Stalker
Chapter 1
My men and I were in the briefing room waiting for the General to come in. Same old, same old really. Just a different room, in a different building, in a different city. We were slowly being driven north by the Dark as it kept catching up to us even though my company had stopped them, the monsters, from advancing multiple times. Humans are bad but the Dark is so much worse. Literally a nightmare that just never ends, it just keeps getting back up to come at you again no matter how many bullets you put into it, how many times you push it back. Not the best thoughts to be having near my men, obviously the feelings were showing on my face but when you hear about how great America had been only to have been born after it started to crumble, it is hard to imagine it being anything but dead, dark, and sick.
That is what the world is: sick. It's been dying for years now and we try to fight but it just seems so pointless. I just have to remember that not all of it is dying. Not all, but America isn't going to last unless we really turn the war against the Dark around soon.
Thankfully General Darwen walked in along with some stands, boards with maps, and diagrams. He looks us over while a couple of privates set up everything and once they are done he starts with the briefing.
"Got some bad news for you boys," General Darwen said after everything was set up. "You are going south to hold the line while we evacuate civilians north toward Canada." This would be the fourth time my men would have to hold that southern line against the Dark in a month. Once is bad but to have to take casualties three times and now a fourth by it was pushing everyone's tolerance to the bullshit that was given to us. "Two points have been chosen for you to hold. You will be taken by helicopter and dropped-"
"We know the drill General. We go and hold the line without support of any kind, take more causalities, while you take the credit for getting the civilians to safety," said a sergeant. There was silence even though we were all thinking the same thing. We never got any support promised to us and the company had taken numerous deaths because of it. Of course if you want to be promoted or not executed you kept your mouth shut.
"Captain Roderik, I would advise that you remind this sergeant of why we fight," General Darwen said.
"Yes, sir," came my response.
"Now, point A will be on Helmings ridge," General Darwen pointed at an L shaped line on a diagram that was set up in the front. "I advise setting up into a line that follow the ridge. The long stretch will be facing directly south, while the short stretch will be facing a South-Westerly direction. You will hold this ridge until you are pushed off. You will then fall back to point B, this office building just outside of the city and hold until you hear otherwise." Doesn't help that he acts like we don't know what to do in these kind of situations, as if we have no common sense or strategic skills and it looked like we were going to all get killed on this one. The ridge line was a little over 2 miles long and that can't be held by sixty men, two platoons. "Now, for the good news. You will only be holding off walkers, maybe a few runners." This statement was met with a cheer as those were easy to take care of.
The last three engagements we had been faced with involved dragons, fatties, and brutes. Dragons were by far the worst for the simple reason they could peg you with a spike from their tale eighty yards away. They were about ten feet long (real fun inside a house) with claws and teeth like a sword. They were named dragon because they're covered scales and generally look like a dragon. A European one, not Chinese or Japanese. The fatties, well they were just fat and slow, not much of a threat unless they get you in a bear hug. The brutes, they could cause a problem if they get within ten yards of you. They were blind but could smell and if they caught your scent, well just don't let them get close enough. They were fast as dragons which means you're mostly screwed if they do get close and can take a beating. Walkers and Runners on the other hand, they were a cake walk, same durability as a normal human. Sounded like we finally caught a break even though we were going to be spread thin.
"Alright men, grab your gear and go hold that line," said the General. As one we stand and file out of the room into a hallway.
The hall was fairly plain with dim lights stretching down its length. I make a couple of turns before entering my room and then I begin to gather my gear which consisted of my gun-belt with my .357 magnum and a .45 semi. Both were my father's till I inherited them after his death when I was young. The memories were still sickening. I strapped it around my waist feeling the familiar weight then I picked up the ZZR.47 assault rifle slinging the strap over my shoulder. It was a newer version of the old AK-.47. Next was advanced carry bag. Stupid name but that's what the eggheads wanted to call it. It looked like a regular combat back-pack but it could hold many more things. Mine could hold up to 800 pounds or a couple hundred items. I never bothered to figure out how that worked but damn if it wasn't useful. It still had everything that I needed considering it was part of the rules in case we had to leave fast. Soldiers rarely ever took their combat armor off but it was almost useless considering everything we faced could cut through it with ease, well except for the walkers and runners. Lastly I took my dog-tags from a peg on the wall.
