//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: The Asylum // by MrMoonBird //------------------------------// I sat there while the stillness and silence of the facility enveloped me. Even though the cameras were down, that didn’t change the fact that the cells were equipped with audio devices. Though they were crappy ones they did work. I flipped each audio channel on, hoping that somepony would make some kind of noise to let me know where they were. I was told that this was the worst time of night; when the cameras failed you and the only way of knowing that you were safe was by the world's crappiest audio devices. I turned the computer’s volume up to 50 and waited. I heard the ever famous popping and crackling of the recorders, but that was it. I looked across the lobby. I couldn't see much but I swore I saw shadows dancing along the walls. “You’re just hallucinating, that’s all. There’s nothing there… Nothing there… Nothing… There…” I continued to mumble to myself until I fell asleep. I awoke to the infamous chuckling of Rainbow Dash. She went silent for a while, but I could still hear her heavy breathing. It sounded as if it was extremely close. “Where am I, and where are you?” Another still silence floated in the air, when her laughter picked up again. Finally, she whispered into my ear, “Well let’s just say you’re not in that seat of yours anymore.” “What do you mean you psychotic horse?” “What I mean is that you are somewhere in the depths of this asylum. Now, as you may have realized before your nap, all the power was cut, except for your computer. That was my doing, along with Twilight’s help of course. You may also be asking how I got out. It was simple. Befriend a unicorn that has brains, and she’ll do anything for you. She may even cut the power to the entire facility.” My eyes widened in horror. Why hadn’t I seen that coming? Twilight and Dash had been close friends long before insanity struck them, so why shouldn’t they “help” each other out in times of need? “But yes, since the power was cut, I was able to get out of my cell. So did everypony else in this asylum. They may be wandering around, but who knows? Not me, that’s for sure!” She began to laugh maniacally before her voice dropped to a flat and serious tone. “You’re not dead, but only because I’ve spared you. I figured that we could play a game.” Having nothing to say in response to this, I let her continue. “The rules are simple. I untie you from this ceiling and let you get out of this room. But once you are out, you will be hunted. If any of the residents here find you, yes that includes me, then we get to tear you limb from limb. Now, as you may know, there are at least 3,000 of us here in the asylum, so we can be around any and I mean ANY corner.” “What else?” “Well, you're not going to have any light source, that’s for one. In order to ‘win’ this game, you must survive the night while we hunt for you. I’ve already explained the rules to the others, so they know what to do when you’re found. Oh, and if you happen to get spotted, run. It may be your only chance of survival. Good luck.” With that, she cut me down from the roof like she said she would, and I walked out of the room. Wait, isn’t she allowed to just get me now? I looked back towards the room, but found it empty. Laughter echoed throughout the building with each step I took. “What kind of game is this? I mean, I’m being hunted, and my only way of survival is to avoid being found? This is just magnificent… and to top it off, I have to do it in the dark, with 3,000 psychotic ponies looking for me!” I was finally having regrets on taking this job, but it paid well. 300 bits a week didn’t seem all that bad and of course I knew that this was an asylum. In the midst of my thought, I rounded a corner and looked ahead. I could see the silhouette of somepony, but I wasn’t too sure who. I slowly backed away, trying to be as quiet as possible. I was not about to die, not because of some stupid little game that Dash wanted to play. I bumped my flank into the wall before once again rounding the corner. Apparently, the simple vibration of the bump was enough to alert the pony ahead of me. They turned in my direction, and I was met by glowing red eyes. “The hell happened to you?” The pony just stared at me, as if trying to figure out whether I was an employee or a resident. Within seconds, they began to run in my direction, a scream escaping their mouth. “Oh hell no. Not today you little bugger.” I turned and galloped around the corner. I didn’t care what was further down the hall so I kept running. At one point, I finally came to a hall that was illuminated partially by moonlight. The walls were crumbling and the cell doors were all open. It looked as if they had been opened by blunt force and nothing else. I had completely forgotten about the pony chasing me until their scream echoed from close behind. I turned to see them not even ten feet from me. I finally had a good view of them. A mare, with a fuchsia coat with patches of skin spotting along her body, and a mane that was a magenta color. She was missing large chunks of hair from her mane and tail. Her mouth was foaming uncontrollably and she had an indefinite scream. Once I had gotten my fair share of her looks, I took off running down the halls again. Finally, I lost her amongst a pile of loose bricks that I had kicked onto her. Her screaming died down, telling me she was either dead or had lost track of me. I hoped for the first option to be true. “If it is, that means I’m only being hunted by another 2,999 ponies. At least my chances of survival have boosted right?” I shook my head in frustration and cautiously walked down another moonlit hall. I came across a cell that had a single window. I looked in out of curiosity and saw a lone wheelchair facing the window. Nopony was occupying it, but there were streaks of blood on the floor. I looked on the front side of the door and read the sign. Lyra Heartstrings: Do not open this door under ANY circumstances! “I wonder why…” I moved on through the hall, stepping over any loose rubble. Whatever had busted these doors open was obviously something big. The walls had been smashed in slightly, which I found quite disturbing, but it wasn’t as bad as the blood streaks along the floor. Lyra must’ve drug herself from the cell after it was blown open. “But, where is she exactly?” I had no clue why exactly I was asking myself these questions. The only thoughts that ran through my mind within those moments were questions, stupid questions if that. A moan came from down the hall. Sounded like I was about to find out what happened to Lyra.