Page 172 of Like A Moth To A Flame

I followed him around the back of the truck and to the doors of the beaten blue trailer attached to it. I watched as he unlatched the doors and let them swing wide. Inside, two huge beasts greeted me, one with wide, scared blue eyes, and the other with soft,mellow brown ones. Their manes were long and flowing, braided down one side of their necks to protect them from damage. Their massive hooves pawed at the hay inside their trailer, and one of them—the smaller female—tossed her head in annoyance at the confinement.

A pair of Gypsy Vanner horses—a male and a female, each with paperwork, pedigrees, and health records.

“Amazing,” I said.

“And you’ve had the fence checked?” he asked, motioning to the pasture over his shoulder.

I nodded.

“Every single inch, twice over. Had a few gates replaced, and some barbed wire. It’s in tip-top shape.”

He shook his head as he reached up, unhooking a lead attached to one of the horses—the brown-eyed stallion I knew was named Ghost, due to the white markings on his face bearing an uncanny resemblance to the slasher film villain.

“Lot of work,” Rodney chuckled, shaking his head as he led Ghost down and off the trailer.

He was a tall horse, with beautiful brown splotches outlined in a darker color, and pristine white fur that shone under the light of the sun. His companion, Lacy, whinnied nervously.

“It is,” I agreed, motioning for him to follow me toward the barn. “But she’s worth it.”

After he got Ghost settled in one of the stalls, we went back for Lacy. She was a bit more nervous, but Rodney explained that it was due to her hatred of travel.

“All good,” I said, reaching into my back pocket to find my wallet. I flipped it open as Duke scurried around our feet, his tail beating against my legs as he excitedly lapped up the new smells. “Twenty-two even, just like we discussed.”

Rodney snorted a laugh, looking down at the check I pressed into his palm.

“That’s a lot of money to spend all at once,” he said, and I shrugged.

“Doesn’t matter. My princess wants a pony, and she always gets what she wants.”

Rodney laughed, shaking his head as he worked on pulling Lacy from the trailer. She was just as beautiful as Ghost, though with much more white on her. A breeding pair of pedigree horses.

“Your daughter is only six months old. How does she know what she wants?”

“Wasn’t talking about my daughter.”

I flashed him a wink and took the lead, wrapping it around my fist as I turned away, leading Lacy toward the barn.

45

Baby, I’m preying on you tonight. Hunt you down, eat you alive…

Moth

Each sawing breath brought the metallic tang of blood to stain my dry throat. My eyes, wide in the darkness, fought to see every rock and tree and branch in my way, but more than once I stumbled and nearly fell, fighting to get my footing again. The surrounding shadows seemed to taunt and jeer, their shifting forms dancing like a mocking crowd. They reveled in my fear, amplifying the pressure to make every turn and decision correctly. I could sense his presence trailing behind me like a hunter, his steady pace audible amidst the wind rustling underbrush.

He didn’t need to run.

He knew he would catch me eventually.

But I refused to give up.

I pushed myself to run faster, ignoring the burning ache in my muscles and the tightening in my chest. I focused on the path ahead, trying to anticipate every obstacle and navigate through the treacherous terrain.

Every step became a battle, every decision a test of my resilience. The sounds of my breathing and the pounding of my heart merged with the echoes of his footsteps, rising in a symphony of terror. I felt a scream crawl across my tongue and I fought to swallow it down as I leaped over a fallen log, my hair tousled in my face.

But I couldn’t let him catch me. I couldn’t let him win.

With each passing moment, my determination grew stronger, fueling me to push beyond my limits. I focused on the flickering hope of reaching safety, of finding a way to outsmart him.

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