Phantom Horse Read Online Free Page B

grinned. “You almost had me convinced that it was true.”
    “Who says it isn’t?” Troy said without smiling back. He stood up. “I’ve got to get going. Thanks for your attention, y’all. I’ll be seeing you.” And then he was gone.
    Stevie turned to her friends. “Pretty awesome story, huh? Who would think someone could make a scary story out of getting your own horse?”
    Lisa rolled her eyes. “I don’t know,” she said. “I think it was mostly the way he told it that made it scary. Did you notice how he lingered over the words, making you think something spooky was happening even when it wasn’t? Youknow, like playing up the big storm, and the thing about the phantom coming back every thirteen years …”
    “Tell me about it,” Phil said with a chuckle. “I’m pretty sensitive to the number thirteen right now, but even my rabbi doesn’t mention it as often as Troy did in that story. It
was
a good story, though.”
    Carole wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she listened to her friends talking about Troy’s spooky tale. For some reason she didn’t feel like joining in. The story had left her with a strange feeling, and she wasn’t quite sure what it was. She glanced around at the dark corners of the room, seeming to catch things moving just beyond the range of her eyes. Then she shook her head and smiled at herself. The spooky Halloween atmosphere must be going to her head. After all, Lisa was right. The story they had heard was just a simple, rather silly tale told by an expert storyteller. There was no such thing as a phantom horse.
    Carole stood up and stretched, vowing to forget all about phantom horses with glowing red eyes and unearthly screams. “I don’t know about all of you,” she said, “but these ghost stories have made me awfully hungry. Anyone for more of those yummy pumpkin cookies?”
    N OT LONG AFTER the storytelling had ended, Carole left her friends eating the last of the cookies and headed to check on her horse, Starlight. She had bedded him down earlier in the evening, but she wanted to say good night before sheleft the stable. As soon as she turned the corner into the aisle leading to his stall, the tall, handsome bay stuck his head out over the half door and nickered a greeting.
    “Hey there, boy,” she said softly. She hurried up to the stall, and Starlight lowered his head to snuffle her hair. She stroked his forelock, pushing it aside so that the lopsided white star on his forehead was visible. The sounds of music and laughter were faintly audible, drifting down the quiet corridor from the indoor ring. “Have you been listening to the party? Don’t feel left out. I brought you a special Halloween treat.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bag containing a handful of carrot pieces. Holding them on her open palm, she allowed Starlight to lift each one with his soft lips.
    Carole was concentrating so hard on her horse that she didn’t hear the footsteps approaching behind her. When a voice at her shoulder spoke her name, she let out a startled yelp and jumped. At the same time her hand involuntarily swung up, smacking Starlight under the chin. The gelding threw up his head and snorted in surprise.
    Carole whirled around and saw Troy standing behind her. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “You scared me!”
    “Sorry about that,” Troy said.
    But Carole had already turned back to Starlight, who was backing away into the corner of his stall. The whites of his eyes were showing, and he was tossing his head. The orange party lights were reflected in his eyes, giving him an eerielook. She talked soothingly to him, trying to coax him forward again.
    “Better to let him alone for a few minutes,” Troy advised, stepping forward to peer into the stall. “Looks like you spooked him, whacking him in the jaw like that.”
    Carole bit her lip to keep from responding angrily. Troy made it sound as if Carole had hit Starlight intentionally when it was Troy’s