//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Introduction to Rowan // Story: Rowan's Experiences with Equestrian Life // by NLR Lightning Bolt //------------------------------// Chapter 1 - Introduction to Rowan It was a bright Friday morning when Rowan found himself returning from the world of pleasent dreaming. I slowly stretched on the bed and looked over at my alarm clock wondering what time I woke up at. It said 7:23. I was about to go back to sleep until I realized something, I was going to be on a podcast with some of my friends at 8:00 today. I quickly got up and went over to my closet to get on something nice for the podcast. I looked over all my clothes thoughtfully until I realized that it wasn't a video podcast it was only sound and I didn't have any planned visitors. I was putting on one of my favorite shirts and some blue jeans when I pondered the idea that maybe I could have a surprize visitor, but I quickly pushed that idea to the side since I lived in the middle of the scottish wilderness where it was a thirty minute drive to the nearest town. After getting dressed I quickly grabbed a strawberry poptart from the pantry and plopped down in front of the laptop. I quickly signed into skype and checked the clock. 7:53 "I hope I'm not too late." I checked my contacts list and sighed with relief as I saw that every one was still online and soon my laptop was ringing as I saw that I was getting a request for a call. I let out another sigh because they wouldn't send me a call request if they had already started the podcast. I quickly accepted the request and almost instantaneously I heard three voices shout out of my computer. "Took you long enough!!" I jumped back and knocked my chair over after the ferocity of their voices had scared me senseless. After I had my wits together I replied. "Well I'm sorry if my alarm clock didn't go off, but you could at least be happy I managed to make it on time." I heard one of them begin to mutter to themselves, it was probably Tyler seeing how he is known for these types of things. "Well I'm happy you made it on so we could tell you the news." Erica, my only female friend casually said after Tyler had quit muttering. I was now curious what the bad news was, "What bad news?" I heard a gasp from who I assumed was Brian, "You mean you haven't heard?" Brian said after he had quit gasping. "No I haven't heard," I replied with a little spite slipping into my tone. I heard another gasp from Brian, "It's all over the news." I rolled my eyes and told him that I haven't been on the news channel today since I had rushed to get on Skype. Erica then said that a large storm was forming off of the European coast. "All of Glasgow is being evacuated," she added. Tyler then decided to explain to me that the podcast was canceled since both he, Brian, and Erica lived there. "Oh, I'm sorry guys I didn't know," I replied. After they all said thanks I invited them all to my place since I lived east of Southampton. They all declined except for Brian who didn't say anything because he was debating whether or not to go to his sister's house in London. He finally accepted my invitation since he and his sister didn't get along very well. We all said goodbye and I made a quick run to the store to stock up on supplies before the storm hit. When I got back I noticed Brian's car parked outside of my house and smiled. I always enjoyed having Brian over, but when I passed his car my enthusiasm dropped as I saw what he had a sticker of. I burst into my house, slammed the groceries on the kitchen conter when I noticed Brian sitting on my couch watching the one show I despised more than anything. My Little Pony He put on a false grin when he saw I was home, "Um. Hi Rowan did you have a nice trip to the store?", Brian said while he slowly backed away from my cold rage. I was a deep red when I walked over to the TV to turn it off, but once I did I turned back to Brian who had begun to sweat. I began to mutter, but I did manage to get a few intelligable words out before I burst with anger, "When...Did...You...Start...To...Watch...This?" Brian's sweating got more intense as he tried to squeeze a reply out of himself. "Well it started a week ago when Erica came over and we watched it, but when she left I just kept on watching it until I fell in love with the show." I tried to calm down but it didn't help until Brian went and got me some ice cream out of the kitchen. After I had calmed down me and Brian talked, both of us trying to stay away from the topic of My Little Pony, until we heard the sound of rain pitter-pattering on the window. After watching a few of our favorite movies we headed off to bed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After what seemed to be a matter of minutes a loud crack of thunder and what sounded like a scream woke me up. I quietly slipped out of my bed after another crack of thunder and another scream pulled me out of my waking state again. I began to slowly walk down the stairs of my house as I followed what seemed to be a slight wimpering sound that was coming from my front door. I slowly walked up to the door and gripped the handle as another crack of thunder called another scream from outside my door. I slowly opened the door, but once I did I soon felt a cold sensation on my left leg. Once I looked down to see what it was I was in shocked. There pressed up against my leg was a soaking wet pony.