//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Tomorrow is Always a New Day // by Wheller //------------------------------// Epilogue Gilda had stopped running. She figured she was far enough away now. She’d heard the mountain explode; their ammo storage must have gone up in flames she’d told herself. Adrenalin had worn off at this point, she was dead tired. Then the reality of her situation set in. She had deserted in battle. She would be killed for that! Being executed for cowardice was not how she wanted to be remembered, but then, another thought came to her. All her comrades were dead. She was the only survivor! That meant she could tell the story however she wanted, and nobody would come along and give a different account of events. Gilda felt better about this, she could paint herself as a hero! Yes! She thought to herself, Lieutenant Razorwing had been injured and she pulled her to safety. She began rehearsing to herself. Then the kangaroos shot their ammo storage, and the shockwave from the blast threw her and the Lieutenant clear of the fight. Killing everyone else, Lieutenant Razorwing eventually succumbed to her wounds, leaving Gilda the only survivor. Yes! That would totally work! Gilda felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she wasn’t going to die! She wasn’t going to die. In the distance, she heard a loud howling noise, followed by a faint ticking sound that was slowly beginning to get louder, and it was coming right towards her! Ticka-Ticka-Ticka-Ticka-Ticka-Ticka-Ticka! Through the trees a cloud of thick black smoke poured into view, it seemed to have a mind of its own, and it was coming towards her, the cloud stopped moving a few steps from her, where it seemed to evaporate, but in its place, where three ponies as if they had stepped out from darkness. The first one was an earth pony, the second, a Pegasus, and the third was a unicorn. Each of them was a pitch black colour, with amber eyes that seemed to look through her. “Gilda Griffon,” the earth pony said. “We are very disappointed in you.” “What? Who...? Who are you?” Gilda asked, her voice trembling in fear. “Irrelevant,” The Pegasus said. “We know what you plan to do. You plan to lie to make yourself look good in the eyes of your fellows. You will tell the truth.” “But... I can’t!” Gilda said. “They’ll kill me if I tell them the truth!” “Gilda, Gilda, Gilda... What do you think we will do to you if you don’t tell the truth?” the Unicorn said. “We’re giving you a choice. Either you tell the truth, and be executed for cowardice. Or you lie, and then we hunt you down, and make you wish you had been killed.” “There isn’t anything you can do to me that’s worse than death,” Gilda said. “I’ll take my chances.” “Oh Gilda...” the Earth pony said. “We hate to be the one to tell you this... but you are dead wrong.” The ponies turned back into smoke, charging at Gilda. She screamed and knew nothing more.