The River Crossing

By Linda Hays-Gibbs

There was a demented crook in the river where the water was shallow enough to cross. Just at the evening shade, a purple cloud of night enveloped the spot. When he really hated to be there.Many times he walked to the river to cross but never crossed it!

Today he studied the river carefully. It looked tormented like himself, full of fear. He had to go across and on his old mare, it should be safe enough.

He jumped back on his grey mare and prodded her to wade into the water. The horse took four steps into the water and stopped. He tried to smack her sides to continue but she didnt comply. Suddenly he felt someone jump onto the back of the horse and hold him tight in a frozen grasp.

He was struck with such fear he couldn’t move except to urge the mare forward. The horse complied and they galloped across the river. He was still frozen in fear at the weird terrifying touch of the unwanted rider.

Finally he reached the other side of the river but immediately his rider jumped off and ran back into the woods before he could see him.

He went on into the town,bought his supplies and started back. When he got to the river crossing it seemed deserted as always. He started crossing and got to about the same place when the rider jumped on the back and resumed his ride. Upon reaching the other side, the phantom rider jumped off quickly and disappeared again.

He continued on into the forest trying to make sense of the phantom rider with icy fingers, chest and breath. He got home late and took his mare into the barn to rub her down. He kept shaking his head wondering about his strange rider. He took the saddle and blanket off his old mare and started rubbing her down and brushing her fur at the same time. When he got to the place behind the saddle where his rider rode all the hair was burnt off the mare. He stared in disbelief! Why didn’t the mare scream with this kind of burn? It had to have hurt! He knew he didn’t like that place in the river.

He told his friends about what happened but they weren’t in the least surprised! They all said there was a strange spirit at that place in the river and everyone had taken him across at least once but hated talking about the incidence as they all agreed they dispised their unwelcome rider, whoever he was!

This is a true story.