A Bite From StoneYard Stable

It was my first lesson in about five years. I had just bought my new horse Chocolate Chip from a slaughter house. I was a little rusty, but to me feeling the leather from the saddle and the bit in the bridle, it's like riding a bike, you never forget how. I gently set the saddle on the horses back. He shied away slightly. Chocolate Chip had been abused before I had him. I hadn't been around horses since my accident. That was about five years ago and I still remember vividly. I changed since then though. I got into darker things like vampires, demons, liked, blood, the color black you know the drill. Anyway getting back to Chocolate Chip. I saw one look from his face and knew something had to be done. He inspired me to get back into horses. Not that I ever got OUT of horses. Just you know…I was a little scared to get back into that lifestyle.

"Danielle are you coming or not?"

The instructors voice shattered my thoughts. I quickly led Chocolate Chip to the ring. He was a little antsy as I led him to the mounting block. I slowly climbed up to the top step. Took my right foot and put it in the stirrup. Swung my left foot over the saddle and landed gently into the horses back like old times. It felt just as it did and at the same time I forgot how good it felt to be in the saddle. It might have felt good but I was still scared shitless as could be. I knew this horse was feeling the same as me anyways and with my vibes he was stirring up pretty bad. He gave a sharp kick out and I fell forward. I grabbed onto his silky brown mane. I held on for dear life. He took a mad dash forward and came to a crashing halt. My instructor, Karen, grabbed his bridle and calmed him down. He was snorting up a storm but he seemed to be doing better. My body couldn't handle the surprise and I was bawling my eyes out and shaking like a mad man. The next thing I know I'm on the ground drinking water still crying like a baby.

Chocolate Chip had calmed down quite a bit. But he was leathered with sweat and pawing nervously at the ground. He normally wasn't like that. He might shy away or jump if you touch him around his face but never would do anything like that. About ten minutes later he was perfectly fine. I walked him out to cool him down. He seemed like nothing happened to him. After I put his tack away and was safely in his stall I watched the other kids in my lesson. They were all about my age or just a little older. They were all pretty good. There was only one guy in the whole barn. And to be perfectly honest he wasn't so hard on the eyes. If you catch my drift wink wink. Now I know my hormones are supposedly "running around" crazy when your 17. But I've only had about 3 other crushes before this but this guy was HOT! He had perfect black hair with a Metallica shirt on and some ripped jeans. He stepped down from this gorgeous horse. He had piercing brown sparkling eyes. He flashed a quick smile in my direction. I smiled back and started blushing furiously. I turn my head away and started walking to Chocolate Chip's stall. As soon as I got there I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was startled and jumped up a foot.

I turned around to see who it was. It was the extremely hot guy. I didn't know most people's names in this place yet.

"Um hello?" I said.

"Hey are you okay?" he asked me.

As soon as he did Chocolate Chip flipped out. Started kicking at the door, neighing loudly, and fear was in his eyes. The mysterious guy laid his hand on his face to help calm him down. He didn't know he didn't like to be touched there. Chocolate Chip struck out. He bit the mysterious guy on the hand and hard. It drew blood instantly. I took him to Karen as soon as I could. He wrapped his hand around with his sweatshirt with an icepack inside of it. I made sure he was okay. I apologized a bazillion times and ran to see if my horse was okay. He was totally calm again. What the hell? I checked him over to see if everything was alright. Especially his legs after he kicked that door hard. But everything was fine with him and he stood still the whole time I was examining him.

"Weirdo horse," I told him as I gave him a pat as I was leaving.

I saw the mystery guy in the hallway as I was leaving. I ran to catch up with him.

"Hey wait up!" I shouted

The guy turned around and stopped. I caught up in the matter of seconds.

"Is your hand ok?" I asked him.

"Yea don't worry about it," he told me with a grin on his face.

I looked down at his hand. It was perfectly fine. Not even a scratch….strange.

"Wait I never caught your name."

"Oh it's Michael."

"Oh that's a cook name, I'm Danielle," I told him

"Yea I know," he said as he walked off.

How did he know my name? what's up with this guy? When I looked up he was magically gone. Michael hm…. Fit him I guess. Well I didn't think I should spend so much time worrying about something stupid like this. It's probably nothing knowing me. I shrugged my shoulders and headed to my piece of crap car. It was about 10 years old, rust bucket, with one of the headlights busted and the stick always froze in the winter. But it was all I could afford for now. Especially after I got CC (that's what I call him now.) after about three tries the damn thing finally started. I started off to my house. It was a half an hour away. I didn't really mind because it was a nice place and nice people and I had nothing better to do since I dropped out of high school. Not like it was helping me any. I wouldn't have the money for collage and since I wanted to be an author I didn't really need some stupid teacher telling me what to write. I need inspiration for myself. I drove up into the driveway of a small blue chipped-off paint house with no mailbox just a box I put out for the mailman. Man is it crappy. I picked up five pieces of mail from my beat up raggedy box. Bills, bills, bills, bills, oh and wait…one from my mother? I haven't talked to my mom for seven years. Ever since her and dad split up she wanted nothing to do with me. I don't know what I should do. Open it now or later? I guess now since I don't have anything to do.

