I looked out the car window as we drove down the dirt road. This place seemed so dead compared to the city. We were moving to the farm country of Tennessee. Not even near civilization. I missed my friends. Everything was changing. My dad was distant, my mom was angry. My little sister- Angel- was silent. And me? Well I was just trying to stay away from them. Why did we have to move? Couldn't they move after I graduated?

Well, there's no point in hoping. This was it. We pulled into a long dirt driveway with a huge white house. It looked like the classic farm house. Great, goodbye city girl, hello country bumpkin. Ugh.

Why did this happen to me? it was the summer right before my senior year. Who transfers their senior year? Nobody that's who! This is ridiculous.

"Max, come on! We have to get the boxes inside!" My mom snapped.

I grudgingly picked up a box full of Lord knows what and made my way to the house. The mover must have brought the furniture in early. There were light hardwood floors and everything was bright and beautiful. I hated it.

"Alright, Max go pick a room. Angel, you too." My dad said after bringing in the last of the boxes.

I grabbed one of the boxes full of my stuff and walked up the stairs. After making my way through a maze of hallways, I got to the highest point of the house. The room was huge. Somehow the movers had already brought my stuff up here. Weird. Well maybe my parents just knew I would want this room. The walls were white and the floor was the same hardwood as downstairs…. Those would change real soon.

I could hear Angel screaming about how much she loved her room. I looked out the window at the sunny day and decided to go for a drive. I made my way to the garage and took the keys to my convertible of the work bench. My parents had driven down here earlier and brought my car with them.

I drove out of the garage with the top down and took off down the road. I loved feeling the wind across my face. I turned the radio off and just listened to the sound of the engine and wind.

I had been driving for about half an hour when my car swerved and I lost control of the wheel. The car curved and ended up in a clearing forty feet from the road. I looked around and saw that there was a huge hill behind me. I saw some type of movement up on the hill and being the reckless person I am, I walked up the hill. It took me less than two minutes but when I got up to the top, whatever was there was gone.

Then I heard a weird pounding, like the ground was shaking. I looked around me and froze. Of all things a horse was running full speed toward me. I couldn't move. All I could do was stair. Every muscle in my body felt like ice.

Distantly, I heard someone yelling at me. the horse stopped and reared. I vigorously shook my head and got a better look at the horse. It was… grey… I think. It was hard to tell. But it's eyes… I couldn't bring myself to look away from them.

"Hey!" I looked up quickly and saw a woman on a big brownish horse. I looked back to the horse… but it was gone. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

"Huh?" I blinked my eyes and looked back up to her. "Oh, sorry."

"What are you doing here?!" she yelled at me. "That horse could have killed you!"

I took a close look at her. Her skin was tanned, maybe Native American. Her eyes were dark brown and kind of scary. Her hair was almost black and was wildly curly. According to the lines on her face, she looked to be around forty.

"Well?! What are you doing here?" she asked again.

"Umm… my car ran off the road. Saw something up here… and I followed it." My voice sounded weak and frail. Damn it get it together Max!

She stared me down and studied me. "What's your name?"

"Max Ride." I said.

"Max Ride…" she said slowly. "Your family just moved here. You should get back to them." The horse beneath her shifted and I decided I should probably get going… before she murders me and my body is lost in the woods forever.

So…. I ran. Ran to my car and drove home like a maniac. I would definitely go out of my way to stay away from that woman.