The next morning came and I was in the woods, following the hoof prints that a horse left behind.

Maybe it's a wild horse and it's all alone trying to find its family, that would be my guess.

I kept following the prints and when I got to the big round clearing in the woods, suddenly the hoof prints stop right here in that spot, in the middle of the clearing.

I tilted my head, What? Alright what's going on here I could have sworn that a horse walked through here. But I looked around and realize that the prints definitely end right here. This is strange....

Before I could turn around and leave, I could see a farm in the distance not far from here. I could see horses there. Hmmm maybe one of their horses escaped from their pin and wondered near my house last night. Maybe I should head over there and check it out.

I began my traverse to the farm nearby, I hope I'm not going to intrude.

*****

I've made it to the farm, it was a nice place, at least in my opinion. At least there are not a lot of animals here and there's just one kind of animal. I hate it when there are TOO many animals to feed.

I went to the front door of the house and I knocked twice. No answer, maybe no one's home. When I turned around someone just appeared behind me. I gasped. It was a young woman. A very beautiful one at that.

The woman said, "Can I help you with something?"

I shook my head out of my trance, hey there's someone talking to you! I said, "Uh, yeah, sorry about that I was wondering if I could ask you a question."

The woman nodded, and said, "Alright, what do you want?"

I raised my hands and said, "Look I'm not trying to intrude or anything but, I believe that one of your horses escaped last night and wondered near my house." I pointed where I came from, "I live up that way. Last night I thought I saw something move around outside and I saw somebody left hoof prints on the ground. I have to ask did one of your horses escape?"

She shook her head, "Sorry to tell you this, but I have three horses here. And none of them have escaped I've fed them this morning."

I tilted my head at her, "You sure?"

She nodded, "Yeah there all here." Then she pointed at them, "See?"

Hmmm, guess it was a wild horse after all.

Then she said, "You probably saw a wild horse the other night. I mean there aren't a lot of them in this state, but there are some roaming around. I'm sorry you came all the way here."

I waved and shook my head, "No it's okay. I was just trying help out if one your horses escaped it's the least I could do." I got off her porch and came in front of her and said, "Thank you. Sorry for troubling you." Then I was about to walk away from her home when she called out.

"Hey wait!"

I turned around to face her, "Yes?"

She came to me and said, "I know you, don't I? Yeah I do know you, you're Frank O'Donnell right?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah why do you know me?"

She smiled at me, "Yeah, I know your father's professor O'Donnell. He used to teach mythology and all that stuff, right?"

She seems familiar to me, but I didn't ask her yet.

I nodded my head, "Yes, and he died years ago."

Then she put on a different expression, "I remember, everyone really liked him in that town. He was well known."

I nodded again, "He was." Then I changed the subject, "How do you know me anyway?"

She put her hand on her chest, "You don't remember me, do you? My name's Amy Crowe. My grandma's name is Molly Crowe. I think we went to school together years ago."

My mind clicked, now I remember her, she was one of the cheerleaders back at school here. And I've heard of her family too, they're a family of ranchers, and her grandmother owns the market in town.

I said, "Yeah I remember you it's been a long time."

"Seven years I think. You've been gone for a long time."

I nodded and said, "Yeah I have, I've been living in Seattle with my grandparents ever since I was fourteen. Now about two days ago I recently moved back to my home."

Amy opened her mouth and got the picture, "Ahhh, well it's a surprise. You moved back to your summer home?"

I laughed and said, "Yes that's right! I remember you and your grandmother had visited my summer home when we were little."

She laughed and said, "Yeah only because your parents used to have horses in that barn near your house."

I nodded and said, "Yep."

We were trying to think of something else to say and she said, "So, where do you work at?"

"I work at the bar in town. I'm going to work there tonight."

She nodded, "Well good, maybe I'll pay you a visit there. After all I can watch you do your magic when you're bartending." Then she giggled.

I shrugged and said, "Well I don't know about that, I'm working as a cook in the kitchen."

Then she said, "Oh."

Then I said, "But maybe I could make you a juicy hamburger if you want."

