7DSJ: The Knife's Edge

by Flynt Coal

August 25 - Something Wrong

Jade Lily awoke with a start in the darkness of her dorm room. Something’s wrong.

Pushing aside a mop of lavender and mauve hair, she rolled over and grabbed her phone, checking the time. Ten past four. She still had three more hours before she had to be up to get ready for classes. Yet try as she might, she couldn’t get back to sleep. The same queer feeling that had awakened her in the first place persisted.

In many ways, the feeling was similar to the dream of Queen Faust that she’d had the week before. But this feeling was different. It wasn’t déjà vu that Jade felt now, but a much darker sense of dread—a deep pit in her stomach that sent alien chills all throughout her body.

For some reason, Jade was suddenly compelled to check on her roommate. She wasn’t sure why, but she half expected to find Iris Nightshade lying dead in the bunk next to her, or some terrible monster lying in her place. Instead, Jade found neither. Iris’s bunk was empty, as it so often was on nights that the rather amorous girl decided to spend in bed with some guy (or occasionally girl).

Trying to push the unexplained dark feelings away, Jade tried to get back to sleep, and eventually managed to get a couple more hours of uneasy rest before her phone’s seven o’clock alarm went off. Groaning, Jade climbed out of bed and set about her morning routine of showering, getting dressed, and applying the minimum makeup required for her to look like she’d managed to get a decent night’s sleep.

It was still early enough when she got down to the cafeteria that it was still relatively quiet, with only a few groups of other Michigan Tech students sleepily getting through the morning. Jade didn’t see any of her friends among them, so after grabbing herself a breakfast consisting of eggs, toast, and bacon (something that she’d acquired a taste for since living as a human), Jade found herself a nice empty table in a quiet corner of the cafeteria and began to eat. As she did so, Jade reached into her bag and pulled out a book: A History of Equestria, by Time Passages.

It was a gift she’d received from her soon-to-be cousin in law, Applejack, who got it from a friend who was apparently in a very similar situation to Jade herself. It was a convenient way for Jade to keep up to date on how her old homeworld had progressed in the millennia that she’d missed, but more and more she found herself going back to the accounts of Equestria’s older history—of things that had happened during her time. Something about the familiarity was comforting.

“Heya, roomie,” a voice called out, and Jade looked up to see her roommate take a seat across from her with her own tray of food.

“Morning, Iris,” Jade greeted.

She didn’t bother trying to hide the book from Iris. As far as her roommate knew, it was just a fantasy book about fantasy creatures. Jade had even let Iris read it, and had been surprised when the girl who only seemed to care about sex and drinking became very interested in it.

Iris looked to have indulged in plenty of both the other night, yet by all appearances she seemed more refreshed than Jade felt at that moment. The smile Iris wore was serene and satisfied.

“I take it you had a good night?” Jade asked.

“Mmm,” Iris moaned into her breakfast. “It was everything I was hoping for and more. I feel like a new woman!”

“You think this one’s gonna be serious?” Jade asked. She didn’t resent Iris for her more… free-spirited lifestyle, even if it wasn’t for her. After all, Iris was considerate enough not to bring anyone over to their room while Jade was there. Even still, Jade thought Iris might be happier with a more committed relationship.

“Will what be serious?” Iris asked, looking slightly confused.

“This guy you’re sleeping with,” Jade said. “Or is it a girl?”

For some reason, Iris tensed up and looked down at her hands. “Nah, this was more of a one-time thing….”

Jade nodded and got back to her breakfast.

“So, you coming to Hotshot’s new house-warming party next Friday?” Iris asked.

Someone shrieking somewhere outside momentarily distracted Jade. Sheesh, it is way too early in the morning for whatever nonsense they’re up to.

“No, Violet and me were gonna hang out,” Jade answered, resolutely ignoring the noise. “She’s helping me study for a test on Monday.”

Iris tensed again and chewed her lip. “Wouldn’t you rather go to a fun party with your fun roommate? Mumbles wouldn’t know a good time if it hit her.”

“Iris, I told you: Shrinking Violet is my friend, and I don’t appreciate you calling her names.” Besides, Jade thought Violet and Iris had been getting along great lately.

But Iris only shrugged. “Just saying, that girl’s going to die a virgin. Unless….” Then with a wiggle of her eyebrows, Iris added, “Gonna be a lot of cute guys at this party. Who knows? Maybe both of you could get lucky!”

