My Boyfriend is...?!
Section 1
Allison jumped up excitedly from the couch as she heard the mail-flap in the door open and close and envelopes fall on the floor. Before her parents could react she rushed to the door, brushing her long dark-chocolate hair behind her ear as she flipped through the envelopes anxiously. With a heavy sigh of disapointment she walked into the kitchen, carelessly tossing the envelopes on the table and standing at the sink, looking out the window at the backyard. Her reflection showed a line of tears already running from her blue eyes.
"Why the hell hasn't he written me back yet?!" she demanded of her reflection. "It's been over a month now..."
Her dad came into the kitchen and put his hand on her shoulder. "Aly, please, don't beat yourself up about it. I'm sure he's out there thinking of you."
"Not enough to write me a simple letter," she snorted, but she knew she was wrong about him. She and Chris had been in love for 3 years, and now she was 19 and he was 21. A month ago he'd received a strange letter calling him and his geologic expertise to a remote area in the woodlands a good day away with the speed limits of the roads in that area. He'd promised to write her, and his first letter had made it to her house with their secret words "Ketona abaros' written at the bottom, but in it he'd said he'd gotten lost and was stopping at someone's house to call for directions and to write to Aly. After that letter he'd completely disappeared--no phone calls, no letters, no e-mails, nothing.
"I'm sure he'll turn up somewhere..." At that moment there was a knock on the door, and Aly's dad steadied her as she jumped to run to the door. Her mom answered and Ali listened intently, but couldn't hear the discussion. After a while her mom came into the kitchen, her face downcast as if she didn't want to tell the news.
"Mom, what is it?" Aly asked, nervous. "Is it about Chris?"
"The police found his car broken down and abandoned in the woods...and his bloody torn clothes in the woods about an hour's journey away from the car."
Aly sank to the floor and burst out crying.
* * * *
Later that week it was Aly's turn to assist Farmer McGregor with his animals. The local girl's group had taken it on themselves to help him since his mishap a year ago, and while his shattered left tibia healed the girls would go about helping him with whatever needed to get done. Aly, being a member of the club, was next in line along with her best friend Krissy. Aly and her family were very close friends with Farmer McGregor and occasionally he'd give them first dibs of the produce before shipping it off to market. Being out near the country/urban line was nice---it was a mere twenty minute drive to get groceries one way, and the other way was ten minutes to the open, undeveloped world. Aly was the farthest member of the group from the town, and was McGregor's favorite assistant. She loved listening to his stories and helping him with the animals, especially the horses. On a few occasions he'd tell her about conflicts he'd had with occultists who insisted his farm was on 'sacred land'. He'd never believed it, and had no reason to---the claims had started and ended the same year with no prior or following trouble on the matter. Aly knew that these people were out there---they had dwellings in the woods and on Halloween a dark cloud would rise above the forest to the north. Today, as she walked down the road to the farm, she looked back and saw clear sky above that forest, but felt that something was coming...whatever that something was, she couldn't tell. Right now she didn't care, either...all she could think about was Chris. Tear-stains were still visible on her face as the warm end-of-summer morning sun shone on the age-bleached road. As she passed the orange-gold wheat field, she heard Farmer McGregor and Krissy shouting from a distance, and as her footsteps sped up she heard a loud, wild scream of a horse.
Scared, Aly ran as fast as she could. Being the second-best in the track team, she cleared the distance pretty darn fast, and rounded the corner and raced to the back of the barn in time to see Krissy get shoved roughly to the ground as a magnificent but very dirty and travel-worn horse fell down on all fours only to rear back up with another angered whinny. McGregor was able to walk now but he still had to wear a splint, and it was keeping him from being able to do anything to get to the horse. He caught sight of Aly.
"Aly! Get the rope!!" he shouted, pointing. The "rope" was a long, strong cord with a bare wire running around it that McGregor had successfully used many times over in taming his horses. There was a turn-switch hooked up to a car battery connected to the end of the wire to not only turn it on but adjust the current flow. Aly grabbed it and slung it around over her head, grateful McGregor had taught her how to lasso animals. The horse caught sight of her, and to their amazement settled down almost instantly, its whole attention rooted to Aly.
"What the?" Krissy asked, getting up out of the mud and turning off the meagerly-running hose nearby she'd been using earlier to spray down some old barrels. "How'd you do that?"
"I have no idea," Aly said, slowly putting the rope down, maintaining eye-contact with the horse. McGregor watched in amazement as the horse slowly came over to Aly and stood in front of her. She nervously petted his nose.
"You're all dirty," she said, and he snorted as if he understood and didn't like the idea either.
"Well in all my years...Aly, I think you've stolen my old 'Horse Tamer' title right here," McGregor said, rubbing his neck.
"Well, if that's the end of that, I'm gonna go get washed off," Krissy said, and Aly laughed as she glanced at her friend.
"Can't tell you're muddy against the color of your skin."
"Ha ha, very funny," Krissy said, but couldn't help grinning. "Make fun of me if you want but I'm gonna go get some newer clothes. I'll be back in a bit."
When she left, Farmer McGregor walked closer to the horse. "Y'know, Aly, back in my day it was unheard of to befriend someone like her, but you two are really close to each other."
"'Someone like her'? What, you can't say 'black'?"
"Nah, I personally find it degrading."
"I don't," she said, still petting the horse's nose. "I think it's more of a unique identification."
"It's not politically correct," the old man said with a sly half-grin.
Aly snorted. "Bullshit, I don't give a rip for political correctness. Everything's offensive to someone, you can't possibly avoid it all and it's useless trying."
"Why do you say that?"
"All these attempts to get rid of possible insults are insulting ME. By their logic they need to change that since I'M offended by it," she laughed, and McGregor laughed with her.
"You've got a good point there." He looked over the horse and whistled. "My, this one's a beauty." The horse casually flicked its tail as the old farmer limped around it, inspecting its body. "Nice overall tone...very well-muscled for being wild...I'd almost say this one's a runaway. Without all that dirt and grime I'd say he's a creamy white color, maybe some light dappling."
"Awwwww...poor thing," she said, running her hand through the matted mane. "You gonna keep him?"
"I have to now, he wandered in here and doesn't have anywhere else to go, I don't think."
"He's such a gorgeous animal..."
"Well, he seems to like you, so I'm gonna let you do the honors of washing him down and getting him clean. Good thing there's an extra place in the stable. My other horses are all off with my sons for the regionals, but I don't think they'll do better than fifth place...poor things. But you ahead and get him set up in the pen in the back."
Aly led the horse to the stable, got the cleaning equipment, and ran the hose until it was pretty warm, then began gently scrubbing the horse's body. He let out a low whinny and shivered, and she laughed.
"If I didn't know better I'd say you're really enjoying this." To her surprise he didn't budge or squirm as she thoroughly cleaned him off, and she wondered at him as she pulled at and straightened his mane yet got very little reaction from him, as if he really wanted her to do it. She laughed as she approached his back end, and could've sworn he tried to cross his legs as she reached under him to scrub off his belly and between his legs. She looked back up at him briefly. "Dude, calm down, I've seen enough male horses before." It didn't make him any more at ease and she laughed. "Why am I talking to you like this? You almost seem like you're nervous about me being back here." She laughed to herself as he shifted his hind legs uncomfortably. "What? Afraid I'll see your privates or something? Okay, okay, I'll stop," she said as the leg nearest her moved as if getting ready to push her.
He finally let her finish and she gently brushed him down, and when she was done she wiped her forehead and looked him over. Like Farmer McGregor had guessed, he was a stunning white color, with gray dapples on his back and sides. His mane and tail were a dark brownish-gray color, and as she stood there he turned his head and looked at her with his large, dark-green eyes.
