Chapter Seven:
Collapse
Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony. Like, at all. It and all its respectable characters are © to Hasbro. However, all writing contents and semi-plots and original characters here are © to me; unless it is stated otherwise. All shows/ books/ video games/ songs that are mentioned in this chapter are all © to their respective owners, I do not own them.
Summary: It began with two bodies, and then suddenly many more came to follow. I was there to witness the beginning of the end, where the dead won't rest, driven by the urge to devour the living. This rot is spreading faster than we could have anticipated. But we can't give up because the truth of our new world is all that matters. I am begging you…rise up and survive before it's too late.
Notes: Somehow, I managed to dictate this chapter almost in one entire go with nothing but a quill and inkwell and pad of paper. My hands are stained with India ink, and I find it hilarious. Is it cheesy to admit I like writing with a quill?
"When civilization ends, it ends fast."
- Tobias, "Fear the Walking Dead"
Muffled murmurs that seemed to mimic speech. That was the first thing I became aware of as I was slowly but surely pulled from unconsciousness. I struggled to focus on what I thought might be words. I could hear them being spoken, but I wasn't able to understand, at first. It was a straining task for my hazy head, but the garbled speech slowly began to register with not just my ears, but my mind as well. I could finally recognize the individual words for what they were.
The second thing I became aware of, bit by bit, was the aching, dull pulse around the base of my horn. The pain came in slow and even waves, like the sea lapping softly away at sandy beachheads. Sometimes, there was a stronger-than-usual burst that was more acute and precise, and I tensed in response every time. Other times, it would ebb away, seemingly like it was going to fade completely, but then it would return and start the process all over again. I soon found myself bracing against the inevitable crescendo once it came crashing down upon me.
My attention as a result became split between gritting my teeth to ride out the pain and trying to focus on the conversation closest to me.
I grew more aware of my body beyond the pain in my skull—a long, burning ache in all four of my limbs; sharp stitches in my sides that made breathing difficult on its own; a different, deeper ache between my shoulder blades…
I was, at this point, nothing more than a miserly, miserable ball of pain wrapped in the fur and flesh of a pony.
When I felt confident that I could risk moving—even if it was as simple as a twitch of my limbs—I did so, if only to test stretching out. The action helped alleviate some of the pain; I was simply stiff in some areas from sleeping in the same position for much too long. The relief of tension helped ease some of the teeth gritting I had been dedicating myself to.
I wasn't ready to open my eyes yet. I was still trying to gather the strength to move my limbs, never mind sitting up or standing. I was content to move at a sedate pace, until I had worked out all the aches and pains that I could. My distraction in listening to what was being said around me longer concerned me…until it did.
I stilled at the abrupt mention of my name. Hooves clopped closer, the voices growing stronger, closer.
"Something ain't right, I can feel it. Red Rush—I ain't never seen nothing like it before. It was…I don't know how to describe it."
The Sheriff. Against my better judgement, I cracked my eyes open. Thankfully, it wasn't too bright. Another voice sighed softly. I could hear the strain in that sound alone.
"Please try, Sheriff. I know getting those fires put out took longer than we expected, but we still have a lot to go through."
I vaguely recalled knowing the owner of the second speaker, but my memory was foggy, and the answer to their identity eluded me. I was glad to know that we weren't at risk of becoming fried critters, though.
The law pony made a soft, unsettled noise in the back of his throat before he spoke again.
"She…it was…it was like she was…commanding the fire. I don't even think Red knows any spells pertaining to fire. Far as I know, it ain't exactly the easiest of the primal elements to work with."
"It really isn't, you're right about that. Primal-based magic as a whole can be…volatile, in its own right. And fire can be incredibly dangerous, especially for novices."
