The 2022 NFL Playoffs have just began. This is gonna be exciting. And nerve-racking. As a Packers fan, I'm predicting a 49ers-Packers matchup next week. It's gonna be epic.

Anyways, I wrote this story out of the blue. It is primarily inspired by a MLP creepypasta that I read as a kid. This story takes place in an alternate universe, and therefore, is not canon to any other stories I have written. Enjoy- mitch

the sneeze

written January 8th to 10th, 2022

In the darkness…somebody sneezed.

"Who was it?" asked the german shepherd. Silence from his friends followed, as nobody had the courage to speak.

"WHO?!" cried Chase, desperate for answers. But he got none.

The pups were in a completely dark room, with the shepherd using a very bright flashlight to see around him. It was windowless and cramped. The police dog's comrades were still silent, not having the courage or guts to speak. Each of their mental capacities were shattered beyond comprehension. It was a living nightmare that just wouldn't end.

One month prior, a pandemic hit Adventure City, and it spread insurmountably fast across the county, including Adventure Bay. But this wasn't just an ordinary pandemic. It was a pandemic to end all pandemics.

It was extremely contagious, and faster than the common cold. It not only affected humans, but animals as well, to an arguably even worse degree. No animal was safe. There was no cure, either. 75 percent of people who caught it had died, and almost 90 percent of animals who caught the disease had met their end. The indication of the disease's spread was simple. A loud sneeze would do. But it had to be incredibly powerful.

Many people had met their tragic demise in Adventure Bay, including almost every human in town, including the pups' beloved Ryder. The electricity had been cut out long ago everywhere, and the world had been effectively shut down by the disease. The PAW Patrol tried to stop it, but were very unsuccessful. The outside world looked like a ghost town, with some buildings starting to decay. To keep themselves safe, the PAW Patrol bunkered themselves in the basement, a room that was so small that only the four legged creatures themselves could squeeze in.

When the pandemic began to get out of hand a week after it began, before Ryder's death, he told the pups to store their food inside the small room, including their water supply.

Their food had just run out. Their water bowls were all dried up.

It had been two days since their food supply had diminished. The dogs were beginning to starve, but were not desperate. Yet. They had watched all the devastation with their own eyes in the outside world, and they were petrified that it came in here.

Everest sat and watched as Chase focused his flashlight on each of his friends. Silence still had an iron grip on the room. Rubble was near the entrance, clutching an empty food bag, rocking back and forth in the fetal position, eyes wide and staring into nothingness. On the room's only bed, Rocky was crying to himself, embracing Zuma as they tried desperately to comfort one another. Skye was next to the german shepherd, leaning her head on his shoulders, feeling another set of tears coming down her face. The pups looked at her and wondered if her emotions were from the awful stench or the situation they were enduring. All the pups' fur had been untangled, unkempt, and filthy.

The pups turned to the husky and dalmatian, who were locked in an embrace. She stopped for a moment and gazed at everyone in the room.

"Why does it matter?" shuddered Everest.

"Everest…It's better for six of us to get through this than none. That sneeze…no matter how powerful it was…is the only warning we get." answered Chase quietly.

"Couldn't we…just…wait and see? It could just be a cold…" whimpered Marshall.

"I really wish we could risk our lives like that, bro. But we can't. 90 percent of dogs get the disease. And it's very contagious. We gotta kill whoever coughed, otherwise it's gonna spread." grumbled Chase to his spotted friend.

"He's right, man. 1 death…or seven." sighed Rocky in defeat.

"There's simply no…antidote at all, meaning that it is almost impossible to survive this disease…let alone spread it to someone else." Rubble spoke up.

"Every carrier of the disease has to die…it's the only way to ensure our own safety. The only way Adventure Bay is safe…come on…somebody, fess up!" Zuma sighed loudly, shaking his head. Suddenly, someone felt confident enough to say a few words that would be the death sentence.

"I was the one who sneezed. It was me." Skye said plainly. The dogs were shocked, but none more than Chase and Everest. Both of their eyes were filled with terror as they realized that the pilot would be the first casualty of their group. Every single dog in the room felt tears in their eyes, as Skye stood in front of everyone.

"It's okay...It'll all be okay…I simply couldn't have lived with myself if any of you guys died…it's better this way…" the cockapoo added, trying her hardest to ease some tension, feeling a little hesitant in her words.

Everest couldn't handle her emotions inside of her any longer. Fresh, hot tears slithered down her lavender coat as she stared into her best friend's eyes.

"No…no, it isn't…" The mountain rescue pup whined. Even Chase, who was the unofficial leader of the group, felt himself losing his emotional battle as reality set in.