"You sure are a beautiful horse," she said. "I think we should give you a name..." She sighed, her face falling. "Chris would love to see you, I think he'd come up with a name right off the top of his head when he saw you..." The horse came over to her and lightly pressed his nose against her arm. "Know what? I'm gonna call you Chris," she said, rubbing his nose and running her hand along his head. Unlike other horses, his hair wasn't very rough--it was incredibly soft yet still firm. "Okay, big guy, let's get you familiarized with your new home."
By the time Krissy returned Aly had already finished a good deal of the animal-related chores and was tending to Chris. Krissy stopped in her tracks when she saw the white horse.
"Oh my gosh! Wow, he's a prize-winner!"
"Sure is," Aly said with a smile, not looking away from the horse's eyes as she brushed his cheeks lightly.
"Named him yet?"
"Yeah...Chris."
"Aahhh..." Krissy walked over to Aly. "I know he's out there somewhere. They haven't found a body yet, you know..."
A tear fell from Aly's eye. "That still doesn't help..."
Krissy paused. "Well, Farmer McGregor says lunch will be ready in a bit. What still needs to get done here?"
"Hmmm? Oh...uh..." Aly paused, thinking.
"Nevermind, I'll figure it out. You stay here with Chris, he needs some attention his first day here."
"Krissy, that just sounds wrong."
Krissy paused, thinking about what she'd said. "Aly, okay, stop hanging around those other people. You used to be so innocent and now you twist everything I say."
"Restraining comment on innocence," Aly said, and laughed. Krissy rolled her eyes with a humored grin and walked off. Aly turned back to Chris. "If I could I'd take you home with me...oh, geez...okay, not in THAT sense, but I think our old compost house would make a good stable. It doesn't smell anymore and we hardly use it for anything..." Chris nipped her gently on the shoulder and she laughed. "Oh, so you like me now? I know what that kind of nipping means, boy." She laughed to herself. "I'm talking to a horse as if he understands every word I say...I know animals are intelligent but I don't think they understand English."
In another hour Aly heard Farmer McGregor ringing the lunch bell, and she turned to Chris as she put away the brushes. "I'll be back when I'm done, don't you worry." She walked off, expecting him to start pining, but to her surprise he just casually stood there in his pen. The whole way to the house she expected him to beckon her back, but as she stepped through the back door he didn't make a peep.
"Something wrong, Aly?" McGregor asked, seeing her shake her head in amusement.
"Y'know how most of the horses I've helped train don't want to be left alone their first day?"
"Yeah..."
Krissy swallowed what she was eating. "Don't tell me...he wants you badly."
"No, actually...I mean, I think he still wants me, but he's not making a sound in disagreement. Up until now every horse I've helped train hasn't wanted me to leave, but he...he's just in there on his own. I told him I'd be back after lunch..."
"We've got ourselves a rarity in there," Farmer McGregor said, handing Ali a thick paper plate of fried chicken. "Actually, Aly, Krissy and I have been going over my payments and such and assessing costs...with me havin' a busted leg and all, and the disarray things are getting into even with your group's help, I can't afford to house him."
"We can start a fundraiser," Krissy suggested.
"No we can't," Aly sighed. "Remember? We're booked the whole month with other projects."
"Oh...dammit, why do I always forget?" She bit hard into a chicken leg.
"Well, I only have enough to keep him here a week, and I know the other girls can't take him in..." the old farmer sighed. "And there aren't many good stables nearby. That horse is one of a kind, that's for sure, I can tell just by lookin' at 'im."
An idea came to Aly's mind and she set her plate down on the counter she was standing next to. "Well, if I can clear it with my parents, I can probably take him in. I mean, I've got enough saved up...I think..."
"What, you'd put him in that old compost shack in your backyard?" Krissy asked, somewhat in disbelief.
"Yeah, Dad's got tons of lumber left over from his last construction gig, and it's scheduled to be burned since we can't use it and no one seems to want it...I don't think they'd mind if I put it to good use."
"There's an easier alternative," McGregor said. "If....hrm, HRM!" He gagged on a small piece of breading and coughed a bit, then cleared his throat and continued. "Sorry...but if you finance his care--food, water, the basics--I can house him. You'd just have to drop by and care for him. But you do that anyway with the other horses."
"Lucky," Krissy muttered. "Aly, you're so lucky you live so close to here."
"I'm sorry, Krissy..." Aly said, feeling the jealousy in her friend's voice.
"Don't be sorry, there's nothing to be done about it. But if it'll help, I can help you split the costs."
"But don't you need that new laptop for college?"
"Oh bah, it can wait another two months," Krissy said, waving her hand dismissively. "You're not going to college so you've got time to make money, I can help you get started. You need it more than a laptop that I probably won't use much at all anyway."
"Krissy, are you serious? I'd hate for you to lose out on something you need..."
"And I'd hate to see that horse go homeless or you unable to help him," Krissy replied with a grin. "C'mon, friend-to-friend support. Besides, I know Chris would want you to. Both of them."
"Both?" The old farmer turned to Aly. "You named him Chris, huh?"
"Yeah...I hope it's fine with you..."
"Hey, he likes you out of the three of us, it's fitting you should name him."
It was agreed--Farmer McGregor would house the horse, Aly and Krissy would split the costs of his upkeep, and Aly would stop by whenever she could to care for him. They finished their lunch and got back to work. Aly went back to the stable to Chris and he neighed happily at seeing her return.
"Well, good news, big guy," she said, leaning on the metal gate to his pen, "if everything works out you've got a home here and I'll be stopping by every day, if I can, to take care of you." He nipped her on the shoulder again. "Damn, if I didn't know better I'd think you understand me word for word." As she stroked his face she caught a look in his eye, a very understanding look it seemed like. There was something that drew her attention in those eyes...she couldn't place it but there was something about that look...
That night Krissy and Aly departed from Farmer McGregor's amid a downpour. Krissy screamed and laughed as Aly splashed her, and after a vicious splash-battle they ran from each other, laughing and shouting "See ya later!" as they went opposite ways down the road. Aly ran as fast as she could down the road. She knew the way home, and could see the bright lights of her house faintly from where she was, but as she ran and shook the rain out of her face, a strangely icy chill suddenly permeated the air, and a whistling wind picked up and screamed in her ears. She swallowed her panic, feeling a malevolent presence nearby. It was a month and a half until Halloween, and she knew something was at work in preparation as she tore down her driveway and bolted into the house, the wind slamming the door shut behind her.
"Aly?! You okay?" her mom called, rushing to the door. "Some guys dressed in black came by here asking for you just a few minutes ago, you didn't see anyone coming back?"
"No, I ran the whole way here non-stop," she panted. "Something's at work again, Mom..."
"I know..."
Aly went to bed not too long afterwards, having had dinner at Farmer McGregor's as usual when she worked her shift there. She flopped onto her bed in her underwear and a loose white V-neck, wishing that bra hadn't been the last one in her drawer.
"Chris...where are you? If you're dead...please, send me some kind of sign...if you're alive, come back..." A tear rolled down her face and she turned over on her pillow. "I really miss you...why'd you have to leave?"
Her dad knocked on the door lightly and she pulled the covers over herself before saying "It's open". He came in with a small mug of warm milk for her.
"Hey Aly...thought you could use this after your long day today."
"Thanks," she said, sitting up and taking the mug. "Um, dad? Can I ask you a question?"
He sat down at the foot of her bed. "Something bothering you?"
"Farmer McGregor has a new horse that appeared on his land today, and..."
"You want him?"
