Molly: Mare of the Mist

By Gail E. Tolbert

MOLLY mare of the Mist is an exciting and suspenseful fantasy about a mysterious white horse that is always there each time a highway patrol office, Charlie Parker needs help protecting a family from an evil family member. Molly Thompson is in a coma unable to protect her family and in some strange way the white horse Molly is always there in her place. The children keep telling officer Parker that the white mare is their Grammy, Molly, but he has a hard time believing the whole mist of mystery surrounding this family after the head of the family Molly Thompson is involved in an accident and is left in a coma. Molly the white horse never leaves office Parker alone in his perils to protect the family of Molly Thompson.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 2, 2007
• ISBN: 9781434309969

Gail E. Tolbert

Gail E. Tolbert grew up in rural Indiana and spent several years as a child and later as an adult in southwest Florida. After returning to southern Indiana in late 1999 she decided to concentrate on her writing. Ms. Tolbert has spent many years compiling her works and has now began to put them in print. This is her second novel, but first in the western category to have published although she has other westerns in the works. Along with these two novels Ms. Tolbert also has another book coming out shortly which will be in the fantasy category. Also Ms. Tolbert hopes to get her many books for children in print. She feels that her writing is very rewarding to herself and hopefully to all that read her books. Look for other exciting novels of Ms. Tolbert, you’re sure to enjoy them all!

Book preview

© 2007 Gail E. Tolbert. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 4/30/2007

ISBN: 978-1-4343-0996-9 (e)

ISBN: 978-1-4343-0995-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4343-0994-5 (hc)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2007902879

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

For my grand babies

Chapter 1

Marti! Marti little Becky is in trouble. Marti looked around to see whom was talking to her. It sounded like her mother’s voice! But, but that couldn’t be. Her mother was in the hospital in a coma, the result of a car accident a few days earlier.

Marti! There it was again. Marti was sure she heard someone whispering her name telling her to hurry.

Marti had been in the yard playing with the children, five year old Tyler and three year old Becky and they were near to wearing her out. Marti and the children were taking advantage of the warm weather to play outside and burn off unused energy from being pent up inside all winter.

It had been a long cold winter and the warm weather the past few days was glorious for the children. Marti wanted to let the children enjoy as much of the sunshine as possible before lunch and nap time.

Marti had taken a quick moment to run into the house to use the bathroom. On her way back through the living room Marti could see the children through the big picture window. They were rolling on the grass and playing leapfrog having such a good time.

Marti and the children were enjoying the warm spring day after such a long cold winter and Marti didn’t want to waste a second of it inside.

Marti decided to get some juice for all of them on her way back outside, but again the voice whispered to her except this time it was louder and filled with fear. Marti hurry!

Marti jumped and looked around! It sounded like her mother’s voice, but that couldn’t be true. Her mother was in the hospital in a coma! What was happening? Mama? Mama, what’s wrong?

Dropping the glasses of juice and running to the door Marti’s heart nearly stopped as she heard her babies scream as though death was upon them.

As Marti flung open the screen door and burst out onto the porch she too thought death was upon her children. Her babies were in trouble, real trouble and she had to act fast if she was to have a chance to save them!

There on the ground was little Becky kicking and screaming trying to crawl away from the biggest, nastiest looking dog Marti had ever seen. The dog was growling and snapping as it was grabbing at Becky’s dress ripping it to shreds with each vicious snap. But there was no way the baby was going to be able to get away from that thing.

Tyler was doing all he could do with the yard rake as he was hitting the ugly beast and screaming for his mother. But that too was doing nothing to deter the monster that was mauling her daughter dragging her across the yard and trying to attack her son.

Tyler was knocked down and he too was being drug and mauled by the ugly beast!

Finally Tyler was able to regain his footing and again slammed the rake into the ugly dog beast. But his small boy strength was no match for the big snarling dog as it continued to maul and drag Becky across the yard getting nearer to the woody area only a few yards away. Tyler screamed for his Mother and continued to pound the ugly dog!

Oh no! Marti screamed running to take the rake from Tyler. Little Becky being unable to pull away was being dragged across the lawn by the ‘dog’ as it was not affected by the blows from the rake.

The screaming and beating from the rake was doing nothing to deter the huge beast. It seemed to not even feel the blows and was continuing to drag Becky farther away and closer toward the woods!

As a last resort Marti dropped the rake and threw herself upon the dog and her daughter with the hope she could rip Becky’s dress from the dog’s mouth, but it wasn’t working.

Now the dog was dragging Marti and Becky across the lawn as Tyler hung onto Marti’s legs trying to keep the dog from dragging his mother and little sister away. But the dog would stop and snap at Marti or Tyler then snag Becky’s dress again and continue dragging the baby away. Becky’s screams were heart stopping for Marti!