I was beginning to feel passably functional as the pair continued speaking. The pony that Sheriff Dust Cloud was speaking with was a mare, judging by the pitch of their voice. I blinked a few times, chasing the grogginess from them. At first, my vision was a kaleidoscope of shapes and colours and dim lighting. Gradually, things came into focus. I found myself staring down my muzzle toward a bed adjacent to mine. Another pony was in the bed, their back toward me, a cozy comforter draped over them. I wasn't sure if they were sleeping or if they too were awake and listening quietly to the conversation at hand.
I was about to attempt moving again, perhaps this time to stretch and sit up, but the conversation continued. Grudgingly, I stilled myself once again.
"I don't know how she did it, and frankly, I ain't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. We'd all be dead if it weren't for that nifty little party trick she did. It kept them corpses at bay while we all escaped that fire."
There was a soft, inquisitive hum from the other voice. Carefully, I managed to move just enough, inch by agonizing inch, until I found the two speakers. They were situated at the end of the bed I was laid up in, their backs facing me much like my next-bed-over neighbor. It was then that I recognized the second speaker: it was the magic school's headmistress, Starlight Glimmer.
"What do you mean by that, Sheriff?"
The law pony shifted his weight from one side to the other and blustered.
"I…I don't know…how to explain it. Even just thinking about it don't seem to make a lick of sense…" Uncertainty laced his words, as though he was afraid that they were to break if spoken so carelessly. I know just enough about the Sheriff to recognize that the not knowing, that being kept in the dark, irked him. He wasn't a fan of not being able to puzzle out problems and finding subsequent solutions to them. I guess one could argue that he and I have that much in common.
"Please try, Sheriff. I need to report as much as I can to Princess Twilight…and hopefully get a gauge for what's been going on outside of Ponyville. Her last letter to me the other day, well it…it scared me, to learn what's been going on in Canterlot, and just how similar things are unfolding there like they started here."
That was enough to stir me into sitting up. I was just as equally invested in knowing what the Sheriff had to say, what Starlight Glimmer had to say.
I couldn't recall how we got to safety. The last thing I could recall was the fire, of being trapped inside a tight, writhing ball of living bodies, of ponies terrified out of their minds. Between being eaten alive by the undead, and the fire that had raged on around us all, it really wasn't a fair toss-up on how we could have died.
But that's the part that I was still trying to puzzle out myself. My own mind rebelled against me trying to recollect anything. How much time had passed? A day? Three days? A week? No…it had to be a smaller timeframe than that. Otherwise, the Sheriff and Starlight wouldn't be having this conversation…right?
"What's happening in Canterlot?" I asked, and almost immediately regretted it. My throat burned and my voice was hoarse. My throat strained to project my words.
Smoke inhalation, was perhaps the most likely cause.
Starlight Glimmer flinched, a startled gasp escaping from her as she laid eyes on me. The Sheriff reacted by lunging for a weapon belted at his side. It was the fire axe from the hospital. The blade was still stained and encrusted with bits of gore and dried blood. The handle where he had his mouth wrapped around it was, thankfully, clean of the substance.
I waited for the pair to settle before I spoke again.
"Tell me…is what's happening here also happening in Canterlot?"
The words that came out of my mouth were raspy and stressed. I devolved into a coughing fit, and I rubbed gingerly at my throat with a front hoof, eyes squeezing shut.
"Here, let's get you something for your throat. Nurse Redheart said you might have inhaled too much smoke."
I was right on the bits with that, I suppose.
The gentle but purposeful clack of hooves heralded closer to my bedside, and I cracked my eyes open as the coughing settled down. Starlight busied herself with a pitcher of water and a glass cup, her horn lighting each of them up. The pitcher tilted, pouring the water into the cup and she turned to me, setting the pitcher down and offering me the glass.
I took it in my magic, thankful that it was not sputtering as uselessly as my throat was and drank. It was refreshing, and soothed the burning itch that lined my abused esophagus. I drained the cup, and when I finished, I set it aside on the table by my bed.
