//------------------------------// // Breaking and Entering // Story: The Runaways // by Tod309 //------------------------------// Gordon Location Unknown It was sometime in the afternoon when Gordon awoke. He had washed up on a riverbank somewhere still clinging to those same roots from the night before. The chains on his manacles had caught on one of the tendrils. It was perhaps the only time in his life he was greatful to have those accursed chains on him as they had prevented him from drowning since he couldn't swim with them on anyway. He untangled his chains from the roots and looked himself over and found, much to his chagrin, that he lost his back pack, which contained all of his supplies including his clothes and food. He lost all of his weapons as well except for his knife. And he lost his right shoe was well. 'Jus' great.' he thought to himself. He had no food, no extra clothes, one worn-out shoe, his friends were all missing and he was lost in the middle of God-knows-where. But worst of all he had no way to defend himself besides a lousy kitchen knife, and that wouldn't do him much good against a band of gun-toting slave catchers if he ran into any. Having no reason to stay on the riverbank he got moving. His first priority was getting some food, clothes, weapons and most importantly Nathaniel and the others and something to get that damn collar and shackles off of him. He hated that damned thing with a passion. The heavy iron collar would always dig into his collar bones, leaving raw blisters and sours. And shackles would not only restrict his movements, especially when it came to walking, but would dig into his wrists and ankles mainly his Achilles tendons making walking uncomfortable, running even more so. The worst part about them was the degradation and humiliation that came with wearing them. It was a constant reminder that to society he was nothing but an animal, a beast of burden, if not lower. And for him the path to real freedom could only be uptained once he got rid of those wretched things. He followed along the river moving as quickly and quietly as he could manage moving from tree to tree and bush to bush doing his best to try and remain hidden. All the while he kept an eye out for Nathaniel and the others as well as for anything to eat, and so far haven't seen any sign of them and the only food he managed to find were a handful of grasshoppers he managed to catch, a very meager meal at best. The little jumping insects tasted awful but at least he had something in his stomach. After what seemed like an hour or more of searching for his companions he still had no luck finding them, however he did come across something almost as good: A farm. That meant food, supplies and perhaps even a means for him to finally be free of that wretched collar and shackles. It also meant an enormous risk of getting captured if he were to try and get something from there. There was no way of knowing if the owners of the farm were abolitionists who were willing to help him or if they would take him prisoner and turn him over to the authorities, or worse, take him back to his old master or be sold back into slavery, if they don't kill him first for trespassing. And though very unlikely, there was still a chance that Nathaniel and the others might be staying on that farm. Normally he would've considered just avoiding the farm altogether, however he was in need of supplies so he would just simply have to take the risks. He approached the farm through a thicket of trees to avoid being seen. When he got a closer look at the farm he noticed several things: first he didn't see anyone working the fields, slaves or otherwise, even though it was sometime in the afternoon, but the second and most obvious thing that stuck out to him was the fact that there no crops of any kind planted out in the field, not even weeds it would seem. And the ground itself didn't even look like it's been plowed. In the place of crops there were piles of rocks scattered all over the property. All the fields were filled with nothing but rocks of various sizes from rocks the size of his fist to ones the size of his torso. This had Gordon completely baffled; why would a farm have whole fields full of nothing but piles of rocks? By all accounts the rocks didn't seem all that special; just ordinary rocks. He decided not to dwell on what the rocks were for and proceeded to look around the outskirts of the property to find the best point of entry that would allow him to go onto the farm without being seen from the farmhouse. He decided his best chance would be to enter from a direction behind the barn where the view from the house was blocked. And from there he would find, or make, a way inside the barn and look for what he needed and leave. He hated having to steal from people and always having to sneak around the countryside hiding like some hunted animal, but he didn't have much choice. Being a fugitive slave meant he couldn't afford to trust anyone, white or black, to offer him food and shelter lest they send him back into bondage. Nathaniel and the Brookes were the only exceptions. He approached the fence surrounding the rock fields and squeezed himself through the horizontal beams of the fence. Once he was on the other side he drew the knife out from the waistline of his pants and