> The Cabin
>  by Winter_Solstice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Blue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sat alone and stared at the fire, just like I do every night. I’d found the old log home a few years back, and it was exactly what I needed. Not too expensive (for me, anyway), cozy, secluded. My work as a free-lance novelist demanded much solitude, which suited me just fine. The nearest neighbor was almost a mile away, my kids rarely even called me let alone visit, and my wife had passed away some years ago. So it was just me and my books. I thought I was content.

The cabin came with an old barn, one that must have been for horses, for when I bought the place there were still trappings and equipment in it that I assumed were for that kind of livestock. Not being a rancher, and thus have very little to do with anything pertaining to animals, I just used it as a makeshift garage. Every once in a while I’d go out there to store my firewood, but that was usually just in the winter. It made for a clean, dry place to store anything that could stand the outside weather, as my attic was filled with boxes of memories. I seldom went up there.

On that snowy night I sat watching the fire, and listening to the wind howl outside. All of a sudden, I heard what sounded like someone crying out. I stood up in alarm. Who could it be out in this weather, at this time of night? I grabbed my coat and scarf and went outside. I listened, but the cry didn’t repeat. I shielded my face against the wind, and looked around. I could see nothing out of the ordinary, but I was sure I’d heard what I’d heard. I stepped down from my porch and walked a few feet away. There, imbedded quite clearly in the snow, were footprints. I tracked them with my eyes, and they led straight to my barn. Someone had come out in the storm and walked into it! I made my way back inside, grabbed a flashlight and briefly considered getting my rifle. ‘Better safe than sorry’ I ultimately decided, so I got the rifle, made sure it was loaded, then went back outside. I cautiously walked up to the barn door, then creaked it open.

“Who’s there?!” I shouted. No answer. I crept inside, swinging my light all around. “I know you’re in here! I have a gun, so you’d better show yourself!” Just then I heard a whimper off to my right, so I shone the light in that direction and slowly advanced. There, hiding behind some old bales of hay, was what looked like a miniature horse, staring at me. I relaxed and shouldered my weapon. Someone’s livestock must have gotten loose in the storm, and sought shelter in my barn. I kept the light on the animal as I walked forward.

“Well, where did you come from? Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you.” I put the rifle down and slowly approached it, keeping one hand out for it to smell. Then it did something that gave me pause…it…it shook its head, and retreated further behind the bales! I’d never seen an animal react like that. I slowly walked closer, and peered at it behind the hay. It was trapped there, as there was nothing but the wall of the barn behind it and the bales between us, so I got my first good view of it. Its coat was a vibrant blue(!), and its mane was dark and appeared to be silky, as well as being long. But what most struck me were its eyes. Though partially obscured on one side by its mane, they were large and it seemed to me, intelligent? I stared, trying to process what I was seeing. A…blue pony? I suppose ranchers experimented all the time with their breeds, but why would anyone develop a pony with blue fur? It didn’t make any sense. 

Then as I looked closer, I saw what looked like some sort of brand on its flank. I couldn’t really make out the details, but the markings were elaborate, and nothing I recognized. I knew the brands of the various ranchers, and this didn’t look like any of them. Then I noticed the pony was shivering, and my heart went out to it. I’d always had a soft spot for animals, even though I had no pets of my own. I had a cat some years ago, but after it had gone missing for a few days, only for me to find it a week later dead by the side of the road, I’d bid adieu to the idea of owning any pets. So I turned and went back to my home, retrieved a comforter, and went back to the barn. I slowly approached the animal and said, "it's okay...it's okay," in a quiet voice as it cowered in the corner. It tried to back up even further and then, as I closed the distance, it ducked its head and tightly shut its eyes. It flinched as I gently laid the comforter over it, then it opened them and stared up at me as I stepped back. Its big eyes searched my face for a few moments, then it sighed and lay down. It seemed to immediately relax and snuggle under its covering, so I knew I’d done the right thing.

As I picked up my rifle and began to make my way back outside, I heard something that made my heart race in fear: it spoke. I didn’t understand the words, but words they were. I slowly turned and stared at the beast, trying to make sense of what I’d heard, but it lay its head back down and appeared to go straight to sleep. I gripped my rifle tightly and briefly considered turning it on the thing, but its peaceful look stayed my hand. Whatever it was, it was content. I tried to tell myself I’d imagined the whole thing, but there was no one else out here to try and convince. I know I’d heard words. I quickly made my way back to my home, locked all the doors and went to sleep with my rifle tightly gripped in my hands.

The next morning, I lay groggily in bed, stared at the ceiling, and tried to remember the night before. It all came back to me in a rush: the blue pony, its odd gestures, and…and it somehow speaking. In the cold light of day, it all seemed like a bad dream, but I had to be sure. Living alone must be affecting me worse than I’d realized, if I was now hearing animals speak. For that matter, what was the voice I’d heard initially, that had caused me to venture out in the storm? Could it have been that creature? Now that I recalled, the voice had a distinctly feminine timbre to it. My heart started racing again: if that’s a female, there could be little doubt who it was calling out, but the thought made me go cold. 

I slowly got up, and went to the window. Fresh snow blanketed the grounds, and I could see it was undisturbed. The barn was visible from my angle, and there were no prints leading out of it. So that mystery animal was probably still inside. 

Getting dressed, I picked up my rifle and went back outside. I stopped at my porch and stared at the barn. If it was still in there, I realized I was about to have a life changing experience if my suspicions were correct. I sighed, then marched resolutely out to the barn. I slowly opened the door and looked around.

“Hello? Pony? Are you still in here?”

My heart started racing again as it came out from behind the bales, and looked at me. The expression on its face was…almost human, and it took everything I had not to suddenly turn and bolt for my home. Instead, I took a few steps closer. I had to know if I was going crazy. 

“Can…can you speak?”