Somebody else screamed outside, and Jade found herself growing impatient.

“First of all, Violet hates those kinds of parties. Secondly….” Jade held up her hand, showing Iris the engagement ring on her finger. “I’m engaged, remember?”

Iris sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just….” She then put a hand on her roommate’s own and squeezed. “I’m just trying to look out for you, Jade. College is supposed to be a time for you to experiment—to find yourself. It’s great that you’ve got your highschool sweetheart, it really is. But I don’t want you to miss out on getting the full University experience. You’re only young once, girl!”

Jade smiled. “I appreciate the thought, Iris, but I’m happy with the experience I have now.”

Her answer didn’t really seem to make Iris happy, but she nonetheless smiled and nodded. She then looked off at something just behind Jade and frowned.

“Uh oh, watch out. Creeper at four o’clock,” Iris warned in a low voice, gesturing with her head in the relevant direction.

Following where Iris indicated, Jade looked over her shoulder and saw a familiar pale face curtained by long dark hair, his reedy body covered by a raggy black jacket. Code Break was a boy in her and Violet’s English elective. One whose presence Jade could usually sense when the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end. Indeed, the only interaction Jade ever had with the strange young man was the times she caught him staring at her with an intense concentration. As a fairly attractive young woman, Jade had noticed her fair share of guys checking her out throughout her life both as a human and even a pony. But at least all of those other guys had the decency to pretend that they weren’t ogling her when she looked their way.

“Wonder what he thinks is gonna happen if he just keeps staring at you,” Iris mused.

Getting a little tired of his lurking herself, Jade turned in her seat to face the dark young man fully. “Can we help you?” she asked dryly, allowing herself to go full “sassy black woman” for just a moment.

Code froze like a deer caught in a car’s headlights before turning tail and skulking back to whatever hole he liked to hide in. Jade turned back to Iris, ready with a dry remark when another shriek drew her attention. A moderately sized crowd was gathering out the window back over by the residence building.

“Someone call the cops! Now!”

“What the hell’s going on out there?” Jade asked, standing to get a better look.

“Probably nothing. A stupid prank or something maybe,” Iris said, taking another bite of her breakfast.

Jade didn’t think it was nothing. Something’s wrong.

There was a dark energy in the air. A feeling much like the one that had awoken her in the early hours of the morning. Before she knew it, Jade’s feet were taking her to the cafeteria entrance.

“Jade, c’mon! Don’t get involved in whatever bullshit’s going on out there! You remember what happened the first day we were here, right? Those morons pretended there was a zombie invasion and you got suckered into it!”

Jade brushed that off; given that Braeburn was a fan of zombie horror, she should’ve known better—the first thing she’d thought of when she’d heard the word “zombies” was the zebra bokor she and Starswirl had fought who’d raised a modest army of undead with his voodoo magic.

“C’mon, Jade. If you go now I got dibs on your leftover bacon!”

But this time, Jade just ignored her, being drawn to the scene outside as if by some force. Something like magic. That last time didn’t have the same feel—this, despite Iris’ protestations, wasn’t the same thing. She knew it.

Soon Jade found herself approaching the crowd. They were all looking at something on the ground right beside the building. People were crying. One guy backed away and vomited on the nearby grass. One girl held a hand over her mouth and just kept repeating, “Oh my God oh my God oh my God….”

Jade pushed her way through the crowd, and her heart stopped when she saw what they were all looking at.

Shrinking Violet lay in a mangled heap on the pavement, her neck bent back at an unnatural angle, and her dead eyes looking up at nothing. Jade lost the strength to stand and fell to her knees, her chest shuddering with sobs. She wasn’t sure how long she stayed like that before the sound of sirens brought her back to reality. Then someone gently took her by the arm—MTU campus police—and started helping her to her feet.

“W-what happened to her?” Jade heard herself ask.

“She jumped. I’m sorry,” the officer said. “C’mon. We need to make room for the investigation.”

As Jade was about to allow herself to be led away from the horrible scene, something strange suddenly caught her eye. Both of Violet’s wrists had been opened at the vein… but only a small amount of blood had formed underneath her.

How could she have jumped… when she’d already been bled dry?

Comments

[badninja]

Well that is a scary turn of events.

[namar13766]

I blame Eyeswirl the Wierded.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

8933453 Same here.

[Flynt Coal]

8933452
Indeed, and things are gonna get scarier!

8933453
Is that Starswirl the Bearded's weird emo brother?