//------------------------------// // The Beast in the Storm // Story: Clubhouse of Horror III // by Grenazers //------------------------------// THE BEAST IN THE STORM Flying up high in the cloudless skies, a lone brown pegasus stallion with white hair, was currently holding a binocular up to his eyes. Through them he can a see a large brownish smoke off in the distance. “Hey, Desert Eagle!” Shouted a green earth stallion from the ground, beneath his winged friend. “Do you see the dust storm or not?” He questioned. “Yes, Slate!” Desert answered his partner's question. “There's a large dust storm far off north from here!” “Where's it going? Is it heading in our direction?” Desert took another look with his binocular and saw that the cloud of dust slowly moving in their general direction. “Yes.” He answered. “How long?” “Two or three hours, give or take!” “Alright then lets head back and inform everypony!”The green pony then quickly turn around and gallop away. Desert Eagle soon followed afterwards as he stuffs his binocular away in his bag. The two travel across the sandy landscape, both heading towards the town in the distance. Upon reaching the town they were met by the Mayor and several other ponies. After being inform of the coming dust storm, the Mayor order everyone to spread the news and prepare for the approaching storm. For the next hour everypony cease all activity and business, to prepare for the coming dust storm. Everywhere ponies gather up their supplies and boarded up their homes. In one of these homes, Desert Eagle was inside with his father, Desert Fox. Desert Eagle found his father staring out the window with a worried look on his face. “Hey dad, are you alright?” He asked his father. “Nothing for you to worry about son, just worried is all.” The father said reassuringly. “This storm is just reminding me of something my father told when I was your age, did I ever tell of that story?” “I think you did, but I don't remember much. Can you refresh my memory?” “Well son this happened a long time ago, your grandfather and his brother were outside during a large dust storm. The reason why they were outside is because a chariot full of foals crashed near their home. Both your grandfather and his brother went outside to rescue those kids, however as your grandfather carry the last foal to their house, he noticed his brother was not with him. Fearing that something happened to him, he order the foals to stay inside and went out to find his brother. As he searched and searched, he found no traces of him. He call out for him, but only got silence in response.” “Yeah and then his brother disappeared and was never found again.” Desert Eagle said, remembering the story now. “Well yes that's the story, but there was one part I didn't tell you about.” “And what's that dad?” “Your grandfather saw who took his brother away.” Desert Fox turn his head around and saw the surprise look on his son's face. “Who did he saw dad? Who's the pony that took away your uncle?” Eagle questioned. “That's the thing my boy it wasn't a pony, nor was it a griffon, zebra or any creatures we know. No instead it was something entirely different, something strange and unique, Something that your grandfather couldn't understand.” Fox paused for a moment and though back to the spot where the story was. “So anyways your grandfather was outside in the dust storm looking for his brother. As he continue to trot out in the storm, a wave of sand assaulted him. He soon found himself being lifted up by the sand. He terrified at what was going on, but that nothing compared to when he looked up. Up high in the dust storm was the face of the monster, staring down at him.” “It's glowing yellow eyes gaze upon him and let out a loud growl. It then drag your grandfather upwards near his sandy jaws. Just before he was about to be eaten, his brother came flying in and knock him away from the beast's grasp. As he fell he saw his brother being grab by the beast and was consumed by it. And that pretty much the story. “Desert Fox concluded and look at his son. He had a skeptical look on his face. “Well jeez dad, that sounds pretty insane.” Eagle said to his father. “Well son I don't really blame you, hell even I tough it was insane when he told me that. However, I always remind myself of one thing. Something did happened to my uncle and whether or not this beast is real, something did happened to my uncle that day.” Just as he finished that sentence, the sound of sirens blare outside. “That's the alarm, better hurry up and finished with those barricades.” The two stallions then went and add the final barricade to their house. Meanwhile in the outskirts of the town, the large brown dust storm quickly approaches the little pony town, engulfing every building within it. Inside, the cloud of dust blocked out the sun, making it completely dark for the town's inhabitants. In their living room, both Desert Eagle and Desert Fox sat comfortably together on the big green couch. There was a small table sitting in front of them, on this table was a bunch of food, water and candles. Bored, the father decided to bug his son. “So Eagle, heard you been going out with this Melody Sound, filly?” “We're just friends, dad.” “Yeah well your mother and I were just friends, but here you are now.” Desert Eagle place a hoof to his face. “Are really you really doing this, dad?” “Well what else is there to do?” The older stallion then point his hoof at the boarded up window behind him. “The storm out there can last for hours.” He stated. “Got to do something to pass the time.” Eagle sighs heavily and slouch a bit. He was about to ignore his dad and sit and do nothing, but something caught his attention. His ears caught the faint sound of something. “Dad, did you hear that?” “Heard what? All I hear is the sand hitting our walls and windows.” Desert Eagle got up and trot to the nearest window. “No I hear something, come here and listen closely.” Desert Fox did what he said and stood and trot to the window where his son is. When he reach the boarded up window he listened in closely for something. His ears soon caught the sound of something outside. “What is that?” He asked his son. Instead of answering, he remain silent so he can try and make out what that sound is. Luckily for him the sound was getting clearer, but also getting louder. “HELP! SOMEPONY HELP!” The voice yelled, sounding very familiar to them. “Is that your friend?” “Slate?” Eagle questioned and then open the window slightly. “SLATE!” He yelled out to his friend, getting his attention. The green stallion then gallop to their window. As he got closer, both the father and son can see the various cuts and bruises on the stallion. “You got to let me in!” Slate exclaim to the two of them. “It's after me!” “What's after you? Where's your parents?” Eagle question his panicking friend. “They're gone! The