"Thank you," I said in relief. The smile she offered me was thin, if a bit anxious. There was a glint of worry that still lined her face. I glanced between her and the Sheriff. He was busy slipping the axe back into the belt at his waist. I turned to Starlight again.
"You didn't answer my question. What is happening in Canterlot?"
Starlight exchanged a look with the Sheriff, and it was almost immediately apparent that they knew quite a lot more than I did. I didn't like being out of the loop, especially given how deep I was already in this mess. Holding me back now wasn't going to help me, let alone any other pony.
"There's been…cases of ponies hurting one another. Violently so. At first, it just seemed like a spike in violent crimes, but now…now we know what it really is. These ponies aren't just hurting other ponies, they're—"
"—eating each other?" I provided to the unicorn, and she grudgingly nodded.
"I didn't want to believe it, but after the accident at the train station two days ago, and then Ponyville General Hospital…and then the fires in Ponyville itself…"
I blinked, perplexed by her words at first. Two days ago? The train accident and the outbreak at the hospital…that had been two days ago?
"How long was I out?"
"You heard right, Red. About two days now," the Sheriff grunted, and he advanced on the other side of my bed. He looked ten years older and more haggard than I ever remember him being. I turned my head to look at him and then at Starlight, then back again at the law pony.
The need to be ambulatory, to be up and about, was a sudden necessity. I kicked off the blankets with my hind hooves and rolled my legs out to the side. Starlight squeaked, and the Sheriff puffed at me.
"Whoa, whoa, now! Red, you need to rest—"
"I've rested enough, Sheriff. I need to know what's happened since I've been out."
My legs felt wobbly at first. I swayed just the tiniest amount, but I managed to remain standing. I felt like I could trust my appendages to do their duty and keep me aloft. I turned to Starlight Glimmer, waiting.
"Well?"
She hesitated, casting a glance at the Sheriff before returning her gaze back to me.
"It's just…is it really your place? I mean, yes, you were the first in Ponyville to really…understand…what was happening, but this seems more like a job for the doctors, the nurses…even Princess Twilight Sparkle…not a…a…"
"A what, exactly?" I snapped back, my eyes narrowing. "I already know what every pony in town thinks of me. You don't think I can't hear them whispering behind my back every time I walk past some pony in town?"
I glowered at the pair of them, letting that sink in. Starlight, to her credit, shuttered her gaze and dipped her head downwards. The Sheriff, on the other hoof, stared me down in disbelief. My ears pinned back, my irritation coming across far more readily than I would have liked. But the implications that I was somehow useless, that I held no purpose now that we were "safe", that somehow my profession disqualified me from assisting in any way, irked me. Every hoof that pitched in to help and to put as much distance between us and the walking corpses was better than none at all.
"Tell me," I started slowly. "Do you have a degree in pathology or mortuary science? Do you know the exact procedures in which to handle a corpse with or even without the proper PPE materials, and without running the risk of contracting a deadly contagion that the body may be rife with? Do you know the exact measures in which to perform a necropsy to determine a pony's cause of death?"
"Uh…no, I can't say I have…"
"Do you know proper biocontainment procedures, or are at least aware of how to conduct them, even in theory if not in practice? Or which facilities to contact in order to coordinate testing, containment, or study without running the risk of a biological outbreak?"
"I'm not familiar, no—"
"Are you aware of the communicable trajectory for this particular illness? The rate at which it spreads, how it spreads? Do you even have a clue what to do next?"
I know I was being a hardass. I was frustrated, and I couldn't help but allow myself to vent, in spite of this awareness. I'd slept two days, being absolutely useless, while others had been hard at work. If there was anything I took seriously, it was my work. And others had been doing it while I was laid up in bed.
"We were told it was bites—"
"Blood. Spit. Even mucosal fluids are contagious. So much as a single drop of contaminated blood that is introduced to…let's say an open wound, can result in the deterioration and eventual expiration of the victim. Bites aren't the only vector of transmission but given the violent and single-minded drive to devour living flesh we've observed first hoof, bites will be the most common and likely cause of contamination."