"Well, yes, but McGregor's already opted to house him...if I can finance his care. Krissy says she'll split the pay with me, and I need to go check on him every day if the agreement works out. He's an absolutely magnificent horse, dad! If he were younger I'd try my hand at training him for regionals!"
"I don't see a problem with that, seeing how we can't afford to get you through college. But isn't the horse a little...wild?"
"Oh gosh no! He was going berserk when I got there but soon as he saw me he settled down. If he isn't a runaway, he's a pretty damn tame wild. The other horses I've helped train can't stand being left alone their first day---he's perfectly fine so long as I tell him I'll be back later."
"Sounds like you've got yourself someone to look after..." Her dad sighed and stood up. "Well, go ahead. I'd rather you take care of a horse and possibly go on to a better career in that field than sit around and mope while waiting for letters."
She drained her mug and her dad took it. "Thanks, dad."
He smiled and left the room, closing the door behind himself.
* * * *
The nexy day was cold and gray and depressing, and Aly trudged along the road. Her boyfriend was on her mind...the police had called that morning to say, once again, that no further leads had been found in the case, but it did seem had had tried to find shelter in an abandoned, rotted shack in the woods. Pieces of his clothing had been found about twenty feet away from the doorstep, so they suspected he'd been ambushed. Aly was upset---if he'd been ambushed and his clothes had been torn and blood-stained, and he'd been out there for who-knows-how-long, there wasn't much hope for him anymore. What was odd about the clothes, though, was that they seemed stretched, as of someone far bigger than Chris had tried to put them on but only succeeded in ripping them in the process.
As she neared the wheat-field she heard a familiar horse scream.
"Oh no... not again," she groaned as she heard two girls screaming. She raced headlong into the yard and stopped when she saw who it was. Victoria and Jem, the group princesses. Aly couldn't help but laugh as they both screamed at the white horse and fussed about the mud on their clothes. Aly calmly walked forward and caught Chris' attention, and to the two girls' utter surprise the white horse instantly settled down and trotted over to her. "Oh look, the mud-queens," she said, and mockingly bowed towards the two girls. "Looks like Chris here doesn't approve of snots."
"And what's a bitch like you doing here?" Victoria asked, going a bit red in the face. "We're the ones helping today, get outta here."
"Big help, getting the new horse all riled up," Aly said, petting Chris' nose. "Come on, Chris, let's go for a walk, you need the exercise."
"Hey, he's our horse!" Jem shrieked. "We found him here!"
Aly laughed, doubling over---she couldn't believe this. "Oh ho, is that right? Who's he responding to here? Who's the one who cleaned him and took care of him yesterday?"
"Is there a problem out here?" Farmer McGregor asked, limping out of the house. "Who took Chris out of the stables?"
"We wanted to ride him out on the track," Jem said nervously, and McGregor glared at her.
"You know the rules, young lady---no rides without my permission. But for Chris, he belongs to Aly, so you'll report to her about him. Now, if I remember correctly, I asked you two to barrel up the vegetables out back? It's off that way." He pointed off to the far end of the yard.
They both glared at Aly in rage and jealousy. "No little bitch gets around us that way."
Chris suddenly rushed forward at them and they took off screaming, and he stopped where they'd been standing. He snorted and turned back to Aly. Both she and the farmer were pleasantly surprised and laughed at him.
"What was that?" Aly asked, petting his face again. "Boy, I swear you understand every word said in your presence!"
"You takin' him for a walk?"
"Yeah, though I don't know how he'll like the mud on the track..."
"If the sun comes out it should dry fairly quick...I assume your parents are fine with the arrangement?"
"Yep. I just need to know how much is needed to feed and care for him."
"I'll give ya the sum later today after I've sorted out my other bills." The old farmer headed back into the house and Aly took Chris to the large track. As she walked him, her thoughts turned back to her boyfriend and she sighed. The horse nudged her, and she looked at him and to her amazement saw a sad look in his eyes, as if he was asking her if she was okay.
"I'm fine," she said, looking at the ground. "I just...I really miss my boyfriend...he's been gone for a month now...and the police say his car broke down two weeks ago..." A tear fell from her eye and Chris pressed his head against her shoulder as they walked. She brought her arm up under his jaw and held his head against her shoulder, and to her surprise met no resistance. "Seems I've got a new friend," she whispered. After a while of silent walking an idea came to her head and she looked at his back. "What do you think?" she asked, looking back at his face, "dare I try bareback riding with you? Those old saddles don't hold well and dig into the back awfully bad..."
Chris stopped and she looked at him quizzically. "What, you want to try it?" The look on his face seemed to be a yes, and she tentatively walked to his side. With a powerful shove of her legs she pulled herself up onto his back, and he snorted a bit under her weight but held steady. With that she urged him forward, and as they went around the track they slowly sped up until Chris was going almost full-gallop. He seemed to know what he was doing---the mud was slick but he never faltered, and sometimes he'd leap over a puddle or slick spot.
After a good twenty times around the track Aly coaxed him to a stop and she slipped off of his back, laughing.
"Wow! Were you a racehorse before you came here?" she asked, rubbing her hands against his neck. He whinnied softly and she could have sworn he said "no". His breath was heavy but not as tired as she'd expected. "Come on, let's get you a drink and some food."
That night brought more rain, but luckily Aly had gone home in the afternoon and brought an emergency sleep pack with her in case she got rained in while tending to Chris. Chris's pen was right next to an empty shelf used for storing bales of hay, and it was easily strong enough to support Aly's weight. She set her stuff up there, and sighed as her thoughts again turned to Chris...where the hell had he disappeared to? By now he should've found at least SOME kind of civilization or somewhere to send a message for help...but then again, if he'd really been attacked...
The white horse whinnied softly at her as tears fell from her eyes, and she went into his open pen and leaned against the short wall.
"Oh Chris...I really want my boyfriend back," she said as the magnificent horse nudged her shoulder. "I wish he hadn't gone off on that job...I wish he was here with me right now..." She looked up and saw his face right in front of hers. "And one-way dialogues get kinda dull after a while...I wish you could talk..."
Her heart almost stopped as she heard a voice say "Oh, but I can..."
Sector 2
Aly looked around wildly---where had that voice come from?! There was no one else in the small stable...she turned slowly back to Chris, her heart racing.
"I'm losing my mind...now I'm hearing voices..."
"Really? I only hear yours," the voice said again, and Aly stared at the white horse---the words had come from HIM.
"It...it can't be..." Her face was white. "Oh no, I'm delirious now..."
"I thought you were Aly, but I guess I can live with Delirious," the horse said jokingly.
"You can't...you can't be serious?! Are you really talking?!"
"Well, who else is there in here?" Chris asked, looking around. "I know there's mages out there but I don't feel them anywhere near."
She slumped against the wall, landing on the floor in shock. "I can't believe this..."
Chris nuzzled her. "I'm scaring you, aren't I? I'm sorry...I just couldn't stay quiet any longer...especially not after finally seeing you again."
Something about his tone caught her attention and she looked at him. "Huh? What do you mean, seeing me again?"
Chris looked at the ground and nervously scraped his hoof on the dirt floor. "Aly, this may shock you out of your pretty mind, but..." He sighed. "Remember the outing on the cliffside? The words 'Ketona abaros', 'I'll always love you' in our secret language?"
Her mind exploded...those words!! No one else knew those words but her and Chris!!
"Chris...it...it can't be...oh my gosh..." Tears started falling down her face. "No, this is a dream, it can't be! You're out in the woods dying from an ambush!"
"No," he said, pressing his nose against her hands. "Please, Aly, calm down...I know it's a shock but it really is me, you're not dreaming."
"Then how do you explain the fact I'm talking to a DAMN HORSE that claims to be my boyfriend?!" she shouted angrily.
