//------------------------------// // Fire // Story: The Green Room // by Toodle Flip //------------------------------// No… It can’t be true. It wanted me for something… I don’t know what, but the monster had to be lying. I need to get started on the next step… fire. I may want to start with materials for it. Looking outside of her shelter, Ginger saw a myriad of tinder and kindling, but not much firewood. Looks like I will have to look elsewhere for that. She gathered the initials supplies, making sure not to stray from running distance from the camp. Grabbing small bits of tinder first, she moves them into the shelter, which is large enough for a small fire pit. She also moved several stones into the shelter, assuming that striking several together at one time would work to start a fire. Setting a small fire circle in the shelter, she looks at her work. I guess this is what I am supposed to do. I know that all of the teachers tell us that fire safety is important, and I don’t want the tree burning down on top of me. I should finish getting what I can, and then… Ginger yawns. I should go to bed soon. Maybe they will find me when I sleep and I will wake up in my bed! With renewed vigor, she sets about her task, gathering more small sticks, occasionally finding a somewhat larger one, but nothing big enough to sustain a fire. I’m nearly finished. I can feel it. Then I can sleep, and everything will be alright. She crawls back into the shelter, dragging her pile of sticks and tinder with her. Outside the shelter, a blue flower blooms, and another patch of blue flowers forms. It grows slightly, until it touches the tree, which begins to wither. Ginger lies down in the middle of her shelter, and falls asleep. Hush now quiet now it’s time to go to sleepy head, hush now quiet now it’s time to go to bed… I only want the nightmare to end… Ginger lies atop her bed and opens her eyes. I’m awake now? It was only a dream? Ginger looks around her room, and everything looks the same as it was before leaving on the hike. Mom? Are you there? Failing to hear a response, Ginger attributes the silence as her mother being at work. I guess I can go outside and say hello to my friends… Ginger gets out of her bed and goes downstairs. She doesn’t see anypony, and again thinks that it is simply because everyone else is gone doing something. Did I miss something? I must have hit my head and lost a few days… Leaving the house, she wanders around Ponyville, again not seeing anypony. I guess I should go to school to get my missing assignments. I hope Ms. Cheerilee isn’t mad with me… Ginger moves along the streets, and as she goes, the town seems to darken behind her. Shapes peer out the open windows, whispering to her. She would turn on occasion, but she would see nothing, and think, it is probably Pinkie Pie just trying to prank me. She reaches the school, which looks a bit worn down, I think Ms. Cheerilee forgot to paint the school again… It is probably just my imagination though. Maybe it was those three fillies who ran that club. I can never seem to remember what it is called. She enters the school, and sees all the fillies and colts in her class sitting in their chairs, with Ms. Cheerilee facing the board. She says, “Hello Ms. Snap… You are late.” I know Ms. Cheerilee, but I just woke up this morning from a horrible nightmare where I was trapped in the Everfree forest, and nopony was looking for me, but I had hope, and I woke up in bed. Whispers rise among her classmates, and Ginger looks at them with a mix of fear and apprehension. Ms. Cheerilee states softly, “Who said you ever left? They won’t look for you. They never had, and they never will.” What was that? You sounded just like one of the monsters in my dream. What do you mean, never left? I am here aren’t I? Ms. Cheerilee speaks to the class, “Class, quiet down… Ms. Snap made a mistake. Can somepony care to correct her?” Snips and Snails speak in unison with the voice of the Diamond Dog from eariler, “Pony never leave forest. Pony enter, but Pony never leave. Whether captured by us, or by monsters, or by manticore, Pony enter, but Pony never leave.” Snips? Snails? What is going on? Archer, you know the truth, what is going on? Why is everypony acting this way? Why is everypony sitting there, staring at the board? I don’t see anything! Archer says, “I don't know what you are talking about. This is normal. And what you see… is your rescue party. I believe our teacher has something to say. I shouldn’t interrupt any longer.” Ms. Cheerilee smiles, “Ms. Snap, shall we play a game? It’s called Hangpony. It is two words, ready to play? If you win, we’ll end class early today. Otherwise… well class continues and you will take your seat.”. Ginger couldn't see her smile, but she could feel it. It was off, like the mare who only barks. It was twisted. She didn't have to see it to feel it. Alright… ‘E?’ Ms. Cheerilee draws an “e” at the end of the second word. s? Ms. Cheerilee sighs and draws a noose. Ummm… o? Ms. Cheerilee writes two o’s, one at the end of the first word, and the second is the second letter of the second word. Alright, the first word is probably no. n? Ms. Cheerilee smiles again, and draws an n, spelling out no. She says, “Very good Ms. Snap. Can you figure the rest out?” Ginger thinks for a moment. Alright, there aren’t many words that are four letters and only have an o as the second letter and e as the last. I wish I had studied vocabulary more with Sweetie Belle. I know this word though… No… It can’t be… The class and teacher speak in unison, “You know the word, speak it, revel in it, accept it, and you will be free”. Archer turns her head, spinning at an unnatural angle towards Ginger whispering, “Speak the words that will set us free. Do it for my sake. Do it for your sake. You know the word. It has been whispered to you since you landed. The Forest knows Ginger... The Forest knows...” Ginger, on the verge of tears now says, No hope. At that point, all of Tartarus breaks loose as the students turn around with strange wooden muzzles and yellow eyes, and run towards her. Ginger could still hear the sad voice of Ms. Cheerilee saying, “Don’t leave, we can be together forever, just like you wanted. They won’t look for you. I am the only one who cares anymore…” Ginger screams, and she sees all around her the town turning to the jungle, and the barking of the students behind her. Ginger leaps up, and hears the barking, the screaming of the wooden muzzles trying to claw at her, and gain reach. What are they? They look like wood in this pale moonlight. She begins to panic. Was she right? No hope… No hope. Pony will enter, but Pony will not leave. I don’t think so… No! I know they will find me. I know it. They would never give up on me! Looking around she tries to figure out how she can deal with her problem. Maybe fire would work. It isn’t safe, but I must do something! Ginger begins piling up tinder and kindling in a rush, and grabs two rocks. She begins striking the two together, and after a few rocks eventually gets a spark. The faces draw closer, and so do the claws, and she tries harder. A fire spurts out of the tinder as a spark connects, and one of the timber wolves leaps in, and into the growing fire. The fire flares, rising up to the bottom of the tree, which begins to catch fire also. She scrambles out where the timber wolf came in, and watches as they all burn. This night is turning out worse than I expected. But I did get rid of the problem… She sees a flash of blue before the tree crashes down on it. What are they doing here? That must have been the cause of those… wooden wolves. Well, I have completed the next step I guess. Now I need to sleep, and probably get something to drink in the morning. I don’t want to dream though… All I want now is silence. But what did Archer mean by the Forest knows?