The pony used the back of a hoof to push its mane away from its eyes as it watched me…then it spoke again. I shut my eyes tight and gripped my weapon. I still couldn’t understand its speech, but now there was no doubt. I felt my knees go weak, so I stepped over to the rear bumper of my truck and sat down. We stared at each other for a long time. Finally, it went back to its sleeping place, then returned with the…folded…comforter. Keeping its gaze on me, it slowly came forward and dropped it at my feet, then sat down again. It used a hoof to point at the comforter, then…it smiled, and spoke again. I couldn’t be sure, but I guessed it was…thanking me?

“You’re…welcome?” 

It nodded and smiled again. After a few moments, I smiled back. Then its stomach gurgled, and it put a hoof to its face and turned beet red! How I could see a blush through its fur, I didn’t know, but that was the reaction I’d seen. Okay. This is really happening, so I have to deal with it. I stood up, stuck the comforter under my arm and gestured for it to follow me. I still had some vegetables in my fridge I’d bought a week ago, so they shouldn’t be spoiled yet. I looked down at it as we walked. I was still a bit scared, but getting my first good look at it made me relax somewhat. This is definitely a mare, as it didn’t have male genitalia. Its…rather her walk had a decidedly female sway to it as well. I’d noticed its eyes before, but now in the daylight I could really see how large and expressive they are. Definitely not the eyes of an animal.

We made it to my home, and I opened the door and held it for her. She spoke again as she went through, then stopped and looked around. The place was cluttered, but I didn’t have dishes lying around with food decaying in them, so it was relatively clean. I favored furniture that was made of dark wood, so most of my pieces were of that nature. I didn't like a bunch of knickknacks, but there were still some antique pieces my wife had collected that I couldn't bear to throw out. There was a fire burning merrily in the fireplace, which cast its muted glow over the dark wood of my furniture. Overall, one could tell this was a single man's home.

She walked further in and I watched her warily. It didn’t seem right to let her stay out in the cold, but I still wasn’t sure about her. Even so, I found myself a bit more at ease as she made no threatening gestures; in fact, if I had to pick a word to describe her actions, I’d pick “cute.” She went all over the downstairs, peering at everything within her reach. She was as delicate in her movements as a cat, even though there was nothing she could knock over and break. My TV was on the wall and too high for her to reach, the antique pieces were too heavy and all my pictures were on the walls as well.

After a few moments of watching her, I placed the comforter on the couch, put my rifle in its place on the shelf, and went into my kitchen. I first looked to see where she was, so she wouldn’t come up behind me suddenly, then opened my fridge and took out the vegetables. I didn’t have any apples, and I remember being told horses love the things, so I was a bit disappointed, but at least I had something she could eat. I put the food in a large bowl and walked out of the kitchen. Then I stopped. 

She was on her back hooves, and supporting herself on one of her front ones against the wall as she stared at my family pictures. Then she looked at me, then looked at the pictures again, then back to me. She seemed to be waiting, so I said, “That’s my family when we were all much younger.” She then reached up and gently tapped the wedding picture, looked around, then settled back on me and raised the one eyebrow I could see. Was she…was she asking about my wife? A wave of sadness hit me, but I shook my head and cleared my thoughts. I never spoke about my wife to anyone, so I said nothing and held the bowl out to her. The pony dropped down and walked over, then sniffed at the food. I set the bowl on the floor for her and stepped back.

As I write these words many months later, I can still remember the shock I felt when I saw what she did next. She scowled up at me, then picked the bowl up by its rim in her teeth. Brushing past me, she then made her way over to my kitchen table…pulled out one of the chairs, then hopped up on it and sat herself down. Then and only then did she take one of the bell peppers up in her front hooves and take a bite. She then turned, tossed her mane out of her eyes and gave me a look while she was chewing, as if to say, “Don’t you dare try to feed me on the floor again!”

I never did.

She didn’t eat much, just finished the bell pepper then hopped back down. I thought she’d have a bigger appetite than that, but what did I know? She then walked over to the couch and sat down. I took off my coat, turned my easy chair to face her, then sat down myself. I then placed my hand on my chest and said, “Matthew.” She cocked her head at me again, then mimicked my gesture and spoke. To me, it sounded like a whinny with a strange lilt at the end. If that was how she said her name, there was no way I’d be able to pronounce it, so I just decided to call her “Blue.” 

“What are you?” I asked more to myself. Then another thought struck me, and fear momentarily gripped my heart again: could she be some sort of alien? I’d never heard any reports of aliens that looked like her, but I’d also never given the reports much thought. Before now. 

If she’s an alien, then how did she get here? Did she crash land, and her ship is somewhere close by? She seemed to be in good health, so it was unlikely she walked away from a crash. All the time I sat there musing, she quietly watched me. She seemed to be quite content to just sit there, and my fear subsided again. I had to admit to myself, her eyes were quite lovely, despite all her strangeness. This more than anything put me at ease, but then another thought occurred to me: how could I explain her to anyone else? I very rarely got visitors, so I wasn’t worried about someone showing up unexpectedly, but eventually, I knew, someone else would find out about her. I pictured her being taken to some lab, and I surprised myself as the thought made me uneasy.

We couldn’t just sit here staring at one another, so I reached over and grabbed the remote. I raised my free hand and pointed at my television, then pressed the button. Immediately the air was filled with some talk show, and I watched her closely. Her eyes snapped up to the screen, and they grew even bigger as she gave her full attention to the images and sound. I then slowly surfed through some channels, and she gasped and sat up, watching every change. She then got off the couch, walked over to me and looked at the remote. I held it up so she could see, then pressed the channel button again. She looked from the television to the remote, then back at me…then she laughed. Then she surprised me by taking the remote gently in her mouth, placed it on the coffee table and then used the front edge of her hoof to press the buttons. I was amazed at the dexterity she had in those hooves, but then I realized this would probably not be the last time she’d surprise me. 

