It was crisp and clear. The dark sky was covered in stars, far more than anyone near a city could see. As he made his way, his horse the only sound for miles, Charlie realized his buddy ‘Goat’ was right. Nothing seemed alive around him. Usually the songs of night birds or movements of nocturnal hunters were audible. Not tonight.
A chill rose to his skin, but it was under his jacket and not from the cold. He had never believed in supernatural mumbo-jumbo. Didn’t pay attention to local Indian legends, and certainly never believed in ghosts.
He drew near the area where he and Butch had repaired the fence. It was intact just as he had left it.
The ground was freezing up, and Spirit’s hooves snapped brittle twigs and made heavy clomps on the solid soil.
A whimper caught his attention. He stopped Spirit and listened.
A sensation stronger than chills hit him. It was borderline terror. He jumped off Spirit’s back and held the rein. After a few yards, Spirit refused to keep walking with him, rearing up but not in a violent way, just being stubborn. Charlie trusted his horse’s instinct. He stopped too.
Another whimper, a very human voice, shocked him. Spirit would not approach with him, so he dropped the rein and hurried towards the sound.
In the dimmest of the sliver of moonlight, Charlie found a man, naked, in the fetal position, shivering.
Son of a bitch! He rushed to his side and found blood spattering him. Talk to me! Where’re you hurt? Charlie touched the man’s arm.
Immediately the man’s brilliant green eyes met his.
Hang on! Hang on! Charlie rushed back to Spirit who was looking nervous, the whites of his eyes showing. Calm down, buddy. Don’t you go crazy on me now...