Double checking everything I left the room and made it to the tarmac to wait for the last few stragglers. There were the helicopters ready to go but there was also a vehicle transport there ready for launch as well. We never had vehicles before so why would there be now when I heard the distinct rumble of tanks coming. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or angry. We could have used tanks for the last three engagements but if all we were facing were walkers and runners there was no need. Admittedly it was fun to watch them cut down walkers. Ah fuck it, zombies is what they are and I would like to slap the egghead who thought it would be cute to call them walkers. Oh well, it meant more men and that always rose sprites; plus having something that can leave a five foot crater is nice too. The last of the men lined up for inspection.
"Well, same shit just a different night," my statement was received with a couple of chuckles but that was alright, they deserved to laugh after the shit they had been through. "Sounds like it'll be an easy night but for the love of god don't drop your guard. Thankfully we have tanks backing us up though you would think we wouldn't need them. Tank master would you like to say something?" I asked the man that came up to my side while I was speaking. He was small, no more than five-six, bald, and had a permanent scowl on his face.
"Let's go blow some shit up," safe to say he was greeted with a roar of approval. Without being told they loaded up onto the helicopters and the tanks rumbled their way onto their transport. I walked onto the lead heli and sat down on a seat near the ramp. I watched as the first half of first platoon walked on and take their seats. Most of the faces on board were haunted and… detached. Of course it was then I notice that there were a couple of fresh faces on board. It was depressing seeing that from so many young men, most being around nineteen. The youngest was seventeen while I was the oldest at twenty-four. I look back at one of the younger guys when I notice that he is giving me a strange stare.
"Can I help," I ask.
"Is it true that you that you killed a brute while in trance on the last engagement," he asks. The small talk that was happening on the helicopter stops and we all look at the kid.
"No. No I'm no Viking, I don't go into a berserker mode or something," we all start to laugh while the kid turns red.
"Don't feel too bad kid," says a corporal next to him, "I think we've all heard that rumor once or twice. Though when I was in another company we had a guy that could sort of do that. Shit he killed a fattie with a pitchfork. Than again that might just be because he was fucking insane. He did a lot of things that could have gotten him killed." I shake my head before letting it role back and let my eyes close.
The helicopter landed with a small thump and we filed out, with the men falling into a line while I watched the tanks exit their transporter. There was three tanks meaning there would be an extra twelve hands on duty. That sounded small but behind a tank it counted for sixty men easy. I pulled an about face and addressed the men.
"Get to the hill gentlemen, what are you waiting for," I yell at them.
"Shit sir we don't know," they yelled back and then they broke formation and ran to the hill. It was then that I noticed that it was getting pretty dark, almost like a presence was out there reaching toward us. The tanks moved so they were on the ridge with the men. It was finally going to be an easy ride for once. They set up quickly getting the LMGs and sniper rifles in place while the guys with assault rifles spread themselves out so that each were covering on of the aforementioned gunners. I climbed up the hill so I was almost even with one of the tank crew members. He had a tablet out I sneaked a peep at what he was looking at. I expected a movie or pictures of his family, instead I saw what looked like to horses locking lips. One was a blue color the other was orange.
I grabbed the man by his shoulder and hauled him to his feet, and taking the tablet out of his hands. "What the hell is a matter with you? Were on business and you're getting off on horses fucking." He lowered his eyes not wanting to look at me. I placed the tablet into my bag and then stared at him until he gave me a response.
"Well sir," he started and looking up at the same time, "they're technically ponies and… we all have our own fetishes."
"That didn't answer my question. Were on business so why are you trying to get off on some weird ass porn. Furthermore I don't care what your into, just not when were out. You won't get your tablet back till we get to home base."
"Yes si-"his head was gone and my face was covered in blood and bits of brain.
"GET DOWN NOW," I yelled not missing a beat as more spikes came down on us hitting a few more men and shredding a tank to pieces. The LMGs and sniper rifles let loose a torrent of hell on the dragons cutting down the few that were there. It was over in seconds but from what I could see the damage was sickening. At least five men were down, two dead, one missing an arm, and the other two with a spike sticking out of their stomach. More importantly though was how the hell did we not see them, was it really that dark out there.