made his way towards the barn as quietly as he could manage, holding his chains in his left hand in order to try and reduce the sound of their rattling, maneuvering between different rock piles. The whole time his heart pounded and he began to sweat, not just from the heat but from nervousness as well. If he were caught now, he'd be in big trouble, especially since he had a weapon in his hand. And he was especially wary of the rock piles that were large enough for someone to hide behind as there could be someone hiding behind one of them right now, waiting for a clean shot at him. If that were the case at least the rocks would provide some cover. After about 6 minutes or more he finally made it to the barn. It wasn't very large barn; more like an extra large shed. It was a very plain looking wooden building, much like the thatched roof farmhouse behind it. There was also a tall wooden silo near the farmhouse right across from the barn and all 3 buildings were surrounded by a wooden fence. After squeezing through the second fence Gordon searched the outside of the barn for a way in. Pinkie Pie & Family Pie Family Rock Farm Even though she writes to her parents often, Pinkie was glad she finally got some time to spend with them, especially since all of her other sisters Marble, Limestone and Maud were also visiting. So to her it was like a little family reunion. It was the first day of her week and a half long vacation and she decided to spend it with her family since she hadn't seen them in a while. They were all really happy to see each other and spent the first part of the day sharing the details of their lives and careers. Limestone was a secretary for a mining company near Dodge Junction, Marble had found her talent for sculpting things from stone and set up a studio in Vanhoover, Maud was a rock scientist and Pinkie was a baker and party planner in nearby Ponyville. "So Pinkie," asked her father Igneous Rock, "how have things been for ya in Ponyville lately?" "It's been GREAT, papa!" Pinkie answered excitedly. "Me and your father read about all those things you and your friends have done, like that party you threw for your friend, Rainbow Dash I believe is her name. And how that other friend of yours Twilight became princess," said her mother Cloudy Quartz. "Seems you've had quite an exciting life since those friends of yours came along dear, what with saving Equestria multiple times and all." She puts an arm around her pink daughter, giving her an affectionate hug. "Yep, our little filly is quite the hero." interjected Igneous also giving his daughter a hug. "Oh stop you two." Pinkie playfully protested. "Oh, by the way Maud, didn't you meet Princess Twilight once?" asked Limestone,"What was she like?" "She likes books." Maud answered bluntly. "And she lives in that tree that's also a library." "Didn't it get destroyed by that Tee-rick guy not too long ago when he attacked Equestria?" asked Marble. "It's Tirek, Marble." Pinkie corrected. "And yeah it got destroyed but she also got that super-duper awesome new castle she's living in now. And me and my friends even have our very own little round table!" "Speaking of which Maud, what were her other friends like?" Limestone asked. "Well her friend Applejack really likes apples and says she grows the best apples in Equestria but they just taste like apples to me. I tried to help her peel apples for apple cider but it did not work out. Rainbow Dash likes racing, flying and playing games, though she didn't care for mine and Boulder's game of Camoflauge. Fluttershy was really into animals and Rarity was really into fashion and clothes. She even commented on my frock, asking me what it said. I just told her it didn't talk because it was a dress." "Oh, that reminds me," interjected Cloudy Quartz," I have to check on the laundry outside." "I'll go with you, mama." said Marble as she followed Cloudy out the door. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the same time outside, Gordon had been busy sticking his knife in between the planks of the sides of the barn and wiggling it around testing for any loose boards that he could pry loose an opening for him to enter. He wasn't about to go through the main entrance lest he be spotted by the farms residents. His attempts to find an opening were cut short when he heard the sound of a door opening followed by the sounds of people talking. From the sound of the voices they belonged to a pair of women talking excitedly about something in a language he didn't understand. 'Must be foreigners,' he thought. As quietly as he could, holding his chains to try and muffle their rattling, he snuck over towards the corner of the barn and risked taking a peek at the owners of the voices. He saw a pair of female figures attending to some clothes on some clothelines. One looked like an older woman wearing a nice-looking dark grey long-sleeved dress with a grey plaid collar that went down to her calves, some dress shoes and her unusual cool grey hair was done up into a bun. The younger one was dressed in a short-sleeved lavender shirt with a very wide collar that was almost the width of her shoulders, a pair of black pants that came down to her knees and on her feet she wore some kind of sandles and she had straight shoulder-length hair the same color as the older womans but slightly darker. But what was really shocking about them was the fact that they weren't Human as evident by their faces and horse-like tails. Their heads and faces vaguely resembled that of a horses with their pointed ears and muzzles and their hair was really more like that of a horses mane than that of a Humans. However their snouts were extremely short compared to that of a regular horses, bearing more of a resemblance to the snout of a cat or a short muzzled dog. And their eyes were extremely large yet very Human-like. And both had a coat of grey fur though the younger of the pair had slightly darker fur than the elder. From the neck down most everything else about them looked human. All he could do was stare at the strange pair of creatures. 