Nightmares

Lucia walked into the mountains.
Horses stared out from the shadows up high.
Mares with long legs. Mares dark like smoke.
At a fork in the path, Lucia ran.
Chased by horses, she nearly got trampled before she woke herself up.
Nightmares, she whispered, looking out at the moon and the stars. If I see them again, I’m not going to run.

Lucia walked into the mountains.
Horses stared out from the shadows up high.
Mares with long legs. Mares dark like smoke.
At a fork in the path, Lucia turned and threw rocks.
Surrounded by horses, she nearly got smothered before she woke herself up.
Nightmares, she whispered, hugging her knees under her silk bedspread. If I see them again, I’m not standing still.

Lucia walked into the mountains.
Horses stared out from the shadows up high.
Mares with long legs. Mares dark like smoke.
At a fork in the path, Lucia laid down strawberries.
Watching for horses, she hid in the pines.
They came, bent their heads, munched softly in the moonlight.
Nightmares, she whispered, peering out as they whinnied and tossed their heads.
Bravely, she stepped forward.
As she moved towards them, the horses began to shimmer, then blossomed into wildflower crowns.
If I see them again, I’ll thank them, she thought as she placed a crown on her head.
Lucia walked out of the mountains.

In the land of the night
mares, kindness reigns, like in all
the rest of the world.