Photo courtesy of Douglas M Macilroy
I’d just about resigned myself to not taking part in Friday Fictioneers this week, so bereft was I of inspiration. I’m not happy about this one, but as little as I know of horses, I was pretty much stuck. I even had to Google to find if horses can actually kneel down!
Prairie Devil
The cold water roused me.
I struggled to focus as Mystic dropped the hosepipe, snickering gently. My head throbbed unmercifully from the fall but even with one eye half-closed I saw the dust-cloud approaching.
Mystic saw it too and whinnied nervously. Then she fell to her knees beside me, nudging my arm until I swung myself unsteadily over her back.
The fiery carriage, drawn by six foam-flecked black stallions drew closer.
Mystic rolled her eyes, wheeled and bolted, but not before I saw those glittering red eyes, and felt his rage as we fled.
Not yet, my fiend. Not yet.
castelsarrasin 
Oh, I like this very much! I hope you’ll continue your paranormal western in future weeks!
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🙂 Thank you! I doubt it – I’m definitely not at home in this genre.
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I was going ask if “fiend” at the end should be “friend” but I think not. ??
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Definitely ‘fiend’ JJ. 🙂 It’s called a personal demon
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Well I think your muse was out in front getting you on that horse…
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🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
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oh, I love this type of story. Very good!
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Thank you!
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I’d say your inspiration served you well, after all. Good story.
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Thanks Catherine. 🙂
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Dealing with your demons! Actually very good, real suspense and action. Real artistry, given that it is off the cuff etc.
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It was a difficult one this week; thanks for commenting.
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I can tell it’s not your genre, but you did a good job with it, as I would expect. Horses don’t snicker, they wicker or nicker, unless you’re personifying the horse (which I don’t see you doing) or she’s laughing, which wouldn’t fit. 🙂 Hope I don’t run into your fiend out in Wyoming this summer!!!
janet
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Hah! I knew I should have left well alone! 🙂
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Positively so Dante’ish! Spooky.
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Thank you! 🙂
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oh no, chased by the devil, loved the image you painted here.
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Thank you, loved yours this week.
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I can’t believe I posted beofre you, Sandra. Must have beena bad week indeed! You came up with something new and intriguing though; sometimes it’s good to have a challenge.
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Thanks, I wasn’t happy about it but I’d had three shots at it with even less success.
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Very good, Sandra. Had some suspense in it and everything! Fun read.
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Thanks Kent, hope all is well with you.
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It’s getting better, thanks. 😉
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It’s good to experiment with different genres, you never know what you’ll come up with and I really like this!
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I think that may be the first and last time I venture into a western theme! Thanks for commenting.
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loved that you created a monster in this story! ^^ i always love doing that. your fiend sounds interesting ^^
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Thanks kz!
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I love that! My kind of story. “Not yet, my fiend.” Very nice play on words. 🙂
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Thanks David, glad you liked it.
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I loved this story and think that the wait was worth it.
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Thanks Lindy! 🙂
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I read your comment above about the personal demon–I must admit I thought he had a near-death fall and it was the devil coming to get him. Good story–traditional or paranormal.
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You always understand my stories; we must be on the same wavelength or something.
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Nice tension and thrill in this writing.. I enjoyed.
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Thanks Kim. Hope all is well with you.
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Disturbing images in this one. I liked it.
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Thanks Claire!
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Sometimes it’s hard, and yet it all comes out well. I struggled this week as well, so you have my sympathy. But I thought your story read perfectly. My heart was in my mouth when the red eyes appreared.
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Thanks Anne. Just been to yours, loved it.
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Hi Sandra,
I know what you mean about struggling to come up with a good story. Some weeks are like that. But you managed a great story. It has all the flavor of an old west drama, with some occult scariness thrown in for good measure. Thanks for the comment on my story. ron
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If I don’t get the inspiration straight away, then I really have a struggle. Glad you enjoyed it anyway.
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I think you did great. I want to know more about the fiend. What an intriguing introduction! I was having a hard time with this picture too. I went the safe route, kudos to you for going toward uncharted territory.
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It was a difficult prompt wasn’t it Atiya. Hope all is well with you.
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I really like this. And to think you almost didn’t post. Sometimes you have to let things stew a bit. I have learned how useful Google is. I remember reading too that you need to have your facts clear. I’ve been called gentle to the carpet once or twice.
Thanks for your visit.
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What did we ever do when we didn’t have Google at our finger-tips? But are we really so much wiser now, with all these facts? Thanks for dropping by.
