Everyone knew what had happened that one night. The farmer had heard several gunshots and saw his precious mare jump over her paddock fence and bolt off into the nearby woods at the sudden loud noise. In the following weeks, the townspeople helped the farmer search the forest for his missing horse. She was a black-spotted Appaloosa, and one out of four left of her kind. All efforts to find this horse were unsuccessful. People feared Appoloosas would go extinct completely. The mare was never seen again. Those woods became known by the village as haunted, and nobody ever went in.

I took a deep breath in and inhaled the fresh air. Even in July, the dense forest kept the air slightly crisp. It has been years and years since anyone has walked on this path in the woods. I decided today was the day I would. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to venture into these woods. I have longed for some adventure, but to do so is out of the question. Of course I was well aware of the rumours. They were just stories I didn't believe. Still, as I got deeper into the forest, my heart started to beat a little faster, but I kept on walking.

When I reached what I suspected might have been the middle of the woods, I veered off the path and sat down leaning against a log, resting. This forest wasn't quite what I had imagined it would be. I was surrounded by dead silence. The only thing I could hear was my own breathing. I looked around and noticed there was nothing living other than the trees, the mushrooms, and moss.

I started to feel a little panicked as I realized the sun was going down. I got up and began to walk back to the path when I saw something that made me stop dead in my tracks.

A pasty white ear and a thin leg was sticking out of an evergreen. The creature came out from behind the tree and I could see it fully. My blood ran cold and I could feel the sweat beads on my forehead. Her mane was silvery white like moonlight and her coat was pale and translucent with tiny black spots. This horse vanished too long ago for her to be alive. I wanted to step back, but the fear prevented me from moving a muscle. She took a step towards me, and I took one step back, trying to be as quiet as possible. She leaned her neck down and her silvery white mane fell forward.

We were losing daylight. The trees swayed slightly and the air became cooler, but her presence felt eerily warm. I couldn't resist reaching a hand out towards her. But when I did, she turned her head and started to walk away slowly. Her footsteps made no noise. She stopped and looked back at me one last time as if to say goodbye, then galloped off out of the forest and into the night sky as I stood there dumbstruck.