'No way they can be real,' he thought to himself. Maybe the heat and adrenaline was making him see and hear things. Or maybe it was something in those grasshoppers he ate earlier, they may've eaten something with hallucinogenic properties before he ate them. Just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating he took his knife and pressed its point into the flesh of his index finger and in one quick motion he flicked the point across the skin, cutting deep into the flesh and causing Gordon to let out a pained grunt before sticking the bleeding finger into his mouth. He may've cut too deep. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marble and Cloudy's ears gave an involuntary twitch when they heard a strange sound from somewhere nearby. "Mama, didja hear something?" Marble asked her mother. "I did." answered Cloudy."It sounded like somepony groaning. Sounded male too." They knew it couldn't have been Igneous because he was still inside with his other daughters. "Mama, ya think there could be a trespasser on the far-" Marble cut off her sentence when she noticed what looked like somepony peeking out from the side of the barn with had a poofy mane. The instant she saw it it ducked back behind the barn, making a thumping sound in the process along with what sounded to her like a chain rattling. "Mama I saw something by the barn!" said Marble. "And I heard it too." responded Cloudy as both mares made their way to the barn to investigate the strange sounds. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To see if his idea worked he peeked back over the corner. Unfortunately for him the two horse-women were still there, but this time they had stopped what they were doing and were looking around. Did they hear me, he wondered. All of a sudden he felt his heart skip a beat when the younger horse-woman looked in his direction. He immediately ducked back out of sight and in his momentary panic he practically slammed himself against the side of the barn causing his iron collar to thump loudly against the wood. Without thinking he gripped his collar with both causing the chains to rattle loudly. He froze and mentally cussed himself out for his stupidity because surely if the horse-women didn't hear him before they would've definitely heard him this time. Unfortunately his fears were confirmed as he heard footsteps coming his direction. Panicking he took off running towards the back of the barn as fast as his still fettered feet could take him. He wasn't about to let those things catch as there was no telling what they might do to him if they did. He reached the backside of the barn and as he looked for a place to hide he noticed a loose board near the opposite corner. Without a second thought ran over to it and pried it loose and squeezed himself inside, pulling the loose board back in place just a moment before the horse-women made to the backside of the barn. He heard them talking in their strange language just on the other side of the wall. He even heard what sounded like sniffing on the other side, as if they were trying to smell him. He sniffed himself and found that he had a particularly strong odor from not bathing in a while. 'Oh great they can smell me now too,' thought Gordon fearfully. He heard them talk some more and then go back the way they came. He watched the entrance of the barn from behind a wall of hay in the back. He just knew they were going to come inside the barn and look for him. After a minute of waiting he cautiously went over to the barn door to see if they were still outside. For all he knew the horse-women knew he was in their barn and were simply waiting outside for him, ready to pounce as soon as he tried to get out. He heard the horse-women talking outside again in front of the barn. He peaked through a crack between the boards of the barn doors and saw, much to his relief, that they were going into the house. He slumped against the barn door and sighed in relief. He was safe, at least for now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Cloudy and her daughter made their way to the barn their ears picked up the sounds of a chain rattling and somepony running, as if whoever was making those sounds were wearing chains around their feet. They quickened their pace as they neared the right corner of the barn hoping to see the culprit before they ran off. But by the time they got there whoever had made the sounds had disappeared. However they did detect an unfamiliar scent, and it was very fresh, only about a few seconds old. They could tell it was male, and