//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Monster 
// by A former lunatic 
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Sparky sat on his bed; his eye gazing at the floor. The silence and darkness were the masters of his space. He sat there with his legs pulled into his chest. He arms and tiny wings wrapped as tightly around him. All so that he could hide his tear-stained face. He started doing this more often now. Crying silently in his room. He did this more often simply because of one cold fact. His fellow Equestrians were scared of him. They were scared of him and they had every right to be. No matter how many times he apologized. How many times he would help repair? How many times he would try to be like them. He would never be like them. He would never be one of them. Never be accepted by them. Simply because he is a monster. 

He was so different from them; why did he bother holding onto hope? Why did he even try to be like them. Did he look in the same mirror they looked into? He had scales, not fur. He spewed fire whenever he sneezed or had gas. He walked on two legs. Two legs! Not only that but he had claws. Yeah, he was exactly like them. A sniffle escaped from him as he continued to cry. He wasn't crying just because of those horrible truths. He was crying because he was hurting those who loved him. The few ponies that actually cared about him. Ponies that didn't see him as some dragon. They saw him as family, as a nephew, as a son. Yes, he was the son of the sheriff of the town. 

He was Hitch Trailblazer's son and his unneeded burden. He loved his father and his aunts'. Whenever he was sad they found ways to cheer him up. They included him in everything big and small. There were times he would have a nightmare. A nightmare about some bad mare taking him away. A mare that looked like his aunt Sunny; whenever she started glowing. A mare that hurt him badly. Was that really a nightmare? Every time he woke up screaming from it. His father was there to hug and hold him close. He would stay until he would fall back to sleep. He would be there protecting him. 

But, now tonight it was his turn to protect those he loved. To give peace back to his home and to his family. It was time to get rid of the monster. He stopped crying and uncurled himself from the pitiful ball he made. He gently stepped down from his bed and onto the floor. He reached under his bed and pulled out a backpack his aunt Izzy had made for him. A backpack that would finally be put to good use. He had stuffed it full of a few cans of food. Enough to keep him fed for a week at most. He had also packed a sleeping bag and a flashlight. It was all basic for a single night of camping. But, he was going for the long term. To live in the forest with the other monster. To keep his family safe from the malice of their fellow ponies. 

He rolled his steps as he walked over to the door. He carefully grabbed the nob and slowly turned it. His breathing hitched as he heard a small click echo through his room. Sometimes his father would have the hearing of a dog. Thankfully, it seemed that tonight he didn't. He continued to roll his steps as he walked out of his room. He tried to close his door softly, but again that click made him freeze. He felt like he was walking on eggshells. His heart pounded in his chest as he walked to the stairs. He stood on the top step; looking down at the bottom. The stairs looked a little higher than usual. He took a single step down and froze as a small squeak. Why was everything so loud? 

It took him a little over an hour just to get downstairs. He was sweating now mostly from fear. Fear of waking his father and the other animals that lived there. He felt like he was going to vomit. He felt like he was going to pass out. He was so scared and he was so close to his first goal. He looked at the door and began to walk towards it. He felt like he was walking in slow motion. That at any moment his father would come running down the stairs. Stopping him from protecting them. His claw was shaking so badly as he reached for the doorknob.



Sparky breathed heavily as he stood outside his home. The night air was cold on his damp scales. He was finally outside. He didn't get caught; he didn't wake his father. He was outside. He was able to continue on with his mission. He began to walk away from the front door and to the street. When he reached the sidewalk; he turned down the street and began to walk towards the area that overlooked the ocean. He wanted to say goodbye to places he knew he would never see again. 

The waves crashed softly against the shore. The beautiful night sky was reflected on the ocean's surface. It was such a wonderful few. But, he was looking at the bright-house. The home where his aunts lived. Aunts' that he would love to have another hug from. He looked away from the house and began his walk down the road. He was almost there; he was so close now. Everything would be better. Yes, him leaving would be the best thing to happen. 

A sad smile stretched across his face. He felt proud of himself; he knew he was going to be hurting his family. But, sometimes in order to do some good. You had to hurt those you care about the most. Yes, after all their lives would be so much better than they are now. His fathers' life would go back to normal. He wouldn't cost him any more bits by accidentally setting something on fire. Maybe that mean mare with the flowers would stop bothering him. This was good.



He now stood before the forest; its trees towering over him like giants. Now more than ever he felt so small. He felt so helpless. He felt so afraid. He wanted to run back to his home. To, climb back into his bed and hide under his covers. He clenched his claws and his teeth and growled at himself.

He cursed. “Stop being selfish! You need to do this for the good of your family!”

If it was so good; why was he hurting so much? Why did he feel like he was leaving something important behind? No, he wasn't important to them. He wasn't important to his father. He was just a burden, a nuisance, an unwanted child that was left alone on a beach. He shook his head and steeled himself. He then took his first steps into the woods. Goodbye, Maretime Bay.

The silence from his room followed him to the woods. The light of the moon provided him with little comfort. In fact, it seemed to add to the eeriness of the woods. He glanced over his shoulder; watching as the woods seemed to close in behind him. He swallowed a lump in his throat and began to whistle. He had started doing this to keep himself calm. He whistled a cheerful tune as he continued walking. He heard the chirping of some crickets in the grass. Normally, their gentle tunes were like calming melodies. But, now it sounded like a forewarning tone of what was to come. He noticed the light of the moon beginning to fade. A cloud had moved in front of the moon; blocking out its light and casting him into darkness. 