"Sir, we got two down on the short end and the tank took one to the engine but we killed the dragqueen," came a voice over the headset. I was going to respond when I saw a brute come level with the hill. That made no sense, we should have seen the fucker long before he got that far. The men lit his ass but he stilled charged at the line and reached it. He quickly tore into a private that was to slow to run.
"FALL BACK TO POINT B," my voice nearly cracking with my shout but the men didn't hesitate and they started to run and soon started to leapfrog each other trying to slow down the wave coming at us. I let loose short spray putting a walker and a runner down before going thirty yards and stopping to let loose another spray. The Intel was shit, there were brutes, fatties along with walkers and runners and we had already encountered the dragons.
We were half a mile from the hill when the remaining tank was tipped by a brute charging into it. The gunfire was deafening but was nothing compared the to sound coming from the hill. It was a deep throaty sound. We continued for another minute or two before what was making the sound came over the hill. It was a giant, they were rare but existed. They had the general shape of a man but were lumpy with growths on their body and this one stood about twenty feet tall. Their skin was hard needing an explosive to cause damage or a very high caliber bullet. That was it for the men, they stopped leapfrogging and just ran like hell to the office building. We made it and ran inside.
"Find something to barricade the door," yelled a sergeant and they all started throwing what was ever loose at the doors. There was heavy banging coming from the other side and we all knew that it wasn't going to hold long.
"Get upstairs and start blocking the stairways and get ready for a last stand," I say as calmly as I could but it was hard, knowing that the men, my men weren't going to live. That last look before the doors were closed made sure there wasn't much hope. There had to have been hundreds of them, of everything on top of the giant. They followed the command and we all started up the stairs, my mind still going back to how we missed all of them when we first arrived.
It wasn't until we were on the fourth floor that we heard a large, almost explosive in nature, sound frorm below signaling that they broke through. We continued up till we were at the top, the sixth floor. It was empty with just its pillars to hold up the ceiling. I took a hard look at the men counting them. There was fifteen left not including myself. Fifteen out of seventy-two in less than an hour of fighting. I walked over to the radio man.
"Radio to Darwen and tell him what happened, and that we'll hold for as long as we can. Tell him he needs to hurry," the radio man gave a curt nod and did as I told. "Get into a firing line and get ready to meet God." They did just that without a sound. We all knew we were done. There were more sounds of them breaking through doors, going up the stairs, looking for us, and as time went by they got closer and closer.
The first runner came out of the door way, charging, and was cut down with two bullets to the chest. Same with the second and third. Then the fatties were pushing there frames through the doorways and we killed them too. This went on for close to an hour and we were all down to our last magazines. I pulled out my revolver and felt the familiar buck in my hands as I squeezed the trigger. Soon that ran out and the line broke as half the men ran toward the windows in the back, figuring suicide was better than being torn apart. The other half charged with knives ready when the windows to our right shattered inward. It became black, blacker than black but I could still hear, the screams coming from my men and the Dark were loud enough to almost break my ear drums.
I was slammed from the right and I felt my feet leave the ground. I stopped when I slammed into something hard knocking the remaining breath out of my lungs and leaving me in pain. I wasn't sure but it felt that ribs were broken and blood was running down my face. The blackness lifted and I was met with a sight of blood, guts, and various body parts strewn all over the place. There was still a brute standing along with a few walkers and a fatty. I started to push myself up grunting as I did so and catching the attention of the beasts. I wasn't going to die laying on the ground.
They moved toward me when the brute seemed to explode in a fountain of blood and various organs and so did the fatty and the walkers. I didn't see what killed them but I took comfort knowing that it would be quick. "Well come on then, you still have one more to go," I say softly. The comment was met with a grunt from the stairway I turned my head that way to fast causing it to swim dropping me to my knees. I looked again going much slower and I was greeted with golden eyes not a foot from my face.
My breath caught in my throat. It broke eye contact and moved toward the center of the room, my eyes following it. I was staring at a Stalker. The very thing that started the extermination of the human race. They came from a different world or dimension through a portal. The ones for the Americas happened in Brazil and their disease quickly spread. We were never sure how it spread from them but for everything else it was through biting. The sudden increase in immigration to the north was immense but to be expected but the disease spread so quickly we were forced to fire bomb everything midpoint of Mexico south. They were known for their looks and there scream which could incapacitate anyone in its radius with fear. It was black like a night with no stars or moon. Easily fifteen feet if not a little bit more. Had a tail that added another ten that ended with a spike. Claws and teeth sharper than a dragons and faster. Its skin was smooth almost looked like glass. And it had wings that were large but they were folded against its back.
