Well, the horses are gone.

So, the story I'm about to tell takes place roughly a few weeks ago, but I thought it's never too late to share a good story, right?

My subconcious senses told me that a damp and overcast morning awaited my return to the world of the wakeful. I wasn't ready for that, so I decided a few more minutes slumber would be just the thing to combat the dreainess that I was sure to face in the near future. Fate would make other plans.

"Chad," a soft voice pierced the stillnes. My limp body wasn't ready to respond. "Chad, the horses are gone."

"What do you mean gone?" I didn't really want the answer. There was no logical solution to the dissapearance 16 creatures with the combined weight of over 8 tons that I could reasonbly process at that moment.

"They're gone, I think they've escaped." Shelby, and Alyssa seemed to be in earnest. Of course, this could be a joke. We at Three Springs liked to have a deal of fun now and then.

"I think they're for real," not the reassurance I wanted TJ. His muffled voice shot over to me from his dark bunk.

Begrudginly I realized that this problem wasn't going to disapear the same way my hope for a few extra moments of bliss had. Action had to be taken, as painful as that was.

"Alright, I'll help you look for them," slowly I got up and put my sweatpants on. The cold would not have mercy on an act of goodwill.

The ATV took a bit of coaxing to get going. It wasn't any more ready for the day to start than I was. Finnaly it found life from somewhere deep within it's bowels, and let out a deafening roar. We were off, not knowing what awaited us up the hill. The biting chill soon brought tears to my eye's. I could feel the blood rush to my nose and cheeks, trying desperately to fiend off the sting. The fields were blanketed by a dense cloud as Shelby and I crested the hill, keeping our vision from extending too far.

We came into the first pasture. It was as empty as the tomb of the good Lord himself. To my left I could see another pasture, as empty as the first. My stomach was moving up into my throat slightly. Ahead the far pasture loomed, a white wall sitting forebodingly in front of us. Gradually our vision probed the dense cover before us. Little by little hope was fading. This might be a long search after all.

Suddenly, before us was revealed from the thick of the fog, a tall dark beast, grazing lazily at the grass. One by one, 16 of the most beautiful beings that I'd ever laid eyes on were displayed before me. Never had I been more happy to see those God forsaken horses. I looked back at Shelby who sheepishly yelled to me over the roar of the ATV engine,

"I swear they weren't there before."

Of course they weren't. Luckily the elusive horse snatching fairy, perhaps striken by guilt, had seen fit to return the horses in time for the morning trail ride.

Cheers