Before she could write anything, Mal grabbed her shoulder. “Hey, you sure you don’t want to head out?”
“Sorry Mal” She replied as she slipped the pen into her pocket. “It’s not just the horse. I’ve got a test coming up and really need to study.”
“It’s easier if I just do it here.”
“With all these noisy animals?” Mal jokingly gestured towards Stacey, who stuck her tongue out in defiance.
“It’s quiet enough in this front office. Besides, you’ve met my dorm mate...” Terry explained. “A few barks and grunts are pretty mild compared to that girl...”
“Fair enough. Try not to study too hard.” Mal replied as he pulled open the door. “Goodnight.”
The heavy door shut behind him, leaving Terry and Stacey alone at their desks. Stacey, who was usually talkative, kept quiet. She seemed focused on some paperwork. Terry decided to let her be and got up to retrieved her backpack from a nearby locker. She leaned it against the side of the desk and pulled out her notebook.
A cup of pens sat nearby, but the sight reminded her of the one in her pocket. She lifted it from the fabric and set it down next to her notepad, then proceeded to lift a heavy textbook from her backpack. She couldn’t help noticing the glint of the golden pen as she deposited her book on the desk. It was surprisingly pristine for having been found on the pavement near the empty car. She lifted and turned it slowly, watching the light dance across the decorated surface. The pen turned in her hands until the sound of their new occupant startled her.
In the stall, Dave paced around. He was a horse... But he was Dave, a man with a job, girlfriend, and even a dog. There had to be a way to fix this. The police were already looking for him... Was his girlfriend going to be alright when she found out that he had gone missing? What about his parents? He neighed and huffed. He didn’t want to be alone in that cage.
Stacey was the first to stand up, though she seemed annoyed that a distressed horse was interrupting her work.
Terry clipped the pen to her shirt pocket and said. “I’ll go check on him.”
“You sure?” Stacey hesitated.
“Yea... You look pretty busy there.” Terry replied. “I haven’t started my homework yet. Besides, I did tell Mal that I was going to check on that horse.”
“Alright. Thanks.” Stacey sighed as she sat back down.
Terry stood up and left for the stables. The horse was clearly spooked and she wasn’t sure why. Dave paced and grunted, annoyed that all she could see was a horse behind the metal fence. He hadn’t fully resigned himself to his new fate but wasn’t sure how to save himself either. Just then, something caught his eye. Clipped to the woman’s shirt was a pen... No, it was the golden pen; the one that had changed him. He let out a loud whinny and began to pace more feverishly.
“What’s wrong with you?” Terry asked as she watched him freak out...
“What can I do?” Dave thought. “I need to show her who I am... I can’t... The pen, I need to write something...”