Starlight shifted uncomfortably as I stared her down. To her credit, the Unicorn appeared mollified and contrite. It probably didn't help that I was considerably taller than her. Unicorns were, typically speaking, elegant in build. I have been told in the past that I was much burlier in contrast. I had more muscle mass that gave me a sturdier look to my frame, and apparently, it has been an intimidating factor to some.
Starlight glanced at the Sheriff, and he shook his head.
"She's the one who's got all them fancy degrees and experience with the dead and whatnot. If anything, you'd be a fool to dismiss her entirely," he simply said. I was pleasantly surprised at the show of support from him…and strangely touched as well. Starlight drew in a calm, even breath and inclined her head towards me.
"Fine. That's good enough for me, and…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like you weren't useful. I just wasn't sure if this was a fight you'd want to stay in."
"Maybe ask me next time instead of dancing around the topic. I prefer things to be straightforward." I said before adding, "I'm the creepy pony that plays with dead things. Where else could I possibly want to be? Sipping fruity drinks on a far-off beach somewhere on the other side of the earth?"
The latter half of my response was meant to be an attempt at a joke, but it only drew concerned looks between the other two ponies before me. I sighed. Humour really wasn't my department. I shook my head and turned back to Starlight, ready to move on to the next subject. "What's next?"
I had never visited the School of Friendship. I'm sure plenty of ponies in Ponyville hadn't either. As for me, I had no reason to, given I was not a young mare actively looking to learn about "the magic of friendship". Ponies who work with dead bodies, such as myself, aren't exactly being bombarded with invitations to plays or parties. Even when I used to work in Manehatten once upon a time, in a city that hardly sleeps, had little to offer me in the way of friendships.
Perhaps, in another life and another profession, I would have found the place endearing. Maybe even charming. The rustic décor, the tall windows and stained-glass motifs, the knickknacks, little decorative art pieces, and lavish tapestries…
The hallways were anything but charming now. They were no longer bastions of learning and growth but have instead become havens for the infirm and ill. We passed a number of doors thrown wide open. I peered into several of them as we trotted past, seeing a medley mix of hospital staff and students assisting with patients. There was also a hodge-podge of medical equipment such as EKG machines; magic monitors; IV poles burdened with banana bags of medicine; oxygen tanks hooked up to cannula apparatuses; gurneys and hospital beds and wheelchairs galore. It was more reminiscent of an overcrowded hospital wing and less of a place of learning.
What few doctors and nurses there were left and in such a short amount of time, they've already managed to make the place smell of disinfectant and bleach.
Not all the classes could hold everything and every pony, unfortunately. Some of the classrooms had been converted into makeshift sleeping quarters for some of the less injured individuals. Others appeared as though they had been changed into quarantine wards for the more critical patients. I surmised a decent number of the ponies we walked by were the same poor folks who had to flee their homes in Ponyville, from the fires. At least one classroom seemed dedicated to the combined might of the meager supplies that the hospital personnel managed to rush out with them in their exodus.
It soon became apparent which ponies were medical personnel and which were students of the school. I was more than surprised to spot Doctor Greymare among those numbers. He was preoccupied with a young mare, half of her face buried in bandages. The other half that was exposed to the world was scrunched up in a grimace as Doctor Greymare wrapped a foreleg into yet more bandages. Starlight paused in our trek, concern flashing across her face.
"No supplies, no medicines, hardly any equipment—all we've got left is what we could run away with and a damned first aid kit from the school nurse's office. Speaking of—Nurse Sapling! Where are those blasted bandage scissors?!"
Another voice called from further down the hallway. A young mare dressed in scrubs squeaked out a response to Doctor Greymare, hurrying her activity before trotting down our way.
"Doctor Greymare," Starlight addressed, and the medical pony paused, a raw expression of annoyance crossing his features before he blanched and dialed it back.
