The Loner

1

The air was frosty cold and although it was just six in the evening, dusk had set in. Leut. Fateh Bir Singh could see the fireflies dancing in the dark through his guest room window. He could hear the leaves of the huge Silver Oaks rustling against each other in the evening winter breeze; he could make out the snow covered mountain tops far far away and he imagined the horses standing snugly against each other in the stable and took a deep breath. The air was cold and it froze his lungs for a few seconds, he exhaled and the war air came out like smoke.

"Buurrhh!! It's cold." He decided as he shut the window. His ears and nose felt very cold as he sat near the fireplace. He put a log in the fire and poured some cognac in a glass. He looked at the glass; the liquid inside it glittered like gold against the golden glow of the fire, he drank it. Fateh could feel it go down his throat, his oeasophagus and finally to his stomach from where the heat spread to other parts of his body like electricity. He looked at the fire and thought about his day. He had arrived here this morning and already he was in love with it. The lush green meadows, the terrace farms on the mountains, the wild springs, the snow caped mountains far away and miles away from the city chaos made this place very beautiful and serene. It was a grand Riding school and he loved horses, ever since his childhood he had been an animal lover and later at the Academy he had taken up the Equitation Course, only to emerge as one of the best riders of the Indian Army. He had his dinner; a palatable Rogan Josh with Romali roti. He fell asleep listening to the rustling of the Silver Oaks outside.

He woke up with a startle as he heard a horse neigh. It was very faint and it sounded as if it came far away but was a little sorrowful. "I hope no horse is unwell!" He thought as he jumped out of his warm bed.

Hurriedly putting on warmer clothes and zipping up his waterproof combat jacket he rushed out into the cold towards the stable. It was in the death of the night and the moon was out, bright as ever; bathing the area with its silver halo. Fateh didn't switch on the flashlight he was carrying, he heard the faint neigh again and he quickened his steps.

"Where the hell are the stable boys?? Careless Oafs!"

He walked hurriedly on the dew wet grass and as he neared the old stable which was a few meters away from the new one where the horses were tied, he saw the most beautiful horse he had ever seen. In stupefaction, he stopped and stared at the horse in awe. It was indeed a very beautiful horse, a white horse that under the moonlight looked silver. He had the longest tail, which looked, like strands of satin. It was a tall horse and it was grazing on the wet grass.

"I have never seen this horse before!" Exclaimed Fateh to himself and took a step towards the horse that was oblivious to his presence. Fateh took a step and accidentally dislodged a broom kept nearby 'CRASH!' the broom hit the concrete floor, breaking the silence of the night. Fateh jumped and the horse turned to look at him; his ears standing erect on its head, giving Fateh his full attention. Fateh, on the other hand was in a state of shock- the other half of the horse's face and neck was burnt. Fateh dropped the flashlight in his fright. The horse cantered towards the forest and to Fateh's astonishment the horse vanished in thin air even before it reached the barbed wires, which separated the Riding school from the forest.

Standing in the cold at sixteen degree centigrade Fateh's forehead was covered with beads of sweat. "Oh My God!!"

Just then the other horses in the stable started neighing and grunting, there was even a shriek from one of the horses. Fateh picked up the flashlight and ran towards the stable.

The stable was warm as compared to the outside but the horses were restless. All of them were standing, pushing against each other, grunting and neighing. They looked at Fateh with terrified eyes.

"What is it Tiger?" Fateh asked the gigantic dun horse tied near the entrance. Fateh tried to calm him and lovingly stroked his neck but Tiger grunted and moved about restlessly. Just then the stable boys entered and rushed to calm the horses.

Half an hour later the horses were still restless but at least they were not alarmed and terrified.

"Are you alright Saab?" Pratap, the senior most J.C.O who was a rider himself asked Fateh.

"Yes..." Fateh was a little shaken but otherwise he was fine.

"Don't worry about the horses, they are fine now."

"But..." Fateh was puzzled and didn't quite know how to ask Pratap about the white horse he had seen.

"Saab..." Pratap said, understanding Fateh's baffled expression.

"Saab, it was..." Pratap's voice fell a few hertz's, almost to a whisper "...the ghost of The Loner!"

***

I hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

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