Common

It was dark; the sun long since set and the sky covered in thick clouds that wept heavy rainfall. It’s sobs would light the world in large flashes of lightening, and roll thunder in its wake was enough to vibrate through the soaked earth. As far as the eye could see in the brief illumination, was barren wastelands. Not a tree in sight, nor a blade of grass. Only dirt now made into mud that clung to the legs and belly of the spotted mare soaked by the rain.


“Go.” The grey stallion said coldly as he stood before her. His chilsed features painted in perfection, if not broken by the harshness of his blue eyes and sneer upon his black lips. He gave a stomp of a feathered front leg, splashing the mud up from the ground to splatter against his already muddy chest. Pinning her ears, the mare gave a look of defiance, as if she dared to go against his judgement. But by the looks of those behind him, staring with a mix of horror and satisfaction, she knew there was no changing her fate.


Turning, Seigel fled from the only home she had ever known. Her heart pounded in the same rythmn as her hooves that splashed through the mud and rainwater that pooled upon the earth. On and on she ran, even when the rain blinded her so she could see nothing at all.


Then, the ground gave way. A squeal of shock and fear escaped her lips as she slid down a muddy embankment. Her legs flailed as if trying to stop her decent, and she could feel the rocks and twigs biting against her skin as she slid across them until even that disappeared for an open void. With nothing below her, Seigel was freefalling. For a moment, her voice choked in her throat, unable to escape. But just as it burst free, a screaming breaking the whirling sound of air around her ears, did she plunge into the icy cold depths of the angry sea.


The tide was strong with the strength of the storm as it tried to drag her further into its dark depths. But Seigel never stopped fighting; never stopped kicking and clawing her way towards the surface. Even as her lungs felt as if they would burst, and unconsciousness began to creep around the edges of her eyes, until at last she broke the surface with a loud gasp.


Forelock plastered to her face, she tried to see around herself, to know which direction to start swimming. But the large waves rolled over her head, thrusting her beneath the surface again, until she could struggle back to the top. Again and again Seigel was submerged, but never did she stop fighting, even as the burning of her muscles began to feel as if they were tearing apart beneath her skin.


Seigel is not sure how long she is lost to the sea and storm, but the rain has long since stopped and the waves had lessened to a gentle push pull rythmn until they deposit her until an unknown shore. It’s still dark, but the morning sun is beginning to highlight the horizon, and she can see the outlines of trees. Although her gaze is blurry from exhaustion and salt water, she cannot help the shock that radiates through her system as she lays there in the sand.


Was she dead? Had she made it to the land of the Gods?


Before she could think any further, her body slumped and her head hit the sand, and the spotted mare finally lost consciousness completely.