The Kelpie

I woke on a morning so bright it nearly blinded me through my window. My

mother greeted me cheerfully. We hardly ever had days as pretty as this one. I suppose I took my life for granted since I didn't notice my mom wasn't at work. She works long shifts miles away from our rickety old house. We live near the edge of a swamp on the outskirts of town.

Warm rays made the dew sparkle, giving the dreary swamp a newfound glow.

When I reached the pond I always walk to, I saw a beautiful white mare

drinking from the lake. Its mane was a slightly darker than her body, which

was bright as snow. It is strange how a horse could stay so clean while tromping through the boggy terrain. It dawned on me that she must have been groomed recently. Perhaps her rider had gone bareback and fallen off. I cautiously walked to the white mare, not wanting to scare her. I didn't want her to run away. As I got close, she nickered softly and nuzzled my palm. I pet her neck and ran my fingers through her mane. Suddenly she bowed down in front of me, inviting me to ride her. I had riding lessons years ago and knew what to do. I carefully climbed onto her back and she stood up slowly. I urged her forward with my heels holding on to her mane. She seemed very

tame, timid almost. As I rode looking for her rider, I didn't notice the mane wrapping around my hands. Nor did I notice I didn't bounce when she trotted. I noticed all at once I was being held fast. The mare's skin crawled up the sides of my legs enveloping them and locking me in place. The mane grew up my arms as a vine would wind around a branch, stopping at my elbow. I cried out in alarm and tried to free myself in vain. The creature turned its head around at an unnatural angle and stared at me with horrifying yellow green eyes. The round eyes of the mare were replaced by the narrow slits of a goat or a frog. Still at full gallop she nickered at me, exposing revolting yellow teeth, long and chipped with jagged ends, sharp as a serrated blade. Her beautiful mane had turned a grey green color and her skin matched the murky green of the lake in front of us. She sped

forward towards the lake and leapt into the water. The frigid water was like

hitting a wall. It took my breath away. Through the murky water I saw that

this mare was no horse! Back legs merged into a tail. Hooves on her front became webbed claws and the face... the face of a beautiful mare was gone

and instead I saw a skull-like face. Crooked, sharp teeth lined her mouth and there was darkness where her nose should have been. Yellow eyes rested in two sunken holes and stared up at me, unblinking. A horrible screeching sound filled my head as I was pulled to the deepest depths of the lake. It finally set me free and watched me curiously as I struggled to reach surface

far above me. She seemed almost amused at my attempts, knowing I would never make it. My vision flickered and everything went black. There was no more struggle. It was strange to not breath or to feel the comfort in the steady rhythm of my heart. It was darkness and utter silence.

I watched in despair as I saw my body devoured by the creature. Suddenly the

creature turned her head to look at me. She stared me with unblinking eyes and hissed.