Now it was my turn for my stomach to gurgle, so I got up to make myself some breakfast. Bacon and eggs sounded good, so I got out everything I needed and fired up the stove. As soon as the smell of the bacon wafted through my kitchen, I felt movement behind me and spun around. There, standing at the door, was the pony. Her eyes had an accusing look as she stared at me, then she walked all the way into the kitchen, came over to the stove and stood on her back legs to stare into the pan. After a few moments she gave me what seemed like a hurt look and walked back into the living room. I heard the TV click off, then silence pervaded my home. I took the pan off the stove and walked out to see what was bothering her. She lay on the couch facing away from me, with her head down on her front legs. I didn’t know what to think. Somehow I’d offended her with my choice of breakfast, so I went back into the kitchen, threw the bacon away and got out a bowl and made myself some cereal. I walked back out to the living room with my bowl and sat down.

“Blue?” I said. She raised her head and looked back at me. I held the bowl out for her to see, then started eating. She got up and looked into my bowl, then looked up at me and smiled. She then went over to the remote and turned the TV back on, and continued watching.

I slowly sifted through my feelings as I looked at her. This alien creature had somehow maneuvered me into throwing away perfectly good bacon! But…it had made her…happy. As I watched her smile as she looked at the television, I had to admit that was already important to me.

I got up, put my bowl in the sink, and then went to the computer on my desk. I knew it was a long shot, but I wanted to search the news and see if there had been any reports of a strange object being sighted nearby. Failing to find that, I then searched for “horse aliens.” The closest I came was some webpages about mythical creatures like pegasi and unicorns. I looked back at Blue. She certainly wasn’t either of those. 

However, I did find a reference to a creature known as a kelpie. According to the article, these are water spirits in Scotland, usually reported as looking like horses, but can take the form of humans. The article became more sinister the further I read. Apparently, kelpie will offer their victims a ride on their backs, run them into the water, and then devour them. Well, that's unsettling.

I sat back and thought. Before last night, I would have been at best amused by such tall tales. Now, looking over at the creature perched on my couch and obviously enjoying my television, I didn’t know what to think. As I’d expected, my entire worldview had been turned upside down. Who knew what else lived and breathed on this planet?

It was all just too much to take in. I turned off the computer and stood. I faced her for a few moments, then started to go upstairs, intending to lie down. As soon as I left the room I heard the TV turn off, and there was Blue standing behind me as I stopped on the stairs. She had a questioning look in her eyes, and even though I knew she couldn’t understand me, I said, “I’m going upstairs for a bit. Please…don’t follow me,” as I held up one hand. She looked sad, but then she turned and went back to the living room. I heard the TV click back on as I went upstairs to my room, closed and locked my door, and then lay down. I didn’t think I’d actually fall asleep, as my mind was trying to come to grips with what I’d seen and what I’d read.

The next thing I knew it was early evening. I glanced over at the clock, and saw I’d been asleep for several hours, and the winter sun was in its golden phase just above the trees.

I got up and went downstairs, and then into the living room. The TV was off, but Blue was nowhere to be seen. Had she left? The thought troubled me, despite my new misgivings. I didn’t know if she was a kelpie or not, but I didn’t want her to leave. Not yet. 

I heard movement in the bathroom, so I went up to the door. What could she be doing in there? I opened the door, and now it was my turn to go beet red as I saw her sitting on the toilet! She shrieked and covered herself with one hoof, while making shooing motions with the other. So I said, “Sorry!” and quickly shut the door. After a few moments I heard the toilet flush, then water running in the sink. She then opened the door and came out, glaring at me. I just stood there like an idiot. I then looked in my bathroom, but everything seemed fine.

Not knowing what else to do, I made my way through the living room and into the kitchen, for it was time to make dinner. Blue glared at me again as I went past, so I shook my head and kept walking. Once inside the kitchen the absurdity of the situation hit me, and I chuckled softly to myself. I’d done the same thing to my wife once when we were still dating. Once.

Hoping Blue hadn’t heard me, I looked in my fridge for something quick to make, that wasn’t meat. After a brief search I decided on mushroom soup, and I wondered if my strange visitor would like some as well. The bowl of vegetables still sat on my table, and it appeared to be untouched, so I guessed she should be hungry right about now. I still had half a loaf of sourdough bread, so I warmed that in the oven while the soup heated. Once everything was done, I placed it all on the table and went to the kitchen door.

“Blue?” I said. She turned and looked at me. “I have dinner ready, if you’d like to eat,” as I motioned her to me. She got up and entered the kitchen, then I pulled one of the chairs out for her. She seated herself, spoke to me, then looked down at her bowl. I sat down opposite her and said a quick grace, then started in on my soup. She watched me, and then lapped up a small portion of hers. She then smiled at me, and began to eat in earnest. Everything was alright after that.

Until I heard something banging on my front door.





> First Steps
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blue startled and her eyes grew wide, but I got to my feet and motioned for her to remain calm. I then quickly made my way into the living room and retrieved my rifle. The noise had stopped, but I was taking no chances. I again motioned to Blue to stay put, then went to my back door, peeked out, then went outside. Running as quietly as I could, I circled the house and slowly edged my sight over to my front door. The sound of movement caught my attention. I scanned my yard in the fading twilight, and saw a figure running away. I yelled for them to stop, but if they heard me they gave no sign, just dove into a waiting car and sped off. Now, who could that have been?

Taking another cautious look around, I then left my relative cover and approached my front door. There was a piece of paper there. I bent down to retrieve it, then turned it over. The words written there left me cold. I crumpled up the paper in my fist and looked out at the road again. I was pretty sure the figure had been male, but I couldn’t tell if he’d been alone. Thinking back, I realized he’d gotten into the driver’s side, so he could have had someone else with him. Whomever it had been, he had a sick sense of humor, at best. I didn’t want to think about this being more than a twisted prank. But it could have been.

