the unblessing
M
aybe it’s instinct that has you inching closer to the other horse, closing the distance between you and them; maybe it’s the spirit of the race demanding you to be better, faster, stronger than them. Maybe it’s the dizzying scent of cinnamon and apple spice that washes over you with each new wave of smoke. The ground is a blur beneath your hooves, the smoke a veil that wraps around your body and coos stories of triumph and victory in your ears.
The world feels like an insubstantial thing now, shifting and dancing with the flames. You can hear voices around you, but you can’t make out the words; each time you try to focus your attention slips away, much like the feeling in your limbs, until it feels as though you are a thing detached from your own body, floating along through the air. Perhaps you look down then and see yourself as others see you, a wild thing streaking like madness towards the finish line.
Or maybe you are only noticing how the horses around you seem to be turning to fiery shades of red and gold, their bodies cracking apart like a log crumbling to ash in a fire.
The fire was supposed to protect you. That is what everyone had said — that the smoke of the bonfires was a blessing, that it would ward off evil. So why does it feel, then, as if you are descending into madness?
The world glows brightly around you, as the smoke fills your nose and more visions flash like embers across your vision. Ahead you can see the finish line drawing near, twin bonfires dancing with all the brilliant colors of an aurora.
But it seems so very far away, your legs feeling more and more like dead weight. And as you slip in and out of waking-dreams, it becomes a matter of whether you’ll even make it.
To conclude the race, you must post a closer. There is no word limit, and you can be as creative with the prompt as you'd like! The smoke from the fires wash over you, and perhaps you find them more disorienting than inspiring. Perhaps you see visions of them -- be they visions of bravery or cowardice, hope or fear, or something else is up to you. But ahead the finish line still waits, now within sight, if only you can make it that far --
You are free to write your character crossing the finish line in this post, or you can simply write them reacting to the effects of the smoke. Once all the race threads are completed, a dice will be rolled to determine the winner and the results will be posted in each race thread.
Thank you for your participation, and good luck! We hope you enjoyed the event!
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