over and over, his mind repeats the same phrase: