//------------------------------//
// Necessary Sacrifice 
// Story: My little Dayz: Zombies Aren't Magic 
// by Colgate1211 
//------------------------------//

	Everything sounded muffled, and all was black. His head throbbed with pain, his mind was faring no better. He was in some kind of truck, but that's all he could figure out in that instant.
"Colgate?" He called out, his voice raspy and throat dry. "Colgate?" He called again, louder.
"Shut up! Prisoners don't talk!" A harsh voice ordered him. A cloth bag was over his head. He tried to remove it, but found his hooves bound tight. No moving anytime soon.
"So, you want to explain what happened back there?" A the same voice calmly asked. Obsidian remained totally silent. The tension in the truck escalated rapidly. "I'm talking to you, dammit!" he said, leaning in closer to Obsidian's face.
"Prisoners don't talk..." He explained. He smirked at his reply, chuckling under his breath.
"We can make it so you NEVER talk again, if you want, shitbag." A rough, deep voice piped in. Obsidian stopped smirking.
`"Let's not start calling each other names, now. Keep whatever civility is left here. My partner and I had been travelling for a long while, and we were sure that there were some bandits following us. When we saw your scouts outside town, and thought they were the bandits. Simple mistake." he explained calmly. He was met with what felt like and uneasy silence. "So, I'm going to assume that you guys understand the mistake?"
"Oh, sure. Never mind that we lost X number of good soldiers; it was just a stupid mistake by a stupid survivor... We're all peachy keen." 
"I felt some sarcasm in there."
"You'll be feeling a lot more later. You can be quiet again, now." He barked angrily. Obsidian felt movement beside him, a hoof brush his side.
"Colgate?" He whispered under his breath.
"You know it." She said. She rested her head on Obsidian's shoulder.
"Just relax, we'll get out of this somehow." he said, trying his best not to let the worry and fear seep into the façade of reassurance he put up. She let out a light sigh.
"Okay, listen up you whelps. We will be stopping here for the night, we will be at the Facility by afternoon tomorrow. All prisoners will remain in this truck. Any unauthorized movement or communication will be met with execution." The rough voice barked out from the silence. "Soldiers can move out to the tents, lights out for the night." He finished. The guards got up, and most made no attempt to step around Obsidian or Colgate, who wound up being stepped on and kicked to a fare-thee-well. After the commotion, the prisoners spaced themselves out somewhat comfortably.

"How many are in here?" Obsidian whispered under his breath.
"Just you two and I, if I'm correct. The name's Tulrik." he said. Even from his whisper, Obsidian could tell he was a soft-spoken individual. "Hold still." He muttered. Obsidian felt the rope around his hooves tugging and pulling, then it went completely slack. The bag over his head was quickly jerked off to reveal the face of a teenage colt. His eyes shone brightly in the moonlight that found its way through the tattered canvas covering on the back of the truck they were in. He moved to Colgate, and freed her as well. She sat up and rubber her legs where her ropes had been tied a bit too tight. "Here's the plan: I've counted four soldiers including that big gruff dude. They're all sleeping, which means we can sneak up on them and take them out quietly. When we're done, the loot and truck is ours!" He said, proud at the plan he had formulated.
"Slow down there, Tiger... Problem one: Who made you captain of this operation. Number two: Who said there would even BE an operation!?" Obsidian asked him firmly.
"Nobody on both accounts. But do you really wanna find out where they're taking us? They got all your gear, too, ya know. Here," he said, sliding a dagger to Obsidian. "I smuggled these in, hid them under the floorboards when they threw me in here. Two for you, two for me. You down for this, man?" he asked. Obsidian nodded, and they quietly slipped out of the back of the truck.
"See the tents over there? Two to a tent."
"How do we know which one the big guy is in, he'll probably be a problem for one of us."
"Well.... we'll find out when we get there, now won't we?"
"I like your style, kid." Obsidian chuckled. In the light, he could finally get a look at this kid. He had a coat of bleached blonde that shimmered in the moonlight. His mane was long and flowing, the kind of mane that all the mares at school would swoon over. He was the stereotypical high school stud. He motioned for obsidian to follow, nodding his head to the left for him to take the tent to their left.

Obsidian sneaked  up to the flaps to enter the tent. He could hear two distinct snores from inside, and rattled the tent just enough to wake them.
"Woah.... did you feel that?" A voice asked, groggily.
"Yeah.... go check it out.
"What? You do it."
"I'm pulling rank on you, and now it's an order. Go."
"Fine..." There was rustling of sleeping bags and gear being shoved aside. Obsidian moved to the side of the tent, dagger at the ready. The flaps to the tent swung open, and a head popped out. Obsidian took his chance, and brought the dagger down into the skull of the unsuspecting soldier, who crumpled, dead instantly.
"What the fuck!?" A voice called out. Obsidian, thinking on his feet, dove into the tent and tackled the soldier inside, stunning him for a few precious seconds. He took a pillow, and smothered the bewildered soldier's face. He struggled, kicking and punching but to no avail. The fight inside him slowly died down, and Obsidian looked through the gear in the tent. He spotted his and Colgate's bags both still locked and took them both back to the truck quickly.
"C'mon, we're about to get outta here." He said, sliding her bag towards her.
"Where'd the kid go?" She asked him, just before a bloodcurdling scream of horror and pain filled the air.

Obsidian whipped around, and saw the largest stallion he'd ever seen dragging Tulrik out into the open by the campfire.
"I know you're out there, worms! Surrender, and I promise we won't treat you that badly... Or you can run, and leave this scrawny little prick to his fate... Your choice!" He said, taking out a revolver and putting it to Tulrik's head
"C'mon guys, surrender and let's get this over with..." he said, locking eyes with Obsidian, who was frozen by the truck.
"Colgate..." He said softly.
"What're we gonna do?" She asked as if she knew what he was going to ask.
"Lets just get out of here."
"What!? We're just going to leave the kid to be shot!?" She asked in a mix of anger and confusion. "Why would we do that?
"Being executed would be a lot better than what would probably happen if he was to go his own way... He knows that. Now let's take the truck and get away from here. Set up camp and get some sleep." He explained, putting a hoof on her shoulder. She hung her head and sighed. "It's a necessary sacrifice."
"Alright..." She said, and Obsidian walked up to the drivers door of the truck. He looked back to Tulrik, and mouthed an apology.
"Wait, what? You guys can't leave me here!" he shrieked, clamoring to his hooves. The stallion with the revolver took aim, and Obsidian shielded his eyes as a gunshot pierced the air. Without looking, he got into the truck, turned it on and drove away with fear in his mind and regret in his heart.