He sighed heavily and lay down, tucking his legs by his sides. "Aly, please...settle down and I'll explain. Maybe things will make more sense when you've heard me out."
Aly slowly calmed herself, wanting to know how this was possible, and when he was sure she was ready to listen he told his story.
* * * *
"Damn piece of SHIT!!" Chris yelled as the engine coughed again, and he kicked the door in frustration as the car slowed down to a stop and rattled as it shut down. Swearing under his breath he got out, slammed the door behind himself, and took the tools and stuff out from the trunk of the car. "Stupid piece of mechanical crap..." He lifted the hood and jumped back as steam suddenly shot out at him. "All the affordable cars, I get the shit-on-wheels mobile...sorry, Aly, but if technology would actually work FOR me and not AGAINST me like it's SUPPOSED to, I'd be getting back a HELL of a lot SOONER," he shouted, kicking the front fender with his heel with each enunciated word.
After an hour of tinkering, swearing, and the smell of burnt flesh coupled with fading daylight, Chris finally gave up, and nearly broke his hand as he slammed the hood shut. The car was pretty much totaled now. As he paced along the road, his mind racing with anger and desperation, he suddenly realized---he didn't know where he was, and his other map had been stolen at the development area along with a few expensive tools, and his cell phone had gotten crushed after falling out of his pocket. He knew he was a good two hours' drive from the nearest house, but that meant a good who-knows-how-many hours of walking. Unable to think clearly in his state of mind, Chris then did a very stupid thing---instead of waiting inside his car for the night, he took his coat, a flashlight, and the long knife he kept with him at all times and headed into the woods to see if he could find something or someone that could help.
An hour and a half later his flashlight died.
"Well, isn't this just great..." he grumbled, shaking it. It lit up briefly and in the flash he saw what looked like...a mailbox? He walked closer... Yep, a mailbox at the end of a dirt path in the middle of the woods. "What the hell?" he asked, utterly confused. The path began at the mailbox and snaked through the thick trees, and as he followed it he saw lighted windows up ahead---there was a tiny log cabin sitting in a small clearing. Something didn't seem right about all this...a path that begins and leads nowhere and a house in the middle of said nowhere... "I thought that was an old folklore story," he said to himself, "witches can't be real..." As he edged closer, hiding behind the trees and trying to keep out of sight, he heard footsteps behind him and whipped around. There stood a young teenage girl dressed in loose jeans and a gray hoodie, carrying a large load of sticks. She seemed very surprised at seeing Chris.
"You look lost," she said. "You need a place to stay or phone home?"
Chris paused, but after some hesitation he nodded. She beckoned him to follow and, undecided, his feet took over and he followed her to the log cabin. His mind was racing--something was terribly wrong here. This was too unreal...the mailbox, the path, the cabin, the girl...something wasn't right.
She opened the door and left it open for him to follow her, and as he cautiously edged up the stairs he heard her placing the wood in the fireplace. Inside, it was warm and well-lit...but somehow it...it didn't seem like everything was there.
"How'd you get out here? Car failure?" she asked, moving the candles on her table around.
"Uuhh...yeah. I was..I was on my way home from a job..." She seemed friendly enough, but something about the way she smiled was a bit unnerving...almost as if the questions she asked were pre-planned and he was answering them the way she expected. Chris kept examining the single room inside the cabin, trying to place what didn't seem right about this.
"I take it you don't have a cell phone or anything on you? Seeing how you came wandering out here?"
"It got broken at the job."
She nodded...a bit too triumphantly, he thought.
"You okay? You look like you're seeing things."
It suddenly clicked---two colors were missing from this entire place: red and white. The wood seemed off-color because it had no red tinting to it at all. The fire was an odd yellowish color, no red or orange to be seen at all.
"I know where I am now," he said, edging to the door. "Thanks, but all I needed was some cool-off time. I think I'll be fine now." He went to go through the door, but it suddenly slammed shut of its own accord. He whipped around and saw her grinning at him.
"And where, exactly, are you?" she asked, stepping closer.
He set his face. "I'm in a witch's house in the middle of nowhere."
"A MAGE's house," she corrected him, standing right in front of him. "Times have changed...and I've been very lonely here the past thirty years. No one to talk to..." her hand reached to his shoulder, "no one to test on..."
He went to knock her hand off him, but her free hand caught his wrist and with surprising strength she clenched her fist around his arm.
"Let me go!" he demanded.
"I've waited far too long for this," she said, backing him against the wall. "I took so long preparing the spells and contrivances to get you here... The foretold boy destined to relieve us of our sorrows...stop struggling and it will be over in mere minutes."
His red-belt karate training kicked in and he took her completely by surprise as he moved his arms and shoved off the wall, tossing her across the room. He elbowed the door and broke it free of its hinges, and pushed his way through. He yelled as a vicious explosion suddenly sent him flying a good twenty feet off the front porch, and he painfully rolled over and looked up to see her standing in the doorway, scowling viciously at him.
"If you will not accept my hospitality, then be on your way!" she yelled. "But first, a little parting gift from all of us who have been awaiting you."
There was a brilliant flash, and a searing pain suddenly ripped through Chris's body. When the light died off the house was gone. Before he could stand up, a powerful spasm took him over and his shirt ripped as he contorted in pain on the ground. His clothes suddenly felt tight against his body, and his sleeve suddenly popped and a piece of it fell to the ground. Chris didn't have time to wonder; he was in intense pain, and as he looked around, he saw glowing eyes looking at him in the dark forest---wolf eyes. In his panic he ran, and yelled as his clothes restricted his motions. The wolves snarled and gave chase, and two of them lunged at him. Chris screamed as their claws ripped down his back and sides, tearing his clothes right off of him as they finally burst. His voice didn't seem right as he yelled in pain, still running, and he suddenly tripped and skidded along the ground. The wolves came right up to him, but he suddenly flashed and they took off yowling in fright. Chris passed out almost instantly.
The next morning Chris woke up feeling like he'd drank fifteen beers---his head throbbed mercilessly and he couldn't stand up straight. In fact, he couldn't stand up properly at all...something felt completely different. He looked around slowly as his mind gradually kicked back into gear, and he froze as he looked back behind himself. Why was there a horse's back behind him? He tried kicking, and to his surprise the horse's corresponding leg kicked. He looked down at his arms and saw that he was standing on all fours, and his arms now looked like a horse's forelegs. He tried moving his fingers, and only got a faint twitch of the hoof he was trying to move. He had no fingers...
A panic gripped him and he clumsily stumbled through the woods on his four legs until he encountered a small pond. Instead of the human face of Aly's boyfriend, he saw a white horse looking back at him out of the water.
"No..." he groaned in utter disbelief, sinking to the ground in shock. "It wasn't a dream..." He flopped onto his side and closed his eyes, desperately wishing it would all go away, that he was back home with Aly... "Aly...how can I go back to her like this?" he moaned, a tear running down his white cheek. "How can I get back at all? I have no clue where I am..." He stopped and listened---what was this? "Wait, I can talk?" he asked himself, listening to his own voice. "Well what the hell..."
He slowly stood up, his mind ablaze with thought. If he was a horse now...he didn't need to drive his car, or even worry about food, and he could most likely find his way home now...but then again, he couldn't talk to anyone to ask for directions...and Aly, how could he even approach her? She'd never believe her ears if he started talking to her, and even if he did, there was nothing to do about his transformation...his curse...that's what it was, a curse from an angered witch...
He finally decided that he should at least try to find Aly or some route back to the city. After hours of wandering he finally found his car, and backtracked along the road until he recognized some landmarks and familiar locations. Making his way back to the job site at a full gallop he found his way back to the main road, but as night fell he took to the surrounding forest.
