Around the corresponding location lived several different inhabitants: Tyler and Emma Bjørnson; Robert Bjørnson (Tyler's dad); and Tyler and Emma's teenage children, Natalie, Joe, and Karl; with their pet Shetland pony Schubert. This pony is a rather weird one, not only for his unusual sandwich addiction (he would do anything for a sandwich, even escape his owners!), but from his phobias and ability to talk that started from his previous disappearance.
He used to be a rather active pony: either he was racing with the big horses next to the Bjørnson homestead, scaring chickens and birds, kicking trees for fruit and pestering other birds, or just looking for Natty to play frisbee with.
But since his mysterious reappearance, he tended to walk away and shudder at any moment's notice. Whenever he saw anything pink-coloured, he would step back, and run away, back to the security of his stable pen, as he did when Natty's friends, Maia and Mina, visited on the latter's birthday. He would also avoid any screen that flashes bright lights, whether it was a TV or a phone, backing away whenever he sees one.
And ever since his return, he can speak in English. It helped Natty and her friends know what nonsense had been bothering the poor pony for all this while: he feared that a pink equine monster would drag him out of a screen or nowhere, back to "Egweshtcha" where it and its fellow denizens would torture him. The toys Mina brought with her, Maia's wig and costume, Natty's golden hair dyed to a rainbow cascade, and the show that was related to those things, would remind this poor equine of that monstrous realm. Even though they looked rather cartoonish and babyish to human eyes, Schubert told Natty that the "monsters" that he met while he was away looked exactly like the toys, and they were always watching him in his dreams, behind every television screen, and whenever there is moonlight. They might be waiting for a day when they can drag him back to the horrors of Egweshtcha.
It also helped the Bjørnsons know what exactly had Schubert wanted, so they could attend to his needs more properly, and give him his favourite tuna sandwiches every once in a while.
After this humdrum caused a brief commotion with the townsfolk and some news reporters, Robert instructed Schubert to keep his ability to speak a secret, lest some fellow try to take him away. Natty and her irritated brothers tried their best to cause Schubert to forget about that "Egweshtcha" monster nonsense, and return to his humble, plain life as a ploughing-pony. But Maia and Mina were free to visit anytime as usual, as long as they keep their toys and costumes away from Schubert. It would be better not to let him return to his delusional paranoia, should he glimpse even once at their gifts.
But on that afternoon on one July day, everything might seem to get worse.
It was a typical Sunday afternoon: bright sun, clear skies, north breezes, and all, enough for it to be a bright day for the Bjørnsons to have a barbecue at their little ranch. Many of their friends were invited to join in, with some games, TV, pool-shooting, cook-offs, goof-offs, and the usual. Maia and Mina were among those who were invited, but they were away with their family at Elko down in Nevada to see its rustic buildings and cowboy shows.
For now, Natalie and the kids were playing a game of Frisbee with Schubert. He frantically ran as he tried to catch the plastic disk, often slipping into dirt or mud, or knocking someone over. It all seemed so carefree, even right until grey hosts of clouds quickly massed above the fields and mountains.
And it started to rain. It seemed rather disappointing that their barbecue party had to end so soon, and that Schubert and the horses had to be led back to the stable. Yet in a single thunderclap, Schubert was gone, without a single trace. So was Natalie, who was walking him with a leash to his muzzle.
The pony and his owner found themselves in a vast, dark chamber. Its only lighting were a red glow from the floor, and some green and yellow lines and shapes on the ground that gradually appeared towards them. To Natalie, this is merely an eerie, strange realm, as if she ended up into a science fiction movie from the 1980's. To Schubert, it brought back memories of his earlier abduction.
"No, no, no," Schubert muttered. He backed away and clung towards his owner. "I hope, Natty, that we are only dreaming."
"And what was that yellow triangle doing there?" Natalie asked. She was referring to the glowing object beyond the parallel green and yellow paths in front of them.
Schubert turned his face away from the object. "Not again," he muttered, "not again, not again." His desires overcame his thoughts, and he twitched his head towards the object. "I WANT THAT SANDWICH!" he cried. He galloped towards the triangle so quickly, that he caused Natalie to ski along the metallic floor, as she was trying to stand to stop her strong pony. But no matter how quickly he could go, he would never reach the illusive sandwich-triangle. It always was out of his reach, and the chamber seemed to stretch on endlessly.
"I know you love sandwiches, Schubert," Natalie shouted, "but can you please stop? My feet burn!"
"Let go of me, Natalie," Schubert growled. By now he looked more grizzled and rabid, that he seemed more werewolf-like. "That is my sandwich, and it's all mine. Mine! MINE!"
"I'm not leaving this place without you, Shoob, and I'm taking you out of here!" Natalie cried. She stepped her foot to the right to divert the pony, but he kept galloping on. She saw a pole to her right, and tried to grab on, but it passed through her hand. When she saw another pole she reached her hand to grab it, but in doing so she tripped and let go of Schubert's leash, and ended up returning to the barbecue party. While the rain had suddenly subsided, everyone was looking for her and her pony. She managed to return from her brief disappearance, but her pony never did. She, her brothers, and everyone else tried looking here and there for the pony, but he will never be found. Mr. Tyler found Schubert's leash by a fence, but still the pony could not be found.
Natalie will remember that Sunday in July as among the worst days of her life. Although she overcame her loss to cope through her daily life and work, she will never forget her strange experiences in the chamber, where her pony was driven by his strengthened addiction, and then taken away from her. Furthermore, she became more curious about the chamber and Schubert's abductors, if they even existed. She even wanted to know more about extraterrestrials in general.
Nonetheless, to avoid having people treating her like some conspiracy theorist, she kept it as a secret to herself, sharing it only to her family and her best friends as "a hobby". She eventually accepted that Schubert is gone, and tried her best to behave as she used to be, while secretly continuing her "hobby".
Author's note: Natalie, her family, and Schubert the pony are from some of my own stories.