Liberty and the Dream Ride Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    â€œHey, Mystic,” she whispered to the dapple-grey pony. “It’s good to see you.”
    Even as she said the words, though, Issie knew that Mystic’s appearance in the middle of the night wasn’t a good thing. The grey gelding only ever came when there was trouble. He’d come to warn her that something was very, very wrong.
    Her thoughts focused immediately on Comet. Was the skewbald in danger? That coyote she’d heard howling could be closer than she thought. Would a coyote be bold enough to attack a horse?
    Issie made a quick grab for her coat and headed out the door. She’d left Comet and Liberty with their feeds just a couple of hours ago. They’d both been fine when she’d said goodnight. She only hoped that they were still OK now.
    Mystic was waiting for her right outside the door of her motel room. Her heart was racing as she reached his side. He nickered softly to her as she stretched out a hand to stroke his velvet-soft muzzle. “Hey, boy,” she whispered to her pony, “it’s been a long time.” She put her arms round his neck, and pressed her face into the coarse, ropey strands of his long, silver-grey mane, hugging him tight. Mystic let out a tense whinny. He shook his head, freeing himself from her embrace. He flicked his head in agitation. They needed to go!
    Suddenly the grey pony turned on his hocks and set off at a swift trot, heading across the motel forecourt, turning the corner round the end of the shell-pink motel buildings and veering round the back to the stables.
    Issie sprinted after him, running as hard as she could, but the pony was too fast for her to keep up. By the time she rounded the corner into the courtyard behind the motel buildings, Mystic was already heading for the far end of the covered yards.
    Plunged into the darkness of the yards, Issie suddenly found herself struggling to see anything at all. The lights had switched off automatically at 10 p.m. and the whole of the enclosure was in blackout.
    â€œMystic!” Issie hissed. “Where are you?”
    As her eyes adjusted she could make out the silhouettes of horses in their stalls, moving about restlessly. Comet and Liberty’s stall was at the very end of the yards and she headed there now, groping her way along the railings and trying to recall where the light switch had been. Then, in the blackness she thought she caught a glimpse of Mystic. He was pacing up and down beside Comet’s stall and the skewbald was rearing and snorting, working himself up into a complete state, trying to get free. The rails were too tall for him to jump so he was skidding to a halt each time he reached the barrier, slamming against the wooden bars with his powerful chest, trying to force his way to freedom.
    â€œHey, hey! It’s OK, Comet, I’m—” Issie was hurrying towards the skewbald when a dark figure suddenly rose up right in front of her. There was a man in the stalls!
    Issie let out a shriek as the man clambered through the rails and barged into her, knocking her roughly to the ground.
    Taken by surprise, she fell backwards. She threw out her hands to break her fall, but as she came down, her head struck hard against one of the wooden rails of the stall behind her. Her body slumped to the ground and everything went black.
    Issie had no idea how long she was knocked out. All she knew was that when she woke up she was lying on the ground, with a massive throbbing pain in the back of her head and there was the dark shadow of a man standing over her. She tried to struggle to her feet and that was when she felt the bite of sharp metal against her chest. “Don’t move!” she heard a voice say. There was a blinding glare as the stable lights flicked on and then she saw the face of Marcus Pearce staring down at her. He was shaking and wide-eyed as he stood with a pitchfork in his hands – the sharp prongs pressed against Issie’s T-shirt,