Twas another Nightmare Night for the small town called Ponyville. On this special night, ponies of different ages come out of their homes, dressed in costumes and enjoy the festivities. Whether they are collecting candies or participating in one of the many games and attractions, this was the night where everypony can enjoy.
On this night, Sweet Apple Acres was holding a spooky corn maze. They dared anypony brave enough to enter their terrifying labyrinth and among those who entered were the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
There was Applebloom, the yellow earth filly dressed as a platypus. Sweetie Belle, the white unicorn filly dressed in a fancy looking dress and lastly Scootaloo, the orange pegasus filly in a Wonderbolt uniform.
These three courageous fillies decided to try this maze and see if they could not only beat the maze, but also earn their cutie marks in the process.
An hour into this and the fillies found themselves hopelessly lost in the corn maze.
“Well this just bites.” Scootaloo stated, describing the situation they were in.
“Applebloom, are you sure you don’t the way out of this maze?” Sweetie questions her yellow friend.
“Like I said before, no I don’t.” Applebloom answered. “I didn’t help out with the corn maze because I didn’t want to know what surprise they have in store for us here.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Well because if I knew what was going to happen then it would ruin the fun for me!”
After Applebloom finished explaining the group continue on through the maze in silence. As they trot Sweetie Belle suddenly came up with an idea. The little unicorn filly then immediately stop in her tracks, earning her two friend's attention.
“Hey Sweetie Belle, why did you suddenly stop?” Her orange friend asked her.
“Well Scootaloo, I remember a thing my mom told me. She told me that if I ever got lost, I should stay in the same place and wait for her to come find me.”
“So wait you’re suggesting that we wait for you mom to come pick us up?” Said Applebloom.
“What no Applebloom, we just have to wait here for somepony to find us and they’ll get us out of here.” Sweetie explained.
“Well now that sounds like a good idea.”
“No it’s not, who how long it will take before somepony finds us.” Scootaloo pointed out. “We could be trap here all night and we’ll miss the rest of Nightmare Night.”
“Well it’s better than just wandering around and getting ourselves more lost.” Sweetie quickly retort, to which Scootaloo simply grumble to herself, defeated by Sweetie’s logic.
“Hey wait second I got an idea.” Applebloom spoke. “How about we pass the time by telling each other some scary stories.”
“Yeah that’s not bad idea Applebloom.” Sweetie said to her.
“Yeah alright I’m down with that.” Scootaloo then proceed to sit on the ground. “So do any of you have any stories to tell?”
“Well actually no.” Applebloom answered.
“Yeah I was planning to come up with one when we’re out of this maze.” Sweetie explained.
Upon hearing this Scootaloo smiled. “Well then lucky for you two I got a terrifying tale to tell you guys.”
“Well aright then Scootaloo, we’re all ears.” Applebloom said as both she and Sweetie Belle sat down on the ground and focus their attention on her.
“Alright girls listen up. My tale is about two brothers that just recently moved into a new house and finding a mysterious door. They both enter the door and found only an endless staircase descending down to the dark abyss below. Once they travel far down enough, both decided to head back up to the door. However, upon opening the door both brothers will quickly find out that this not their world. For this is not an ordinary door, but the…”
HORROR DOOR
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HORROR DOOR
“Alright now sons, your mother and I are heading out for a couple of hours.” The tall, well dressed stallion said to his two young sons. “We won’t be back late into the night, so I expect you two to be in bed by the time we come back, understood?”
In response the two sons nodded their heads.
“Alright then I got to go, remember sons dinners in the fridge, close all the lights before going to bed and don’t open the door for any strangers.” The father then turns around and trots out the front door.
After he left the eldest son, Crimson close the door and locked it. The colt then turns around to face his younger brother, Scarlet. “Well they’re out of the house, you know what that means?”
The little brother frowns at this, knowing where this is going. It was only recently that their family move into this new house. It was also only recent that both he and his older brother accidentally found it, the secret door.
It happened one day when he and Crimson were just playing around. Their game got intense and Crimson got slammed to the wall and ripped some wall paper down. However, this action allowed for the discovery of their secret door.
Behind the wallpaper was a completely flat surface door with a missing door handle. Since they can’t open the door without one, both brothers search the house for the missing door handle. So after hours of searching, Crimson manages to found it up in the attic.
He inserted the handle into the hole and it perfectly fit. Turning the handle the door made a creaking sound that an old door would make finally opening after years of staying closed. Once the door was all the way open, what they found inside was a dark staircase descending down to the darkness below.
Crimson was about to take a step down those dark steps, but the sound of the front door opening alerted the two brothers of their parents arrival. Quickly, his brother told him to cover the door up with the wall paper and told him not to tell their parents about this door.
Being the obedient little brother he is, Scarlet did what he was told and never mention the door around both his mother and father.