* * * *
"And...you eventually made your way here?" Aly asked as he stopped.
"Yeah..."
"But you and Krissy get along so well, why were you going berserk?"
"That's another thing...the mages, as they like to be called, have been tormenting me with dreams, and sometimes I can't tell if I'm dreaming or if I'm awake. They've also sent 'double-dreams' at me, where I repeat the same thing over and over...I thought, when I got here, that I was in another of those dreams until you came along."
"Why me?"
"You weren't in my dream, so I knew it had to be real." He looked up at her. "Something as beautiful as you can't possibly be a bad dream."
"SomeTHING?" she asked incredulously.
"Well, when you've become an animal it doesn't seem as derogatory as humans make it out to be."
"I think I see your point..." After a while she giggled to herself.
"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Now it makes sense why you didn't want me washing you...back there."
She could tell he was turning red even though it wasn't visible under his white coat of hair. "Well, I guess it can't be helped now...but still, it's just so awkward."
"Chris, I really don't care," she said. "You know I've worked around horses for five years now."
"That still doesn't help."
She paused as she looked at him. "I feel like you're hiding something about all this..."
"Well, I am, but it's even more unbelievable than what happened to me. I'll tell you later."
She yawned, and jumped as thunder suddenly cracked loudly outside. Chris snorted, his ears folding back.
"I forgot, you don't like thunder," she said.
"Being a horse, it's even more unbearable," he said, shivering.
"Well, I've been rained in here...it's way too rainy outside for me to head home safely."
"Stay here," he said, looking at her again. "The mages are abroad, for three reasons: one, they're looking for you; two, they're looking for me; three, it's nearing Halloween, their night of glory."
"Why are they looking for me?"
"The witch told me I was supposed to do something to assist them...I have a feeling that you and I are somehow connected to what they have planned."
"Well isn't that typical...just like a movie. Boy and girl get thrown into an adventure together."
He looked at the ground sadly. "I guess..."
"Chris, what's wrong?"
He sighed. "Now that I'm...a beast of burden and you're still human-"
"That doesn't matter," she said, cutting him off and sitting closer. "You're still Chris...just in a different appearance." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're at least alive...I was so worried when the police told us about finding your car in the woods..."
"Oh, believe me, I wanted to get home...but it's been two weeks since my car broke down, hence all that grime you so nicely cleaned off me."
"Where were you, anyway, that would get you so dirty?"
"That's part of the thing I haven't told you yet," he replied. Aly opened her mouth to reply but instead her body took over and she yawned loudly. "I think you should get some sleep, you've been wearing yourself out looking after me today."
"I think I will..."
She clambered up to the hay-shelf where she'd set her stuff and rolled out her sleeping bag. Chris leaned his head up to watch as she slid into the sleeping bag and closed her eyes.
"Long week, huh?"
"You have no idea...oh wait...well, maybe you do," she replied, and yawned, slowly falling asleep.
The next morning Aly woke up rather early, sensing she wasn't at home in her bed. It took her a few seconds to get her mind going, but she finally remembered why she was in the stable and looked down. She leapt out of her sleeping bag in shock---where was Chris?! His pen and the stable doors were wide open...did he go outside?
As she started for the door his head poked around the open stable doors and looked at her.
"Oh, you're awake already," he said, coming in and walking up to her. "Sorry if I scared you, I was...relieving myself. Didn't wanna wake you up."
"Well, I should've known you'd come back instead of running off," she said, running her hand along his face. He pawed the ground and his ears went back slightly. "Who is it?"
"I don't know...they're coming this way though."
He fell silent and followed her out as she got him some hay and a few carrots. Over by the barn she saw Zelda and Ingrid, the group tomboys, assisting Farmer McGregor with the harvest shipments. They were solid-built girls but still somehow stayed (relatively) slim and somewhat feminine in appearance, and Aly shook her head as that thought came across her mind. She reached over her shoulder with a carrot and giggled as Chris took it from her hand.
"Damn I love these things now," he whispered when he finished chewing it. "There wouldn't happen to be any apples around, would there?"
"Well, I can grab a few from home when I go back today," she whispered back, pretending to be fumbling with the hay. She didn't want anyone to notice she was talking to him. "C'mon, get back inside." She followed him back in and placed the hay in the steel manger near his pen. As he ate she brushed him and saw a faint smile as he turned his head slightly to look at her. "You like this don't you?"
"Coming from you, of course."
She eventually finished, and ran her hands through his mane. His skin twitched beneath her fingers and she smiled evilly, running her hands across him teasingly. His skin jerked under her and he snorted, pawing the ground.
"Cut it out, I can't hold myself back when you do that."
"What? Am I arousing you?" He snorted in reply and she laughed. "Okay, fine, I'll leave you alone. You're too fun to tease though, Chris." As she passed by his ear she whispered "I could be so evil to you now that you're a horse..."
"And I could be evil right back with my new kick-ass strength," he grinned back, shutting her up.
"Okay, okay, I get the point. Now you be good and stay here, I'm gonna go home so Mom and Dad don't freak out, and I'll be back with some treats."
"You talkin' to the horse?" came Zelda's voice, and Aly jumped.
"Oh, Zelda...yeah. Talking to MY horse, actually. McGregor's housing him but I'm financing him."
"He's such a gorgeous horse!" Zelda said, running her hand lightly along his coat. "Aly, I'm jealous now...first you get a hot boyfriend and now this beautiful stallion...how do you do it?"
"Life just likes me," Aly said with a shrug. "Chris here isn't too good around strangers though, he's only good right now because I'm here."
"You named him Chris? I heard about what happened..."
Aly looked at the floor. "Yeah...there hasn't been any news on him..." She side-glanced at Chris with her eyes and their eyes met briefly before Aly looked back up. "I really miss his nightly hugs he used to give me..."
"I know he'll turn up someday, Aly." Zelda looked at her watch. "Ah crap, I gotta go. Nice seein' ya and Chris here." With that she left, and when she was sure Zelda was out of earshot, Aly turned to Chris and he smirked.
"Boy, you had to sneak that in there, didn't you? I'd so hug you if I could but I'm way to heavy to even think of trying."
"I'm sorry...but I really do. I miss our nightly cuddles..."
He nipped her shoulder gently. "Well, we can curl up here at night..."
"I have a life at home, y'know," she said, but couldn't help smiling as she petted his nose.
"I know...I can't stay in that old compost-hut behind your house?"
"No...mom doesn't like the idea of having a horse without a fence. And a fence is too expensive for us."
He neighed softly, thinking. "And it doesn't feel like rain anytime soon..."
"You just want me to be here, don't you?"
He flicked his tail. "Well whaddaya expect? I've been gone an entire month and I'm still not over the trauma of being forced into an animal form."
"So now I'm supposed to pity you?"
"That'd be nice, but I was joking."
Three weeks passed by slowly. Every day Ali tended to Chris...and to her group's rumors. Word had gotten around incredibly fast that she now owned the new horse at McGregor's farm, and every other day she found someone gawking at Chris. Someone even offered to buy him from her, but she declined every offer. Someone had tried to steal Chris, but had only succeeded in a large hoof-shaped bruise on their back. As Ali walked down the road she kept mulling over the fact that someone had yet again tried to steal him just last night.
"I know he's a gorgeous horse but why? Why steal him? He's too old to train for regionals or any kind of race, and he's too good to be a workhorse." She shifted her backpack on her back and sighed. She had her sleeping stuff with her again, and as she walked she felt the moisture hanging in the air. Rain was on its way...a big storm at that.
As she walked into the stable she sighed and hung up her backpack. Chris pushed his pen open and she noticed the look in his eyes.
"Something wrong?" she asked.