I sighed and went back into the house. Blue was waiting for me by the front door, and as her expressive eyes searched my face she could immediately tell something was wrong. I just smiled at her and stuffed the paper in a pocket. There was little she could do, and there was no way to tell her what I’d seen. I put my rifle back in its place and returned to the table. Blue followed me, and I could feel her eyes on me the entire time. I sat back at my place and motioned for her to do the same. She shook her head and came over to sit on the floor beside me. After a moment she placed a hoof on my leg. I sat still for a few moments, staring at her, then gently pushed her hoof away and stood up. I needed to be alone, so I started towards the stairs. I’d only made it halfway up before I heard something that stopped me dead in my tracks.

“M..Mat..thew?”

I slowly turned around and stared at her. “Did…you just say my name?”

She stared back at me and said it again, clearer this time: “M…Matthew.” 

My knees suddenly felt weak, so I sat down and looked at her.

“What…what are you?”

As she came to the foot of the stairs, I jumped up. “Just…just stay away from me…please,” I added as I held up one hand and backed up the stairs. She stopped and gave me a hurt look, but I couldn’t help myself. It was all too much to take in, her being here, along with that note that may or may not be a threat. I stopped and said, “I don’t know if you can understand me, but I need to be alone right now. Please.” I then turned and made it to my bedroom, then closed and locked the door.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I sat and tried to calm it. That…pony…or whatever it was, just spoke English. I knew I’d heard her speak before, but somehow it didn’t seem real then. Now it was undeniable. She’s a creature unlike anyone had ever known, and she’s in my home. What am I supposed to do with this knowledge? Call the papers? Let the world know? But what would happen to her? As unsettling as she was, I didn’t want anything bad to befall her. I forced myself to think calmly as my heartrate slowly settled. She’s strange, yes, and still a bit scary, but she’s not done anything remotely dangerous. Even so, if she’s half as strong as a full grown horse, those hooves could do some damage if she chose. Or she could bite…

I shook my head clear of such thoughts. Matthew old boy, you’ve been alone too long, and a bit too paranoid. Unless she leaves on her own, I’m going to have to deal with her somehow. I remembered the look she’d given me as I’d backed away from her. She’s capable of emotion, that much is clear. And she can talk. But can she communicate, or was she just mimicking sounds like a parrot? I clenched my fists and got ahold of myself. I had to know.

I got up and walked back out, then slowly made my way down the stairs. Blue was laying on the couch, staring at the fire. She didn’t look at me as I went over to my chair and sat down. After a few moments of silence, I finally spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

One ear swiveled in my direction, but she remained otherwise motionless. I drew a deep breath and continued.

“You…you are a bit scary to me, still. But I don’t think you mean me harm, or you could have done it by now, Blue.” At that last she finally turned to me, and shook her head. She placed a hoof on her chest and made that whinny sound again. I shrugged. “I can’t pronounce your name…I can’t make that sound.” She then sighed and placed her hoof on her chest again.

“B…Blue.” She then pointed at me. “Matthew.” 

I smiled and nodded. 
_____________________________________________________

Before I realized, it was full morning. I’d spent the entire evening and night pointing out different things in my home, slowly saying their names, and having her repeat me. When we'd run out of objects to identify downstairs, I moved on to books and magazines. She is undeniably intelligent, as I only had to say something two or three times before she got it. This wasn’t mimicry. This was actual communication, and the longer we went on, the more excited I became. I’d also found out she shared my love of coffee, although she liked hers really sweet. But, even fueled by caffeine, the hours began to take their toll on me, and I stood and yawned. Apparently, yawning is contagious between humans and…whatever she is, as she yawned as well. I guess we’d both had enough. I pointed to her.

“Tired?” I closed my eyes, cocked my head and placed a hand on the side of my face. “Sleep?”

She yawned again and nodded. “Sleep.”

I motioned for her to follow me, and started up the stairs. I didn’t notice she hadn’t followed me until I was at the top, turned and saw she was still on the first floor, looking up at me with an unreadable expression. I didn’t understand why she was still down there, so I waved her up and pointed down the hall. She slowly came up the stairs with that same look on her face. This was really odd. I walked to the door of the spare bedroom, and pointed inside. Blue’s face cleared, and then she smiled at me as she went in and hopped up on the bed. I smiled back at her as she made herself comfortable. 

“Good night…or good morning, I suppose I should say.”

“Good…night…Matthew.”

I slowly closed the door and went to my room. I wasn’t until I’d gotten under my covers and settled in that realization hit me: did she think I was…inviting her to my bed?! It had been longer than I liked to remember trying to put the moves on a female, but I still recalled the wary look I’d gotten sometimes. I compared the memory to the look Blue had given me. If she was a human, there would have been no mistaking it. The thought was so absurd I just shook my head and smiled as I started to drift off to sleep. That’s twice I’d made a serious faux pas with her, first with the bathroom and now with the bedroom. If she was a human, I probably would have gotten slapped by now! I gave a final chuckle, turned over and went to sleep.
________________________________________________

I awoke to the smell of pancakes. Pancakes?! I bolted out of bed and took the stairs as fast as I dared. When I got to the kitchen I just stood there with my mouth open. Blue was on her hind legs in front of the stove, with one of my spatulas in the crook of her hoof. As I watched, she expertly flipped the pancake she was making onto a plate already filled with others, then she turned off the stove and brought the plate over to the table! She looked up and saw me, then smiled.

“Good…after…noon, Matthew.”

I was still stunned, and could only stammer, “H…how did you do this?”

She just pointed a hoof at my seat and said, “Sit. Please.”

