My Secret Unicorn by Linda Chapman Read Free Book Online Page B

drinking two mouthfuls had worn himout. Lauren gently laid his head back on the straw. Then she sat back and waited anxiously. A couple of minutes ticked past, and Shadow still didn’t move.
    ‘I’ve given him half the water,’ Lauren whispered, looking up at Twilight. ‘Do you think that’s enough?’
    Twilight nuzzled her shoulder. ‘Wait a little bit longer,’ he said. ‘Look. His breathing’s getting quieter.’
    Lauren listened. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘And his sides aren’t heaving up and down quite so much.’
    As she spoke, Shadow’s eyes flickered open and he gave a soft whicker. Then he closed his eyes again.
    Twilight whickered back gently and turned to Lauren. ‘I think he’s going to be all right.’
    Lauren leaned forward and arranged Shadow’s forelock neatly. His skin already felt cooler, as if his fever had gone away. He was asleep now, and he looked peaceful and relaxed. She got to her feet and hugged Twilight.
    ‘We did it!’ she whispered.
    Just then, Mel stirred and murmured something in her sleep. Lauren cast a final glance down at the sleeping pony. ‘We’d better go before Mel wakes up.’
    They crept out of the stable. Lauren climbed on to Twilight’s back and he cantered into the air, keeping to thegrass at the edge of the yard for the first few strides so that his hooves didn’t make a noise on the concrete.
    Lauren realized she was still gripping the half-empty bottle of starry water. ‘What do you think I should do with the rest of the water, Twilight?’ she asked. ‘I don’t think I should keep it, do you?’
    ‘No,’ Twilight agreed. ‘It’s much too magical. But we shouldn’t just throw it away, either – that would be a waste.’
    ‘It’s a pity we don’t have our own Waterfall of Stars,’ Lauren said wistfully. ‘Then we’d be able to fill a bottle whenever we needed it.’
    Twilight arched his neck and whinnied. ‘But maybe we could makeone!’ he exclaimed. ‘We could pour the water into the creek that runs through the woods. It wouldn’t make it as powerful as the real waterfall but it might give it a little bit of magic.’
    Lauren beamed. ‘That’s a great idea! Maybe it will protect any animals that drink from it and stop them from getting sick.’
    Twilight flew over the woods and landed by the creek, where the water bubbled over some rocks. The first pale yellow rays of sun were just beginning to filter through the trees, and as Lauren poured the starry water out of the bottle, it seemed as though the whole creek danced with light.

    As they watched the pretty sparkling water, a young deer appeared on the other side of the creek. It walked slowly to the edge of the bank, looking tired and thirsty, and bent its head to drink. After a few sips, it glanced up, its eyesshining. With a twitch of its ears, it bounded back into the woods, seeming full of energy once more.
    ‘I think it’s working already,’ Lauren murmured happily. She leaned against Twilight’s shoulder, then wearily clambered on to his back for the last time. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. ‘Time for us to go home.’
    To Lauren’s relief, the house was quiet when she crept inside, leaving Twilight in his paddock with a bucket of pony nuts. Even Buddy was still asleep, curled up in his basket beside the range. She tiptoed up to her bedroom, took off her jacket and peeled off her jeans and sweater, then crawled under her soft,comfy duvet. Within seconds, she was fast asleep.
    ‘Lauren!’
    Lauren was dreaming of a beautiful land far away, where herds of unicorns grazed among meadows full of red and yellow wild flowers. But there was a voice pulling her back …
    ‘Lauren! You’ve overslept!’
    Lauren opened her eyes and saw her mum smiling down at her.
    ‘Hello, sleepyhead! I thought you were planning on getting up early,’ said Mrs Foster. ‘Weren’t you going to Mel’s first thing?’
    Lauren sat bolt upright. How couldshe have forgotten? She threw off her duvet and