THIS IS A STORY

by _NAME_

Story #18

The stallion paced nervously up and down the hallway, his eyes occasionally fixating on the door to Room 427 before flicking away again.

A nurse pushing an empty wheelchair that squeaked with every revolution walked by, smiling politely at him before continuing down the hall and rounding the corner, but the stallion was much too tense to even notice her.

The hall in question was uninteresting and devoid of anything or anyone of note, save for a few ponies down at the far end and a flickering light a few doors down that was beginning to give him a headache, but he had paced it enough times that he felt as if he knew every nook and cranny.

As the stallion passed the room again, he stopped suddenly and rubbed his eyes with a forehoof, and very near collapsed in a chair just outside the door, suddenly feeling just how exhausted he was.

He leaned his head against the wall and took a deep, calming breath.

The past few months had been stressful, but he knew, that in a few moments, it would all be worth it.

He would’ve liked to close his eyes and rest for a few moments, but the humming of the flickering light in the otherwise silent hall wouldn’t allow that.

But seconds later, a loud, pained scream and a babble of voices emanated from the room and the stallion jumped up from his seat, alert as ever, all thoughts of fatigue forgotten.

His eyes glanced over the door worryingly as a few more grunting yelps pierced his ears, and his wings fluttered in nervous anticipation as he could only imagine what was happening behind the door.

And then the screams stopped, and an unmistakable, shrill wailing took its place.

The stallion swallowed an unexpected lump in his throat as the door clicked open and a rather flustered nurse peeked her head out and beckoned him inside.

He followed her into the room, a large grin appearing on his face as he saw his wife, unkempt and tired-looking, yet beautiful nonetheless, tucked away in bed looking down quiet wonder at the crying bundle of cloth clutched in her forelegs.

Pushing through the gaggle of doctors and nurses, the stallion approached his wife and his newborn colt.

He bent down, kissing his wife gently on the forehead, murmuring a hello, and took his first look at his son.

Though he wasn’t much at the moment, just a small, squirming, pink, fleshy thing, the stallion already knew he would love his son, no matter what the future held.

Cooing softly, he took up the colt as gingerly as he could and cradled him in his wing’s feathery grasp, marveling at the newest addition to his family.

The baby had not stopped crying since he was born, but, as the stallion stared down at him, teardrops glistening on his glasses, the foal looked up at his father, quieted down, and smiled.

And the stallion suppressed a sob and smiled back at his son.

And he knew some of the best years of his life were still to come.

Comments

[Dark Avenger]

"Now right here I was born
In the place where you kneel
In the burning white sand
In the blood that you spill"

Great chapter, by the way!

[SpiralStallion]

Nice.

[epicn00b]

Room 427

I think "Stanley" sounds better than "the stallion" anyway.