Without a moment to lose he quickly dug out his flashlight and turned it on. He almost screamed in fear as the light revealed a hollow tree before him. Its old gray trunk and dead limbs looked like a phantom had appeared before him. Rushing out of the darkness to whisk him away to parts unknown. A breeze blew through the woods. It passed through hollowed trees and grass. It sounded like ghostly moaning as it blew through. Sparky had turned at the right time to see some leaves get picked up by the wind. It looked like something invisible was running right at him. 

Fear was getting a grip on his young mind. He turned and started walking a little faster down the trail. He had to find a place to hide. A place where he could make camp and rest. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. There was nothing to be scared about. There was nothing to be scared about. There was nothing to be scared about. There was....something there.

A voice called out. “Sparky.”

He gasped and started walking a little faster. That was just a trick of the wind. Yes, he was hearing things. That's what it was; it was just paranoia brought on by the environment.

It called again. “Sparky.”

No, nothing was calling his name. There was nothing around him right now. He was just going on a nice walk through the woods. Heck, it was such a wonderful night for it. No, this wasn't a night for a walk; this was a night for a small jog. Yes, nothing like a nice jog through the woods to get the heart going.

It called again; this time it sounded louder. “Sparky.”

This was a joke. Yes, it had to be. His aunt Izzy was just pranking him to make him go back. Well, it wasn't going to work aunt Izzy. He wasn't scared at all by her prank. His heart was pounding because he was getting some good exercise. Yes, he was just getting a good workout. But, it could be a great workout. He just had to start jogging a little faster.

The voice called for him again. This time it lingered like an echo. “Sparky.”

He had to ignore it. He had to keep going. No matter what he had to protect his family. He was doing good; he had gotten so far away from the town. He was a good dragon. He was a good dragon. He was a good son too. His father would be so proud of him right now. He was doing good just like he would do every day. He came to a stop to catch his breath. This workout did take a little out of him. Why was it so quiet again?

“Sparky!”

He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. Something had just whispered in his ear. Something was chasing him and he didn't want to know what it was. He felt its horrible presence behind him. It wanted him; it wanted to catch him. He was already seeing his short life flashing before his eyes. He didn't want to but it couldn't be helped. He took a quick glance over his shoulder. He saw the face of that horrible mare who had taken him from his family once before. Her wicked smile stretched across her wretched face. She was going to get him again.

He yelled as he fell down a small ravine. He was not paying attention to where he was running. He yelled, grunted, and cried as his tiny body smashed against a few rocks and stumps on the way down. He landed flat on his face his flashlight striking the back of his head. He groaned a muffled “Ow.” as he lay in the dirt and leaves. 

Just like that the noise had returned. He heard the crickets again. He heard the gentle breeze. Now, everything sounded gentle. Welcoming almost. He slowly picked himself up and sat on his knees. He looked around; noticing that the moonlight had returned. It was still blocked out a little by the trees overhead. But, now it looked like everything was a little clearer. Now, the forest looked gentle. It didn't look spooky. It didn't even look that frightening. In fact, he started to feel better about himself. He was so far in the woods; nopony would find him. This was great. He couldn't keep himself from smiling.

He asked. “Where's my flashlight?”

He looked around and saw it lying just in front of him. He chuckled all that scary stuff had to be in his head. Yes, it was just his imagination running away with him. He reached for his flashlight and picked it up. He groaned in slight frustration; the handle felt wet. Great, that's just what he needed a water-damaged flashlight. He wiped the water off before taking hold of it with his other claw. When he cast the light on his wet claw; his blood ran colder.

His claw was wet but it was wet with blood. His flashlight had come to rest in a small puddle of blood. He was just a few inches from it. A foul odor found its way up his nose. He gagged in disgust as he held his nose. What in the world was that smell? That was when he heard a ripping sound from just in front of him. He raised his flashlight slowly. The light shook in his hold as it slowly reveal something bad. It was two deer. One lay on its side and the other was hunched over it. The one that was hunched over suddenly jerked its head up. A piece of flesh and fur was in its mouth. It's bloody mouth full of fangs. Its eyes were pure white. 

The deer noticed that it was being watched. It stood straight up on its hind legs; its forelegs twitching wildly at its sides. A sickening crack was heard as its neck was broken. Its neck started to raise up; almost like a giraffe's neck. It reached so high it started to bend backwards. It then turned slightly so that it could look at him again. It knew he was looking at it. It knew he was right there. It growled.

Sparky started running again; his mind was in full flight mode. That thing; whatever it was it was going to kill him. He kept running faster and faster. He didn't even bother to look behind him. He knew if he did; it would kill him. That thing was not a deer. He yelled out as he tripped over a tree root. He tumbled a little before coming to rest on his back. He gasped as the monster was quickly on him. Again, his life flashed before his eyes. The monster roared at him. 

Something large tackled the creature away from him. He yelled out as everything suddenly went silent. A loud crunching sound was heard a short time later. Slowly, Sparky sat up his body trembling badly. He looked at the area where the sound had come from. Lifting his flashlight up again he saw another monster. One that made him drop his flashlight out of pure terror. It was a giant spider. It had just killed the other monster and now it was heading for him. This was it. He was going to die now. He put his hands up in a pitiful defense. 

He cried out in a weak voice. “Daddy.”

A rough yet kind voice spoke to him. “You dropped this youngin.”

He perked up at the kind sound; his flashlight was being held in front of him. He grabbed hold of his flashlight; getting a better look at the spider. The spider itself was huge. It was larger than a pony and longer than two ponies standing side by side. It looked terrifying, but it put off a gentle aura. An aura that screamed not a threat.

The spider asked. “Are you lost?”

Sparky fainted righter there on the spot. All the running for his life had drained him.