"O-oh, Starlight. Headmistress, I mean. I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again, but currently I can't, in good conscious, lead you on like that."
He took pause to turn his attention to Nurse Sapling and took the proffered bandage scissors he had griped about moments ago. He returned his gaze back on his patient. I took the time to examine his patient, but my ears remained flicked in his direction.
"I hope you've reached out to Princess Twilight Sparkle, because if you haven't, I will. We lost so many patients and personnel in that debacle at Ponyville General—I…I can't even explain how fast it turned into a bloodbath."
Doctor Greymare's patient had a series of lacerations that had been stitched up, and now required a modicum of coverage to prevent the introduction of grime, detritus, contamination ripe for infection. I studied the pattern of wounds I could see, and found myself satisfied that none resembled bite marks…but I was still cautious and kept my distance. There was plenty I couldn't see, and thus I was still wary of any and all open wounds, especially ones as large as this patient's.
"Have you identified any more patients with any possible merits of infection?" I fired back at Doctor Greymare.
To his credit, the good doctor shot me a withering look.
"I don't know what you're trying to imply, Doctor Red Rush, but I can assure you that what few bitten victims we've managed to weed out, the patients we're currently working on are not infected. These patients are our priority right now."
His tone of voice vexed me. I have found myself, as of recently, incredibly irritated by how I was being addressed.
I technically qualified for the "doctor" title, if only in the PhD department, and not in the medical sense. I knew of quite a few other ponies, beyond Doctor Greymare, who would routinely lob their sarcasm into the word "doctor" when speaking to me. I suppose it was sad to admit that I was used to the spiteful attitudes and dismissive tones of voice. I couldn't heal the sick and injured, so my title was considered fittingly useless in their eyes.
After all, a large percentage of ponies reveled in ignoring or denying the natural order of life that happened to be death. It was an inevitability, a looming shadow over every pony's life, in some manner. It was only when death stared them straight in the muzzle that they were forced to reconcile with the subject.
Handling medical ponies was just another facet of my job, and that was how I chose to approach it with. Doctor Greymare was merely lashing out at the closest equivalent of a punching bag that he could without endangering himself. I was a much easier target than a walking corpse. I could react, I could be hurt, and actually respond to said hurt. Or perhaps that was what he told himself as he lashed out at me, even if it was my doctorate title.
I chose not to let his commentary get to me. It would only fuel his obvious need to continue lambasting me. It didn't lessen my irritation, but I managed to stifle myself. This wasn't the time nor the place.
"With all due respect, Doctor Greymare, I have to ask: when was the last time you had to handle an outbreak of any kind here in Ponyville? Something you or any of your esteemed colleagues at Ponyville General had diagnosed yourselves without my assistance?"
I was, of course, referring to the necrotizing fasciitis debacle from several years ago. True, I would attribute the diagnosis as sheer, dumb luck. But that diagnosis had been right on the bits, and I had ruffled more than a few feathers—both metaphorically and literally—over the incident. It was still a thorn in their sides and one they were clearly not over, even now. Doctor Greymare's snout curled upwards into distaste, and the flicker of shame was indicative of his reluctance in giving ground to me.
I remained steadfast, staring him down, nearly eye level with the Unicorn doctor. His mouth peeled back in dislike, but any further commentary was withheld. Instead, he turned to Starlight and the Sheriff, acting as though I wasn't even there anymore.
"We've got at least one headcase that needs a bit of discipline. He's refusing to cooperate, and I don't exactly have enough sedatives to spare on his unruly ass. Think you can calm him down or at least herd him away?"
"Was he bit?" The Sheriff queried, shooting me a quick glance before returning his steely gaze upon the doctor.
"That's the thing. We don't know. He refuses to go under inspection, and if he is bitten, then he's a danger to us all. He'll need to go into quarantine with the others we've found. But regardless of whether he is or not though, he's the last bit of straw that just might break the camel's back if the rest of these ponies get wind of his ranting and the last thing we need is panic. That's what got everyone killed the other night at the hospital. One of my nurses was nearly trampled to death in that massacre. Now she's one of my patients and not one of my helping hooves!"