storm took them!” “The storm? The hell are you talking about?” “I don't know man, it just happened so fast.” He expalined. “Me and my folks were just playing a board game when we suddenly felt our house creaking a lot. Then all of a sudden the roof get's torn off and I saw the face of a beast!” “Face?” Fox asked. “Yeah like a face shaped from the sands!” Upon hearing this, Desert Fox backed up. “Can't believe it.” He said to himself as he let the information sink in. “My father was right.” “Please you gotta let me in!” Slate pleaded his friend. “Alright just go to our front door and we-” Eagle was interrupted by something outside. They all turn and saw a nearby house being surrounded by sand. The sands took the form of several long tentacles that broke through all the windows, this was then follow after by loud screaming from the ponies inside. Both stallion's stood in shock as they witness the sandy tendrils carry the ponies out of their home. Suddenly more sand came in and merged together, forming a face. The monstrous jaws was the first to form, then came its eyes. Its bright yellow eyes pierce through the thick mist of dust in the air. They watch as the beast devours it preys, by ripping the flesh from their bones. Piece by tiny pieces the flesh was getting torn off and leave nothing but bones behind. Realizing the situation, Eagle call out to his friend. “Slate! Quickly get to the front door!” Slate broke out of his trance and gallop around the house and face the front door. The door opened, revealing his friend on the other side. Slate rush in and heard the door closing behind him. The two trotted to the living room. “My goddess, Eagle did you saw that!” Slate exclaimed. “Freaking monster tore those poor ponies flesh off!” “Yes, I know Slate, I was there!” Eagle said frustratingly as that terrible scene replays before in his head. Slate looked around and notice somepony was missing. “Hey Eagle, where's your dad?” Eagle quickly realized the absence of his father. Just as he was about to question where he was, his father call out for his son and friend. “Eagle, Slate, come over here!” The father shouted out from them. Both stallion went down the hallway and found Desert Fox, standing by a opened door. “Down here, we'll safe in the basement.” The three then trot down the old wooden steps and entered the pitch black room. Fox lit a match and light up a lantern. The lantern flooded the room with a bright light, casting the darkness away and revealing several old and dusty objects. “Smart thinking, dad. That thing won't reach us down here.” “I hope you're right.” Slate commented. The sound of glass breaking caught their attention. “What was that?” “Sounds like one our windows upstairs breaking.” Fox guessed. “What no, that sounded way to clear.” Eagle corrected. “That sound came from down here.” All of a sudden a tower of boxes fell down, showing a small cracked window with sand pouring in. “What the hell?” “Damn, the thing trying to flood us with sand!” Eagle the headed for the stairs. “Quickly we have to get up!” “But, then we'll be vulnerable for the monster, up there!” Slate argued. “Would you rather stay down here and be buried alive.” Desert Fox pointed as he follow after his son. Soon Slate reluctantly follow afterward. The three made it upstairs and when they did, they can hear the cracks and tears as the beast was slowly ripping the roof off. “Quick we have to escape while it thinks we're still in here!” Eagle yelled. “Escape to where exactly?” Slate questioned. “Let's head to the South Court Condominium.” Fox suggested. “I know a friend of mine who lives there, he'll shelter us.” “Well then let's go!” As the three rush out through the front door, they all stopped in their tracks. “Holy crap!” Slate said upon seeing all the destroyed buildings lay before the three. “Are we the only one still standing?” Fox inquiry. Before anyone could do anything, they were all suddenly assaulted by a swarm of sand. Pushed to the ground, they then felt themselves being lift up into the air. The sandy tendrils wrapped firmly around the three struggling ponies. They were being carried up in the air, where the sand flew around most furiously. When they were flip upward, they came face to face with the beast. Being this close, they soon see just how large this beast was, his face almost covers the entire dark sky. As they drew closer to its face, Slate was first to go. Both Desert Fox and Eagle watch in terror as his flesh was getting torn off. Piece by piece his flesh was getting ripped off and being consume my the beast. Slate scream in horror as his arms and legs were tearing off. Once they were done with those, they went onto his body where after they take the flesh away, they began taking his organs too. At the same time Slate's head was also falling to pieces. His scream quickly died out, as his vocal cords was ripped to shreds. After they were done, Slate was nothing but a skeleton. They drop his remains back down on the ground and went onto the father next. They start of on his legs and arms, tearing bits of his flesh off. Just like Slate, Desert Fox screamed in pain as the beast was feeding on him. Desert Eagle put more efforts in his struggle, wanting to break out and free his father. Unfortunately, his action only succeeded to quicken his own death. Eagle soon felt his own flesh being torn off and soon realize that the beast is now consuming him. The pain was worser then he imagine. The feeling of having your flesh being peeled off was horrible. Eagle joined in with his father as they both screamed in pain as their flesh gets ripped off. A couple of seconds later their screams died out and all that left was their skeletal remains. The beast drops the bones and quickly disperse. The once large dust storm that covered the entire town is gone. No longer was the sky blocked, allowing the sun's rays to shine upon the ruin town. A town full of bones from the beast's victims, “And that concludes my story.” Applebloom said as she put her papers down. “So what do y'all think?” She turn and ask the crowd. Every foal in the audience gave the little apple filly a loud applause. They kept on clopping their hooves until everypony starting getting up and leaving. The large crowd of foals were the first to leave the farm, the crusaders were right behind them. “Howdy girls!” Greeted a familiar southern accent. “Applejack!” Applebloom greeted her older sister, who was wearing a old western bandit getup. “Saw the large group of foals leaving the farm, you girls must've told some hell of a good tales to get them all come out to your clubhouse.” “You bet, Applejack!” The little filly exclaimed. “Well alright now come girls, the night is still young.” Applejack then lead the three fillies away from the farm and into town. They trot onward with a smile on their face after a successful telling to their spooky tales.