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Wow, and that’s without inspiration? That was great! 🙂
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Thank you! You can come here again… 😉
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Nicely done, enjoyed it.
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Thanks!
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Nicely done.
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Thank you!
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Dear Sandra,
While you might not be knowledgeable i the equestrian department your writing is still clear and your story-line good. Love the wordplay with ‘fiend’. Glad you didn’t sit this one out.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle; I hate not to participate in this above all the other challenges I take part in.
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I liked it much!
Scott
Mine: http://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/friday-fictioneers-march-22-2013-genre-humorous/
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Thank you!
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Hi — I always count on you for a good twist, and you continue to deliver.
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Thanks Bill! Enjoyed yours this week. (As I do every week 😉 )
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Written without inspiration? Well-written I say.
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Many thanks for that. 🙂
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After you almost didn’t write a story this week, I’m glad you did — this is good! Your description of a fiery carriage, then Mystic and the narrator escaping is fantastic.
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Thank you!
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Sandra, i don’t think your lack of equine knowledge hampered your story in the least. You brought about great drama through this story.
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Thank you Joe. 🙂
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Keep running! Though not feeling inspired, you did a great job, as always.
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Thanks Erin!
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Glad you didn’t horse around with this one because i think you did great. Very dark and disturbing.
Randy
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🙂 Thank you!
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Sandra, if this is what comes of little inspiration, you have gobs of talent. Well done.
Denmother
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Thank you! 🙂
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Hi Sandra
I loved this story – the last line especially. What a thrill!
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Thank you!
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For not being inspired you did great! Wish I was ‘not inspired’ as well as you pulled it off 😉
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Thanks Jackie, glad you liked it.
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Well done! I’m glad you didn’t sit this one out. Very good images here and a great story.
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I was pleased I kept on struggling – I’d miss all this.
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I glad you wrote this. It was a tough prompt for me too, especially after that 10 cent nag threw me in front of the store. Glad you escaped the demon–at least for now.
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When I saw the picture I didn’t expect it to be quite this difficult, but then … 🙂
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I’m glad you didn’t sit this week out – really enjoyed this. Can see those red eyes glittering across the prairie.
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Spooky hey? Thanks for dropping by Sarah Ann
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Pretty impressive for someone who claims they don’t know horses – and you certainly portrayed the fall from the horse perfectly.
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For someone bereft of inspiration, the story worked out pretty well. Onward, Mystic, you fiend you!
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I’m always a bit nervous around horses so I’ve only ever admired them from a distance.
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Nothing’s like those red eyes… Loved that detail that made all the difference.
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Yes, red eyes have it in the spooky stakes. Thanks for commenting.
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It was hard this week but you created a great story and an excellent play on words!
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Thanks Emma!
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I like a nice spooky Western, a really interesting take on the picture 🙂
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First time western for me – glad you enjoyed it.
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I can just imagine him rearing back, a silhouette against the sky!
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So can I! That’s why I steer clear of them. Thanks for dropping by.
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cheers for Mystic and anticipating the great danger! i love your story, Sandra. ♥
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Thank you Sunshine!
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you’re welcome, Sandra! Happy Wednesday! ♥
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For someone with no inspiration, you did a nice job. Amazes me how many stories have the name “Mystic” in them.
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Thanks Shirley. Doug’s site has the background to the photo prompt, and there it says the horse is called Mystic. Like you, I wondered why everyone else was using that name, until I saw that. 🙂
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Sandra,
If you don’t participate you may see my eyes glowing red and it won’t be from the THC. I will have none of that talk…Your writing is a treat to me cause i never know where you may be going each week. It’s like a surprise to me every week. Good stuff as normal and I also enjoyed the word play at the end. You make it looks so easy. Keep it up!
Tom
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Oooh now I’m spooked. I’ll be there this week… And thank you.
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Loved your take on the prompt Sandra, a bit spooky and dark…excellent and very enjoyable.
I nearly passed on this week’s challenge too, Mystic looked so happy and I had nothing really happy to say!
Dee
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Yes it was difficult, I agree. But I hate to miss out on the fun. Thanks for commenting.
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Oh yes, me too.
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I read your story and then a quote came to mind (or rather my faulted memory of it):
And having once turn’d round, walks on
And turns no more his head:
Because he knows, a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread.
We are all dogged, or in this case ‘horsed’ 🙂 by ‘personal fiends’ and you used the prompt well to draw attention to this.
Ann
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I remember those lines from somewhere. Do you have the citation? I suppose I could googe it. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
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Ah got it! The Ancient Mariner – Coleridge. Always a very sinister touch to that poem. Thanks for sparking my memory.
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