I moved on stilted legs over to the table and sat slowly down. She placed three pancakes on my waiting plate, then used a hoof to push them over to me. She’d already placed a knife and fork in their proper places, then she did the same for herself and sat opposite me. Then she cast a glance at my plate, then back up at me, and cocked an eyebrow. I slowly reached for my knife and fork, cut a small piece and brought it to my mouth. She watched me as I chewed and swallowed, then my expression brightened. Whatever she’d done to these pancakes, they were as good if not better than anything I’d ever made. I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up. She looked puzzled at my gesture, but returned my smile and began spreading butter on her stack. And that’s when I got my second shock of the morning. She seemed to have no trouble with the knife and fork, and my face grew red as I remembered I hadn’t given her a spoon last night when I’d served her soup. How was I supposed to have known she could use one? I shook my head as I reached for the butter and syrup. Pancakes these good deserved the full treatment. I poured my regular amount on my stack, then passed the bottle over to her. She took it and squeezed an ungodly amount on her plate. This one really loves sugar! 

We ate in silence, but I kept sneaking glances at her. She is amazing. Watching her, I almost forgot she’s some sort of alien, her gestures and bearing being so familiar. Then I looked around, and noticed she’d already cleaned up the pots and bowls from last night. She must have been up for a while to accomplish all this, and I felt my face go red again. After the way I’d treated her following that incident with the note, she'd still found it within herself to make us breakfast. It had been many years since I’d ever had anyone offer to cook and clean for me, but I knew the proper response.

“Blue?” She looked up at me. I motioned at the table, then at the kitchen. “Thank you.” She smiled at me.

“Welcome.”

__________________________________

The next few days passed like a blur. We’d spend the day with her getting better and better acquainted with English, then we’d take turns cooking. Meat was still a sensitive subject with her, so I was a vegetarian for the moment, but it was acceptable. Cooking was a hobby of mine, so I had a fully stocked herb and seasoning cabinet, and it was amazing to taste what she could do with spices, pastas, rice, breads and other meatless items. It filled me with endless fascination watching her manipulate utensils, pots and pans. As far as I could tell, those were regular looking hooves, but she was somehow able to use them almost as well as I did my own hands. She also seemed to be as adept at using her mouth to pick up objects as well, which made me realize her jaw and teeth must be really strong also. Once I got to know her better, I made a mental note to closely examine her hooves, if she’d allow me. 

The only dark spot was that note, and whomever that asshole was that left it. I’d almost convinced myself it was just a prank, and whomever that had been was a coward. Why else would they have run off as soon as they’d dropped off their note? I’d made no mention of it to Blue, as I couldn’t see how she could have helped. But still it bothered me.

Then another thought occurred to me as I sat in the kitchen watching her work: suppose someone was watching the house? I turned and looked out the front windows. I usually kept my curtains open during the day, to allow natural light in, but with Blue here that might not be a good idea. I could feel my paranoia rising to the surface again, so I got up and stood at the window, looking out. I had a clear view of the road that passed in front of my home, but there were thick trees on the other side, and anyone could be crouched down there. After a moment I shut the curtains and turned away. 

Blue had stopped cooking, and was watching me. “What…wrong?”

I smiled at her and said, “I’m just a little nervous, but it’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Blue concentrated for a moment, then said, “Why…Matthew…ner…vous?”

I briefly considered reading the note to her, but I couldn’t see the good that would do. “I’m just old. I worry about nothing, sometimes. What are you cooking?”

But she wouldn’t be distracted. “Tell…me.”

I sighed, then said, “You’d better turn everything off in the kitchen…this is going to take a while.”

As she went back in to remove the pots from the burners, I went over to my wedding picture and took it down. I settled down in my chair, while Blue came over and sat on the couch. I then took a deep breath, and told her all about my wife’s murder.





> Drawing Closer
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been ten years ago. I remember being jolted out of bed by a scream, as I sat up and looked around. I was alone in the bedroom, and the realization made me go cold with fear. That was Chloe’s scream…

I quickly got up and began yelling for her. I ran downstairs, through the living room and into the kitchen. The back door stood wide open, and I ran out into the yard, calling her name. There, illuminated only by the moon, lay my wife. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at her. She wasn’t moving. I slowly came forward as I felt myself go numb from my head to my chest. She can’t be dead…we were just sleeping…we’ve got so much more we need to do…she can’t be dead. I fell to my knees and placed a hand on her back.

"Honey?"

Nothing. I slowly turned her over and gasped when I saw the blood. I then fell backward and landed on my rump, staring at her. 

The police told me later that’s how they found me. They picked me up and handcuffed me, then had to carry me to their car. I didn’t remember any of it, I had to be told hours later. I’m also told I was in a near-catatonic state of shock and was unable to answer any questions. I only came around when my children showed up. They’d both grown up and had moved out the year before, so it must have been hours for them to have traveled all that way. I still remember the looks on both their faces as they were shown into the interrogation room.

“Dad? What…what happened?” This question was from my son.

I told them both all I remembered, which wasn’t very much.

My daughter stared at me, then said, “Why didn’t you hear her get up? What were you doing?”

When I heard the undisguised accusation in her voice, I went cold again.

“Baby, I —”

“Don’t call me that! What were you doing?! Were you drunk?!”

“No! I haven’t had a drink in years, I was just asleep!”

“Liar! You should have protected her!” With that, she turned and fled the room.

I watched her go, then looked at my son. His eyes strayed down to the blood that was still on my shirt, and then back to my face. Finally, he took a deep breath, and then said, “Did you kill her?” His eyes never left my face.

“No.”

He was silent for a few moments, then said “Alright. But I can’t believe you couldn’t have done something to prevent this.”

I felt something twist inside me as I stared back at him. “I just lost my wife. She was your mother, but she was my wife.” My expression hardened. “If all you and your sister can do is blame me, then I don’t need either of you here. Just…go.” I then dropped my eyes and stared at my handcuffed hands. I could see they were still stained. 

I didn’t look up as I heard him leave. It was years before we all ever spoke again.

