What if she was wrong? What if the Headless Horsemanwasreal?
Applying more pressure to the horse’s side, the pair sped up as they raced through the field, leaving the town boundaries. As they increasingly picked up pace, they were soon running fast enough that if she were to close her eyes, she could almost imagine herself flying.Instead, she looked ahead at the nearing forest.
Just a bit more, and I’m free.
The forest grew closer and closer, and with it, her excitement began to sing louder than her fear.
No more cruel uncle.
No more town curfews.
She would truly be free.
As they galloped forward, she could see a narrow trail form in the distance.
Find Barkers Trail.
She called on Mr. Halton’s instructions as she pulled on the reins, turning the horse to enter the forest through the opening.
Follow Barkers trail until you reach the other side. Do not turn. Do not stray from the path. And please, escape before the sun sets.
Eleanor looked up as they raced through forest.
Through the canopy, she could see the sun beginning to disappear beyond the horizon, darkness slowly swallowing all in its wake.
“Faster!” she pleaded.
The trees around her blended with the flora, everything melding into blurs of green and brown.
She was close.
Step five.
Like a bad omen, Mrs. Pencrook’s voice was the only thing she could hear as a black figure darted onto the path. Her mare blew out a deep puff of air as she stood on her hind legs, sending Eleanor flying off her back.
Her body slammed full force into a large boulder before hitting the ground.
Limbs screaming in pain, the world around her seemed to spin. She blinked her eyes once. Then again.
The pounding in her head was disorienting.
Eleanor tried to keep her eyes open as a dark figure approached, footsteps growing closer, one after another.
In the distance, she could hear the sound of her horse galloping away, leaving Eleanor to her fate.
She closed her eyes for a full breath before opening them again.
The figure stopped in front of her, and as it knelt down, a dark, gloved hand was the last thing she saw as her body gave in to the exhaustion that was pulling her deeper into its depths.?
Never leave the house on Hallows Eve.
7
OSIRIS
Awedding dress?
Osiris stared down at the woman on the ground, his shadows dancing through the space around him. Keeping his distance from the woman, his fists opened and closed reflexively at his sides. It was dark out, perhaps she did not see him.
