"So his name is Reaver huh?" Arthur and Heather were in one of the cabins that offered some shelter.
"Yeah...I thought it was fitting."
Arthur chuckled as he warmed himself by the small fire "I don't know about fittin' but it's somethin'. Now seriously, where'd you come from, I know it ain't from anywhere around here or out west, your clothes tell me that much."
Silence filled the small cabin before she spoke "You...you wouldn't believe me if I told you…I hardly believe it myself…" Arthur sighed "How 'bout you think on it for a while? I got some people to bring down here, get them fed and warm." She nodded and whispered, "I know…"
Arthur looked at her "What do you mean 'you know' I just told ya."
She shrank away from him "Again… you wouldn't believe me."
Arthur stared at her and blinked "Right...well you stay here and get warm. I'll be back." He walked out of the cabin and back into the white frigid snow. The second he stepped outside the door he whistled for Taima. "Cmon girl, where'd you go?" He was answered with a distant whinny and the sound of approaching hooves. "Thank God, pretty sure Charles woulda killed me if I lost ya." Arthur grabbed the reins and patted the mare's nose gently "You can't just go runnin' off like that, ya hear?" Taima snorted and lifted her head up and down in a nodding motion. "Good, let's get back to the others." He climbed into the saddle and steered the mare into the direction they had come from and spurred her into another canter.
**********
Back at the caravan things weren't going so well. An older man jumped off the back of the lead wagon, walked to the front, and called over the howling wind, "Abigail says Davey's dyin', Dutch, we'll have to stop someplace!"
Dutch nodded "Okay, Arthur's out lookin' I sent him up ahead a while ago!" The man returned to the back of the wagon and climbed back inside.
Hosea shivered ���If we don't stop soon we'll all be dyin'. This weather….it's May!"
Dutch nodded. "I know, hopefully, Arthur will be back soon and we can all get warm and rest." Just as the two were speaking Dutch noticed a shadow of a horse and rider appear in the distance. "Look!" Arthur slowly came into view of the wagon "Arthur! Any luck?"
Arthur lifted his head and called back over the wind "Yeah, I found us a place! Old abandoned minin' town, it ain't too far!" He trotted up beside Dutch and Hosea "I gotta tell you, I weren't the first to find it." Dutch looked over confused "What do you mean son?"
Arthur sighed "Found some girl and her horse in the stables while I was checkin' out the place. She's…well, she's different, I don't know how exactly but...she's dressed kinda funny, and that horse of hers..." Dutch looked at him confused, "Arthur, what are you talking about?" Arthur sighed and shook his head "I'll jus' have to show ya! Come on!" He moved up in front of the wagon leading the way for the rest of the caravan to follow.
By the time they arrived the weather had only worsened, the darkness of midnight bringing a deathly chill with it. "Dutch, get the women in that bigger cabin to the left for now." Arthur's voice was quiet so only Hosea and Dutch could hear him. "Help me get the horses in that barn over there and I'll show you what I'm talkin' about." Dutch nodded and looked at Hosea "You get everyone inside while I figure out what to do about this girl." Dutch handed Hosea the reins and hopped off the wagon into the snow. A large man, who looked to be a mix between Native American and Black came forward leading a beautiful white Arabian Stallion.
"I hope The Count behaved himself for you, Charles?" Dutch said as he was handed the reins.
"He did just fine Dutch, put up a little fuss at first but mellowed out after a bit."
Dutch smiled slightly and stroked the Arabian's nose as Arthur spoke up.
"You know how The Count is, don't like nobody but you Dutch." Arthur handed Taima's reins over to Charles "Thanks for letting me borrow her, she did real good." Taima nickered lightly in response to the praise.
"Charles, you get inside, rest that hand, and get warm. Arthur and I will handle the horses from here." Dutch ordered as he began heading to the barn
"I'll be fine Dutch." Charles stated which had Dutch turning around to face him "Get inside son, Arthur and I have this covered, now go on."
Charles sighed but nodded and followed the others into the larger cabin on the left side.
"Okay Arthur, show me this horse and girl you were telling me about."
Arthur nodded and walked up to the barn doors and slowly opened them allowing Dutch to enter behind him with The Count. Arthur struck a match and lit a lantern that he had left hanging just inside the barn doors. It was dim but it was enough lighting to illuminate the large black stallion in the very last stall.
"Well, I'll be damned…"
Arthur looked over at Dutch, confused by his reaction "You seen this horse before?"
Dutch shook his head "Not this one in particular no but...I know its type." Dutch hitched The Count up inside one of the stalls closest to the door and started in the direction of the other stallion.