The trial took months. The prosecutor did everything in his power to convict me, but in the end, I was found not guilty. In the eyes of the law. In the court of public opinion, I was then and remain guilty. So I packed up everything I had, changed my name, and moved away. But the police have never solved the murder. For a few years, I kept calling them, and getting the same answer: “we’re working on it.” But after awhile, I think they were more tired of hearing from me than I was from them, so I quit calling, but not before I pestered them into giving me everything they had on file. 

I’ve memorized every detail of that file. I keep thinking there’s something I’ll find if I just stare at it long enough, but it’s been a few years since I took it down. 

Even though my kids called me eventually and apologized, I can tell there’s still a part of them that blames me. Which is no surprise, as I blame myself as well. So we don’t talk that often. And that’s the hardest part: whoever that was didn’t just take my wife…I lost my entire family.

___________________________________________________

Blue was crying by the time I’d finished. Her English is still shaky, but she apparently understood enough to affect her emotions. I just let her cry while I stared at my wedding picture. After a few moments, she got up and went into the bathroom. I heard her grab some tissues and blow her nose, then she came back out and resumed her place. I looked up at her and sighed. 

“I’m sorry I told you, Blue. I haven’t spoken about those times in years. You are the first I’ve told.” She nodded, but then her next question surprised me.

“So…‘Matthew’ not name?”

I sighed and looked at the picture again. “Yes, that’s my real name. But everyone else here knows me as Jonathon. Jonathon Edwards.”

She looked thoughtful, then said, “Why tell me real name?”

I stared at her, trying to arrange my thoughts and feelings. Finally, I said, “I’m not sure. I don’t know if it’s because I’m tired of hiding, or if I just somehow trusted you. I…I didn’t want to lie to you like I have to do every time I leave my home and talk to others. I’ve been doing this for years. I guess it was nice to finally talk to someone as the real me. Even if you are an alien.” At this last, I was able to smile, and I was relieved when she smiled back. She then got to her feet.

“Dinner ready soon,” she said as she walked back into the kitchen. I stayed where I was, but then I heard her stop.

“Matthew?”

I turned and looked at her.

“Thank you.” 

“For what?”

“For…truth.” She then went into the kitchen, and I heard her resume cooking.

___________________________________________________

Before I knew it, a week had gone by and in that week, I’d learned much about my strange guest. On her world, if I understood her correctly, equines are the dominant species. The following all sounded like a fairy tale to me, but she insisted it’s all true. They are ruled by two beings that have lived for over one thousand years, who have both pegasus and unicorn attributes. Blue is what’s known as an “Earth” pony, so she lacked both wings and a horn. I thought that term was strange, seeing's how that's the name of this planet, but over the course of the week, I learned our two worlds shared more than a few similarities. Even so, there were too many things that just seemed like fantasy, like pegasi and unicorns. What’s next, fairies and elves? But as much as I wanted to be skeptical, the evidence was sitting in my living room, eating my food, and sleeping in one of my bedrooms. And talking.

So finally I asked her how she got here, but she didn’t understand it herself. All she knew was she had been sleeping in her own bed one night when she’d been awakened by a storm. I should probably add at this point she says the weather is controlled by the pegasi, but this storm had been unusually strong. 

She’d been in the process of making sure all her shutters were locked tight when she’d noticed the lighting had a purple tinge to it. She assured me that even as strange as her world appeared to me, this was something out of the ordinary, as the lighting was never purple! Then she’d heard someone crying in the distance and she had gone to her door to peer out into the storm.

She’d no idea who would be out in a storm like this, but they sounded like they needed help. She then rushed out of her home, and at this point I couldn’t help but comment about her bravery, and I asked if this was a common trait among her kind. When she pieced together my question, she turned bright red and shuffled her hooves, not saying a word. I then realized I’d made her uncomfortable, so I asked her to continue her tale.

She’d followed the sound out into a forest when she’d seen what appeared to be another pony engulfed in light. Even though she’s been scared, she’d called out to the pony. When that pony had turned to her, there had been a brilliant flash, and the next thing Blue knew she was in a field that was covered with snow. She’d wandered calling out for help until she’d seen a barn, and made her way into it. The rest I knew.

When she finished I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding and sat back. That was quite a story! But something was bothering me, so I asked her if she’d seen my house when she was wandering? She’d said she had, but it had been much larger than any house she’d ever seen, and the smells were all wrong. She’d found some of those same smells in the barn, and had been frightened by my truck, but she’d quickly realized it was inanimate, and therefore not a threat. The barn seemed safer than the house, so that’s why she’d sought refuge in it. That’s when I’d found her.

__________________________________________________

My strange guest had shaken my belief system to its core. Not only was she a living, breathing alien, she came from a world that sounded like pure fantasy. My safe, little world had just gotten much, much larger, as I considered the possibilities. Now I had to reconsider every fairy tale or mythical creature I had ever heard of, and I felt my composure slipping. I stared down at my two hands, then brought them together. They're real, they're solid. Then I looked at Blue. As much as it disturbed me to admit, she is the same. She quietly returned my gaze and she seemed to be completely at ease in contrast to my trepidation. I had to find out why.

"Blue, you don't seem to be scared of me anymore. Aren't you frightened by this world, or at least concerned that we're all aliens to you?"

She paused before answering. Finally, she took a deep breath, and said, "I was much scare when I first came. Now, I meet you, not scare anymore. You...nice."

My heart skipped a beat and I was at a loss for words. The knowledge another being felt safe with me...that's something I hadn't experienced for a very long time. My heart felt strange as if it was waking up after a decade's slumber. I then said the first words that came to mind.

"Thank you, Blue. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

That conversation had been two days ago, and I brought myself back to the present.

_______________________________________________________

Now it was time to deal with a somewhat urgent matter at hand. I was almost completely out of food, and I gazed forlornly at my kitchen. As I stared at my empty cupboards I realized it was time to go shopping. But, what to do with Blue? I certainly couldn’t take her with me, but would she be safe here all alone? Then I remembered how intelligent she is; perhaps she’d have a better idea.