"I can't help worrying about my parents...I know you've talked with them but I still can't help worrying..."
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "They're fine, Chris...I talked with them two days ago. The fact that I'm positive you're alive out there has kept them going...but dude, we need to get you outta that skin and back as the boyfriend I knew so well."
Chris sighed and shook his mane when she let go. "I hate knowing they're worried..."
She leaned to his ear. "You wanna tell them about...yourself?"
"No...they would never believe it."
"How can you know for sure? If you're really worried, they should know you're still alive."
"But look at me!" he said, stepping away. "You remember your reaction to me talking; what do you think they'll do?"
"But you proved yourself to me!"
He shook his head. "No, I'd rather not give them a heart attack..." He looked up towards the doorway, his ears forward.
"Something up?"
"Someone just drove in to McGregor's driveway..."
"I'll go see who it is, you stay here."
"Well where the hell else can I go?"
"Point..." She walked out, leaving the stable door open, and went down to McGregor's house. She walked through the doorway...and froze.
Section 3
"Hi, Aly, we were looking for you."
Aly's voice stuck but she swallowed the bubble. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Baros..."
"The police said they found evidence that Chris is still alive and we wanted to make sure you knew," Mr. Baros said. He held up a broken watch. "They found it a mile away from the car, along with some shreds of clothing that match Chris' from the cabin."
"That's wonderful!" Aly said, but something in her was very apprehensive. Chris hadn't been wearing his watch when he was transformed, she'd asked him about that only a week ago.
"We also heard about the new horse...mind if we come and see him?" Mrs. Baros asked.
Aly's mind jammed. "Umm...yeah, sure...but he's really nervous around new people, especially adults now that several people have tried to steal him."
"We'll keep our distance."
Aly sighed. "Lemme go get him into his pen in case he goes nuts." Chris's parents nodded and Aly rushed out to the stable. Chris looked up and raised an eyebrow as she came in out of breath and looking scared.
"Aly? What's up?"
"SHHH!" she hissed, running up to him. "Your parents are here and want to see 'the new horse' I've been looking after!"
His pupils dilated. "Oh shit..."
She looked at him, really worried. "You wanna tell them since they're here? If you don't it'll only make it worse if you do later on...it'll make it worse for both of us."
He hung his head, his mind racing, and she ran her hand through his mane. "Fine...I don't think it'll go over well after having them think I'm dead for a month and a half..."
"I'll go get them...you think about how this'll work. I told them you'd be in your pen, so get in there big boy." He sullenly walked into his pen and Aly closed the gate and rushed off to get his parents. Chris stood there, his mind on fire.
"Oh shit, oh shit...Aly, what've you done letting them see me?! I just know Mom'll faint and Dad'll have a heart attack or something...they won't believe this at all...what the hell can I tell them?! Maybe I'll just let Aly bring it up..."
Not too long after she'd left, Aly came back, and Chris pawed the ground nervously as his parents came in after her. They stayed back at the door while Aly went and opened Chris's pen. At a glance Aly knew Chris needed her to bring something up so that he could sidle into the conversation. Mr. and Mrs. Baros looked in awe at the white horse as Aly brought him to them.
"Aly...he's so gorgeous..." Mrs. Baros said, obviously admiring Chris.
"How could a horse like this be a stray?"
"Aly...is something wrong?" Mrs. Baros asked, seeing Aly looking very apprehensive.
Aly and Chris looked at each other and Aly sighed with determination. "Well...yes, something is wrong...but I'm afraid you won't believe it at all. It's about Chris..."
"The horse?"
"Well, yes and no. It's about both him and Chris...your son."
Their faces went grim. "Aly, are you hiding something from us?"
"Not any more...Chris, you wanna take it from here?"
Mr. and Mrs. Baros looked at her oddly, and Chris audibly sighed, his head hanging. "Mom...Dad...please don't freak, but I'm what she's been hiding...it's me, your son..."
Mr. Baros stared at him, an indeterminable expression on his face while his wife just gaped in shock and disbelief. He laughed. "Nice trick, Aly, but it's really cruel."
Chris shook his mane with a snort. "It's no joke, Dad! Look at my mouth, it's me talking! And yes, I am talking!" His parents just stared at him in pure shock and he looked down. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't be so cross..."
His mom looked at Aly and she nodded. "Believe it or not, this horse here is indeed Chris."
"I-i-it can't be..."
"It is..." Chris said heavily. "When I finished at the job site, I headed home...but someone apparently hijacked my car and I broke down in the woods, as you've no doubt heard. I stupidly went into the forest to look for help...and instead I found a lone witch. I tried to run, but she cursed me into this form and sent wolves on me, hence the torn and bloody clothes the police found. I wandered back along the roadway and eventually ended up here, and Aly's been looking after me since then. I'm so sorry, but I was afraid that if I asked Aly or anyone to tell you, or if I came home as I am, you'd completely freak out..."
Mr. Baros just stood there, his mind blank, but Mrs. Baros timidly reached out and petted Chris's nose. "Chris...oh my gosh..."
"Wait, how do we know you're our son and not just some random victim?" his dad asked suspiciously.
"No one else would remember you cutting your hand open stealing from the cookie jar at midnight on August 12, 1993, and that you needed 15 stitches for it because broken ceramic is unforgiving...or Mom laughing an entire spaghetti strand out of her nose at dinner two years ago when she was drunk and you cracked a joke. What was it...oh yeah, that stupid beaver thing that happened ten years ago."
His parents just stared at him in shock again, and Aly resisted the laughter at the visual of his mom laughing spaghetti out of her nose. Mr. Baros finally cleared his throat and crossed his arms. "Well, uuhhh....this is indeed surprising, but I'm not happy that you both hid this from us."
They both looked at the floor. "Sorry..." Aly looked back up at them. "But your initial reaction is what he was afraid of."
"As your parents we have the right to know what's going on," he continued, looking at Chris, but Chris glanced up and shook his head.
"Dad, I'm self-sufficient now, I don't really need to be reporting my every move to you. You told me that anyway just before I got my job."
A small argument followed, but by the time the Baroses had to leave things were mostly settled, although they were still in disbelief of what had happened to their son. As they left, Aly paused and turned to Chris with an apprehensive expression. "Chris, I just realized...they're gonna tell my parents sooner or later..."
"Well get home then! Don't let me get you in trouble."
"Why not?!? I agreed to look after him!!"
"We can't trust you!" Aly's dad pounded the table. "We told you not to keep secrets from us!"
"Dad, you're not listening! I'm old enough to be on my own, why do I hafta tell you and mom every little babystep of my life?!"
"Because we care about you and don't want you getting into trouble! You're not going back there until we can trust you again!"
Aly slammed both fists on the table. "SHUT UP!!! Chris and I were gonna tell later, when things had calmed down!! I'm over 18, Dad, I have a life of my own and you really have no right poking your nose into my business anymore!! If I make mistakes, I'll learn from them, that's life! I know you're afraid for me but you're going too far with your protection!"
"Now listen here-"
"SHUT UP AND LISTEN FIRST!!" Aly wiped her eyes quickly. "Dad, I know you're upset with me not going to college, but you yourself told me that if I make a deal, I need to stick to it, and you're mandating that I break my deal not only with McGregor, but with the girls and even Chris and his parents! I'm Chris's caretaker now, and I'm too old for you to be grounding anyway! What matters with the secret is that we were waiting for the right time to tell you, we weren't hiding it in some buried treasure chest in the ocean-mud!" Her dad gaped at her and she glared right back. "I've finally found Chris after an entire month of worrying about him, and I promised to look after him and help him find a break for his curse. If you can't accept that your daughter is finally trying to be herself, tough luck. I'm sorry for exploding, but you crossed the line when you told me to go against what you've taught me. I'm upstairs now; end of argument, do not come up to pick a further fight." With that she raced upstairs and threw herself on her bed.