All at once they heard the shrillest, ear piercing scream from a horse that Marti had ever heard. The horse came thundering across the lawn toward them. The horse was the most beautiful, satiny white horse Marti had ever seen. The mane and tail was long and flowing in the wind.

Skidding to a stop as it nearly trampled all of them the horse reared and began to paw at the ugly beast of a dog. Her hooves making contact with the ugly dogs body.

Nickering loudly the horse grabbed the dog by the scruff of the neck in it’s teeth making it release Becky from those sharp, slobbery teeth then shaking the ugly dog violently. The ugly dog howled and tried to get away, but the horse hung onto the scruff of it’s neck shaking and slamming the dog to the ground.

Again and again the horse pounded the dog beast with her hooves. Again and again the dog snarled and snapped at Becky and Marti as Tyler tried to pull Becky free from the whole ordeal. Little Becky’s screams were lost in the shrill nickering of the horse and the howling of the ugly dog!

Marti rolled taking Becky with her and pulled Tyler into her arms as she tried to shield her children from the dog and pounding hooves of the horse! Marti was all but in shock as she tried to gather her children to her for safety.

At once Marti scooped Becky into her arms and grabbing Tyler around the waist ran with both children toward the house. Marti was terrified that the dog and or the horse may attack them again. She had never seen this horse and had no reason to trust it.

Even though the horse was doing away with the dog Marti didn’t have reason to trust it. She had to get her babies inside the house to safety. Running with the strength and speed of a locomotive Marti ran!

Becky had screamed herself hoarse and now buried her little face into Marti’s breast and hung on with a death grip to Marti’s sleeves with her little fist.

Sitting on the floor holding and rocking both children with all three of them crying hysterically they nearly jumped out of their skin when there was a knock on the door.

Marti was fearful that the horse was trying to get in to get them. Her mind was reeling with so much fear that nothing made sense at the moment.

Looking up, Marti saw a police officer standing with hand raised preparing to rap on the door again. Mrs. Simon, are you and your children alright? The officer was talking to her and seemed to be truly concerned about her and the children.

But where did he come from. Things were just moving too fast! Marti had to get a grip on herself or she too may start to scream!

The officer was asking her something, but Marti’s mind wasn’t hearing him. All she could hear was her babies screaming for their lives. Her ears were still roaring with growling and snarling of the dog and the dreadful screams of her children.

Marti was shaking and gasping for breath as she rocked the children and crushed them to her.

Finally Marti calmed herself enough to understand what the officer was saying. He was not going to go away and insisted that she open the door and let him see the children.

Maybe she should do as he asked and make sure that the children were alright. She herself was about to faint from the fear of a few minutes ago and the relief of knowing that they were safe.

"Would you please open the door, please? We have a medical team out here and need to check each of you. We have to examine each of you for scratches or bites. One or all of you could have been bitten. We need to make sure that everyone is alright.

"Mrs. Simon, please open the door and let us in. We’re here to help you. Are all of you alright? Mrs. Simon? Mrs. Simon please can we come in?

"We had a 911 call a few minutes ago from one of your neighbors about that dog. We were on our way here to try to pick it up. Lucky for you that horse beat us here.

And one heck of a horse it is I might add. That horse grabbed and shook that dog crazy then stomped it until the dog no longer breathed.

And after all of that the horse trotted up here to your door, whinnied a couple of times then took off like a rocket across that field. Do you have any idea where the mare was going or whom her owner is?"

Noticing the way Mrs. Simon was looking at him in a reserved kind of manner the officer smiled and said. "Mrs. Simon my name is Officer Charlie Parker, I’m an officer with the High Way Patrol. I was dispatched here responding to the 911 call.

There is a medical team standing here waiting to examine you and the children for bites and scratches. The dog could have been rabid."

Marti only looked at the officer and said, I can’t get up, my legs won’t move, but I need to have my daughter examined. I’m afraid she may have gotten bit.

With this the officer motioned for the medical team to approach the house, but Marti’s neighbor, Mrs. Howard, hit the door and came bursting through pushing past everyone. She was as pale as the horse was white.

Marti, Marti, oh my let me see the children. I saw that dog, but couldn’t get over here in time. Sitting on the floor next to Marti, Mrs. Howard pulled Tyler onto her lap.

Mrs. Howard was their neighbor and very good friend. She was also a very motherly day care provider for most of the children in the neighbor. Everyone loved her and Marti trusted her so felt comfortable for Mrs. Howard to take Tyler into her arms.

