Emmajane Pelham's lanky form lay restless. Since childhood the girl slept the same way, lying flat with hands crossed over her chest, leading to her sister calling her "The Corpse". A small rivet of blood trickled down her breast from where she had torn skin away from prominent collarbones whilst a nightmare played out in her mind. With a start she woke up. Panting and wide-eyed she noticed the blood and cursed herself. Whenever Emma felt threatened she would subconsciously claw at her neck leaving scrapes and grazes all along her otherwise nearly translucent skin. Lately this happened very often. Every day she would be subjected to verbal abuse from her boss Brian and every night she dreamt the same, dark dream. Her greasy, long blonde hair stuck to her skin with sweat and saline tears fell from her grey-blue eyes. She rose and went to the kitchen of the small cottage she was renting on the livery yard. She made a cup of tea and sat cross-legged on the couch. She dozed and closed her eyes only to once more live out the terrifying ordeal.

"Come to me darling" said the dark figure striding confidently toward her. "No harm will come to you if you are obedient" he chided. Whimpering Emmajane got to her feet and ran. This angered the man and suddenly he became a snake, ensnaring her small ankles with ease. Falling to the ground she gazed upon the grey sky and treetops, surrendering any last chance she had of living. "Hussssshhhhh..." the beast would coo and everything would be enveloped in exquisite pain.

The dawn light broke through the curtains of Emma's kitchen, ending the horrid dream. Groggily she pulled herself into an upright position and stretched. After a moment she stood up and her hip bones gave an audible click. She went upstairs and upon opening her wardrobe she pulled out a pair of jodhpurs and a black jumper. Once dressed, she pulled her hair into loose plait at the nape of her neck and wiped the crusted blood from her neck. Emma made her way out into the yard and savoured the soft smell of saddles, feed and horses. A rider's voice broke through the quiet. "Why hasn't Dolly's tack been cleaned?" "My apologies, I overslept" she replied in a clipped tone. "Honestly! Can't you manage your time! Anyhow I need you to take Magic and Rueben to the field asap," the woman spat and stormed away. "Your wish is my command." Emma replied sarcastically when she was out of earshot.

Secretly the girl was glad to take the two ponies out to the paddock. It was situated at the end of a long, spindly stretch of dirt track called "The Dead End" and the trip would take about an hour to complete, meaning she would miss a morning's work. Before any of that though, she would have to get her own pony ready for the journey. Chance was a sturdy grey Connemara with specks of chestnut through his coat that resembled the freckles that were strewn across her own nose and cheeks. She brushed all the dirt from his coat in deft but slow strokes, all the while singing a sea shanty in her high soprano voice. She always sang around horses and even if she didn't notice, it had a calming effect on them. Spotlessly clean she led her steed into the yard and mounted. She was relieved Brian was nowhere to be seen as she decided to ride bareback and let Chance in the field as well. When she was comfortable Jaime, the only other employee of the stables gave her the two ponies and she set off.