//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Alone again // Story: Silent Ponyville: Last breath // by Thegodhand //------------------------------// Alone again Sky drew the bow across the strings of his cello with practiced ease.  His eyes, puffy and bloodshot from crying were closed and his head tilted to the ground as he held the cello’s neck with his left wing.  A torn off piece of his bed sheet was wrapped around his barrel, holding the shattered remains of his right wing in place. Sky perhaps would have thought his experience had all been a dream when he woke in his bed, had it not been for the very real broken bones in his wing and his throat sore from struggling to breath.  As Sky continued to play his mind wandered to what he had found when he had struggled out of his bed.  The drawer of his desk that the day before had been impossible to pry open had been opened wide.   Inside the drawer was a scrap of aged yellow paper that bore wrinkles as if it had been crumpled up and thrown away to be forgotten.  The message on the paper continued to leave Sky confused even now, making it all the more difficult to clear his mind and play. Remember, the doctor always lies -Shield Resigning himself to the fact that he could not give his playing the proper attention it deserved Sky placed the cello back in it’s case against the wall.  Sky glanced at the window with it’s curtains drawn shut.  It seemed like ages since he had been outside, or for that matter even seen the outside.  Eager to view a change of scenery even for a short time Sky approached the window and drew open the shades to reveal Ponyville outside.   Sky recoiled in shock at the condition of the town outside his window.  The sky over Ponyville was covered in a layer of angry dark clouds that blocked the sun’s rays, leaving the deserted foggy streets dark and gloomy.  The houses that lined the street opposite of the apartment looked aged and forgotten, with peeling paint, missing chunks of roof, and boarded up windows and doors.  There was no sign of life anywhere in sight of Sky’s window.  ‘How long have I been gone?’ Slowly Sky backed away from the window trying to understand what he was seeing.  He felt like he couldn't have been gone more than a day, and yet if what he was seeing outside was to be believed it must have been years.  Sky looked back to the window and splayed his ears back as his face hardened.  ‘I...have to get out of this somehow, I just have to.’ Just then there was a knock at the front door joined by a familiar energetic voice. “Heeeeres Pinkie! And this time I have Mr. Quick Set here with me to unlock the door!” Sky took on a confused look, raiding his left brow into the air with his mouth slightly ajar.   “If Pinkie is out there with the locksmith...then it can’t have been more than a day since I went into the hole!” Sky heard another voice, this one a raspy male voice like an old smoker spoke up from beyond the door. “Who are you talking to? I thought the Sunderland said there was no one in there?” Sky bolted over to the door.  He knew they probably wouldn't hear him but at this point he cared very little.  It would be a blessing just to see that smiling, crazy, pink mare after all the pain, depression, and fear his life had become since getting trapped here.  But as Sky ran toward the door a throbbing pain started to form in his head, getting stronger as he rapidly approached it.  Unable to stop in time from his dash to the door, Sky reached the chained exit only to screech in agony and jump away, luckily landing on his left side away from his broken wing. When Sky had reached the door the throbbing in his head had exploded into a world of agony, feeling like shards of glass were being run through his grey matter.  As Sky scrambled away from the door to escape the pain that faded with distance Sky recognised voices speaking again. “Okay, what the hay!  This princess blasted lock is stuck tight!  I can’t even break the thing open!” “Hmmmmmm? Oh! oh! oh! I know what to do!  I’ll just look in the window, maybe I’ll see what's wrong with the door! Or even see Sky, hooray!” Barely a second passed between Pinkie finishing her sentence and the sound of a ladder hitting the wall outside the living areas window.  Followed by a Pinkies face pressed up against the glass, a look of extreme concentration on her face.  Sky got to his hooves and looked to the window.  Behind Pinkie the town continued to look deserted and foreboding but she showed no sign being aware of it.  What Pinkie did show was a face of mounting concern, quickly advancing to that of fear.   “Oh no...” Pinkie said in a much more somber voice, her hair falling flat on her head.  “I know this... Sky, I don’t know if you can here me or not but I’m going to get help I promise!” With that Pinkie jumped straight off the ladder and bolted down the street, quickly being hidden by the mist.  All the while the scraping of Quick Set could be heard at the door as he continued his fruitless struggle with the unyielding blockade. It had been hours since Pinkie had left with her strange promise of help.  Sky couldn't be sure exactly how long with his clock no longer working and the scenery outside unchanging.  Hunger and thirst had convinced him to eat the last remaining carrots from his bag and the refrigerator.  Luckily water still flowed from the kitchen tap rather than a less savory fluid. Sky attempted to pass the time once again with his cello.  The somber drifting music helped to calm his mind and think about his options.   ‘ I have no food left and nothing anyone does to get into this room seems to be of any use. Sky’s thoughts returned to the hole in his bathroom.  ‘I don't want to go in there again, besides Shield told me not to...’  The bow slipped across the strings before Sky quickly righted it continuing the song.  Shield had told him not to leave the apartment, but leaving meant possibly seeing him again.  it could even mean being able to talk to him again. Sky thought about Pinkie.  ‘ I should probably wait for her to come back...maybe she can really help.’ Sky shook his head slowly, after everything that had happened there was no reason to believe it would be that easy.  This place wouldn't let him out that easily, that he was sure of by now.  Once again placing his cello back in it’s case Sky walked to the open bathroom.  Inside the whole was still there, but with a new addition.  Surrounding the outside of the hole was a black circle with strange runes between it and the edge of the hole.  Sky recognised the runes to be the same ones that had appeared when Shield had touched the wall in the flooded room.  Were those symbols connected to Shield somehow? Sky’s legs trembled as he approached the hole.  If he did this he might find his way out, he might see Shield again.  But Shield had told him in no uncertain terms not to... and Shield always knew what was best for him.  Sky’s mind returned to the note he had found when waking up.   “The doctor always lies...” Sky muttered.   Perhaps the meaning would make itself known when he reached whatever lay beyond.  Sky felt that things wouldn't be the same when he traveled through this time.  He had to real reason to think that, it just seemed to make sense to him for some reason.  The hole would not take him back to the apartments, this time it was going to take him somewhere new.   With a last deep breath and a softly spoken apology to Shield for disobeying, Sky climbed into the hole while carefully avoiding scraping his wing on the wall.   The experience of falling happened once more.  However, Sky felt no panic this time as he fell toward the light.  To fall to his death would be too quick and merciful... no, this place would not let it be that easy...it was never that easy. Once again, Sky fell into the light.