Amy laughed, and said, "Well then that'll be better! I don't drink that much anyway."

I laughed with her, "Guess I'll find out, won't I?"

She nodded and smiled at me, "Well I'll see you around, I need to get back to work before my grandma gets home."

I waved at her and said, "Alright take care. Later!" Then I turned and left.

*****

I was in my room back at the house, looking through my dad's things that were left behind here. I found his journal on Greek mythology. You see he was a professor at a university in this state. He was really smart, if I remember correctly. In fact when me and Miley were little he used to tell us stories about it. About Hercules, Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, The Titans, Perseus, all that stuff. But my favorite story of all is the Pegasus. The horse with wings on its back, the one that helped Perseus defeat the Titans.

I smiled at the memories, those were the days. And I still remember every last one of them. One time when I graduated from school, I was thinking about majoring in Mythology study, but it never came through.

I was still reading the journal when I heard someone come through the front door downstairs. Then I heard someone call out, "Frank! Are you home?" It was Miley.

I hollered, "Yeah I'm upstairs!"

I heard her coming up the stairs, and she appeared at the doorway. She smiled and said, "Hey big brother, what are you doing?"

I giggled and said, "Just looking through dad's things, I'm looking through his journal."

She came and sat down beside me, and said, "Look at that. Dad's journal. I really liked reading it. I'm surprised we didn't take it home with us after we stopped coming here."

I sighed and said, "It's because mom was so drunk she didn't care about what we wanted around that time." Then I put the journal down and said, "What you up to? I thought you went to school."

She shook her head, "Today's Sunday. I thought I come here to visit you."

"Did mom drive you here?"

She shook her head, and said, "Nope I drove here."

I laughed hard at that statement, "Oh my god I forgot you had received your driver's license last year."

She slugged me, "I'm seventeen you asshole!"

I hit her back but not hard, "Yeah well you still look little to me!" Then we both laughed.

Then Miley said, "Hey Frank, do you think you should talk to mom right now? I mean you haven't had a conversation with her ever since you came back home."

I sighed, "I don't know if I want to or not."

Miley put her hand on my shoulder, "Frank you know it's not fair to her. She really has changed."

I looked at her and said, "Yeah well she has a weird of changing he ways ever since I've moved away. You know what? If she wanted to change then she should have changed while I was living with you guys."

"She didn't mean to hurt you years ago. She was drunk and depressed."

Then I got up and said, "Well maybe she should have treated me a little bit more better like she did with you. I mean seriously it's a little bit much."

She got up with me and said, "Frank, maybe you're the one who needs to let go of the past and patch things up with mom. You know, have a clean slate. Hey I have an idea, I've heard you've got a job at the bar. Maybe you could get mom a beer."

I giggled, "Sure and maybe she'll become an alcoholic again, yeah no chance at that. And besides that if she ever hurts you, I'm calling the cops on her. Trust me I'm not afraid to try anymore."

She tilted her head, "You really don't trust her, do you?"

I sighed, "I don't know."

She smiled and said, "Well just remember all the good times we've had with her, before dad died. They will help. They've always helped me. Don't forget about them, and I'm sure dad would have wanted you to give her another chance." Miley gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, "Please big brother, at least try."

I sighed and smiled at her, "Alright I'll try, but no promises."

She giggled, "Oh well at least I've tried. Hey listen I need to get going, I got a boyfriend to meet." She started walking out of the room.

I said, "Boyfriend? Alright who is this girl and what have you done with my sister?"

She turned around and giggled, "I'm still me, dipshit! At least I have a boyfriend."

I nodded and said, "Yeah well then make sure he doesn't try anything horrible to you."

She gave me a mock gasp, "Frank! He's a nice guy! You just don't know him."

I grinned at her, "We'll see."

She flipped me off, "Screw you Frank, anyways later." Then she walked out of here.

*****

I went to work that night, making burgers and what not. This place is pretty nice. At least I can make the place work. I finished up one order of burger and fries and rang the little bell and said, "I need a runner!" Then another employee came in the kitchen and picked up the food I've left for him. Then I went back to work.

