/lit/ - Literature

>>20203055
He reached the street and peered around the corner; Darian was about a block away, still in sight. He lumbered after him, choosing a lilting motion, throwing each leg forward in turn, landing hard each time. The incessant hum of the city, even at night, was loud enough to conceal his footsteps. Richard watched Darian turn a corner and disappear from sight; he hobbled to that point and looked in Darian's last known direction. The streetlight revealed more detail; the horse costume, while shaped accurately, shimmered with every color of the rainbow. There was a pullover sweater tied around his waist; Richard shuddered to think what it might be hiding.

He was now across the street, about to pass by a park. Richard crossed the street to match him; that side afforded a deeper shadow. Reaching the next corner, he staggered across the street and now walked along the park, Darian only a half block away.

Richard heard something stir in the plants up ahead; Darian heard it too, for he turned to look. Without warning, he let out a loud bark, exactly in the way that horses don't, then continued walking. The response came a few seconds later: "Oh, wow...they only come out at night." That was followed shortly afterward by another gurgling utterance: "Did that really just happen?"

Richard neared the point of the disturbance; as expected, there were two homeless men nesting in the bushes. They gaped at Richard, speechless. One eyed his booze suspiciously, then threw it away; the plastic bottle bounced and caromed randomly, not shattering. As Richard passed by, he let out a loud, low growl, then went on his way. There was no response until he was almost out of earshot, as one of them whined plaintively. "I really gotta clean up my act."