The Dream Suite

"There are and you may as well hear about them now. I don’t particularly believe them, but that’s me. Some say that Dane’s disappearance was connected with Dancy’s Dream, and that his ghost rides the stallion each night. It’s ridiculous. We have a lot of superstitious folks here that believe in everything from ghosts and goblins to witches. Some have reported shadows moving across the track at night. Another reported something that sounded like a horse running. They tell their stories around town and the next thing you know we now have a ghost horse and rider haunting the racetrack and the hotel. I’m sure you won’t buy any of this nonsense."

"I’m not sure I do but I’m not ruling anything out yet," I said. "I only know that I would hardly care to stay in the hotel."

"What a thing to say about your newest purchase," he remarked with a chuckle. He released my hand and pulled the car back on the road and drove the distance to the fence outlining the track. It was not more than a half-mile behind the hotel and was reached by a rock-lined walkway.

We sat in the car, looking out over the track of land that sprawled out behind the building. There appeared to be a dense mist low on the ground, and it took different forms as it slowly swirled about in the moonlight. Ghostly, faint, silvery white clouds seemed to slip silently across the track. I shivered and pressed myself back against the seat.

"Let’s go," he said. "I should never have brought you here at night. I must confess I’m a little nervous. Not scared, but I don’t like it here. It’s as if there is something evil lurking unseen. I’m sorry I brought you out here."

I was comforted by his nearness, but I was determined that I would never again visit the track or the hotel after dark.