I walked back out to the living room, where she was seated in her favorite spot, watching some awful talk show. I couldn’t stand them, but they seemed to fill her with endless fascination. Also, I suspected they were helping her with her English, as her vocabulary grew daily.

“Blue?”

She turned and looked at me. “Yes?”

I gestured back to the kitchen. “We need groceries, but I’m afraid to leave you here alone.”

“Why?”

I tried to weigh what I hoped was common sense against what the doctors had told me was paranoia. After a moment, I said, “ I…just don’t feel safe leaving you here.”

She hopped to her feet. “Then I come with you!”

I placed one hand behind my head as I looked at her. “That…might not work, either. Blue fur isn’t a common color for ponies on this planet. You’d attract all kinds of attention.”

Blue looked thoughtful. Then, she walked over to the comforter and threw it around herself. “I stay under blanket. No-one see!”

I thought about it. If we went late at night, just before closing, there’d be fewer people out shopping, thus less chance of anyone seeing her. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Besides, it would give her a chance to see more of the town, as I figured she had to be getting somewhat tired of seeing these four walls for the past week. I nodded my approval. 

“Alright. We’ll go after sunset.”

> More Than Friends
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Driving through town was a singular experience for my odd guest. I’m not sure how much she could see at night, but she seemed very excited by all she saw. She kept the comforter over her head, but still peered out from beneath it. Every once in awhile, I’d hear her gasp at some new sight, though I couldn’t tell what had caught her interest. It all seemed quite ordinary to me, so I tried to see things the way she did. 

The town I’d chosen to live in is a rustic farming community. There was one big name grocery store, but the majority of the shopping district was red brick mom-and-pop establishments that had been there for a few generations. There was one main street that went down the middle, with a traffic light that turned into a blinker after ten o’clock. During the day, one could see the mountains in the distance, overlooking our fair town.

Some of the larger ranches were on our route, so I’m guessing Blue could smell the other horses, even if she couldn’t presently see any. Later on, I’d have to ask her how she felt about seeing her kind, if they were actually her kind, stuck behind fences and barns. Then I decided against asking that; if it bothered her, I’m sure she’d say.

I pulled into the parking lot, which at this time was mostly empty. Even though I’d parked a fair distance from any other cars, and away from any of the lights in the lot, I was still a bit nervous about leaving her out here. I resolved to go in and out as quickly as I could.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Blue. Try to stay out of sight, okay?”

“Okay. But wait, Matthew.”

I looked at her expectantly.

She sighed and said, “I know you eat..” and here she shuddered, “meat.” She stared up at me. “Get meat.”

“Are you sure? I know it bothers you.”

“I’m…sure.” Then she smiled. “I won’t cook it…you cook!”

I smiled. “Deal!”

With that, I trotted to the entrance, grabbed a cart, and began filling it with everything I thought she’d like, along with a few things for myself. I made sure to get some apples, along with lots more sugar and sweet things. I even remembered to get some girly things, like women's shampoo and conditioner. I knew she'd been using mine and it occurred to me she may prefer something else. I practically flew down each aisle, just grabbing things. Then I smiled to myself. My wife used to hate sending me shopping, as I never looked at the prices or compared one item’s value against another; if it looked good or had a fancy label, that was good enough for me! Then I caught myself and stopped. That was the first time in a very long time I’d allowed myself a pleasant memory of her…and it felt…right. Then I shook myself and continued shopping.

I’d almost made it without running into anyone I knew, but it was not to be. I looked up too late to see one of my neighbors, a guy named Taylor-something. (I’m bad with names.) We saw each other at the same time. He raised his hand and pushed his cart closer.

“Hey, Jon! Out late, huh?” Taylor was slightly overweight with receding blond hair and glasses, still dressed in faded overalls.

“Um, yeah, Taylor…I needed a few things.”

He stared at my cart. “A few things? Looks like you’re trying to feed an army!” He peered closer. “A vegan army looks like. What’s with all the veggies?”

I tried to keep my voice offhand. “Oh, you know…just trying to eat healthy.” 

Taylor smirked. “Why’s that? You got a vegan girlfriend?” He laughed. “What’s her name?”

I hoped I wasn’t visibly sweating because I certainly felt like it after that pointed question. “No, no…nothing like that. Just…trying to take better care of myself, is all.”

Taylor huffed. “If you say so, Jonny.” (The inevitable nickname. Sigh.) Then he spotted the shampoo and picked it up. "What's this?"

I thought fast. "It's for my daughter. She and my son are coming to visit."

"Oh? You never mentioned them before."

I shifted from one foot to the other. "We're...not as close as we used to be. Long story."

He put the shampoo back and said, "Sorry. I know how that is." Then his eyes became shrewd. “You know…my sister has been asking about you. She’s gonna be in town next week and I bet she’d love to have you over for dinner.”

Now I really needed to get out of here! “I’ll…I’ll let you know. Alright, good talking to you.” I pushed my cart away before he could come up with another excuse to delay me, and made it to the cashier. The cashier was an older man, probably one of the managers, and he wasn’t fast. At all. 

I tried to stay calm as he slowly rung up all my purchases, while I then turned to look out the window and towards my truck. That’s when I saw something that made me go cold. I wasn’t sure from this distance, but it looked like the passenger side door was standing open!

“I’ll be right back!” I said to the cashier as I rushed outside. Making my way to my truck, I looked inside. She was gone. The comforter was still there, but she wasn’t. What had happened?!

I looked frantically around and just as I was about to throw caution to the wind and call out her name, I heard hoof steps running towards me from the dark woods that were on the edge of the parking lot. It was Blue! As she came closer, she seemed a bit embarrassed, if I was reading her correctly.

“Blue…what happened, where’d you go?”

She looked sheepishly up at me as she climbed into the truck and got back under the comforter. Then she mumbled something.

