June 2009 Story Contest

MYSTERY by shadownight 

         The fifth competitor, a tall red head named Lilly, galloped her bay quarter horse, Brunette, out of the arena.  Her turn barrel racing had gone really well.  The judges thought she was a shoe in for first prize.

         “Next,”  the announcer called, “we have...uh...There's no name here, folks.  It just says “Mystery”.”

         Suddenly a gasp went up from the crowd.  The next competitor was at the starting gate.

         The horse was a huge draft stallion, black as midnight.  He tossed his huge head impatiently.  The  feathers on the horse's fetlocks were thick and dense.  The mane and tail were long, and thick as a mermaid's braid.  There was no tack on the stallion at all.

        The girl sitting on the stallion's back was tall.  She was wearing blue jeans, cowboy boots, a black leather belt, and a red t-shirt.  Her eyes were green as emeralds, and her hair was as thick, black, and long as her horse's.

         Suddenly the song “Rodeo” blared out the loudspeaker.  The horse pawed and snorted, ready to go.  The girl grabbed a hand full of thick black mane, and almost imperceptibly touched her heels to the stallion's sides.  He broke into a gallop. 

         The girl and horse rounded the barrels with such skill and expertise, the judges thought she must be cheating, although they couldn't think of exactly how that was possible.

         The horse rounded the barrels in record time.  The girl, despite the lack of saddle or bridle, stuck to the stallion's back like a burr. 

         When they thundered out of the arena the crowd went wild.  They had never seen such a good show of barrel racing before.

         After the girl on the black stallion came three more girls.  A brunette named Jean on a small gray mare named Cloudy Day, a blond named Tessa on a palomino named April Showers, and a red head named Olivia on a pinto named Running Deer.  Finally, after a short break, it was time to announce the prizes. 

        “Third prize,” called the announcer, “Goes to Jean Brown on Cloudy Day.”  The brunette on the gray mare trotted out into the center of the arena and accepted the bronze trophy.  “Second prize goes to Lilly Jones on Brunette.” The red head on the bay trotted into the arena to claim the silver trophy. “First prize goes to the Mystery.”  The girl on the large black stallion trotted into the arena and accepted the golden trophy and valuable prize, a beautiful white leather bridle with polished silver trimming.  The girl dismounted and fitted the beautiful bridle onto her stallion.

         A newspaper reporter walked up to her and asked her what her name was.

         “We are Mystery,” she replied, patting her horse's neck.  Then she turned, mounted her stallion and cantered out of the arena, leaving behind a trail of dust.  That was the last most of the people ever saw of the mysterious green eyed girl on the large black stallion.  They never did figure out who she was.