I found breathing hard as I stared at it but my examination was interrupted as the building took a large lurch forward causing me to tumble forward and then the angle grew worse with a great groaning and shacking from the building causing me slide toward the nightmare. The Stalker simply hooked its claws into the floor but it didn't see me as I slammed into it causing a yelp to escape from it. The windows were coming up fast and shortly before reaching them our positions changes so that I was on top of it. Whether that was fortunate or not is debatable as the stalker took the glass shards in the window frame to its back and wings. Then we were free falling toward the ground, I closed my eyes before we hit.
The dull ach in my side grew and grew with every breath leaving little else to focus on. Slowly my eyelids opened showing a thick foliage above me with sun trying to break through. I start to move only to gasp and stop. The impact from the stalker definitely cracked a rib, maybe more than one, hopefully it was only one and cracked, not broken. Slowly I get myself into a sitting position with my back straight only to notice my gun belt was gone. This scared me, it was one of the few things that I found comforting, and the only thing (besides the pistols) from my father that I had. I couldn't do anything about it so instead I investigate my surroundings. I was in a forest it looked like, dense too.
All of this was confusing, I was falling about to meet the ground outside of a city, but now I'm not. I would have been killed from the fall but the building was also coming down on top of me. This wasn't right at all. I looked around as much as I could by only turning my head and saw that the trees, while having dark green foliage, were oddly shaped. Many looked like they had faces in them while others were bent and crooked like old women. I try to stand up and succeed but it wasn't without a great deal of pain from the movement and the increase in breathing.
My chest wasn't the only thing in pain, everything was whether it be from an actual injury or just the ach of muscle fatigue. A light brown bag that was sitting against a tree a few yards away caught my attention. Moving as carefully as possible as to avoid causing more pain than needed I pick the bag up with a grunt only to see that the name tag on it said DeLain. I didn't recognize the name but it gave me hope. It meant that there were other people here that could help me, could maybe tell me what happened. I open the bag and saw a welcome sight.
There were a few roles of clean bandages that I could use to wrap my chest with. Besides the bandages there was also a small pocket knife that looked like it was relatively new. Dropping the bag after taking out the bandages and knife I take off the body armor and started to cut the shirt underneath. Soon it was off and I could see the bruising on my side. It was quite extensive and looked as bad as it felt but considering I wasn't passing out or dead I figured that the rib or ribs were only cracked and not broken. Next I take the bandages and start wrapping just under my armpit going as far as my naval. They weren't too tight but, snug like a blanket wrapped around you in a cold night. Taking slow deep breaths I continue to look through the bag.
I find some painkillers and a map. I take a couple of the pills and spread the map out on the forest floor. The map showed what looked like a massive forest called Everfree and a red circle with the note saying town one. There was a total of four red circles marked on the map and a line cutting off what looked like five miles worth of forest at the edge of it. The red line had the word avoid written over and over again all the way through, though one of the circles was in the woods as well. There was no note for this circle. The third circle was next to town one but with the note of apple orchard. The last circle was high up on the map with 'capitol?' next to it.
Sighing I stand again taking the bag I started to walk looking for a suitable location to rest for a day or two. I went a mile, maybe a little bit more when I came across a little hollow in an especially dense copse of trees. I drop the bag and quickly lay down on my uninjured side and try to sleep but it wouldn't come quickly. Thoughts of how badly we were beaten ran through my mind. Intel was never hundred percent but to miss what had come at us meant that we were all lied to or something else was involved, like a stalker. The question of why it didn't kill me in the office building ran through my mind again and again without an answer till I fell asleep. Hell maybe they liked to play with their food.
My sleep was pitiful due to the dreams, well more like memories from my past. The gunfights with rebels, bandits and the slaughter of men, my men, at the claws of the Dark. I was damaged goods that was for sure. I sit up stretching my sides slowly and taking deep breaths I grabbed the bottle of painkillers and took a couple more. Deciding not to wait for my ribs to heal I stood up and exited the copse and looked up. It was fairly dark still but I could make out light from my left. That way was east and according to the map town one was in that direction.
