It was the summer before ninth grade, I had turned fourteen last week, and summer was going perfect. Not even kidding. I mean perfect. I was at the stable Monday through Friday and I saw my friends practically every day. We went to barbeques and the beach and pool parties and then on weekends I would go run errands with the family. And the best part? No school! Duh.

It was a sunny summer weekend in Georgia and I was out on a trail ride on my Arabian stallion, Envy. I was riding him bareback like I so often did, not a single piece of tack on him. We were wandering around the woods behind the stable, but we'd been out for a long time. Almost three hours, maybe. We were a good distance from the stable, or any other civilization for that matter. That didn't bother me at all though, I loved the peace and beauty of the forest.

Bright golden afternoon sunlight filtered through the rustling leaves of the trees, dappling the forest floor. It had rained the previous night so the forest had that amazing damp earth, rainy smell. I know some people hate that smell, but I love it. Soon enough, Envy and I reached a little stream, one that gurgled and was cool despite the soaring temperatures.

It wasn't the first time we'd been here. I'd bring a snack and a few treats for Envy and sit on the bank as he splashed around in the shallow water. After a few minutes he plodded over and nudged my pockets, looking for treats. I just smiled and rolled my eyes, giving him some. He nudged me again, his way of asking for more, and I just stroked his cheek.

"If you eat anymore you'll get fat." I teased him, and my white horse just snorted in response, as if he disagreed with me.

He snorted again and then dipped his nose in the water, flicking it up to spray the stream water all over me. I gasped at the sudden rush of cold and kicked water back at him before laughing and getting up. I took one look at my soaked clothes and sighed before walking over to a patch of sunlight ground and laying down in it, willing the sun to dry my clothes.

I didn't know if it was working, but my bare arms were definitely going to get a nice tan. The hot sun baked down on me, tanning my already tan skin. I closed my emerald eyes, the sun burning the inside of my eyelids red. I laid there for a few minutes, relaxed, content, my mind buzzing with thoughts but totally blank. I could hear the water rushing in the stream, Envy playing around in it, the leaves rustling through the leaves, birds chirping. It was so perfect.

I woke up to the sound of a jet flying in my direction. I opened my eyes to see the sky dark and starry, Envy standing grazing next to me. I scrambled to my feet, muttering curses under my breath. I'd fallen asleep! Mom and Dad were probably going crazy looking for me! And I didn't have a flashlight! Oh great, just great. This was just wonderful. The jet passed overhead and I had to hold Envy to keep him from freaking out. All the sudden a blue light filled up the sky and I turned around to see the source of the light falling from the sky...

Right towards me. My eyes went wide and I pushed Envy away, trying to run from whatever was falling, but I wasn't fast enough. The blinding blue light slammed into me, sending me flying back and slamming into the forest floor. I gasped for air as the breath was knocked out of me, and tried to move but I couldn't. I couldn't see anything around the blinding blue light, I couldn't feel anything over the pain that was coursing through my body.

What the hell was going on? Whatever had hit me wasn't just light. It was traveling through me, stinging and burning me from the inside out. I screamed and screamed until my throat was raw and my voice was gone, tears streaming down my cheeks. My ears were ringing and I could hear the blood pulsing through them, but as I writhered around on the floor I felt the floor 'thud thud thud thud' as something walked towards me. Envy. He nudged me and I opened my mouth to scream but nothing came out. More tears streamed down my cheeks and I rolled onto my side, feeling myself start to slip away.

"Go home." I rasped to him, and he nudged me again before running off towards home.

I could hear my once rapid heartbeat starting to slow, and I can't keep my eyelids open anymore. Am I dying? I can't die, not now. I haven't even started high school yet, I haven't done so many things yet! I clench my fists around the dead leaves and dirt and grass of the forest floor, hoping to anchor myself to staying conscious. But it doesn't work. I can feel myself fading away, more, more, and then black.