Dear Danielle,

Your father has past away two days ago. His funeral will be on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home near our old house when you were little. I just wanna say I'm sorry I didn't mean any of the things I said. I just hope things are all right between us now and we can get through this together. I hope to see you there.

Love, mom

yea were good alright I said while rolling my eyes. She isn't sorry at all that ungrateful bitch never cared about dad at all. She's probably just going because she got something good in his will. Wednesday, that's in two days. I'd have to find a black dress. Damn it. There aren't any good stores around and I don't have a dress period. I'm no the girl that wears those things. I wear my jeans clean or not and some band shirt and things that don't match but in some way they do. Like stripes and polka dots. And I don't give a damn what other people think of me they can fuck off if they don't agree with me. My mother never liked me or my friends. I threw my keys on the table along with the bills. I sat myself on the couch and turned on the TV. I flipped through a few channels before I realized nothing good was on and turned it back off. I heard the phone ring. Might as well answer it.

It was from Blockbusters. I had two over-due movies…which I lost. I sighed. Whatever I'll go buy it and get it over with. I hop in my car again. Come on damn it start! I slam my face against the steering wheel and start bawling my eyes out. I just let it all out that I've been holding in for years. I never showed my emotions anymore. I didn't have any friends to shot it to anyway. The steering wheel was totally soaked as well as the seat. As soon as my eyes were dry I just leaned back in my seat, wiped my eyes, and just sat there. I started thinking about my day. Crazy mishap with CC, how he bit Michael, how he magically disappeared. That guy is so weird. But I'm physically attracted to him. Which his perfect medium length black hair, and brown eyes, and his style was different than most guys who rode horses, which isn't that many to begin with. I woke up from my dream and noticed I was still in my car. I opened the door and got out. My next-dor neighbors were outside mowing their lawn. I hated them with their stupid perfect house and perfect mannered kids.

I punched the top of my car. My neighbors looked over at me in disgust. I wanted so bad to flip them off but I help my intentions to myself. I looked down at my car and saw a large dent in it. Whoopsy. Whatever it makes my car look so much more presentable. I stormed back into my house. My stomach growled at me. I looked through my bare pantries. I found some semi-decent chips that were a little stale but I've handled worse. I looked at the time, 7:58. I picked up the phone and decided to call my only friend Samantha. I've known her since my parents split up and was the only one supporting me through it all.

The phone rang three times before she answered it.

"Hey Danielle what's up?" her happy voice said.

"I was wondering if you could do anything with me today."

"Yea sure that sounds fun. Come over around 8'30 ok?"

"Sounds great, see ya then."

I set the phone down on the receiver. I threw away the empty bag of chips feeling a little better about myself. I got my car keys once again. This time it started on the first time. I patted the dashboard in show of happiness. I pulled out of the driveway and waved happily at the neighbors, who were still mowing their too fucking large lawn. I saw their mouths curl with disgust. I gave a little smirk as I sped away. I turned onto little dirt roads since it was faster going that way. I looked at the barns passing by with all the gorgeous horses. Would I ever have that life again?

I remember I was going onto the Kentucky Rolex at the age of 14. On my horse Lucky Charms an amazing jumper paint. I knew I wanted him since I first laid eyes on him. I wouldn't ever forget about all the good memories we had together. But one day at the semi-finalist contest we went over a double oxer on the wrong lead. I tried to fix him around the corner but he was set on the jump ahead of him, jumped, his front legs hit the top of the pole and set him off. He fell on top of the whole jump with me under him. Not a pretty sight. He broke both of his front legs and a few ribs. Waaay beyond fixable with surgery. I was lucky with only a broken arm, two broken ribs, and a broken pride. I was devastated to hear that Lucky had to be put down. I cried for days after that. My dad supported what my decision was whether to keep riding or not but my mom was a different story. Me riding was her only way to cash so when I decided to quit riding she was pissed. That led to them getting divorced over me. I blamed myself for years I was the reason they split. Sam tried to tell me it wasn't my fault but that was complete bullshit.