"Dutch be careful, that horse ain't normal." Arthur reached out and grabbed his arm pulling him back. "Let me go first, just in case." Dutch shrugged but nodded and stepped back allowing Arthur to go ahead of him. "Hey boy, remember me?" Arthur held his hands up and approached the Friesian with caution. The stallion looked over at him and snorted gently, his ears rotated fully forwards. "Yeah, that's it...good boy." He got within arms reach of the beast and slowly reached his hand up, patting him on the neck "Yeah good boy." With his other hand, he motioned Dutch over to him.
Dutch moved slowly, but his movement caught the stallion's coal-black gaze and it jerked, rearing its head. "Hey, hey now easy...he's just a friend…"
Dutch looked between Arthur and the horse "You always did have a way with horses Arthur." Arthur stroked its neck gently, calming it once more as Dutch approached it and carefully held out his hand. "Those eyes are...they look so empty…"
Arthur nodded "Like I said, it ain't normal. Should have a look at those teeth, damn things are sharp as daggers!" Arthur slowly stepped back and allowed Dutch to take his place beside the beast.
"What's its name?"
Arthur scratched the back of his neck "Uh, Reaver I think is what she said his name was."
"Reaver?" At the sound of its name, the horse reared suddenly, his coal-black eyes once again flashing that moonstone white as he trumpeted. "Woah! Woah!" Dutch cried out as he stumbled backward away from the stallion "What the hell?!" Reaver sharply turned his head and stared Dutch down with those white empty-looking eyes. Both men backed up slowly, but the beast's gaze never left Dutch, it looked at him like it was studying him like he was staring into his soul. The area around Dutch began to blur and turn dark.
The cave was dark,
water dripped from the ceiling and into the still water around Dutch's feet.
Something didn't feel right,
he had only just been in that barn, hadn't he?
Dutch felt the bitter cold,
was he still in that barn with that monster of a horse?
The air didn't feel right here,
Dutch had a bad feeling like he was in danger.
"Hello?"
Footsteps in the distance
"Is anyone there?"
The footsteps were getting closer now.
A deep chuckle got his attention and he spun around,
someone else was here with him, someone he couldn't see.
"You can't run from this."
Dutch spun around in a circle,
the voice came from everywhere, from nowhere.
"You can't run from me."
The voice,
it sounded so familiar, but why?
"You can't run....from yourself."
Dutch felt a hand grab his shoulder,
he spun around to see who the voice belonged to,
himself.
This other version of himself looked worn,
his normally neat clothes were filthy.
His vest undone,
his normally slicked back hair in disarray.
He looked so...angry,
insane even.
"You'll never make it. Everyone will die or run, it's all your fault."
Dutch felt a chill go down his spine.
"You're wrong."
The other one grinned,
"Am I?"
Dutch panicked and shoved this other version away.
The other one didn't like that.
"You're too weak!"
Dutch was pulled into a chokehold,
this other version was strong, very strong.
Dutch struggled to break free,
the other released him only to hit him in the face.
Dutch stumbled backward into the water,
the other was above him in a second.
Dutch was being drowned,
he struggled in vain against his aggressor.
"You. Will. Fail."
Everything went black.
"Dutch? Dutch, are you alright? Dutch!" Arthur was calling out to him, Dutch blinked and the vision cleared, he was back in the barn. "Dutch, you okay there?" Dutch swallowed, clearly shaken from the encounter. That horse was still staring at him, its eyes still that pale moonstone white.
"Arthur...that girl, where is she?" Noticing the uneasiness in Dutch's voice he stepped in front of him, blocking the stallion's line of sight.
"She's in that small cabin, across from the big one, you go on, I'll calm this beast down." Dutch nodded even though Arthur couldn't see and slowly backed out of the barn doors, closing them once he made it out. He heard Arthur inside trying to calm and soothe the horse's nerves "Easy it's okay...he's gone...shh shh boy. Hey! Hey now! Woah!" A loud thud was heard as something slammed into the barn door "Ow! Goddammit…"
"You alright in there Arthur?" Dutch heard a low groan
"Yeah, I'm fine! The damn thing just kicked me but I'm fine!"
Dutch opened the barn door as Arthur stumbled out.
"Damn horse."
Dutch couldn't help but chuckle "Not the first time you've been kicked by a horse."
Arthur rolled his eyes "Yeah and it ain't gonna be the last time neither." He rubbed his chest lightly in discomfort. "Come on, let's get in that cabin, leave that beast in there to calm himself down."
Dutch nodded. "I agree."