Horse

With Greco’s cry, the mounted thugs raced right and left. Doris’ whip
uncoiled for action.
“Stop!” the sheriff shouted, but it looked like his commands would no
longer do the trick, and just when the battle was about to be joined—
The toughs all stopped moving at once. Or to be more accurate, their
mounts had jerked to a halt.
“What’s gotten into you? Move it!”

Even a kick from spurred heels couldn’t make the horses budge. If the
men could’ve looked into their horses’ eyes, they might have glimpsed a
trace of ineffable horror. A trace of overwhelming terror that wouldn’t
permit the horses to be coerced any further, or even to flee. And then the
eyes of every man focused on the gorgeous youth in black who stood
blocking the front door, though no one had any idea when he’d appeared.
Even the sunlight seemed to grow sluggish. Suddenly, a gust of wind
brushed across the fields and the men turned away, exchanging uneasy
looks.

“Who the hell are you?” The mayor tried his level best to sound
intimidating, but there was no hiding the quiver in his voice. The youth had
about him an air that churned the calm waters of the human soul.

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