Naturally, this story idea came to me when I was supposed to be writing something else. Cie la vie. I do not own the Phantom Stallion series.
A Peculiar Occurrence (Prologue)
When Maxine had heard on the news that the upcoming weekend promised to be the hottest of the year, she took it upon herself to declare it a non-optional Ely family camping trip to the lake. Although her husband Luke had grumbled something about neglecting ranch duties, all six of the Ely boys had failed to stop talking about it the entire week. Then when Maxine had mentioned the idea to her close friend and neighbor, Louise Forster, not even Luke could turn down the Forster's offer of assistance for a few days as the sun began to swelter.
So that's how they found themselves - Luke, Maxine, the boys, and Luke's father MacArthur - eating lunch together on a compiled bed of blankets, towels and mats above the lake shore. Jake, the youngest, had inhaled his food before the others and was scavenging through the truck bed for the box that contained the water toys. A grin spreading over his face, he pulled a water gun from amidst the heap and raised it into the air.
"Mom, Dad!" the six-year-old shouted down at them. "Can I go swimming now?"
"Jake, I just told you five minutes ago that you have to wait half an hour before swimming," Maxine stated firmly. "When we've all finished lunch and digested our food then we'll go swimming together."
Mac, as his grandfather was often called, read the clear disappointment on the boy's face with a soft smile. "Jacob, do you know where this lake gets its life?"
The boy shook his head, raven-colored bangs sweeping over his dark eyes.
"There is a creek that feeds this lake," Mac continued, "and if you find it, I think you also may find a few frogs."
Without a moment's hesitation the water gun was being traded for a green net and the boy was racing to the shore in search of the creek. It wasn't far at all when he found it, but concealed where the shore dipped around the corner into a small bay. Jake followed the gurgling noise until the creek was clear and cold from the shading of the trees.
Plop!
His grandfather had been right. A frog slipped from atop a rock and disappeared into the water. Head down and feet treading lightly so as not to scare them off, Jake slowly crept up the creek.
Suddenly leaves crackled between the trees ahead. Jake's head snapped up.
Right before him was a deer, a large and lean doe, lowering her head to the gentle flow of water to drink. Jake's breath caught in his throat. She was so beautiful. And she hadn't even noticed him. More than anything in the world he wanted to be closer to her, to see if he could feel the force of the life behind those soft eyes.
A rock shifted under his foot, and the deer's head snapped up. Now those eyes were locked to his, fearful uncertainty plain in their expression and the frantic twitch of her ears.
No, no, no, Jake thought more to her than to himself. Don't be afraid. Please don't be afraid.
His eyes pleaded for her to stay. He felt himself willing her to stand still, and it seemed to be working. She simply stood staring back at him as he felt himself grow weaker and weaker, the world around him fading away.
Eyes rolling to the back of his head, Jake's body collapsed upon the creek's bank.
"Adam and Kit, don't be too rough with your brothers!" Maxine shouted after her sons who were now charging in stampede-like fashion down to the water.
"Figures that as soon as Jake goes chasing after frogs, everyone else goes swimming," Luke chuckled. "I've been having a heck of a time keeping him dry since the moment we got here."
"Should we go look for him?"
"No need just yet," Mac chimed in. "He'll either come back with a frog or give up soon."
The three adults fell quiet, enjoying the distance of the loud and exuberant children and the shade of the trees. Suddenly Maxine pointed between the trees.
"Luke!" she whispered. "There's a deer!"
They watched as the animal strode towards them, seemingly unconcerned by their presence. It gave them a quick glance before it strode straight past them to raise its head to the back of the family truck, almost as if it were searching for something.
"This isn't normal behavior," Luke said. He looked to his father. "Do you think it's sick?"
Mac didn't reply. Instead his eyes followed the deer as it turned its attention to the ruckus of the brothers swimming in the lake. Without any sign of warning it tore towards the shore, causing Maxine to scream to her sons. It reached the sand and launched itself into the water, landing so deep that it struggled to keep its head afloat. The Ely boys, after recovering from their initial shock, were clearly thrilled by witnessing such a peculiar occurrence. They splashed the deer's flanks as it frolicked back and forth in the shallow water before them.
"Mom, get the video camera!" Nate yelled as Maxine darted towards the car.
Mac turned to Luke. "You're right, I think it may be sick. See if you can chase it back towards the creek."
As Luke descended to the beach Mac wandered in the direction the deer had come. When he reached the creek, he wandered upward until he saw Jake's body lying in the bank beside the water. He stopped, frozen. Utter disbelief was written over his face. The breath he hadn't known he was holding flooded out shakily.
Then, faster than he remembered moving in years, the older man tore back down the creek and silently thanked his son when he saw the deer rounding the corner into the bay at a brisk trot. Throwing his arms out wide, he threw himself in front of the animal which came to a clumsy stop.
Mac stared into those soft, brown eyes. His brow brow furrowed and his jaw became tight.
"It's time to come back, Jacob."