I walked in that direction at least an hour but I had only covered what felt to be half a mile. Taking extra care not to jostle myself was slowing me down on top of traveling through a thick forest. I continued but had to correct myself again and again because I kept veering to the left. The veering actually helped me in the end because I came to a road. Deciding that a break was in order I lean back against a tree next to it and stayed that way for a while.
I sing a few songs to myself to help pass the time and soon I was at it again albeit I was making much better time, even though it was still slow. The sun was going down when something good came across my nose. It wasn't food but something to do with camping, happy memories came back to me when everything was simpler. When my father and I would roast a hot dog over a hot fire- oh shit. There had been a breeze since I had gotten on the road pushing against my back and it had slowly increased into actual winds.
I turn and see smoke above the tree line and guessed that the fire was a few miles away since the smoke thin near me. Turning back around I pick my pace up covering about a mile when a sudden strong gust of wind sent smoke around me. I look back to see that the fire had moved swiftly and was only a mile, maybe less, away. I start to run not wanting to be caught in the fire but I didn't get far before smoke was hugging my clothing and the heat of the fire was pushing at my back.
Centering myself on the road I run faster causing my side to cry out in pain but I pushed my battered body on any way. Out of the corner of my left eye I could see the flames jumping from one branch to another like a monkey. The smoke was much heavier and my breathing was ragged not drawing in enough oxygen. Suddenly a tree came down in front of me causing me to dash into the trees on my right to avoid it.
The sound of roaring could be heard on the other side of the trees on the road causing me to hesitate about pushing back onto it. Then I feel the heat of the fire lick my back causing me to sprint forward and dodge whatever was in the way. My side was on fire with the pain from my ribs but I push myself onward staying just ahead of the flames. If I did slow down the sudden heat against my back made sure I went faster. My breathing was coming in gasps now but really it was only smoke I was taking in now. I was slowing down and not even the fire could make me go any faster. My vision was blurry as tears went down my cheeks trying to stop what was irritating them but to no avail.
Suddenly the tree line broke but I kept moving forward, stumbling and eventually tripping. I take deep breaths despite my ribs crying out in pain. Shrugging the bag off my shoulders I lay on my back staring up into the smoke that was blocking out the sky. I stayed like this for- well I don't even know. It started to rain and soon the smoke was gone only to be replaced by dark rolling clouds. I didn't complain though, the rain was soothing to my body, calming me. Rain always had that effect on me. My sight was fading, going tunnel vision on me. I tried to fight it, but it was to no avail and I slipped under the waves of unconsciousness.
Oh god, my lungs were in agony. Every breath caused excruciating pain to radiate from them plus the ribs were not helping at all. Slowing my breathing down, I took stock of my situation. I was completely naked but I did have a blanket laying over my bottom half. There were bandages wrapping my entire torso along with my arms, and I was pretty sure that my left leg was wrapped half way. I looked over to my right to spot a glass of water on a nightstand. I began to reach over but stopped when the dull ach of my shoulder flared. This was going to take a while.
After slowly reaching and stopping many times I had the cup in my hands and with a sweating brow I took greedy gulps. The glass was empty much too fast for my liking. Eventually I set it back on the nightstand and felt myself slowly drifting off again. Figuring that fighting the feeling was useless I let it take me.
There was slight tugging on my leg but not wanting the person doing the tugging know I was awake I left my eyes closed. I felt that it was better to figure out what I could then talk to whoever it was that had possibly saved my life. While the person was doing the rest of their examination I took stock of my body again. I was still naked and I realized how awkward this was; i remember what this room looks like, it wasn't a hospital, in fact it had looked like a more like a bedroom when I drank the water.
Pushing out the thoughts of whether I was in the home of a doctor or a rapist I let my mind turn to my body's condition. My lungs felt much better considering that they didn't feel like they were on fire. My ribs were still hurting but not as much, guess I was getting more used to it or some time had passed. The rest of my body ached, I would move my arms and legs when the person left. Eventually they did and my limbs became active. I was quite happy to feel that, despite mild discomfort, they didn't elicit as much pain as the previous night.
No, I felt too good for this to simply be two nights after my sprint through an almost literal hell. I guess a few days could have passed from then to when I first woke but my body was telling me that it had been a lot longer. Just then my stomach let out a growl bringing my attention to the fact that I was hungry. This revelation brought further bad news. I was weak, and not just the 'you've been through a terrible accident' but the 'you haven't had anything solid food to eat and haven't moved for a while' kind.
