Unicorns are Real

Jane’s breath caught in her throat and she rose her camera above the cluttered leaves of the bush she was crouched behind. Her finger froze over the button to take the picture. Was the flash off? Would it hear the click of the picture being taken? She lowered the camera, checking its settings. The flash was off.

Once again, she raised the camera and this time snapped a picture before she had the time to worry. The creature paused in its chewing of the dull green grass beneath it and raised its head. Jane yanked the camera down and pressed her body lower to the ground. She placed her camera down on the soft bed of grass beneath her. It went back to eating.

Jane knew that she should leave now; she already had what she needed. Instead, she cautiously raised her head above the bush to get a better view of the animal in the clearing.

It had the body of a horse, but larger. Long white hair coated its body, and its soft pink mane draped over its shoulders and down its back a ways. Jane longed to reach out and run her hands though the almost shimmering hair. The longing was so intense that she began to stand up. She stopped, and grabbed the hand that had been reaching out toward the animal. Her eyes darted to the long ivory horn sprouting from between its ears, out of the top of its head and ending in a needle-like point.

Jane picked up her camera and prepared to leave. Taking one last look at the unicorn, she smiled. Now she had proof they were real. Now people would stop picking on her for believing. Now she could be popular, famous even. The first person to discover a real unicorn.

She took a step away from the clearing. Then every muscle in her body tense as a stick cracked under her boot. The sound rang out like a gunshot through the silence. Her gaze whipped back to the clearing where the unicorn had risen its head. Its glassy rouge eyes stared at her, feeling as though they pierced her very being.

The animal turned its body to face her and Jane took a shaking step back. Then it charged. Jane dived out of the way, barely dodging the razor sharp point of its horn. The unicorn slid to a stop, a fog of dust rising up from its feet.

Jane stumbled back to its feet and took off. She weaved between trees in hopes of losing the unicorn; but she could tell it wasn’t working by the thrumming of hooves on the ground behind her. Her heart hammered in her chest and tears sprang to her eyes.

“Please! Just let me go!” Jane screamed, the tears dripping down her cheeks. Her whole body shook so hard it felt as though her legs might collapse under her. The unicorn let out a terrifying cry and picked up its speed.

“No, please-“ the horn protruded from her chest and Jane could feel the unicorn’s breath on her back. A scream ripped past her lips. Blood flowed from her mouth and spurted out of her chest like a fountain from around the horn.

The beast jerked its head and the horn ripped free from Jane’s body. He body thumped onto the ground with a splat as she landed in the forming pool of her own blood. Everything suddenly felt numb as she lay on her back gazing up at the unicorn. Splatters of crimson stained its once pristine coat. It looked down at her with those still glassy eyes, and there was something new to them. Something dark and ravenous.

Jane closed her eyes and released her final breath as the unicorn bent its head down to feast.