"Out of everyone here…why did it have to be her?" The German shepherd whispered shakily into Marshall's ear. Everyone knew-especially the dally-about Chase's love for the cockapoo. The two had met at only the age of five dog years old. They have been dating since they were 13 years old, and have been going strong for almost 5 years- a very long time. Just before the pandemic hit, the police dog confessed to Marshall-his best friend-that he was going to propose to her. Now, the possibility of marriage and a life of prosperity and happiness for the couple was completely gone. And they couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"Her mind is made up. She's gotta go…" the dally spoke with a grim expression. He could barely get the words off his tongue before burying his face in his palms.

"How can we…how is she gonna…" trailed off the husky, as she realized that someone was going to have to off Skye without catching the disease.

Chase felt heavier than he ever had in his life, and slumped to the cold floor beneath him. "We don't have any weapons here. Someone is gonna have to kill her…it…it has to be you, Everest." The shepherd sighed.

"WHAT?! Why me?!" The mountain rescue dog shrieked in terror. The police dog couldn't bear to gaze in the husky's direction as he turned away.

"I've known you long enough to realize that you would never stand aside and hurt Skye in any way. Maybe intellectually you would know it's necessary, but your emotions and your stubbornness get the better of you. Ask yourself for a moment, Everest. Would you rather really want anyone else but yourself to…" The police dog trailed off.

"You're right." said the husky in a hollow tone as she rose to her feet.

"Skye, sit up and put your head against the wall. It…it'll be quicker…" Rubble suggested, fighting back another set of tears.

"Skye…I'm so sorry…I just wish it could be any other way than this." Chase spoke up. The cockapoo looked over to the german shepherd that she loved. She rushed over to him and embraced him tighter than she had ever done before.

"If I could only kiss you just…one last time…" the pilot whimpered in his ears. She knew that if she kissed him, she could possibly kill him with the disease. For a single moment in time, the German shepherd threw that notion out the window by pecking his lips with hers. The others gasped in shock, as they realized that their friend was risking his life. Tears flowed from their closed eyes as they shared one final moment of intimacy for almost 30 seconds before they separated.

"I just don't know what came over me…I just wanted to do it because…well…I actually wanted to propose to you before all this happened. And we won't ever get that chance to be happy…" stuttered the police dog as his vision became blurry from the cascading waterfall that his face became. His girlfriend tried to wipe his tears away, but they just kept coming down. The floor below was dampened by his emotions, as Skye looked up to him.

"I promise you…when the time comes…we'll be happy in paradise together. Because I love you, Chase." The cockapoo said, trying to smile through the tears she shed. But it didn't work.

"I love you too, Skye…" Chase whined as they embraced. After a minute, they let go. She took a good look at Everest. Her best friend. And the one that was set to take her life. She ran over to the husky and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry…I love you…I'm so sorry…" Everest wailed as she became a hot, blubbering shell of her former self.

"I love you too, Everest. And I forgive you. It's better this way. Just…try to make it and survive without me. That's all I ask." replied Skye as her voice shook.

"I promise." The husky whispered. Before her execution was to be carried out, Skye took one last glance at the others that remained in the room.

"Marshall…Rocky…Rubble…Zuma…you guys are my brothers…and I love all of you. Remember that." The pilot stuttered, as the boys silently nodded. Skye then put her head against the concrete wall. She trembled with fear for a few moments, even hyperventilating for a few seconds before taking deep breaths. Everyone watched as Everest stood behind her. She aimed her hind legs to the back of the cockapoo's head and stood.

"Chase…turn off the light. Nobody should have to see this." The husky spoke, feeling sure about herself. The police dog didn't think twice as he turned the flashlight off. The whole room was in complete darkness. One kick. It would be quick. She thought. Years of running up and down mountains have honed Everest's muscles. She reared up on her front legs, gathered all of the strength in her hind legs and kicked. It connected. The other canines jumped at the sound. It was a loud thud. The mountain rescue dog felt a warm liquid sensation on her hind legs as Skye let out an agonizing groan.

This wasn't enough to kill her. Tears flowed down the husky's eyes as she kicked again. She felt even more blood this time on her hind legs. The pilot whimpered softly, groaning a little less.

Everest kicked a third time.

CRUNCH. The mountain rescue dog felt her paws cracking Skye's skull and neck. The cockapoo collapsed to the floor with a resounding crash. Everest's hind legs dropped back to the floor. She felt her friend's blood being spilled like a waterfall beneath her. Noise came from the cockapoo no more.

The husky was sure that Skye was dead. Chase turned the light back on, and it revealed the absolute carnage. The pups were completely speechless as they saw her corpse. Skye had her head crushed in, her face looking almost unrecognizable. Her blood was still flowing from her head.

Everest began shaking, her eyes wide and her heart beating nearly out of her chest. All four of her paws were now drenched in sticky blood. She felt it beginning to clot on her fur. The mess would stain, creating a permanent red residue to remind her of the deed. She wept quietly to herself for five minutes, then stopped. Chase couldn't bear to gaze at the corpse of his beloved anymore, and turned the flashlight off again.

Silence reigned.

In the darkness…somebody sneezed.