//------------------------------// // Ponyville Tales - Chapter Five // Story: Immortality // by ReubenHarvey //------------------------------// Darkness spread out in all directions. There was nothing. No matter where snow tried to look he saw nothing. Heard nothing felt nothing. Snow couldn’t even curl up to hide away. He had nothing to curl up with. His whole self had gone. There was nothing but black. “Are you just going to roll over and die?” A light sprung up in the distance. “Do I have to do everything?” Snow knew the voice. Was he dreaming? He couldn’t tell. Then memories flicking over him literally playing themselves out all around him. He watched as his flailing body flew into the tree tops. Saw every tear and laceration that the branches gave him as his body ripped through them. He watched in horror as his body cracked when it impacted the side of a tree trunk. Falling lifelessly, hitting the ground hard. He had no words. The slow leaking body, strewn with holes, tears and pierced with branches made him want to throw up. It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t die! He had so many plans, a whole future to live out. Snow couldn’t accept it. But deep inside he knew it was him. Watching as Ditzy fell to tears beside him. Shouting out at the distance for help. He watched on lifelessly as he was carried away. As many ponies hurried around him in a darkened room. Watching as they removed all the branches that impaled him. Sewed up his wounds; cleaned up his blood. “HA! you really are pathetic. Look what you have done to all those poor ponies. How sad they are. Thats all your fault you know.” The voice spoke louder and clearer than ever. “It is my fault” Snow watched as the sheet was pulled over him and he was left alone in the cold dark room. He couldn’t feel the embrace of his friend when she gave it. He listened to the cries of his friends as they gathered around his lifeless body as it was lowered into the ground. buried forever. He knew he was dead. He couldn’t do anything about it could he? “Why?” he finally asked from the darkness. “why can i see this if i'm dead?” “A good question” “And what are you!” Snow yelled out “You don’t seem like you actually care. You seem like you are enjoying all this!” Snow listened, his mental facial features turning to rage as the voice laughed away in his head. ”You really don’t get it do you” The voice laughed once more “I’M YOU!!” The laughing bellowed out over Snows entirety. It couldn’t be. The feeling of malice and hatred washing over him. He knew that this thing, the thing that claimed to be him was the source of it all. As if sensing Snows doubt the memories of Snows hatred at his friends flashed to life. How silently he hated them all for having the things he couldn't get. How he could never face up to his feelings for sketch and asked for the job to run away from her. How he lied everyday saying he was happy. Throwing a face of happiness on so convincing that even he himself began to believe it. “Its over now, i know inside” As snow spoke the memories went back to black. “Was i good pony? Was I mad pony?” Snow began to let go of himself willing himself to die. Willing it all to end. “Its such a fine line between a good pony and-” “Do you really think, that I would ever let you go? Do you think I'd ever set you free?” With that voice Snow suddenly felt life flitter back into his broken body. He watched as he took the back seat in his own mind unable to move his own hooves and yet watching, feeling them move slowly. One by one feeling his bones cracking into place and his cold hard muscles twitching to life as he lay against the cold hard wood of the coffin. Unable to do anything but look out, but feel, as his body moved without his command. “If you did, I'm sad to say, It simply isn't so. You will never get away from me!” “All that you are Is a voice in my mind! I close my eyes and you'll disappear!” “I'm what you face when you look deep inside! Long as you live, I will still be here!” “All that this Is the end of a nightmare! All that you are is a dying scream!” Snow yelled trying to fight this take over, willing himself back to death “By the end of tonight, I shall end this demonic dream!” “This is not a dream, my friend - And it will never end! This one is the nightmare that goes on!” The voice snapped back the words leaving Snows own lips “I am here to stay, No matter what you may pretend - And I'll flourish, long after you're gone!” “Soon I will die, And my silence will hide you!” Snow barked back laughing knowing he had to die.. he had to be dead. That he could win over his head. This voice was part of him, and he can control it. “You cannot choose but to lose control.” “You can't control me! I live deep inside you! Each day you'll feel me devour your soul!” “I don't need YOU to survive, as you need me! I'll become whole as we dance with death! And I'll rejoice as we breathe our final breath! “I'll live inside you forever!” As the voice cried out from snows own lips it burst a hoof forward cracking the lid of the coffin! “No!” “And I know that, now and forever. You will never be able to separate yourself from I!” The voice began to move snows body clawing away at the lid. Dirt pouring through the whole his body made in it. “Can't you see It's over now? It's time to die!” Snow begged. Fighting his own body trying to will some control back over himself. “No, not I! Only you will die!” “If I die. You die too!” “You'll die in me I'll be you!” “NO!” Snow fought with himself but to no avail. He knew he was trapped inside his own body watching it fight its way through endless dirt as it clawed its way to the surface. “Damn you! Set me free!” “Can't you see You are me?” “No! Deep inside-!” “I am you! You are I!” “No - Never!” “Yes, forever!” “Damn you. Why cant you just leave us and let us rot in here forever!” Snows hoof bust through the ground hitting open air once more. “Now its my turn!”