I turned onto her road. Slowed down to about ten miles an hour considering she lives on a gravel road and it shakes like an earthquake when you drive on it at all. Sam had a decent living life and had a horse of her own. That's mostly how we became friends in the first place. I honked my horn as I drove into her driveway. She comes running with her coat in her hands. I haven't seen her in months. As soon as I was out of the car she gave a huge hug. I guessed I had grown considering I was not taller than her. Something was different about her. But I couldn't place my finger on it. Wait she didn't have glasses!

"When did you get your glasses off?" I asked her.

"Last week, ya like?"

"Yea it looks awesome!"

"You wanna see my new horse?"

"When would I ever turn that down?"

"When pigs fly."

We start heading in the general direction of her barn. I hear the delightful crunch of cobblestone under my feet. Then I saw this gorgeous bay horse, around 17 hands, looking straight at me with huge brown eyes.

"Wow he's a beauty," I complimented her.

"I know his name's Lancelot."

"That's a pretty name, it fits him well."

"I know it is."

We stood leaning onto the wooden fence staring at the horse for a few minutes. Just watching him graze and run around kicking his heels up with joy. It brought back the youth in you. You could do whatever and people wouldn't yell at you or get mad. Those were the good times. My mind settled back at earth to realize Samantha was gone. I didn't worry too much just sorta paced back and forth. And low and behold she came out with this handsome young man. About two or tree inches taller than her with chocolate hair with dark brown eyes. Nice build and not so hard on the eyes.

"Danielle this is Lloyd, my new boyfriend. Lloyd this is Danni I was talking to you about."

"Hey nice to finally meet you," he extended his hand out to mine.

I nervously shook it, he had a nice firm handshake. He took Sam's hand in his and I saw her smile like I haven't seen her smile in years. It was about time some guy noticed her. I think she's only had about two boyfriends since high school and quite honestly I don't know why. Sammy invited me inside her house to get some tea. As I saw Lloyd walking Sammy inside with his hand on the small of her back the whole way there Michael made his way threw my mind. His nice eyes and hair, and also his mysterious disappearances. They remind you of the things that people write about in books where something IS weird with the guy but nobody would thing that and later find out and stuff.

"Hey Sammy do you have a black dress I could borrow?"

"Uh yea sure…why?"

"Oh my dad just died and I need it for his funeral," I slightly whispered.

"Oh my god honey are you ok?' she asked sincerely.

"Yea I'll be fine, just I don't have any dresses."

She went into her room and looked through the closet and found a perfectly fine black dress for me to wear. It was a little small but nothing I couldn't suck in. I left it laying on her bed for now. Sam's voice startled me.

"Hey, you wanna go for a trail ride?"

I didn't want to turn her down but considering my ride this morning…

"Uhh, yea sure," I faked a smile but it quickly disappeared.

"Okay great! You can ride Lancelot," she had a huge grin on her face.

We walked outside to go fetch our horses. I got Lancelot's green halter and slowly walk him. I easily got the halter clipped to him and clipped on the lead rope.

"Hey is Michael coming with us too?" I called out to Sammy.

"No, he had to go home," she said with a sad voice.

I walked with her to the tack room. I easily carried his light saddle and his bridle up to Lancelot. I got on his bridle and his saddle without a problem and let him out to the mounting block. There Sam was already on and was waiting for me. She teased me a little but waited patiently for me to get on. I was still a little nervous about this but Lancelot seemed to assure me as if nothing wrong was going to happen. We walked around to a nearby trail.

After a while she asked if I was okay to canter. I was a little hesitant but I said yes none the less. We took it nice and slow and I saw Michael up ahead. Just walking around minding his own business. I smiled softly to myself. I slowed Lancelot to a walk and told Sam to wait up a second. I took the reigns into one hand and waved to him. He saw me and smiled and waved back. As soon as he moved closer to talk to me Lancelot started jerking around and sweat was all over his body. I kept talking to him and telling him it was okay but it wasn't helping much. Michael grabbed the reigns and held him still. He was still freaking out but he didn't do anything to Michael. We just said hi or whatever and he continued on his way. As soon as he left Lancelot loosened up and calmed down a bit.

"Who was that guy, was he your boyfriend?" she said in a teasing way.

I started laughing. "No he isn't my boyfriend and his name's Michael, we just met today."

"Well I can totally tell he's into you," she said with a wink.

"Ha like that's ever happened! But he seems really weird. And I don't mean like creepy rapist guy or nothing but he seems like a great guy but whenever he gets near me some horse starts freaking out. Like today Chocolate Chip bit him! And he never does anything like that. And then just now Lancelot was sweating a pacing around. It's so weird!"

"Wow that's interesting. I only have one way of explaining it."

"And what would that be?" I asked her.

"He's……a vampire!" she joked.