The Mysterious Bouquet
To your astonishment, the black mare stands outside, her green eyes glowing like a wraith’s.
This is part of a choose your own adventure story, ‘Through the Black Door.’ Go to the first chapter here. Or check out the chapter guide. See the bottom of the story for notes.
You turn back and inspect the bouquet that the stranger left on your father’s coffin.
It’s a beautiful batch of flowers, picked out with artistry. Still, you sense that there’s more to the flowers than meets the eye.
After a moment, you shake the bouquet. A letter drops out. It reads:
My Darkest Darling,
I have a gift for you. Bravely go through the black door of your past, and all will become clear. When you find what your heart seeks, your soul will be satisfied.
S.
The words echo in your mind like flickering shadows.
It’s odd but you can barely remember your past. Every time you try, you feel yourself sink into a deep gloom, so dark that you pull yourself out before it can drown you.
Perhaps another time, then.
A whinny pierces the silence. To your astonishment, the black mare stands outside, her green eyes glowing like a wraith’s. But as frightening as she looks, she is graceful and elegant. Which is notable, since you were never passionate about horses.
She flicks her muzzle to the side, as though she wants you to follow her. Then she canters away.
With one last look at your father’s coffin, you wrap your coat around you, and race after the black mare.
You’re not some weak lass. You’ve got muscle and strength in you. But no fit human can compare with the mighty stamina of a horse, much less a magical one.
“Wait!” you scream at her.
But if she can hear you over the rumbling, pouring storm, she gives no indication. Before long, you charge into a forest.
As your foul luck would have it, lightning strikes the tree in front of you, and it falls.
If you’re fast, you can rush past the tree to catch up with the mare.
What do you do?
Note: Novus Grey wrote the original first chapters, but she has deleted her account, and unfortunately did not respond to any emails or messages. Hence why I’m writing new chapters to replace the ones she deleted, so that the later chapters I wrote can still be playable. These new beginning chapters contain the same basic plot but have different details.
