May 2009 Story Contest the Last Unicorn

Selena was so excited to be getting her first pony. Crandal’s Barn had a perfect white pony for sale, and she was a beauty. After three long months of saving, cleaning stalls, and doing odd jobs around her neighborhood, she had enough money.

She felt for the lump of cash wrapped tightly in a bundle in her pocket, to reassure that it was still there. She sighed and pushed her dark hair away from her face. She was so happy to have her own pony, but she would sort of miss the school ponies.

They pulled into the driveway and shinigah nearly jumped out of mini-van before it stopped completely.

“Slow down, Selene!” Her father called, “That pony’s not going anywhere without you!” he laughed.

     Selena ran into the barn, but was careful to slow down before going all the way in, because Splash had a habit of getting spooked when you ran at him.

                                                                                                                    * * *

     After the pony was paid for, there was the matter of naming it. Selena had come prepared for that. She’d been thinking of names for several weeks. She gazed at the white belle, French for beauty. That was going to be her name, Belle.

Selena approached the horse to pet her new best friend, as Selena was sure they were going to be, and the pony shook her head and snorted. Shinigah ran her fingers through the silken mane, it wasn’t very much like regular horse hair, it was like a silver waterfall that cascaded from the her perfectly arched neck. The pony was almost too perfect. shinigah studied the pony’s soft face, softly rubbing the creamy forehead. She looked closer, puzzled. Right under her silver forelock, Belle had a lump! She knew that wasn’t normal.

Later that day, the vet was called.

“Well,” said Dr. Jones, “I don’t really see anything wrong with this pony, other than that it’s one and a half hands taller than a pony and can be considered a horse.”

“So you’re sure there’s nothing wrong with her?” Selena inquired
“Yes I’m sure.” He answered.

Selena led Belle into her stall to be groomed. Might as well go for a ride, she thought, It’s not as if there’s anything wrong with her. But as she led Belle into the stall, the horse stopped dead.

“C’mon Belle!” Selena gave a slight bump at Belle’s halter, but she didn’t budge. The horse pawed the ground and sniffed at something.

Selena bent to pick it up. It was an old piece of something, a bit like fabric but not quite, she didn’t know what it was. Selena read the inscription, a word or something that had been and etched into the material. It didn’t really make much sense, it said, “Shinagah” .

What the heck is Shinagah? Selena thought. She’d never heard that before in her life!

“Hey Pam!” she called. Pam Crandal was on her way to saddle her own pony, Lightning. Pam walked over.

“Enjoying the new pony?” She asked lightly.

“Well, yeah, ” Selena paused, “But have you ever heard of the word “Shinagah” ?”

“Shina-What?” said Pam.

“Shinagah. It’s right here.” Selena showed the peice of Whatever-It-Was to Pam, pointing out the word.

“Nope. I can’t say I have.”

“Oh, well, never mind then.” Selena stated, shoving the Whatever-It-Was into her pocket.

Selena looked from the Belle to the Thing, and back again. For five minutes she did this, and the more she rolled the word around in her mind, the more “Belle” seemed to be the absolutely wrong name for the white creature.

“Well,” She said at last, “I’m going to have to name you Shinagah, or I’m going to go nuts here.” Shinagah looked at Selena as if the name pleased her. Selena had the urge to yell to the whole barn.

She went to Slip the bridle onto Shinagah’s head, but the horse threw her head high into the air and out of Selena’s reach. After a few minutes of having Pam’s friend Anna hold Shinagah’s halter while Selena bridled her.

“I’m so sorry, Anna!” She exclaimed, “She was so well-behaved before now.”

“That’s alright,” said Anna, “Ponie- I mean horses can act up for no reason sometimes. And I’ll tell you one thing, I think that the vet freaked her out for some reason.”

“Yeah she wasn’t very good with him, was she?” she replied. “Thanks for helping.”

“Don’t mention it, see ya later.”

“See ya.”

As Selena was placing the saddle gently onto the horse’s back, Shinagah spun around and tried to bite Selena’s forarm, and she did it so quickly Selena barely had time to react. Selena jumped out of the way just in time for Shinagah’s teeth to miss her arm by an inch.

“Shinagah what is wrong with you?!” She exclaimed, picking up the dropped saddle and scooting out the stall door. Then Selena noticed it; Shinagah had become like the mere mention of her name had put her in a trance-like state, she stared at nothing and didn’t move a hair.

Selena was in shock. Never in her life had she seen any animal do anything like this.

This puzzled her greatly, but she figured it wasn’t anything a little trailride couldn’t cure. As they rode along, Shinagah bolted. She ran through the thickets and bushes, off the trail and into the deep forests, never stopping for and instant. Selena didn’t know what to do, they were going at an amazing speed, faster than any horse had ever gone. Selena had thought that this would just be a gallop, but no. If she had timed it, Selena would find out that Shinagah was going faster than any mortal creature had the right to go. Shinagah had gone miles into the forest in mere seconds. Shinagah came to a sliding-stop and Selena dismounted.

Not only did she not know where they were, but the place seemed like nothing she had ever seen before. The trees were an odd greenish color, and everything was different, but at the same time, it was all more beautiful than anything she would ever see again. The turf was soft and springy, and the air had a sweetness to it, which gave one the impression of springtime.

“I am not what I appear to be.” Came a smooth, gentle voice frome behind her.

Selena spun around. Shinagah was the only one there...

To be continued in next month’s edition of the Wiggin’s Weekly Story Writing Contest...