that he really needed a bath, but they couldn't tell what he was. Whoever was there wasn't a Pony. Marble noticed a small red stain on the corner. She placed a finger on it to find that it was still wet, leaving a red stain on her fingertip. She brought the finger to her nose and took a whiff. It was blood. And from its smell it belonged to the strange male. He must be bleeding. Cloudy took notice of the blood and smelled it. " Whoever was here might be wounded or hurt." Cloudy stated. "We'd better find him and see if we can help." They followed the scent all the way to the back of the barn where it abruptly stopped near the left-hand corner. Marble looked around the other of the barn while Cloudy followed the scent out towards the rock field. "I don't see 'em nowhere, mama." "He musta ran back through the rock field. He couldn't have gotten in the barn, the front doors are the only way in." "You think he could've used some kind of teleportation spell to get away?" "Dunno dear." Cloudy answered as she and her daughter made their way back towards the house. "But if he's still around we'd better tell Igneous and your other sisters. He could be dangerous." "What makes you say that?" her daughter inquired. "You remember the sound of those chains? He may've been wearing shackles of some kind, meaning he may be an escaped convict." said Cloudy with a hint of fear in her voice. She knew there was a prison about 12 miles away. She and her husband would often deliver rocks to the prison for the inmates sentenced to hard labour to bust up. It's possible an inmate could've escaped from there. And that thought made her worry because that prison was home to several ponies serving life without parole and even some death row inmates. Having a potentially violent criminal near her farm or family was the last thing she wanted. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So Pinkie, are you goin' out with the Cheese Sandwich guy?" inquired Limestone. "From the way you described him he sounds like your type, what with the party-planning and all." "Uhh..no." answered a slightly flustered Pinkie."I've only known him for one day. And besides he's a travelling party-planner so it's kinda hard to date somepony that's always on the road, dontcha think?" Limestone thought about it for a moment before saying "Good point." "Though I will admit he is kinda cute." said Pinkie in a dreamy tone with her cheeks turning slightly red as she daydreamed about the travelling party-pony with his luscious caramel-colored coat, lovely afro-like brown mane that resembled chocolate cotton candy, lovely chartreuse eyes and most importantly his perfect dazzling smile. And his laugh and the way he could sing. Oh, how they made her feel tingly all over. Ting! Pinkie rubbed the nape of her neck in reaction to the unfamiliar sensation she felt, snapping her out of her fantasy. "You okay, Pinkie?" asked Limestone slightly perplexed. "Yeah, I'm fine just a weird sensation is all." answered Pinkie just before getting same sensation again. Shortly afterwards Cloudy and Marble came back in the house. "Girls, where's your father?" Cloudy asked with some concern evident in her voice. "He went to the bathroom." answered Maud. "Why do you ask?" "We think there may be a trespasser on the farm." This caused everyone to look worried, even Maud. "Me and Marble found a strange scent by the side of the barn. It smelled like someone male but it didn't smell like a Pony and Marble said she saw someone peeking at us from behind the side of the barn. And he also sounded like he was wearing chains around his feet. I think he may be an escaped convict from that prison nearby." The last bit caused Limestone and Pinkie to gasp and Mauds eyes to widen. "Maybe that's what's been making that tingly feeling on the back of my neck! It must be my Pinkie sense telling me someone was on our property." "I'll go fetch your father, while the rest of look around. But be careful; whoever he is may be armed and dangerous." Cloudy stated as she made her way to the bathroom. "Alright," said Pinkie taking the lead. "Limestone, Marble check around the house. Maud, me and you will go check out the barn." "Got it." the other mares said in unity as they went to their tasks. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After the horse-women went inside Gordon started to look around the barn. At the back were stacks of hay bales, most likely their food. To his right against the wall was a long table with strange red boxes on top and beneath it with multiple drawers on their fronts. Above the table was a cupboard and on the wall itself several tools were hung from some kind of flat wooden surface that was perforated with many holes. The tools themselves consisted of different kinds of wrenches, hand saws, screw drivers and hammers. To his left were an assortment of larger tools, namely pick-axes, mauls, sledge hammers and a few gardening tools, hanging neatly on a rack. The floor of the barn was densely packed earth that was almost as hard as a rock. But one thing that caught his eye was a strange glass orb attached to a rafter in the center of the barn. While he looked around a hundred different questions about the farms inhabitants ran through his mind: What were they? Where was he? Was he even in the States anymore? Were there