"That girl..." her dad growled, but stopped when he felt his wife's hand on his shoulder.
"She had a right to blow up. You were setting up a double-standard there."
"But we don't know if his curse will backlash on her or something!! Is he even Chris Baros?"
"Settle down. I'm just as worried as you are, but Aly's a very smart girl. I think she also felt insulted because you're trying to do her thinking for her...give her some credit, okay? She may not be in college but she's got a good mind and a sharp intuition."
He sighed and buried his face in his hands. "She's the last of the kids...I don't want anything happening to her. You were there, you remember the final words."
"I know, honey...I know. But she's also got McGregor helping her and guarding her. Chris is a good guy and cares about her, he'll be there for her as well."
"Every time that clock ticks we draw nearer to Halloween..." His hands hit the table. "I'm scared for her...the darkest time of the year draws closer...they're both targets. She won't give up so easily as she did last time..."
When Aly was upset, she had weird dreams, but the one she had that night topped them all...she'd gotten used to occasional fantasies about the horses at the farm, but as she fell deeper into the dream...she was making out with Chris?! The surprise woke her up with a jolt, and she groaned to herself... "Shit, gotta get the towels again..." she grumbled, feeling the damp sheets and her wet underwear. "Damn wet dreams..." She yawned and groaned, forcing herself up off the bed and stumbling a bit with a headrush. After quickly but clumsily changing her clothes she grabbed some towels from her closet, put them on the bed, and grabbed her sheets and pillow and went downstairs to the couch.
At that moment there was a loud, rapid knocking at the door, and McGregor looked through the window and gasped. "Aly! Hide in the closet! It's them again!"
Aly flung the foyer closet open and hid inside, holding as still as possible as McGregor opened the door.
"Is this the McGregor farm?"
"Don't yeh play stupid with me, I recognize that damn symbol on your shoulder! What the hell do ya want this time yeh trespassin' warlock?"
"It's MAGE, sir," the mage replied very crossly. "All we want is the horse and the girl. We'll give you no more trouble from now on if you tell us where she is, and if you hand over that horse."
"First it's mah property, now it's someone else and her horse?!" Aly shrank back against the wall as he opened the door quickly and took out his shotgun, closing the door quickly again. "YOU GET OFF MAH PROPERTY NOW!! I know yer damn cult don't have a counter for bullets, and even with a busted leg ah'm still the best around with a gun!" Aly heard him prime it and level it on his shoulder, followed by hastened footsteps down the porch. "You dare come on mah property again, or if'n ya hurt or do ANYthing ta Chris or Aly, so help me I'll hunt ya down and blow ya ta pieces!" Aly cringed and withheld a scream as a sharp crack came from the shotgun, followed by the retreating screaming of the mages. "AND DON'T YOU DARE COME BACK OR MAH GUN'LL ANSWER THE DOOR FOR ME!!" He snorted and slammed the door shut, opening the foyer door and putting the gun away. "Aly, come out, they're gone!"
"Did you kill one of them?!" she asked, scared now.
"Nah, just shot shy of the last one's feet." He looked at her and she saw fear in his eyes. "No doubt they'll be angered with my stubborness...Aly, yeh'd best flee with Chris. Halloween's comin' up awful fast and they're intent on findin' yeh. I fear they'll burn your house down or somethin'."
"But I can't just leave my parents..."
"I'll talk with them. Head into the wood with Chris, keeping a northeast direction. Them damn warlocks and witches don't camp around there; it's holy ground, an old church used to be there. From there you should head ta the east."
"But..."
He put his hand on her shoulder. "Aly...yeh're one of my best friends here, despite our age differences. I don't think my heart would last long if somethin' were ta happen to you and I did nothin' ta help. Go. Go with Chris. I know your parents will understand. They've dealt with mages before. Don't ask them about it, just go."
"But...shouldn't I get some food?"
He brought her to the kitchen and produced several Zip-loc bags of various foods---meats, vegetables, diced fruits, etc. She put them into her backpack, along with several bottles of water he handed her. "For Chris," he said, handing her some apples and a package of his homemade dried carrots. "Be careful out there. There's one last thing I need ta give ya."
"Huh?" She followed him upstairs and he reached under his bed and produced, to her confusion and wonder, a dusty but graceful sword and its scabbard. From the leather scabbard hung a shoulderstrap that could also double as a belt for her pants.
"This saved mah life years and years ago against them damn magic-wielders...take it with ya."
Sensing an impending darkness, she slung the belt across her shoulders, and McGregor laughed and she blushed as she adjusted it between her breasts and then put it under so it wrapped around her stomach instead. She looked out the window and groaned...the sky was swirling rapidly. "Oh shit...here they come..."
The old farmer ushered her down the stairs, and from the closet he produced a blue cloak. She tossed it on and headed out the door into a wild windstorm. Lightning flashed overhead, and Aly whistled loudly and Chris came running from the stable. She slung herself onto his back and they both looked at Farmer McGregor.
"GO! FLY AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!" the old man shouted, slapping Chris hard on the rump. Chris whinnied loudly and shot off, Ali holding tightly to his neck.
"Northeast!" she shouted, and Chris aligned himself and galloped as fast as he could. Thunder smote their ears as he vaulted the tall fence surrounding the property, and he snorted and ran a bit faster.
"Ali, your sword! You'll need it!" he shouted as they neared the forest. She reached back, pushing the cloak out of the way, and drew the sword from its sheath. It was a bit heavy but she could still use it, and she stayed low to Chris's back, gripping onto his sides with her legs like McGregor had taught her to. The sun was still shining through the clouds, but the wind was relentless, and on top of that there were hideous, moaning voices in the air, chanting incantations against the two. They reached the forest, and Aly looked back. Five black horses and their black-cloaked riders were in hot pursuit of them, weapons in hand. Suddenly they were right next to Aly and Chris, and with a loud yell Aly drove her sword home through one horse's shoulder. The creature screamed loudly and to Aly's shock it turned into a skeleton and kept going.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!" she screamed, and ducked as a mage on her other side swung at her head. She'd had no training in combat at all and was beginning to freak out.
"HANG ON!!!" Chris shouted, and Ali grabbed his neck and screamed as he sidelined the horse next to him, forcing it roughly against a tree and making it trip and stumble into the path of the ones behind it. This left Aly with two to fight instead of five. The live horse came up next to her and bit hard into Chris's withers and its rider engaged Aly in a fierce but brief fight. With a sweeping blow Aly knocked its weapon from its hand and then brought her sword around and stabbed it through the neck. The mage fell off, its weight dragging the saddle and forcing the horse to trip. She then turned to the skeletal beast next to her, and screamed in sheer fright when she saw its rider. It was a boy, about her age, but his skin was bone-white and clung to his bones unbelievably tightly. What was worse, his eyes were glowing a savage yellow, the same color as his pointed teeth. His weapon was like a skeletal arm, and he swung the bone-shaped metal blade at Aly. She just barely blocked it, but the impact forced her sword back at her face and she yelled in pain as it cut her.
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME!!" she shrieked, blocking another blow, this time a bit more successfully.
"HANG ON!!" Chris shouted again, and Ali looked quickly ahead and ducked as Chris ran under a low-lying branch. Their enemy wasn't so quick, and Aly barely heard the clatter of bones behind her as the horse fell beneath its rider. "We're almost to the church!"
