Trapped with the Beast

Everyone slowly looked up to where the horse leg fell. But nothing was there.

River looked down at the horse leg and it was just a bone. You could tell it was the missing leg from Cinnamon by the hoof still loosely attached at the bottom. Some chestnut colored fur was flaky around the hoof. However everything else was bone-dry.

River felt her stomach do a somersault as she stumbled back in surprise. Her head pounded, partially from the sight of her leg, and partially from her fall off St.Petey a few minutes back. She felt her knees wobbling from under her as she took the sight in. This was not an ideal first day.

Mark had still a hand covering his mouth and he looked at everyone. Kids were crying. Jade and the 9-year old were still off to the side. Since the little girl didn't want to get close again or be left alone Jade never saw what everyone else did.

Mark slowly whispered as he slowly uncovered is mouth "everyone out of the barn" he grabbed people's hands and started to do a fast walk.

Jade followed with the little girl and tried to calm the crying kids.

Everyone was looking around as they walked out. The kids could nearly hear each other's heart beats. The rain was still pouring and it was dark out.

Mark gathered everyone under a big tree nearby. "Listen...I need you to tell me. You will not tell your parents what we saw." Mark said loud enough for the kids to hear him over the storm. "I will call someone tonight. But tell your parents and Sunset Stables May be gone for good."

"It already is!" A boy cried "with That Thing inside!"

"It is probably a bear, animal control can handle." Mark tried to sound calm but his legs were shaking in fear and his whole boy was trembling.

Jade yelled over the rain "Mark! We didn't do a head count! Where is River?!"

Everyone immediately looked back at the barn, Jade's eyes widened. "River!!" She called, there was no reply. River was nowhere to be seen...

When Mark called everyone to leave the barn earlier, River heard a noise. She walked a few steps towards it. But it was too quiet "quiet everyone" she said softly. But the crying and rain overthrown her voice and they continued to leave out of the barn. By the time River looked back, everyone had gone to the tree.

River began to freak out, "did it take all of them?! Did they leave me?! Where is everyone?!" River thought, her heart pounded against her chest, ready to burst out of her body!

River stumbled back and hit one of the metal stall latches with her shoulder. She yelped in pain and fear of what hit her and fell forward.

The horses were all still startled and were bucking and nipping at the stall walls. River thought the horses had a worse time then everyone else, they had to watch their friend get devoured and not able to run out of their stalls. She got up and started to hobble over to them but froze when she heard another noise. It became louder, it sounded like pounding! St.Petey and the others that were in the indoor arena were galloping out.

River's eyes widened, all of a sudden her heart stopped, something spooked them from the indoor arena. She had no time to think and climbed into a stall with a black horse. She heard the "thing" coming out of the arena but didn't dare move to look.

It's breath sounded like a rasp of a diseased animal. The ground scratched like a chalk board as it's feet slowly walked across. The sound of fur sliding against the walls. The sounds eventually faded away.

River hid against the stable door even after the thing seemed to be gone. The black horse paid no attention to River and only stood in pure fear.

River began to breathe again, but all of a sudden the latch to the stable unhitched.