Dream Horse

Officer Lawrence opens the passenger door and the back door. I get in front, and Sarah crawls in the back. He goes around and gets in behind the wheel. A spatter of rain ticks against the windshield. The officer never looks up from his pad as he takes my name, address, and all the usual background information. My license and car registration is clipped to the top of his notes, and I see him looking at them more than a few times.

“Okay, that’s all I need for identification.” He hands them back. “Now tell me what happened. What did you see the truck do and how’d you land in this ditch?”

I inflate my lungs like I’m going in for a deep dive.

“I was at the top of the hill before the curve at about eleven thirty. I know that because I figured I’d make it home before midnight.” He taps on his iPad. Good. “So, just then, I thought I saw something in the road. I slammed on the brakes, but my car started sliding.”

“Something in the road? Like debris?”

“No.” I can’t help stealing a glance over to the stretch of road where the horse stood. “No, like an animal. I thought it was a horse. I know that doesn’t make sense, but—”

“A horse?” His eyebrows crease.