The stallion scowled again, shaking his head. I could understand his annoyance. Seeing him like this didn't humour me nor did it make me feel any better about myself. He was overworked and burnt out.
He motioned for us to follow after him.
"He's barricaded himself in one of the classrooms. So far, he's isolating himself, which I suppose cuts some of the dangers down, but not by much. Sheriff, I believe I've told you a little bit about this not too long ago, if I recall correctly?"
We trailed after Doctor Greymare. Sheriff Dust Cloud snorted.
"It's been a minute, but yes. I'm starting to recall you mentioning it in passing..." He cast a sidelong glance toward Starlight. She didn't appear quite as mollified by the admission from the doctor. I mulled on his logic, and already I could feel the worry beginning to eat away at me as well. An unknown variable was not always a good thing to have lying around, especially with one so potentially dangerous. If need be, I could seal the entire room to keep out unwanted guests from slipping in by mistake.
"We've just been so preoccupied with all the ponies we can help that we've…" Doctor Greymare paused, a wince crossing his features. A moment later, he sighed. "We figured if he was sequestering himself away from the rest of us, and if it was the case that he was indeed bitten, we deduced that we could afford keeping him in self-inflicted isolation."
"Where did you leave him? I don't want any of my students trying to access whatever room he's in until we know for certain."
I was glad to hear that I wasn't the only one thinking about that. Starlight caught my appraising gaze and for the briefest moment, I could have sworn I saw a smile crease her lips upwards. Then again, I could have been mistaken.
The Unicorn motioned for us to keep following him. "This way. I've posted one of the security ponies from the hospital—one of the only ones who made it out, anyways—by the room, to keep any curious fillies or colts from wandering in by mistake."
The classroom Doctor Greymare led us to was one of the furthest reaching ones inside the school grounds. I could suddenly see the appeal in doing so. It was well away from the general population, just isolated enough that it could serve as its own kind of barrier. It could be cordoned off if one were to put up a barrier—whether it was by physical objects or a spell similar to the one I used on the hospital just a few days prior. There was only one way of ingress, without any hidden nooks or crannies an infected pony could jam themselves into and jump out from later. Best of all, it was the last door in the hallway, right by a dead end.
We came upon the security pony that Doctor Greymare had made mention of. It was a young Earth mare with a shortened but tidy mane and tail the colour of warm sand, her body a deep cocoa colour. A pair of batons crossing one another served as her Cutie Mark. She gave a sharp nod to Doctor Greymare.
"The patient is still secure, Doc. He hasn't made any attempts to exit the classroom, nor has he made any attempts at communicating with me. No pony else has come to try and converse with him or to get into the room, either," she curtly reported. Her steel-coloured eyes flicked briefly to the Sheriff and she gave him a nod as well.
"Thank you…erm…"
"Defense Bit, Doctor Greymare."
"My apologies. Thank you, Defense Bit. We can take it from here."
The mare hesitated, eyes darting between the rest of us and the doctor. "Sir…do you think this is wise? After what happened at the hospital…"
"I'm sure you're already familiar with Sheriff Dust Cloud and Headmistress Starlight Glimmer. And this is Doctor Red Rush. She's the one who alerted us to this…illness. And she's also the one who sealed the hospital up. Kept most of the dead from…from escaping and coming after us. We'd most likely all be dead without her."
I was mildly surprised at the recognition and acknowledgement from him. No spiteful inflection, no sarcasm. Just 'Doctor Red Rush'. I wasn't exactly used to that with ponies outside my profession circle. And I would never admit this aloud, but I did somewhat admire the stallion for doing what he did on a daily basis: dealing with living, breathing patients. I preferred the dead. They didn't talk back, not in the traditional sense. They told me how they died and why, in their own quiet ways. I'm sure in life, they might have complained about aches and pains, but in death, well…I could read those signs without them getting in my face about it.