There was a knocking sound coming from below me. I guess that meant I was on the second floor of the house. I glance to my left was greeted with a picturesque fireplace. There came a chirping from above me causing me to look up only to find myself in amazement. In the rafters there were multiple bird nests and even a few houses. Damn this was cool and peaceful, something that I wasn't use to, something that was wrong. There was no such thing as peaceful in my world, only violence and death with a couple of mild moments in between.
Footsteps come up the stairs snapped me out of my thoughts and I closed my eyes. The door at the end of the room opened and the footsteps came closer. The sound from them was wrong though, it was comparable to the sound of hooves striking wood. This set my nerves on edge but I tried my best to stay still and not alert the person, maybe thing, that I was aware of its presence. What worried me more so was that I didn't notice this anomaly the first time they were in here. The steps stopped near the side of the bed by my head.
"I hope you wake up so I can find out what you are," said a quiet female voice. She eventually walked away leaving me to ponder what she had meant by finding out what I was. This was not good on many levels yet there was concern and a feeling of kindness in the voice even if what was said made me worried. I heard talking and then eventually the door opened and then closed with what might if been enough time for two people to walk through.
Grunting with the effort I got to my feet only to realize that the rafters were maybe an inch or two above my head. I make my way to the door where I was met with steps going to the floor below. I didn't hear anything so I started my way down and eventually made it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but I stilled ached and was breathing harder than I should have. Looking around I was met with a rather peculiar looking home. It was odd mostly because of all the little homes for the many animals milling around.
"Ok, so the person is a vet, great. Now where is the kitchen so I can get something to munch on." I walk through a doorway to my right at the bottom of the stairs and look around again. This might be the living room considering it had a long couch which had a blanket on it- shit they've been sleeping on the couch while I've had the bed. I look to my right and see the kitchen. Moving in that direction I enter the new room and start going through the cupboards only to find a strange assortment of foods.
There was a lot of food that a farm animal might eat such as hay, oats, and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There was also a few sweets like cupcakes and cookies. God how long has it been since I had a cookie. I grab one and took a small bite only to be sent on a journey of bliss from how good it tasted. After finishing the cookie I grabbed an apple and a banana and quickly ate those and walked outside of the house. There was a cool breeze which felt nice against my sore body but at the same time all the animals looking at me was disconcerting. Seeing some woods nearby I walk closer and chuck the core of the apple and the banana skin in there.
I had a few choices about what I could do now. One: leave right now without clothing and make my way in the woods. This was probably the worst considering that my ribs weren't fully healed yet plus I had nothing. Two: stay and act like I was comatose and hope my caretaker didn't catch on to my lie while I healed up a bit more. Three: I could stay and 'wake up' and learn about where I was, acquire clothing, get supplies, and get a good damn explanation about what happened.
They all had a good thing going for them and a bad thing. Fuck, what was I going to do? The second choice. I'll stay and heal up until I can make it on my own with more ease; maybe that'll turn into three depending on what happens over the course of the next day or two. I enter the house after relieving myself and admiring the architecture of the building. It was essentially a tree house only to the extreme. I return to the upstairs and lay back down on the bed with the covers laying over my lower half. Amazing how fucking easy it was to fall asleep.
The creature was downstairs probably asleep considering it was in the middle of the night, though I had woken up an hour before Whatever the indigenous species were they defiantly weren't human. If anything I would say they would be horse in nature only. At least that's what I gleaned from what she told me. She had arrived home shortly before dark and had come up and checked on me only to say that she needed to take care of all the other animals. When she came back she had a soup of some kind and I didn't know how to fake sleep swallowing, but she didn't seem to notice anything wrong. The real problem was to not react to what she said while feeding me.
She started off by telling me how worried that I was going to die, then about how she made me clothing then it finally got to what she and her friends did and that progressed to her telling me what each one was like. She then proceeded with their rulers, two princesses that ruled the day and night separately. Finally she told me of strange objects that a couple of her friends found that had been laying around. Apparently the one named Twilight Sparkle had found a strange looking saddle bag that held many interesting things. Then the one named Applejack had found what sounded like a couple of pistols. All of this was weird, though the thing that really creeped me out was the fact that she was telling me this in the first place. Hell maybe she is just really lonely.