Mrs. Howard was holding Tyler while Marti was doing her best to convince little Becky to let the medical attendant examine her. Then as the two women exchanged children Tyler was examined.

Everyone seemed to be in shock, but not bitten. How they had escaped not being torn to pieces was a wonder to everyone. Mrs. Howard was as scared and shaken as Marti and had to be attended to by the medical team.

Becky raised her head and looking around asked in a squeaky little voice, "did that nice horse eat the mean dog? I’m glad she came back to play with us.

She said she would be back later after we ate lunch, but that bad dog got here first. The nice horse told us to go in the house and stay there until mommy said it was ok, but we didn’t go in. Oh I’m so sorry Mommy!

Then Becky started to cry, saying she was sorry for not listening. Tyler also was crying and said the same thing, that the horse had told them to go in the house and stay there, but they didn’t listen.

Both children insisted that the beautiful white horse had spoke to them and asked that they go inside and stay inside until it was safe. She had talked to them and told them to stay in the house? But how could she talk to them?

Marti sat in stunned silence as she listened to her children tell them how the mare had been showing up the last couple of days watching them play. They said the mare had told them her name was Molly and she was there to protect them. But they had to listen.

They had even been climbing up in the tree and getting on her back riding the mare around the yard if they got a chance.

One of them would keep Mommy busy in the house while the other one rode the horse. Then they would trade places. Marti was shocked and could not believe what she was hearing!

Molly had told them to tell their mother, but the children had not done so. All because they were afraid someone would make Molly go away. They had liked playing with the horse and riding her around so had kept quite about her visits to the back yard.

Molly had said that she was their grandmother and was watching over them. But if they didn’t mind her and tell their Mother about her being there she was going to nip their tails and spank them when she got better. Molly was their Grammy.

Turning slightly pale Marti spoke sternly to both children asking them to look at her then said, "look both of you, Molly, if that is her name can not talk to you.

Molly is a horse and not your grandmother. Grammy is in the hospital and not talking to anyone. She is in a coma, like a real deep sleep and she can’t talk to you.

Marti was shaking so bad she could hardly hold the children on her lap. What were they saying? Her mother was in the hospital in a coma and no one even knew if she would wake up, ever!

But both children insisted the mare had talked to them. Not with her lips. Tyler said. "She talked with her eyes. When you look at her eyes she tells you what she wants.

She’s Grammy, Mama. Molly is our Grammy, honest she is."

Tyler insisted that he was telling the truth and the horse had actually talked to them with her eyes! He was crying and begged his Mother to believe him.

Becky looked up at her mother with big brown eyes and said, "she really is Grammy, Mama. She really is. She said she was going to take care of us until she got better and was able to come home from the hospital!

But now she might be mad at us for not doing what we were told and she might not ever come back! Becky started to cry again and hugged Marti’s neck as she promised to be good from now on and do what the white horse Molly told them to do.

Mrs. Howard spoke quietly as she looked up at the officer, "I thought I saw that horse the other morning when it was real foggy. She was meandering along across the lawn, but it was so foggy I wasn’t sure I had seen anything at all.

But several times in the early morning mist I have thought I saw her. My husband told me I need to get more sleep and quit gawking out the windows all night and I wouldn’t see strange things.

Marti looking not so shocked as before, but more a little bewildered as she also confessed. "I thought I was seeing things the other morning when I was up with Becky as she was fussy with an ear ache.

It was so foggy I couldn’t even see the street lights very well, but I thought to myself it sure looked like a horse. It was only a glance as I saw a swish of a tail and it was gone. I just thought it was because I was so tired and half asleep and that I was seeing things, but maybe not. Maybe there was a horse out there."

The officer looked from one to the other of the two women and two children and said, "well where ever she came from that mare just saved the lives of both your children and possibly yourself.

And I would be trying to find out where she came from or where she was going. You may want to keep her around awhile. And with this he bid them good-day and left.

But Charlie Parker too wondered about the beautiful white horse as he had seen her himself only a few days ago!

Charlie wanted to find out about the dog and get the results of the rabies test. Neither child had been bitten, but the dog had bitten another dog and possibly a neighbor that lived over a couple of streets from them.

It was the biggest ugliest dog Charlie had ever seen. Where would a dog like that come from? It had to have been bred and raised for some kind of an attack animal. It was huge!

Shuttering at the thought of the ugly beast dragging the babies away toward the woods Charlie said a prayer thanking the big white mare.

Heaven knows that dog would have killed both children and probably the mother if that horse hadn’t came to their rescue when she did. Thank goodness it had gotten there in time. But where had it came form? Once again Charlie asked himself the question. Where?

Marti decided she should get the children in the tub and scrub