The Island Stallion Races by Walter Farley

Author:Walter Farley [Farley, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-80489-1
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-08-16T16:00:00+00:00

AND A STAR TO GUIDE HER BY

11

Jay turned Flame’s head to one side so the stallion could see Steve. “Now take him inside,” he said quietly.

The lines of the hackamore were placed in Steve’s hands and he felt the heat of Flame’s blood flowing through them. Stepping back into the colorless veil from which he had entered the room, he was conscious once more of the sudden brightness that burned his eyes. Then it was gone and there was neither light nor darkness, only a deep sense of vast, empty space all around him. He could see nothing, no part of himself or Flame or Jay.

“Careful of that tank, Steve!” Jay said impatiently.

Steve stopped in his tracks and waited.

“What’s wrong?” Jay asked more kindly.

From somewhere behind them Flick said scornfully, “You’ve forgotten again that Steve can’t see a thing in this port, Jay.”

For a moment heavy silence filled the vastness, and then Jay said, “Sorry, Steve. Details again, at which I’ve admitted my shortcomings.”

Steve felt Jay’s hand on his arm, guiding him to the left. He was not certain but he thought he saw a faint glow just ahead. He looked harder, wanting to see.

Jay mumbled something about untrained eyes, and Flick asked gravely, “Where do you think we’d be if their eyes were trained?”

“Not here, sure enough,” Jay answered.

“Then don’t ever forget it again. Now I’ll check the screen once more. Don’t leave until I get back.”

Steve continued looking at the shimmering glow. Was it not growing? A few moments more and his eyes began to burn fiercely and he had to turn away.

Jay said, “I guess we might as well get aboard, Steve, although I don’t like the idea of spending any more time than necessary in there. However, Flick should be back any second now. Come, follow me.”

Steve didn’t move, for Jay’s hand had left his shoulder. “Where?” he asked.

“Why, right here, of course,” and once more Jay’s hand was on his arm.

Steve took a step forward, at the same time trying desperately to pierce the void. It was as though he were walking with closed eyelids, actually seeing nothing but conscious of a whole world about him.

“Lower Flame’s head a little, Steve. Unfortunately this door wasn’t meant for anyone but ourselves and we’re a small race, as you know. However, if I raise this top partition he’ll be able to make it. Sometimes we do have to carry a bit of cargo in these cruisers … never very comfortably though,” Jay added with a twinge of regret.

Steve heard a soft whirring noise. Once again he concentrated on the area directly before him. It had to be there, somewhere.

For what seemed a long while he saw nothing, then the small glow appeared again, spreading more rapidly than before. His eyes began to burn but he refused to turn away this time. And he saw it was no glow at all but a thin, liquid mass. It was an elongated bubble, growing brighter and larger, glistening in his eyes and setting them afire.

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