"I know who she is, sir. I was one of the ponies that Sheriff Dust Cloud got out of there right before she sealed the building up."
Defense Bit's face remained neutral, but I had the impression that she was feeling anything but.
A pregnant pause passed between us, before she languidly stepped backwards, allowing us free admittance to the classroom door she'd been guarding.
No pony moved at first. I saw from the corner of my eye that Starlight wavered between lurching forward and remaining rooted to her spot. Sheriff Dust Cloud hesitated; one hoof raised but it wavered in the air. Doctor Greymare merely stayed in place, watching me. It seemed as though I was the only pony who had taken the first brave step forward. I glanced at the other three, my brow furrowing.
I shifted my weight from one front hoof to the other, anxious under the expectant gazes. I could feel the sudden shift in dynamics being foisted upon my backside, even when absolutely no words had been exchanged.
I frowned at them, cocking my head. When none of them spoke, I did.
"Is something the matter? Am I to be the first of many sacrifices to our new and cruel bloodthirsty gods, or were you simply waiting for an invitation to the party?" I intoned flatly. My irritation was once more quick to rise as I stared at the other three ponies.
It had crossed my mind that perhaps I was being a mite mean-spirited, or maybe I was being unfair in slinging such accusations. I was beginning to find this motion of silence to be unamusing, at best. Starlight cleared her throat and politely stepped forward.
"It…might be better if only one of us went in there. A-and you…you seem pretty knowledgeable about all this—a lot more than we are." Starlight said. I could detect the shame and embarrassment in her voice. The first thing that crossed my mind upon hearing her tone…I was angry. Did she think I wanted this? That I wanted to be here, to be the pony that has perhaps not all the answers, but more than they did? Or was I to be the designated sacrifice if things went south?
"He didn't seem to like being crowded. One pony would be best, to get on his good side, I would think," Starlight said, as though she'd read my mind. Perhaps she wanted to reassure me that I wasn't meant to go in as cannon fodder. However she had meant it as, it did somewhat cool my ire. I dipped my head to her in acknowledgement before turning back towards the door. Defense Bit stepped a little more over to allow me full access. I grasped at the door handle with my magic and gave it an experimental tug.
It didn't budge. I frowned. I could sense the threads of magic the deeper I looked into it. I glanced back at the other ponies. Starlight's face lit up and she chuckled nervously, her horn igniting.
"Right, sorry. I did seal the room up, as an extra protective measure."
A raised a brow, but the corners of my mouth twitched upwards in a faint smile. "Smart choice."
"Well, I sure hope so, otherwise I would have to say that I'm in the wrong career."
The thread of magic that held the door vanished. I was about to step through, my horn igniting in a short burst to open the door when the Sheriff said my name. I glanced back at him.
He withdrew the fire axe from his belt and offered it to me. I was hesitant in taking the weapon from him. He noticed my faltering and sighed, setting it against the wall beside the door.
"Just in case, Red. Can't be too careful."
"I…I…"
I stared at the axe, wavering in my resolve. I've already put down more than just a few of the undead. It had been easy then, and terrifyingly so. Why did it matter now? Why was I hesitating?
"If he attacks you, you'll need more than a little scalpel to protect yourself," he said, his stern gaze locked with mine. I held it for as long as I could stand before I turned away, fixing my stare on the proffered weapon.
He was right, of course. I wish I could deny his reasoning, but I remember Deputy Far Fetch and how she suffered for hours in pain, just waiting to die, and knowing she would come back to hurt others. I had hesitated then too, even if my intentions had been pure at the time. I took too long, and two ponies had died because of me.
I inhaled slowly and lifted the fire axe in my magic, securing it with a loose coil of leather on my saddlebags. I gave the Sheriff a stiff nod before bracing myself as I stepped into the classroom.