Dead Birds

by Stray Dog Kane

More wilder, and more serene

Some salmon patties latter and Gilda was in the process of moving a whole a desk again.

While she really did want to put it off until tomorrow, she didn’t need Fluttershy acting more creepy right now. And while the griffon intended to just go to bed after, to her disappointment, she found the pegasus behind her when she got the desk back in place.

Gilda did her best to not let it faze her and shrugged.

“Getting real creepy there doc,” was her response as she was about to leave, but a pony leg got in her way, and the serious looking pony’s face didn’t waver.

“Please, sit,” was the Fluttershy’s firm answer. Gilda muttered something under her breath as she sat down on the couch again.

“What?” Gilda said grimly, as the pegasus got to her chair at her desk. “What do you want from me now?” she asked her couch.

“I just wanted to talk to you before you go upstairs,” Dr. Shy answered calmly. “I want to make something clear to you right now.”

“Uh huh,” Gilda replied. She figured this wouldn't end well. Most likely a lecture on how to threaten someone with how easy it would be to just have her locked up again. She wasn’t going to like this one bit.

“First, I was worried something like this would happen,” Shy said stoically.

“Yeah?” Gilda snarked briefly. “And?”

“I was afraid she would be like this and, and I didn’t want that to affect your treatment,” Shy continued, still sounding impartle.

“Yep...” Gilda said with sigh. “And she did, so now what? So, what are you gonna do about it?”

“So, tomorrow I’m going to tell Dash to stay away from here,” Fluttershy said with a sad sigh. “At least for now, so you won’t feel so upset.”

“Huh, what are you...?!” Gilda was in shock, and apparently the pony was afraid she’d got her upset now.

“W-well, she did cause a problem,” Fluttershy stammered for a moment, but calmed down a bit after. “Also, I don’t think either of you are really going to improve on your mutual dislike of each other. At least not right now…”

While the pony wasn’t somber then, Gilda sure felt like it.

“Yeah…” Gilda said with a sad tone. “So, you ain’t mad at me still?”

“Just don’t worry about her, ok?” Dr. Shy said with reassurance, changing the subject and getting up from her desk. “Just concentrate on dealing with your bad dreams, and then well see what happens after that.”

“Whatever,” Gilda mumbled, about to get up. But the pony let out a sudden cough getting her attention back.

“Whatever, what?” Fluttershy asked, and GIlda knew what the game she was playing, judging by that look the pony gave her.

“Whatever, Dr. Fluttershy,” Gilda said matter of factually, with a bit of a groan. “You going to insist on that from now on, aren’t you?”

“Not really!” Dr. Fluttershy giggled with some innocent humor. “I just wanted you to know I was being serious on this.” As she gestured to Gilda from the stairs, the griffon figured it was safe to do so as well.

“Ok....” Gilda added as she got up, walking to the stairs. “You got anything else to say then?” The pony followed next to her and they walked a trotted up.

“Please don’t cause more problems for anyone else, ok?” Shy said with a smile. “I don’t want to watch you throw what you have left away.” While Gilda could have taken some hope from that she was still feeling crummy.

Too many ponies talk a big game about that “throwing your life away” stuff. Then it just went to how easy it was for others to throw it away for them, which was Gilda’s feelings on that matter. She kept grumbling as she went to her room to wait for bedtime, and there was that cake there.

“EH?!” was Gilda’s word on it.

In her room, on the floor, was a cake. Two layers, pink frosting, yellow bread, and a strawberry on top. It smelled pretty good even. Still, it being here was a reason to worry. Much like that card on the floor with the words.

“Not a trick.” It read.

Only one pony would do that which the griffon could think of, and Gilda prided herself in deductions as usual. This was that pink pony’s handiwork and things were bad enough right now. So, she decided on the best course of action by putting that cake outside and finding a good taste tester.

“Yo!” Gilda tried to keep her voice down as she called. “Fluffy butt! I got something here for ya.”

After a moment of wondering if he’d show, Angel’s head popped up from the staircase. While looking suspicious, and a bit annoyed at the name she used, his eyes lit up. The moment he saw that cake he hopped/ran like his tail was on fire.

“You can have it, just….” but Gilda’s words failed to stop what actions followed.

That while rabbit dug into the cake with enough force and speed that the frosting flew in the air. In 5 seconds flat there was no cake, only just the memory of one to live in one's heart and belly.

Though Angel now looked ill--then he burped and patted his full stomach.

He waved as if to say “Thanks for the cake, sucka.” He hopped back downstairs with glee.

In some mental absence, Gilda sampled one of the frosting globs that managed to get on her fur and feathers. Sticking a tallon full of it into her beak.

“Hm, that is pretty good,” she said with a claw in her mouth, not a trick indeed it seemed. Shame that rabbit got it, and now that cake must give some kind of suger rush of power. “Guess I miss out…again.”

The griffon sighed and just went back to her bedroom, not needing to feel any worse right now. She got the glass on the nightstand filled via the bathroom sink and waited on her bed.

Sure enough, Fluttershy was there with her a dream pill in tow in her wing. “Did...you do something to Angel?” she asked the griffon.

“I gave him a cake,” Gilda answered simply, not wanting to give more detail.