By the sounds of it they were going to take the pistols to the princesses when they went to a Grand Galloping Gala, which I determined to be some kind of ball, while the 'saddle bag' was to be left at her first friend's house. The library near the middle of the town, which was called Ponyville. Dear god where the hell was I. The group was going to leave the next day which was when I was going to grab the bag and get the hell out of Dodge, so to speak. Only one problem with that: she had taken care of a foreign creature and then made clothing for him. This was going to be harder than I thought to just leave.
The next night I slipped out of the bed and grabbed the clothing that my caretaker had made and was surprised that they fit me quite well, plus there was extra room for when I finally got some of the muscle and fat back that I had lost. I made my way down the stairs and walked along the path until I came across the town. It was quaint looking and sleepy at this time of night with only a light or two on in a few houses.
Staying low I made a small dash to an alleyway. I did my best to stay in those and side streets to get to the center of the town which I finally accomplished. Even better I didn't run into any of the inhabitants. Next I looked for a large tree only to find that it was a couple of buildings away from me. Walking over to the library I turned the knob and wasn't disappointed to find that it was unlocked.
Closing the door quietly I walked forward a couple of steps and stopped to listen if there was sounds of movement. There weren't any so I proceeded to a table and podium that had books stacked high on them but there was no bag that I could see. Next I walked into what looked like a kitchen but once again there wasn't a bag or anything really. It was fairly plain with a sink, oven, a few cupboards and a table. The rest of the library was void of the bag as well, though I did find a rather nice looking bathroom and comfortable looking bedroom. It appeared that the creature living here had a small pet. Finally I found a door that was locked. Backing up a foot I kicked at the door near the handle only to have a small throb of pain shoot up my leg. I tried again and again, and finally the fifth kick knocked the door in. With a slight limp I made my way down the stairs and was met with what looked like a scientist's laboratory.
There was the bag on a table in the middle of the area and strewn around it were many things that had come out of it. Waking closer I couldn't believe that it was my bag. The dirty old bloodstained bag had in bold letters Capt. Roderik on the front. Gathering the random assortment of books, electronics, and bullets I placed them back into the bag. I did one last look before I left and spotted a rifle with about ten boxes of ammo around it leaning against the counter lining the wall. I picked it up to see that it was the last version of the M16 that was made only this one had a medium range scope on it, like an old fashion ACOG only newer. I threw the ammo in my bag and swung it over my shoulders.
I left the basement not bothering to try and close the door but I did close the front door. Now what? I guess I'll go back to the cottage and wait for the owner so I could say thank you and then take my leave. I sneaked my way out of the small town and was on the road. The house, more of a cottage, was in view when suddenly there was a bright flash causing me to duck and launch myself into the forest next to the road. I peeked out from behind the tree to spot what looked like full grown horse only this one had wings and a large horn sticking out of its face.
This must have been the princess of the day and her sister was standing right by her side. She was a bit shorter and the color scheme was the opposite of her sis. She had dark fur with a dark hair. What the fuck was up with those, they flowed like water and while the smaller ones was shorter it rivaled the bigger ones in shininess. There was also what looked like 15 guards along with six other horses, or was it ponies, yeah ponies is what she said. It looked like the two sisters were arguing quietly over something when a familiar voice spoke up.
"Please, please don't hurt him. He hasn't done anything and is still hurt," said a pink haired, yellow Pegasus.
"Listen Fluttershy," stated the bigger princess, Celestia I think her name was, "he is a dangerous animal that can cause much harm to many ponies." The verbal lash caused the pink pony to back up behind the blue pony with the rainbow hair. That one looked familiar, as did the orange one with the brown hat and blonde hair.
"Sister," started the smaller one, "we believe that the one before had a sickness of the mind." Sickness of the mind- oh god no don't tell me those fucking beasts came through with me. Hell I don't even know how I got here so should I be- shit the Stalker might have came through too. I was kind of holding on to it. This wasn't good, fuck it I'm leaving. The bigger one appears to want my head on a stick and the younger one wasn't going to convince her otherwise. I just wished I could have gotten my hands on the pistols, I had a gut feeling that they were mine.
I start to back up only for a twig to snap loudly underneath my foot. I stop but they all heard it. Not bothering to be quiet I turn and booked it into the woods feeling déjà vu again when I was running from the fire.