"We'd damn well better be!" she shouted back. More mages were after them, swinging wildly through the trees. She screamed as lightning flashed past her and smote a tree, covering her in splinters and hot embers that burned her skin. The tree goraned and toppled over, its branches just barely missing them. Chris whinnied in pain as he crashed through some branches with his chest and his shoulders got scratched a bit deeply. The other mages were swinging through the trees like some kind of rare breed of elite rabid monkey, carrying all sorts of hideously-crafted weaponry. One of them carried a glowing pumpkin, and its eyes shone briefly and a bright blast of fire flew from it and surrounded the fleeing pair. Chris screamed and bolted through the fire, getting stung by the heat but not burned. Up ahead, in a clearing, sat the steeple and ruined body of a chapel, the cross at the top still gleaming as if it had just been placed there hours ago. The mages drew back and Aly shrieked as she looked back and saw a cloud of homing bolts flying at them.
"Doorway once, hallway thrice, altar jump, portal twice," Chris said to himself. "Aly, place your hand on the symbols you see!" he said, and they raced into the building as the magical fire descended on them. Chris came to a skidding stop and reared up defensively as a mage suddenly appeared before them. Aly saw a symbol in the doorway and touched it as Chris kicked the mage in the head. He stomped right through the wizard's chest and Aly cringed and coughed back throw-up as she heard his hoof kill the enemy. Chris went down a shallow, long flight of stairs into an underground "bomb shelter" with a long hallway, and Aly just barely made out the symbols on the walls as sunlight shone through the clouds outside. Chris raced as fast as he could to the end, Aly touching the weird patterns as they passed, and Chris came to a sliding stop and slammed right through an old wooden door. His back got scratched, and Aly got caught on the top part and was thrown off hard. She heard Chris scream and lash out, and several more mages lay dead in the room. Chris jumped over the stone altar in the center of the room, then led Aly through another door. Standing there were two faceless statues, their closer arms angled up to form an arch while their free hands reached out palm-up to onlookers. Chris's ears folded back. "Aly, touch their palms and close your eyes, this is about to get ugly."
She nervously touched one statue's hand, and shrieked as it glowed and moved into a closed fist. Mages warped into the room behind her as she touched the second hand, and she screamed as one of the evil wizards grabbed her by the hair and held a knife to her throat. Chris screamed and the next thing Aly knew the mage was knocked away from her with frightful strength, dead before he hit the floor. The wall in the archway of the statues began to glow, and in its light Aly turned and froze when she saw Chris.
"GO DAMMIT!!!" he shouted, and she screamed as he threw her into the portal with his huge feathery wing.
That's the end of what I have. You may continue this, however, you MUST follow the rules I have posted in my journal on my profile. Especially giving credit. Please, GIVE CREDIT. I'm being generous giving this for you to use, the least you can do is give credit.
Basic plot:
--Chris is a flying unicorn, cursed to remain in that form forever unless the witch who cursed him is slain and the source of her power destroyed.
--Allison is also a shapeshifter, able to turn into an anthro vixen. She is good with a blade and rather level-headed but not good with stress.
--They explore a strange new world full of anthro creatures, and mst learn to decipher who among these strange people are really mages from their world in disguise. There are five organizations of mages and the members of each must be eradicated to find clues as to where the source of the witch's power lies.
--Chris and Ally end up having to make out in order to gain access to one of the more primitive settlements. Here is part of that:
Aly shivered and Chris folded his wing over her, and she cuddled against his soft coat, loving the feel of his warm soft hair against her bare skin. Chris lay his head down behind her and she leaned against his neck.
"Y'know, Aly...you look a lot better without clothes."
Instead of an outcry he'd half-expected from her, she giggled and turned around so she could see him. Her vagina was at eye-level and she laughed to herself when she saw his eyes widen. "Are you talking to me or something about me?"
"Sorry for staring," he said, turning away slightly, but she rubbed his neck and he looked back up at her.
"Why sorry?"
"Well, y'know, people will look at something they rarely see..."
"You don't need to be sorry."
Aly stifled a cry of pain as his enormous cock slowly pushed past her lips. Chris felt her discomfort and stopped, glancing down at her. "Aly? You okay?" He didn't want to stop, but he forced himself to wait for her response.
She clenched her teeth and nodded. "Yeah...yeah, I'm fine..."
"You're hurt," he said, pulling back out much to his discomfort. "Maybe this wasn't--"
"No, Chris, we both...we both wanted this," she gasped, sitting up. "Pain is only temporary..."
"But if I injure your puss too badly now we'll never be able to properly have sex later," he said, bringing his head by hers. She hugged his neck and kissed his fur.
"Thanks for caring, but I can tell you want it too. We might not get another chance after tonight."
"I think I have a solution," he said, and backed up a bit, bringing his muzzle down her side and over her thigh. He nuzzled her legs apart and stuck his nose to her eager sex, breathing in and blowing out hard. She jumped as small twinges of pleasure shot through her as his hot breath caressed her swollen lips. Her breath again grew heavier, and Chris gradually stuck out his tongue and ran it up over her pussy. He grinned to himself when she moaned and pressed her slit against his tongue, and after a few slow laps with his rough tongue he slowly pressed the tip against her tunnel, and she spread her legs even more in invitation. He took the hint and slowly pushed inside, letting her adjust to the girth of his tongue. Chris almost lost himself to pleasure, his penis all the way up to his chest and bouncing with each breath he took, the taste of his girlfriend's delicious heat encouraging him to go on.
"Oh Chris...please...keep going!" she moaned, gripping the rock tightly and kicking slightly. "Don't stop...feels so good...oooohh...!" Chris twisted his tongue slightly inside her as he pushed it in, stretching her vagina and lapping at her sweet juices. Finally he was in as far as he could go, and he rolled his tongue around inside her for a bit before pulling it back out. She groaned in disappointment, but shuddered in bliss as he quickly pushed back in. Chris looked up at her face and enjoyed her expressions as he lapped at her velvet walls. Aly leaned to the side with a loud moan, and through her miasma of pleasure she glanced at Chris and saw his rock-solid erection dripping with pre-cum and throbbing mercilessly while he pleasured her. She forced herself to push him away from her, and she shivered slightly as the cool breeze blew into her open vagina. Chris licked his lips and grinned at her.
"You sure about this?"
She nodded, panting heavily with excitement. "Chris, you have no idea how badly I've sometimes wanted to do this with the farm animals...and I've always wanted to do it with you. Two birds with one stone, I'd say that's a pretty good deal."
Chris stood over the rock and smiled down at her. "Well...I won't hide it, I've always wanted to have sex with you too. And quite truthfully, I'm curious to see how a human vagina fits around a horse penis."
She lifted her legs and smiled lustfully. "Then fuck me and make both our desires real!" He looked at her with a questioning smirk and she laughed. "Sorry...I've wanted to say that sometimes..."
Chris slowly edged forward, and Aly grabbed the head of his penis and guided it to her waiting sex. Thanks to the exercise his tongue had given her, he had no problem entering her this time. They smiled at each other, and Chris moaned loudly as her puss squeezed his shaft. She screamed suddenly as her walls throbbed against his shaft, and he stopped cold and stared at her with worry as tears ran down her face. She'd felt something tear inside her, but the pain quickly faded and she felt even more pleasure than before from the fullness of his meat. She looked up at him and nodded, and he continued to push in slowly. Aly gasped again and Chris stopped, knowing he'd reached her cervix, but the look on her face was one of anxiety and need instead of pain. They stayed still, both of them moaning softly as Aly adjusted to his girth, his cock throbbing and jerking slightly inside her with his powerful heartbeat. He folded his wings down around her and she gasped, twinges of pleasure shooting through her as he readjusted his stance and the motions moved his penis around inside her.
Again, you may use this but GIVE CREDIT and follow my rules. Have fun!