“Where did you…?” Shy just began to ask, but then looked like she decide it was better not to, she just handed the griffon her medicine. Then she didn’t leave.

“What?” Gilda asked, after a pause. “I’ll take it when I’m ready.” Another pause and the pegasus still wasn’t budging. “Look, this thing makes me think my brains completely melted, so can you just give me a moment?”

“It really helps if you close your eyes,” Fluttershy replied. “I-I’ve taken this too Gilda, so I know that it’s scary there, b-but if you can’t see it...” The griffon now looked almost awestruck on that revelation. “If you don’t see what’s in there, it can’t hurt you.”

“You...how’s that even work?” Gilda asked as held her head. “How does what you can’t see not hurt you?” She crossed her claws now, mostly irritated. “That’s just stupid!”

“It’s...kind of a mental...world...thing,” Fluttershy poorly explained to the annoyed griffon. “If you don’t just fixate on the other, you will be fine. You don’t need to see everything, because in time, you will see your dream.”

“And who the heck told you all that gobbly gook?” Gilda demanded, claws still crossed.

“A friend I trust,” Shy replied honestly, but Gilda was still not satisfied. “Maybe he could tell you more, but trust me. You won’t get better by trying to look into that place.”

Gilda might have taken heart in that, if she wanted too. Instead she grumbled to herself. “Fine.” She flicked the pill into her mouth and took a drink.

“Do you need…” Fluttershy started to ask, but the griffon wasn’t interested in anything else.

“I’m good,” Gilda replied, closing her eyes. “Just keep em closed and whatever.”

“It will be ok that way, I promise,” Fluttershy added, sounding more distant. “Good night GIlda.” The griffon felt a hoof pat her on the head. “Sweet dreams.” She finally trotted out of the room, closing the door behind her.

“I’m still not two,” Gilda grumbled back.

At first, she was going to go that smart route of keeping her eyes closed and deciding to wait till things were safe. But then Gilda got to thinking, why is she taking the wimpy way out?

A tough griffon is able to weather the maelstrom of a storm, not pitifully seek shelter from it! So she opened them again, just about after the walls were gone and the fog rolled in.

Well, fog or clouds in that abyss of black and bright colors. The bed was still there, if only until it finishes crumbling into ash in an upward draft. Like before, she couldn't move.

“Heh,” Gilda let out a cocky laugh. “It’s not so bad when you get used to it.” So she drifted, likely to whatever dream she was going to see.

The sound of blown leaves was still there, as colors flashed and blinked like stars of many hues. Some stayed there, while some were out as quick as they came.

While one could marvel at the concept of the multiverse, or something close to such, the griffon let out a yawn.

“Least there isn’t anything trying to eat me,” she joked to herself, and it was then that she saw something that made her regret her choice of words.

It was a mass, at least that’s what her eyes told her. Maybe they were tentacles, or hands, or claws, or hooves. But what sealed that deal was the eyes.

Blue and off white globes that seemed to look at her and anywhere from it’s shapeless body of jelly smoke flesh that smelled like water to her beak. Those globes just floated in that translucent mass of white and gray. It seemed to drift over to her, it’s body barely moving more than it’s odd body rippling like fluid.

“I, uh, stand corrected?” Gilda said nervously at the sight. “Uh, hi?” She had a nervous laugh as that thing just looked at her. She then felt something brush past her leg, then it was around her leg, grabbing it with something else grabbing her midsection. “Aw nuts!” she shouted.

“yourmeatwillgoodhatesufferdreamdecayminetearmissno.” If that was it talking, it felt like it was boiling her head from the inside. It’s feelers were pulling her into it’s mass, and those messy ramblings now digging into her mind with a chilly sensation going through her body. Unable to struggle all she could do was be devoured by the thing.

While that looked like the end for her, something else came up with another of whatever that was tearing the globes out of the first one.

For a moment she heard a scream, but as it let go her head stopped ringing. No screams, only that sound of blown leaves now.

As she kept drifting, more of those things just seemed to pile onto each other. Like rapid animals without limbs or teeth, tearing each other apart without any sounds. But enough violent movements to make it clear what they were doing. Those things were killing each other.

Worse, she could now see more things in that void. Some bony, some skinless, other looked like bodies of limbs and mouths. Either drawn to the silent commotion, or maybe to her, she wasn’t sure. One near mummified, wind furred creature with a sunken face now looked at her with it’s eyes unblinking and it’s jaw unhinged.

Smartly, Gilda kept her eyes and beak shut then, not even to breath. If she could tremble, she might well have.

As the things went on in near silence, she felt her brain cool. Even daring to feel serene, like the boil for a moment was inviting to her. It felt inviting, calling into her, telling her to listen to it’s call to reason. She did her best not to think about it, things were strange enough right now.

Even if it could help her cope with how big things were, it still freaked her out. It was like a voice in her head that wouldn't go away.

“You can not escape what I bring about!” an unpleasant shout came, jolting her. But still, she kept her eyes shut, at least until something else touched her wings.

“Aaaaaahhhhhh!” and Gilda got to swinging as she screamed.

Comments

[Stray Dog Kane]

Putting down chapters pretty quick, so to speak. Kinda in a rush to get it out