Read Online The Black Stallion and the Lost City by Steve Farley - Free Book Online
Authors: Steve Farley
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falls, backlit by bluish sunlight shining in through the sheet of falling water.
Xeena came up fast behind him. “It’s a cave,” she said. “They went in here. Let’s see where it goes.”
Alec turned to the girl and shook his head. “I’ll do it,” he said. “You should stay here. I have enough to worry about right now without worrying about you on top of everything else.”
“No way,” Xeena said. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages.”
Alec looked at her and realized she was determined to stick by his side no matter what happened. There was no point in arguing.
“Okay then, but stay close,” he said.
A three-foot-wide path rimmed the base of the cliff behind the falls, so smooth and flat it could have been man-made. Alec and Xeena edged their way forward, flattening their backs against the algae-slick rock wall as a rush of water flooded the path and lapped at their ankles. They reached the cave opening, and the noise from the falls howled through the air. Then they heard something else, a horse’s scream, the scorching cry of the Black.
Alec stepped into the cave behind the curtain of falling water. He followed the sound of the Black’s scream until he saw the stallion clambering across a streambed that ran behind the falls, water rushing high up around his legs.
The stallion whinnied again, and now Alec saw the albino mare standing like a statue, watching them from a ledge beside the far wall of the cave. She was gazing down upon them from the safety of the ledge, playfully tossing her head, her red eyes flashing like scarlet pinwheels. Alec called to his horse, but it was no use. The stallion was intent on reaching the ghostly vision of the white mare, and nothing was going to stop him.
The fast-flowing stream rushed by their feet as Alec and Xeena scrambled into the streambed and began wading through the water after the Black. The stream deepened, and too late Alec realized thatthe water churning around his legs here behind the falls was split into two opposing streams. The first was shallow and only reached his knees. It swept into the falls and down into the river outside. But the second stream looked deeper and ran in a different direction, inexplicably flowing back in the other direction,
back into the mountain
. Still Alec stumbled along, not knowing which he should fear more—being pulled into the falls or getting sucked deeper into the cave.
Swirling ribbons of roiling water tugged heavily at his legs. Trying to keep his balance was like trying to find footing on a slippery conveyer belt. Ahead he could see and hear the statuesque mare taunting the Black from her perch atop the far ledge.
The Black passed into the second stream and sank, the water covering his back. He gave a furious cry and half reared. Then Alec watched in horror as the stallion slipped and splashed down into the whirling water. “Black!” he screamed, his cry echoing down into the darkness that funneled back into the mountain. The stallion rolled in the water, then raised his head and whinnied again, a cry now filled with terror more than rage. His legs thrashed the water, but it was clear his hooves were no longer touching bottom.
Alec fought his way through the foaming stream, desperate to reach his horse.
“Be careful, Alec,” Xeena cried out close behind him.
“Go get help,” he called back over his shoulder.
The water deepened, rising past his waist to his chest. The current became stronger, like whirling chains tightening on his legs. Fierce and unstoppable the water ran, not toward the falls and the sun outside, but deeper into the darkness of the mountain. And it was taking the Black with it.
“Black!” Alec cried out again. Straining his eyes in the shadows, he could see his horse struggling against the current of dark, bubbling water that was dragging him downstream and toward the back of the cave.
For a moment, the stallion found enough footing to stop his thrashing and begin fighting
Xeena came up fast behind him. “It’s a cave,” she said. “They went in here. Let’s see where it goes.”
Alec turned to the girl and shook his head. “I’ll do it,” he said. “You should stay here. I have enough to worry about right now without worrying about you on top of everything else.”
“No way,” Xeena said. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages.”
Alec looked at her and realized she was determined to stick by his side no matter what happened. There was no point in arguing.
“Okay then, but stay close,” he said.
A three-foot-wide path rimmed the base of the cliff behind the falls, so smooth and flat it could have been man-made. Alec and Xeena edged their way forward, flattening their backs against the algae-slick rock wall as a rush of water flooded the path and lapped at their ankles. They reached the cave opening, and the noise from the falls howled through the air. Then they heard something else, a horse’s scream, the scorching cry of the Black.
Alec stepped into the cave behind the curtain of falling water. He followed the sound of the Black’s scream until he saw the stallion clambering across a streambed that ran behind the falls, water rushing high up around his legs.
The stallion whinnied again, and now Alec saw the albino mare standing like a statue, watching them from a ledge beside the far wall of the cave. She was gazing down upon them from the safety of the ledge, playfully tossing her head, her red eyes flashing like scarlet pinwheels. Alec called to his horse, but it was no use. The stallion was intent on reaching the ghostly vision of the white mare, and nothing was going to stop him.
The fast-flowing stream rushed by their feet as Alec and Xeena scrambled into the streambed and began wading through the water after the Black. The stream deepened, and too late Alec realized thatthe water churning around his legs here behind the falls was split into two opposing streams. The first was shallow and only reached his knees. It swept into the falls and down into the river outside. But the second stream looked deeper and ran in a different direction, inexplicably flowing back in the other direction,
back into the mountain
. Still Alec stumbled along, not knowing which he should fear more—being pulled into the falls or getting sucked deeper into the cave.
Swirling ribbons of roiling water tugged heavily at his legs. Trying to keep his balance was like trying to find footing on a slippery conveyer belt. Ahead he could see and hear the statuesque mare taunting the Black from her perch atop the far ledge.
The Black passed into the second stream and sank, the water covering his back. He gave a furious cry and half reared. Then Alec watched in horror as the stallion slipped and splashed down into the whirling water. “Black!” he screamed, his cry echoing down into the darkness that funneled back into the mountain. The stallion rolled in the water, then raised his head and whinnied again, a cry now filled with terror more than rage. His legs thrashed the water, but it was clear his hooves were no longer touching bottom.
Alec fought his way through the foaming stream, desperate to reach his horse.
“Be careful, Alec,” Xeena cried out close behind him.
“Go get help,” he called back over his shoulder.
The water deepened, rising past his waist to his chest. The current became stronger, like whirling chains tightening on his legs. Fierce and unstoppable the water ran, not toward the falls and the sun outside, but deeper into the darkness of the mountain. And it was taking the Black with it.
“Black!” Alec cried out again. Straining his eyes in the shadows, he could see his horse struggling against the current of dark, bubbling water that was dragging him downstream and toward the back of the cave.
For a moment, the stallion found enough footing to stop his thrashing and begin fighting
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