Prompt: The Water Horse

Thanks to “Nini1965” for permission to use her exquisite image, “Water Horse (3)”!

Keera held her breath as she splashed the water up in the air. “Please,” she whispered. She dared not give voice to her desperation.

As the drops fell down, the tiny shape of a horse emerged, the water droplets running together, the horse growing until it was large enough to stand on her outstretched palms, delicate foreleg pawing the air, shimmering mane sparkling in the moonlight.

The horse stepped delicately across her hands, its steps cool and light on her skin, shaking its mane as it peered around. She lowered her hands to the water and the horse backed away, then cantered across her fingers and leaped onto the moonlit waves.

It grew as it ran, looping in widening circles in front of Keera, then around her. Water ran up its legs and flowed over its belly, back, neck, head, up to the tufts of its ears, splashing along its lengthening tail.

Soon the horse towered over her, as she lifted her shoulders out of the water. She reached out a hand, afraid to disrupt its form. It leaned down and nuzzled her palm, cool and damp, and she carefully stroked along its jaw and up to its neck.

“I wish I could ride you, beautiful,” she said softly. “But you have work to do. It’s time to run, my beauty.”

The horse tossed its head up and down, leaned down and nuzzled her hair, then raced off across the water.

Keera watched until she could no longer see it in the moonlight. “Run!” She whispered, and a single tear reflected the moonlight against her own skin…

Dogs in house	Houdini
Time writing	~25 minutes, interrupted
February word count	5,667