“I’m sorry…what did you say?”

She sighed, then said, “I…had to…pee.”

“Oh. Oh! I apologize…I didn’t think I’d taken that long.”

“It’s…okay. Where is food?”

I slapped my forehead. “I’ll be right back!” Quickly I turned and ran back into the store. The cashier was just finishing up my purchases as I dug out my wallet.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yes…everything’s fine. I…umm…thought I saw someone break into my truck.”

The cashier, an older gentleman named William, snorted. “You don’t have to worry about stuff like that happening here, Jon. We’re pretty safe in this town.”

I had first-hand experience to the contrary, but I kept my thoughts to myself, swiped my credit card and helped the bagger put my groceries in my cart.

I loaded our food in the back, then took out an apple and handed it to her once I was seated. “I thought you might like this.”

She smiled up at me from under the blanket and accepted the fruit. The next few minutes were filled with the sound of her crunching as we made our way back home. 

I kept stealing glances at her as I drove. I couldn’t help it, as everything about her was fascinating, now that I’d mostly gotten over my fear of her. There was still the fact that she’s an alien that gave me pause, but that emotion was being overshadowed as I daily got to know her better.

We made it back without incident and it was fully dark as I pulled into the barn. Even so, I got out and looked around before allowing her to exit, just to be safe. Everything seemed pretty normal, so I grabbed as many bags as I could and started in, but I was stopped by Blue.

“Give bags,” she said, looking up at me. I shrugged and handed her one. I figured she’d carry it in her teeth, but she surprised me by turning her head and placing it between her shoulder blades. “One more,” she added, so I did. That one she did carry in her teeth, but there was no way she’d be able to balance that other bag all the way to the house. Or so I thought. We made it to the house and up the stairs and that bag on her back didn’t even shift. Either her sense of balance is extraordinary, or something else was going on.

Once we got inside, I wanted to ask how she’d done that, but I kept my questions to myself. This was just one more thing she was able to do that she shouldn’t and I did not want my fear of the unknown to spoil the mood.

I put my bags down, took hers, then laid them all on my kitchen table. Feeling like some music, I went to my CD player and put on Bach’s Prelude in C. Blue stood by the kitchen watching my every move. When the piece started playing, her eyes grew wide and she began swaying to the music. I smiled and went into the kitchen to put away the food.

I was halfway done when I heard movement, so I went to the kitchen door. What I saw not only made my eyes grow wide, but my mouth also opened in astonishment.

Blue was up on her hind legs dancing, as graceful as a ballerina. As I stood there mesmerized, she spun, twirled and gave short little leaps. It was…poetry. When the music ended she stopped, opened her eyes and looked around. Seeing me watching her, her face grew bright red and she turned away from me. I stuck the box of cereal I was holding under one arm and began clapping. She turned an even brighter shade and waved a hoof at me in a “stop it” motion. I finally found my voice.

“Blue…that was amazing! I didn’t know you could dance.”

She still wouldn’t face me, but she whispered, “I not know you watch.”

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “I’m glad I did. You are beautiful!” The words were out before I could stop them, so I covered my mouth and stared at her. She gasped and looked around at me. Something passed between us, something I hadn’t felt in a very long time. But then I told myself it couldn’t be. I’m a human and I don’t really know what she is. So it couldn’t be what it was feeling like.

Time seemed to stand still as these thoughts went through my mind, while we stared at each other. I finally dropped my eyes, cleared my throat and turned back into the kitchen. I busied myself with putting away the groceries, all the while thinking about her and trying to pin down my feelings.

It was awhile before I could muster the nerve to go back out of the kitchen. When I did, Blue was nowhere in sight. I took the toiletries to the bathrooms, then I came back down the stairs. I went to my front door and looked out. There she was, sitting on the porch swing and staring out into the night. I felt as nervous as a kid, but I had to say something. I walked out and motioned at the swing. “May I sit?”

She nodded and scooted over, so I sat and folded my hands in my lap. We both just sat there, gently swinging and remaining silent. I watched as a shooting star made its way across the heavens and I decided it to be a good sign. So I began.

“Blue, I hope I didn’t embarrass you or make you feel uncomfortable.” I turned to face her and took the plunge. “But you really are beautiful.”

She didn’t look at me, but she did whisper, “Thank you.” Then she hopped down and turned those big eyes on me.

“Good night, Matthew,” she said then went inside.

“Good night, Blue,” I managed to say as she left. I sat there, silently swinging and thinking. Finally, I went inside. Blue wasn’t in the living room or the kitchen, so she must have gone to bed. Then I heard the shower running and concluded she was inside, maybe using the things I’d bought for her.

I lay there staring up at the ceiling as sleep eluded me. After a few hours, I was surprised  to hear a gentle knock on my door. I sat up and turned on the light. I thought she’d gone to sleep by now. My heart began beating rapidly as I said, “Come in?”

Blue entered with her eyes downcast. I wasn’t sure, but it looked like she’d been crying. My heart gave a lurch when I noticed.

“Blue? Why are you crying?” She finally met my gaze.

“I…can no sleep. May I…stay in here?” I could only nod, as I didn’t trust myself to speak. I drew back the covers as she climbed in beside me. She then lay down facing away from me. I pulled the covers up around her and turned out the light, then lay on my back. After a few moments, she turned and took one of my arms and placed it around her. I drew her close and inhaled deeply of her mane. It smelled like strawberries, so I knew she’d used the shampoo. I sighed and snuggled closer.

Some time went by, then she whispered my name. "Mat...Matthew?"

“Yes, Blue?”

“Did…you mean it when you say…I’m beautiful?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

She turned to face me, then said, "Matthew is in pain. I can tell." I opened my mouth to reply, but she placed a hoof over my mouth.

"Don't speak." She put her hooves up on either side of my face, then kissed me.

The rest I keep to myself.