Solitude For Youth
A The Ponies We Care For story
Part 2
It was becoming the end of morning, though the sky was still seemed dead with dark clouds covering it almost completely. The sun was still in sight; difficult to believe considering the trotting dead roam the lands of Equestria and Princess Celestia still brings sunshine through out the never-ending days, or as it would seem.
It was a sense of hope for surviving ponies, to know their goddess is alive - to assume she is trying to sort out this catastrophe. And it was the same bidding for three little fillies; digging through shrubs and wood to get to what is expectantly salvation back at the farm, Sweet Apple Acres. May it be or may it be not what they look for, but what shelter will they search for if it isn't safe? They've left they're Clubhouse for this and will anticipate this up mostly, no returning there; stuck, surrounded by forest where the dead can attack from all and any side.
So they continued fourth, Sweet Apple Acres shouldn't be distant from where the Cutie Mark Crusaders are. Which created the feeling of anxiety in the trio; sweat trickled down to their foreheads from their manes, dead plant life - rough - would scratch beneath them. Almost dead nature all around them, including parts of the population of different ecosystems died due to, well, the dead. Though they haven't spotted any dead animals yet but they came across a corpse, probably fresh.
"Gals, stop," Said Applebloom, holding her hoof out. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle halted, looked past Applebloom. It was the deceased of a mare; light-green mane and pink coat. Lily Pad was the name. "L-les jus' keep goin', girls. We haff' to find our way back to Sweet Apple Acres," Applebloom seemed terrified now, according to the other two; they were all worried for one another as it is and stopping for others - dead or living - isn't something they can afford at the moment. Especially under the circumstances; them being only three fillies.
Scootaloo had a weak stomach, she spread vile across the dirt next to the body. She spat a bit, Sweetie Belle held her.
"Applebloom, are you sure we'll be safe out here? At Sweet Apple Acres?" Sweetie Belle grunted, helping Scootaloo up. Applebloom saw her, blinked twice and helped her orange friend up as well. They're in disgust now, trotting off away from what was once a...happy mare, to assume.
"I know it will be safe, Sweetie Belle, I jus' know it," Applebloom explained, bringing her friend's confidence up. Hopefully... she thought.
They finally approached fences, a sign to show they arrived where there designated location was. In their way, the wooden barrier wasn't too small for them, they slid through the gaps between each plank. Open fields of seedlings, not too far away from the barn, was in front. The trotted on, passing by dead crops beside them - though some were either still growing or unexpectedly alive but rotten; all of them. Bypassing the crops, the barn door stood there among them. Applebloom slowly and gently slid the door open - it made a creaking noise as it did, trying not to attract attention they quickly went inside.
It was silent, empty and dark; hay were in piles and crates were stored around inside. But most importantly, a door on the other side was an entry to the home where the Apple Family would sleep. Applebloom tried not to hurry, one of those things could be hiding and could ambush one of them. So she sneaked through the eerie barn, and behind her was Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle - terrified but still building up the courage. The earth filly pushed onto the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"No, no no," Applebloom became slightly panicked. She tried again but still it wouldn't open, she began forcing it. She stopped, she sighed almost loudly. "Must be locked from the inside, gals," She said inn disappointment.
"W-what do we do now?" Scootaloo asked, trotting up to her friend. Applebloom sat on her rump, sad. The way her face looked, the two could tell she didn't know. Yet.
"Well...ar' only choice is to move on," She said.
"What about the cellar where the cider is stored?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Yeah, yeah! I furgot about the cellar, maybe it's open," Applebloom exclaimed, trotting to the barn. "I know it's open, no one eva' goes back there," She slid the barn door open a bit.
A moan was heard.
Suddenly Applebloom was pinned down, a set of rotten teeth trying to gnaw on her. She screamed loudly, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo galloped to her, with effort, getting the dead pony off of their best friend. The ravenous dead pony pushed them away, going back Apple bloom. For a filly, she was strong enough to keep it's mouth away from any of her limbs - where it was aiming for. Finally, with her hind-legs, she gave one big buck; the zombie pony stumbled back outside of the barn door. Applebloom quickly stood up and galloped to the other side, and so did her friends. They came close together, embraced each, tearing.
It was still alive, it took no long then five seconds for it to stand up and head for it's prey. The zombie pony slowly trotted through the barn door, moaning and groaning. It limped, it's front left-leg was almost nothing but bone and rotten flesh. A few more bite marks were on it's body, each one deep-cut into. Blood trickled from it's mouth - must of recently ate another survivor. But it drew closer, the three fillies were frozen; no idea what to do at this point. It headed for Scootaloo first, it dived in but Applebloom shoved to the side.
It groaned very audibly. and went to strike again. It was becoming larger to them, each of them now very afraid.
Thump
The zombie's head nearly cracked open from that kick, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't stood up, still scared, now wondered who did that.
"Damn vermont!" An orange mare yelled, "You girls alright," She said, softer.
"Applejack!" Applebloom proclaimed, hugging her big sister. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo joined in, Applejack ambraced all three. The dead pony gave a soft and slow moan, Applejack wasn't just about to stay with...that alive. She released them, trotted up to it. Looked at it sternly and focused her hind-legs.
"Night, partner," She spoke bucking the thing's brains out. Blood splat on her front legs and on her chest. She exhaled and inhaled and looked at her now safe fillies. They looked almost scared but it was dead now. "Come on girls, we got to get somewhere safe," Applejack said, leading them outside.