The Golden Bridle (Open novella contest)

Chapter 8

Louise's POV

I open my eyes on our fourth day on the Isle of Wight and something feels different. Something deep inside me knows that something is going to go down today. I look at my sister and know she can feel it to, even stronger than I can.

"Our good friend Goliath is up to something?" I ask Ella.

"Yeah, I would say David has got a surprise for us."

"Pegasus, what is your take on this?"

"The chimera is on the move, I hope you're ready Louise."

"Do you know where?" I ask

"Unfortunately, no. I don't know why I can't track my oldest enemy but I can't. I can only track the greatest disturbance in the Greek world and that is still, believe it or not, David Ridley."

"Fortunately, the chimera breathes fire and fire is easy to track" Ella points out. "Particularly if you're air born."

I nod and Pegasus also voices his assent through the mind link. Without a second thought, Ella goes to Pegasus and mounts smoothly then reaches out a hand to help me up "got the basketball?" Pegasus asks.

"Oh no, shit, sorry" Ella guides me through the dismount and a moment later I return with a packet of plastic basketballs.

I give the balls to my sister who places them in front of her before helping me mount again. Pegasus can afford a gentler take-off because we are alone and I'm soon once more thrilled at the sensation of flying on his back. Pegasus drops lower over the island then he'd usually dare. It's Ella who spots the first, what looks like a huge blaze coming the south east end of the island. Pegasus heads straight for it banking upwards to make sure we can't feel the flames.

"Yep, this is it. Definitely the hallmark of the chimera, we'll have to follow the blaze." Pegasus says.

Ella and I let Pegasus lead knowing that he's done this before. I look ahead until Pegasus says "look below, there she is."

I've heard so many different descriptions of the chimera, for us it was the first monster of Greek mythology we learned about, so I know what to expect. Lion's body, snake's head and tail with a goats head in the middle of her back, it's the goat's head that can breathe fire. It always sounded a little ridiculous to me but seeing it now, in the flesh I know it's not ridiculous at all. It is a sheer machine of destruction. It's a rather strange collection of animal parts bending together in to a single creature that is way more terrifying than any picture could ever make it out to be. Suddenly, my idea and chosen weapon seem ludicrous but I'm here now and if I don't do something the chimera's deadly rampage could destroy the entire island.

"Are you sure this'll work Pegasus?" I mutter in mind speak.

"It should work in theory, but I'll need her to stop breathing fire for you to get in close enough to put it in to action. It's a waiting game now." Pegasus responds.

As I sit there looking down at the chimera I'm struck by how much it really is the anti-Pegasus. Their vibes are completely different and yet both show the sheer force of nature. And then suddenly Pegasus dips and there is no time for thinking anymore all that matters now is action. I'm aware of the rush of sensations, the wind and the heat in my face, Ella clutching me so tightly as if she's afraid I'll fall off, the weight of the bag of basketballs at my side. I'm looking down at the chimera and I know that it won't win, it cannot win. It just cannot. I grab the ball from the bag, waiting for Pegasus' judgement or my own instincts to tell me when to throw. The waiting seems to stretch in to hours. I know I have to wait for it to breathe fire. I also know that if I misjudge this then we could end up getting baked. The mouth of the goats head opens and something, maybe even a message from Bllerophon starts telling me to deploy my weapons now or not at all.

"Pegasus, I can't do it from this height can you go a little lower?"

Pegasus knows I'm jumpy and aware of the danger I am putting everybody in but he does as I ask, dipping till these only a few centimetres between me and the goat head as it breathes fire. I push the ball down in to the flames watching with satisfactions as it melts right in to the creature's throat. The warrior inside me thrills at this; a battle won. But a part of me is sad, as deadly as it was it was also a magnificent beast and it died in my hands.