//------------------------------//
// He's Gone 
// Story: Everything Went Down Hill 
// by WannaFlugelHorn 
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"Ahhle loom, I'm ack. I ound us dinner and - Ahhle loom?" Apple Jack carefully set the small, white trash bag that she had been carrying carefully onto the ground. Her mouth was filled with a foul sweetness from the cheep bag, but she didn't have any other way of carrying it. She hoped that something edible could be found in the sickening mess of filth, as she was too tired to make another eight mile trek to the nearest town and back. Her legs burned, and she felt ready to collapse in the shelter she had made for Apple Bloom, Big Mach, and herself.

It was a small structure, composed of sticks, mud, and leaves. It kept them out of the rain, but the freezing winds of winter could still break through the construction's defenses. But after her travels to the town and back, Apple Jack was always too tired to fix it up. Big Mach wasn't much help, but it wasn't his fault. The chilly weather had caused him to become sick, and he too weak to assist Apple Jack. But Apple Bloom was fairly healthy, and Apple Jack was surprised that she hadn't rushed out to greet her.

"Apple Bloom, you in there?" She could hear what sounded like a quiet humming from inside the shelter she'd made. "You all right?" Apple Jack peeked inside and instantly felt light headed. Big Macintosh lay motionless on the ground. A large gash was opened at his throat, and blood stains coated his body. A sharpened wooden stick lay next to him, which was covered in the crimson liquid as well. Apple Bloom was wrapped around his body, whimpering, and Big Mach's fur was stiff with her tears.

Apple Bloom looked up at her sister, eyes glistening. "I'm s-sorry Apple Jack. I t-tried to s-stop him. This is all . . . all my fault." Apple Bloom once again buried her face into her departed brother's coat.

"Now, now. This is most certainly not your fault, Apple Bloom," I reasoned with her. I bit my cheek in an attempt to stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks, but it was hard. "I know this is tough for you, b-but try to tell me what happened." There was a long pause and I walked over and began stroking Apple Bloom's back. She took shallow breaths, but after a while, they slowed to a more stabilized pace. Apple Bloom picked her head up,although she didn't look at me.

"I could feel it for a while now. A sort of helplessness. He was angry at himself for how useless he had become. I think he felt guilty for not helping, and for the fact that we had to use energy to help him." There was another pause. I rubbed my cheek against hers, encouraging her to continue.

"He'd been sharpening that twig for the past few days. I thought he was just doing it because he was bored but . . . but . . ." The tears started cascading down her face. I clutched her tight.

"I know sugar cube, I know. Deep breaths."

"And I th-think he missed Granny. Well-Well we do too but, you know, he, and he . . . t-told me that it was too late for him to pull himself back together at this point, but he told me, never ever give up. Then he did it. He killed himself Apple Jack. He killed himself!" She was screaming her words now. She clutched her chest, as she was forced to focus on her breathing once again. Apple Bloom couldn't stop looking at Big Mach's body. I couldn't believe she had to see this at such a young age. I knew what I had to do.

I began scooping dirt with my own two hooves. I dug into the night, long after sunset, but Apple Bloom was still awake. She wanted to believe that this was all a bad dream, and she sat there, waiting to wake up. It was near midnight when i finished the hole. I walked calmly back into the shelter. Apple Bloom didn't even look at me until I started pushing Big Mach out of the small structure we now lived in. When she realized what I was doing howl and wail. She kicked me, bit me, and scratched me with all her might.

"No, Apple Jack, no! I'm not ready yet! No, stop! Let go of him, let go!" But I didn't. This was the only way. I made it to the pit, dropped Big Mach in and began trowing the dirt back in. "Stop! Stop!" I finished after what seemed like hours. I grabbed the shrieking filly and let her beat me. I massaged her head and soon she began to relax.

"That's it, quiet now. Just let it out. He's gone, he's gone, I know. Too much has happened to you scene Flim and Flam took over the Apple Farm. But it's true, he's gone."