I was running. Running where to or where from was of little consequence, I just had to run. The ground was muddy and riddled with debris that cut my bare feet and slowed me down, it was raining.
Jim!
Who's there?
Jim!
Twilight?
I tripped and fell into the muck, looking behind me I saw her, sinking into the ground with an outstretched hoof and tears streaming down her face.
I'm coming Twi! Just hold on!
Dragging myself from my earthen bonds and scrambled to get back to her, tripping over every obstacle in the way.
She was sinking at a terrifying pace, and she was pleading.
Don't let it get me Jim, please!
I dived just in time to catch her foreleg, and pull her out of the trap.
I got you Twi, I've got you...
At that moment a great inferno broke forth from the rainy darkness, turning the water to hot steam and burning me and Twilight. We screamed in pain as it washed over us. An invisible hand snatched Twilight from me, I could only cry out in rage and fear as the flames took her and she disappeared into them.
NOT HER TOO!
____________________________________________________
I woke up on the floor beside the bed, clasping a sweat-drenched pillow in my arms, threatening to burst its seams. I checked up on the bed to see Twilight still sound asleep, at least I hadn't caused her grief this time. Getting on my feet again I wiped some of the sweat off myself, feeling rather sick I went to the bathroom. I didn't vomit thankfully, just sat there with my arms on the toilet seat in case I needed to pull myself up to the bowl.
Fire. That was all I could think about. For a time spiders and small spaces where the most potent of my fears until the day I came home to a burning house and my family among the flames. The investigators determined the cause of the blaze had started with some faulty wiring in my room that had gotten overheated from me setting up a computer in there. The police didn't tell me this of course, I found out the exact cause when I read the report while they weren't looking. Some of my collectibles that my family had bought me over the years were still intact, and I handled them with great care. I used part of the inheritance I got to have them buried next to my grandparents, and used what was left to move as far away as I could--to a cabin on a farm where I could find peace--and enroll in college like my parents always wanted me to.
It didn't work of course, the law suspected me of purposefully starting the fire to get an early inheritance, after a long trial I was deemed innocent, and the nightmares followed me every step of the way. My reputation was stained and few saw me as a possible employee in their business, so I scraped by every month living off the bargain groceries I could afford. My classes had been going well, I was passing with above average scores, something that I had hardly ever achieved during my time as a student, and a pizza place had been considering hiring me when I had careened off that bridge on that morning that seemed so long ago.
The scar in my memories being reopened had made me cry, as hard as I had tried to hold the sobs back they forced their way from me in violent gasping attacks. I felt drained, of both emotion and water, as I left the bathroom. Wiping my nose and eyes clear of tears I walked to the bed to sit. Twilight was still sound asleep, my shirt was stained with tears--and I wasn't wearing any pants. My eyes opened as wide as dinner plates at the discovery--Mr. Johnson was just hanging there, enjoying the fresh air.
I didn't!
Oh snap son... yeah you kinda did.
Maybe they fell off in my sleep?
Do you see them?
I whirled about trying to find my missing briefs, and I found them alright--underneath the soundly sleeping Twilight who was facing away at that time.
Maybe she doesn't realize that--
You are in major denial man, you guys did the nasty.
Why must you refer to it like that? Why not something more..?
Snu snu?
No! Oh forget it, you are not helping in the slightest.
You got laid.
Oh you jerk.
I must have lapsed into some sort of sex coma? I had blacked out part way through the deed? I hadn't a clue as to what had transpired but I had a pretty good idea what must have happened.
I. Got. Laid.
Looking back it couldn't have been with a better person, someone I really really liked, maybe even lo--Simmer fine sir, you don't want to jump the gun--if you know what I mean! Oh come on that didn't even make sense.
I exhaled dumbfound and got back under the covers, leaving Twilight her room to shift. I moved to my right and held my head up with my arm, she was breathing evenly, her mane somewhat ruffled and covering much of the space between us. I ran a hand through it, happy as could be. I must have a heavy hand since Twi turned over to face me, her eyes cracked open just enough for me to see her pupils, "Everything okay?" she murmured still half-asleep. I smiled, "For the most part", as I ran my hand over her cheek. She inched closer and buried her head in chest, returning to her catatonic state in seconds. That wasn't entirely truthful of me. Why I hadn't told her yet I wasn't sure, I just knew that I had to, for the good of both of us.