more creatures like them around? Were they friendly or hostile to Humans? What would they do to him if they found him? Murder him right where he stood? Use him as a sacrificial victim to whatever gods they worshipped? Torture him? Eat him? Sell him back into slavery? Or keep him as their slave? He went to look at the tools above the table with the red boxes. The first thing he grabbed was a 5 lb. blacksmiths hammer. Then he grabbed a hacksaw and another saw with a rather strange edge. Unlike the typically sharp-toothed sawblade this one had a very rough gritty edge. He tested it on one of his manacles and found that it did indeed leave a noticeable mark on the iron cuff. He ran his right thumb back and forth against the edge and to his amazement it didn't slice open his finger even though it could clearly cut into the metal of his manacles. It would come in handy when it came time to cut the manacles and collar off. The other would be good for cutting the chains. The hammer could serve other purposes. He proceeded to raid the red chests which happened to be made of metal, and within the drawers were an assortment of different chisels, files, rasps, some sandpaper, nails, screws and a variety of other strange tools he couldn't recognize with strange black cords attached to them. He took one of the chisels and a file as those might come in handy when he gets ready to get rid of those accursed chains and for after he gets rid of them. When he got what he wanted he took a burlap sack he found beside the table and started to put the loot in the bag. But before he could put even one tool in the bag he heard someone trying to open the barn door. Frightened, Gordon ran for cover behind a wall of haybales next to the table. He ducked behind the haybales just in time before the barn doors opened. He looked through a crack between 2 bales and saw a pair of horse-woman that were different from the ones he saw before. One of them was pink with a poofy mane and tail that was a darker shade of pink and she wore a rather bizzare outfit: a red shirt beneath a short blue denim jacket, a pair short blue jean shorts, thigh-length blue and yellow striped stockings and a pair of light blue knee-length lace up boots of some kind. The other was grey like the pair he'd seen before with a purpleish mane and tail and a blank expression on her face. In contrast to wild fashion sense of the pink one, the grey one was dressed in a more conservative outfit, namely a greenish grey frock that came down to her knees with a wide black belt, a pair of black pants and black calf-length boots. He could hear the sound of the horse-women sniffing the air and then talk to each other in their language. The pink one spoke with a chipper and bubbly tone with the grey one's was very monotone. But Gordon was too nervous to really notice. They could smell him and he was now trapped in the barn with them with nowhere but a wall of haybales to hide behind. He would be caught for sure this time. His nervousness quickly turned to fear when the pink one's tone changed from chipper and bubbly to angry. And then it dawned on him that he left the tools out and left the drawers of the red metal boxes open. He mentally cursed himself for his stupidity. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Pinkie and Maud made it to the barn door they proceeded to lift the wooden brace that kept the barn doors closed out of its brackets. As they got it out of the brackets they both heard the faint sound of chains rattling inside. "You hear that?" asked Pinkie in a hushed tone. "Yes, I did." answered Maud as she placed the brace up against the wall. Pinkie and Maud opened the door and entered the barn but found no one inside. Pinkie then sniffed the air and she did indeed find an unfamiliar scent. "Maud, you smell that?" Maud stiffed the air, around the barns entrance in particular, and answered. "Sure do." "Mama and Marble were right, it's definitely doesn't smell like a Po.." Pinkie noticed the drawers of her fathers tool chest were open and there were several tools lying on the table alongside a burlap sack, "..ny? That's strange, Papa never leaves his tools lying around." As she and Maud got a closer look at the tools on the table they recognized the blacksmiths hammer, hacksaw and tile saw that normally hung on the wall and they recognized one of the files and chisels that their father always kept in the tool chests. Pinkie smelt "So it's not just a trespasser we have here," said Pinkie in a very serious tone, "but a thief too." At the same time she reaches into her mane and pulls out a revolver that had been colored to look like it was made from different pieces of candy and pastries. With her thumb she cocked back the hammer, producing a metallic 'click'. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gordons blood turned cold when he heard a metallic click. He recognized that sound: it was the sound of someone cocking back the firing mechanism on a gun. He was now officially terrified. He broke out in a cold sweat, his heart was racing and his whole body was trembling. His fear was intensified even greater with one of the horse-women shouting something in an angry tone. They were going to kill him, he just knew it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Pinkie, when did you get a gun?" asked Maud, genuinely perplexed over the fact that her sister owned such a weapon. "Papa gave it to me when I moved to Ponyville, remember?" answered Pinkie in her regular chipper tone. "Oh, yeah. I forgot." Maud then reached down to her boot and pulled out a small dagger. Pinkie pointed at the wall of haybales at the back, deducing that that was the only possible hiding place within the barn. Her voice suddenly turned serious again. "Alright thief, c'mon out from behind there! We know you're there so COME OUT!" The mares approach the haybales, Pinkie with her gun still pointed at the haybales and Maud ready with her knife. "Listen you," Pinkie shouted "You'd better show yourself right now! If you do we'll go easy on you. We're armed so you'd better not try anything." Still no answer from behind the bales. "We're not playing! Come out with your hands up!" She moves in closer to the thiefs hiding spot where she can faintly hear rapid shallow breathing from behind the haybales. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon could hear the horse-women coming closer to his hiding spot still shouting, most likely telling him to come out. He was now in full panic mode. He looked at the large kitchen he still had clenched in his hands. Right then he made up his mind: 'Ain't no way in hell I'm gon' let 'em freaks take me alive. If I'm gon' down I'mma takin one of 'em with me. He took a deep breath and ran out from behind his hiding spot knife in both hands ready to stab anyone in his way yelling at the top of his lungs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just as Pinkie was about to round the corner to confront the intruder she hears someone inhaling and then a dark-skinned figure charges at her from behind the haybales yelling at the top of his lungs with a large knife in his hands ready to stab her. In a moment of panic Pinkie instinctively squeezes the trigger. BANG! A bullet flies out of the muzzle and hits the figure on the right side of his abdomen, burrowing a hole in his flesh just below his ribcage and exiting out the back embedding itself in one of the haybales behind him. The figure dropped to the ground screaming in agony attempting to cover his wound with his shackled hands as the 2 mares looked on in shock, with Pinkie being the most shocked of them both. While the figure was writhing in pain on the ground they managed to get a good look him. The dark-skinned figure wore nothing but a dirty, tattered pair of shorts and one shoe on his left foot. Around his ankles were a pair of fetters and his wrists were bound in manacles that were attached to an iron collar around his neck via a pair of chains. And his back was covered in a spiderweb of scar tissue. What really stood out to them was the lack of fur and tail, the ears on the sides of his head and his flat face with only a triangular nose. While they were busy staring at the wounded figure on the floor he got up and tried to make a run for the barns entrance. "Maud, stop him!" Maud grabbed ahold of the chain connecting the figures left hand to his collar. The figure in turn slashed her arm with his knife, carving a gash in her right forearm forcing her to let go of the chain. He dropped his own knife as he ran for the entrance running right past Marble and Limestone who had come to investigate the commotion in the barn. "WAIT! STOP!" Pinkie cried out to him. She looked at her gun, which was covered in specks of the figures blood, along with her hand. She threw the weapon down in disgust, more from having shot him rather than the blood itself, and proceeded to run after him as he made his way to the rock fields. "STOP! PLEASE! YOU'RE HURT! I'M SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO SHOOT YOU!" she called out desperately to him, but he ignored her and continued running. "IF YOU DON'T STOP RUNNING YOU'RE GOIN' TO BLEED TO DEATH! LET US TAKE YOU TO A DOCTOR!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gordon just kept running. Terrified out of his mind and in excruciating pain from that gunshot wound right side all he could think about was getting as far away from those horse-people as possible. He made his way to the rock fields as fast as he could with his still fettered feet. The whole time he wimpered, groaned and cried from a combination of the intense pain and terror. Each step he took sent a fresh wave of pain from his wound, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't afford to. The one who shot was most likely looking to finish the job. He could hear her screaming something at him, but he didn't care. Getting away was the only thing that matter to him now. As he ran through the rock fields he failed to notice a partially buried rock jutting out in front of him. The chains of his fetters snagged on the rock causing Gordon to fall down face-first onto a large rock at the bottom of a rock pile. His forehead slammed hard onto the rock stunning him. His head was filled with a throbbing adding to the intense pain of the gunshot wound. He sluggishly rolled over on his back cradling his bleeding forehead with one hand and his bullet wound in the other. The blow to his head was now causing him to loose consciousness. As his vision begins to fade he sees a pink blur enter his field of vision. Then everything went dark and all sound ceased.