The Mare Knew Something Was Wrong(response to 12Gauge858 The horse knew something was out there)

[Intro — midnight Texas desert, wind low, horse breathing, dark cello barely moving] [Horse breathing slow] [Leather saddle creaks] [Boots shift in gravel] [Distant thunder] [Horse snorts hard] Her, spoken low and smoky: Woah… woah now… [Horse snorts again, restless] What’s wrong, girl? [Dark electric guitar moans in the distance] [Wind crawls through the brush] You see somethin’ I don’t? [Pause] Mmm… Yeah. I feel it too. [Deep 808 heartbeat fades in] Ain’t scared of it… but somethin’ out there ain’t right tonight. [Verse 1] She froze up by the county line ears pinned toward the pines Moonlight cut her worried eyes like some old warning sign I kept one hand on her mane one hand near my side Not ’cause I was scared to die but I know when ghosts ride That guitar cried behind us like a reel they never cut Thunder rolled like movie scores blood pounding in my gut She snorted like a warning dug her hooves into the ground And I whispered, “Easy, girl…” but I still turned around [Pre-Hook] Ain’t no coyote movin’ like that Ain’t no wind that steady Ain’t no shadow stackin’ frames like a scene they shoot for Getty [Hook] The horse knew somethin’ was wrong there I felt it in my chest Like a jump scare in the trailer right before the test I ain’t runnin’ from the devil I done looked him in the eye But somethin’ moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Post-Hook — low female humming, horse breathing] Mmm… knew my name tonight… Mmm… horse knew first… [Verse 2] I scanned the dirt, then scanned the sky clouds swallowed up the moon Thunder cracked like gunshot cuts end credits comin’ soon Wind whipped up and circled us dust rose from the road My mare leaned back against the reins like, “Girl, don’t take that load.” Then I saw ’em standin’ there where the lightning split the rain Four silhouettes like movie frames but every one had names One wore Fear, long black coat straight out The Pale Rider lane One grinned cold like an Ugly Lie Good, the Bad, the same One stood still like Justice mean High Noon in his eyes The last one shook like broken glass young punk believed his lies A Fool who binge-watched outlaw dreams and thought the script was true Didn’t know that horror-western always eats its lead on cue [Pre-Hook] Ain’t no dream when your horse locks up Ain’t no trick of the rain When thunder starts roll-callin’ somebody answers names [Hook] The horse knew somethin’ was wrong there I felt it in my chest Like a hammer in the theater right before the test I ain’t runnin’ from the devil I done looked him in the eye But somethin’ moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Breakdown — gothic electric guitar feedback, thunder closer, 808 drops out then returns heavy] [Horse breathing heavy] [Wind whipping dust] [Dark cello swells] [Electric guitar bends like metal in the dark] [Horse belts out a soaring snort] Her, spoken calm but wired: Now, now… nothin’ we ain’t streamed before. Stay sharp, girl. [Horse snorts again, lower] That’s it… [Low female choir hums underneath] She raised up in the saddle, tilted her hat toward the ground. Thunder rolled behind her like war drums from the surround. Then she yelled— LET’S GOOOOOOOOO! [808 slams back in] [Electric guitar rips wide open] [Dark cello surges] [Thunder cracks overhead] [Verse 3] I leaned down close to her mane felt that lightning in her bones Told her, “Girl, we know these plots, still ride back home alone.” Fear loomed tall on my left side like some Scream in cowboy boots Lie laughed like a crooked cut spilled film across the roots Justice waited straight ahead High Plains in his stance Fool shook like a shaky cam first time holdin’ the chance I tipped my hat down to the dirt like prayer before a fight Then raised my chin into the storm like Carrie in the light I wasn’t beggin’ for mercy wasn’t askin’ who they were I kicked dust up off that road let the thunder dub the slur From The Shining to The Ring from The Thing to Endless Night every frame of horror flick burned neon in that sky [Bridge — half-time, dark cello, low female humming, guitar pulse] Fear said, “You remember me?” I said, “Yeah, you’re every cut.” Lie said, “You belong to me.” I said, “Nah, that door is shut.” Justice said, “Stand where you stand.” I said, “Roll camera, run.” Fool said, “I ain’t know better.” I said, “But you still pulled that gun.” [Pause] Horse snorted like amen. Sky opened like a wound. I stared right past their shadow show and rode straight through the truth. [Final Hook — bigger, female choir low, guitar screaming behind lead] The horse knew somethin’ was wrong there I felt it in my chest Every horror, every western caught breath inside my vest I ain’t runnin’ from the devil I done looked him in the eye But somethin’ moved behind that thunder and it knew my name tonight [Repeat Hook — stronger, battle-ready] The horse knew somethin’ was wrong there I felt it in my chest Like a standoff at the gallows and blood beneath the dress I ain’t runn