After my shift was over a few hours later I put my apron away and was getting ready to walk out of the bar and I've found Daniel outside and he said, "Hey kid."

I smiled at him and said, "Hey old man."

Daniel laughed at the joke and said, "Mister, I'm not old, I'm fifty-six years old. I don't think I have grey hair just yet."

I laughed and said, "Well lets just hope you don't get grey hair old man. Because if you do then your hair's going to fall off."

He let out a mock gasp, "Now Frank is that anyway to treat your uncle?"

I shrugged, "Well I treat you like you're my uncle. After all you have grew up with mom and dad years ago."

He nodded and said, "Well your mother's the one who doesn't have grey hair, so she's lucky." Then he laughed again. Then Daniel said, "So how are you holding up? I've heard you moved into your summer home."

I said, "I've been great. Living in that house really does bring back a lot of memories."

Daniel then said, "I remember going there with you guys. But when I want to spend the night there, I sleep on the couch. Like I was the odd man out."

I laughed at that, "Oh you weren't the odd man out."

He nodded and said, "I know kid." Then he had a solemn look on his face and looked at me, "You look just like your father right now."

I smiled at that statement, "Oh yeah?"

Daniel giggled, and said, "Yeah you do, in fact you have your father's face. You really do look like him."

I sorta went pale at that but I didn't say anything about it, I only said, "Thank you pal."

He nodded and said, "Sure kid."

I decided I need to leave and said, "Look I'm tired and I need to go. Working in the kitchen can make you tiresome." I walked past him.

He said, "Do you have a car?"

I looked back at him and said, "Yeah but you know how far I'm from away from town, I'm walking back home it's not that far away."

He nodded and said, "Well be careful tonight. Don't let the wolves eat you."

I nodded and walked off to my home.

*****

I was on the dirt road, I wasn't kidding that the house is not far away from town. It's just a short walk outside town. So now I'm almost home.

I was about halfway home when I heard something in the woods, a stick snapped. I turned to the sound and called out, "Hello? Is someone there?" No answer.

Then all of a sudden I heard someone coming up behind me and then I turned and saw a man I've never met. I gasped and said, "Oh god you scared me."

The man was staring at me and said, "Sir I need to borrow your phone please."

I looked at the man with a concerned look on my face and said, "Are you alright?"

The man shook his head and said, "Sir I really need your phone right now."

I pressed him, "Sir what's going on?"

Then all of a sudden he pulled a gun on me and pointed it straight at my forehead, "Listen either give me a phone or I pop a cap in you, understand?"

I gasped, Jesus he has a gun! I need to calm him down, "Whoah buddy take it easy. Ok? I won't hurt you."

He sneered at me, "Shut up and give me your phone!"

Then without thinking too much I grabbed for the gun and wrestled with him. We both grunted and then the man said, "Let go!" Then we both wrestled away from the dirt road, to the woods. I tried to pull the gun out of his hand but he still held on. All of sudden he managed to slug me on the face and I went down to the ground.

I looked up at him and the guy said, "You tried to kill me?! You never should have done that. Now lie down on the ground, facedown. NOW!"

I pleaded for him, "Listen don't do this alright? Lets talk."

"I don't want to TALK to you, I want you facedown now!"

I realized it was no use and I complied. Jesus Christ, I'm going to die like my father. Only I'm going to be murdered, not die in a car crash. I lied facedown and waited. I heard him cock his gun, and all of a sudden I've heard wings flapping and suddenly I heard the guy scream and then with the rush of the wind I felt, the guys screams have died out. Then I heard some hoofs landing and running off in the distance.

I finally looked up and realized the guy's gone. I got up from the ground and realized that the guy's not far away, I see him on the ground. I ran to him and realized he's unconscious. Huh? What happened to him? What knocked him out? Then I could see some dirt on him like something had hit him. But what was that other noise I've heard after he screamed?

I picked up the gun that guy was carrying just in case, then I looked around. Look for clues to what just happened. I looked around on the ground don't see anything so far. But then something caught my eye and a breath caught in my throat.

What I see on the ground are hoof prints. Just like the ones I've found the other night.