After that day, Crimson awaited for the perfect opportunity to open that secret door and after nearly a week later, his time has finally come.
Yesterday, both the mother and father were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala. However, they couldn’t go because they don’t have anyone to watch over their two sons while they are gone.
That is when Crimson stepped in. He somehow convinces them both that he and Scarlet are capable enough to take care of themselves for the night and that they have nothing to worry about. Convinced, both parents made preparation for their trip to Canterlot, where the Gala is being held.
Back to the present, Scarlet watches worryingly as his older brother pull the wall paper down and inserted the door handle into the hole. Then with a turn, the door made the same creaking noise it did before the last time it was opened.
Scarlet look down the old staircase and stare down into the endless darkness. The longer he look the more dread fills him up, making him unable to move.
The little brother feelings was a total contrast to his older brother, who only feel the sense of adventure.
“Alright, little brother let’s head down these steps.”
Even though Scarlet heard him, the little colt was still unable to move, frozen on the spot by fear.
“Come Scarlet, don’t be such a baby.” Crimson complain. “You need to be brave or else you’ll never stand up for yourself. Like that bully who always picks on you, what’s his name?”
The mention of the bully really sours the mood for the little brother. At the school there was a big, mean earth colt that picks on him. His name was Hard Head and he love to use his superior strength on those weaker than him, especially poor little Scarlet.
Seeing that his brother was not moving, Crimson decided to go down the steps by himself. Scarlet notice his brother descent down the dark staircase and despite being afraid to go down, he was even more afraid of what might happen to his older brother.
So mustering as much courage as he can, he took one step forward and enters through the doorway. As he does this, the door behind him suddenly closed right behind him.
Further down, Crimson had his flashlight turned on and was holding it in his mouth. He uses the light to shine the path ahead, finding nothing but darkness. As he continues to trots down more, he found no sign that he was getting any closer to the bottom of these steps. His earlier excitement for adventure was also begin to fade away and replacing it was the sense of fear of going further down these dark steps.
Not wanting to admit he was scared, Crimson push himself onward, mentally prepared to take on anything that come at him.
Then all of a sudden something bump into him from behind and the colt let out a short and quick scream. He quickly caught the flashlight before it fell and shine it on the thing that bump into him. The light reveals his brother, Scarlet.
“Scarlet? What are you doing here?”
“I was worried about you.” The little brother answered. “I couldn’t let you go down here alone.”
“Tsk, you’re worrying over nothing.” Crimson responded. “I can take care of myself, why don’t you head back upstairs.”
“No way, if something happens to you I don’t what I’ll do.”
“Fine, just stay close to me then.” Crimson said and continue his way down, this time now with his little brother accompanying him.
Minutes passed and the two brothers were getting no closer to reaching the bottom of this staircase. It was as if the staircase just kept on expanding, preventing them from ever reaching their destination.
Not wanting to go any further, Scarlet talk to his brother about going back up and to his surprise he agreed. What the little brother didn’t know was that Crimson was also starting to get scared.
The two brothers then turn around and trotted back up the staircase. Unlike when they were going down and found only endless steps, they eventually found the door they went through. Crimson opened the door and the two were back in their house.
Relief that they were finally out of that terrifying dark staircase, Scarlet was about to head to his room and relax, but the sound of something coming from the kitchen stopped him in his tracks.
Crimson too, also heard the sound from the kitchen. There shouldn’t be anypony else in the house except them. Suspecting that someone broke into their house, Crimson stealthily trot toward the kitchen and see who the pony was.
The oldest brother slowly creeps his way into the kitchen and spotted a mare at the counter. Upon looking closer he recognizes the mare.
“Mom?” Crimson called out, confuse to why she was here.
The mother turns around and smiles at him. “Oh Crimson dear, dinner won’t be done in the next couple of minutes.” She told him. “Why don’t go back and play with your brother.”
“Mom, why are you here?” He question. “Why aren’t you at the gala with dad?”
“Whatever are you talking about dear, why would I and your father be there?” The mother answered. “Speaking of your father, can you go out to our backyard and tell him to take a bath.”
Crimson was unsure of what was going on, but he follow his mother’s order and headed in the direction of the backyard. He passed by his little brother along the way, giving him a worried look.
Upon entering the backyard, the older brother looked up and saw that the sky was dark. “Were we gone that long?” He said to himself. His eye then caught the sight of his father near a corner of their yard. The stallion was currently using a shovel to bury something.
“Hey Dad, Mom said she wants you to shower before we eat.”
“Alright son, just give me a minute.” The father replied as he continues piling the dirt in the hole.
“What are you burying?” Crimson questioned.
“Oh you know, the left overs.”
“Left overs of what-“
“Crimson!” A mare voice shouted from the screen door. “Scarlet, wants to see you immediately.”
Crimson wasn’t sure what his brother want, but at this point something strange was going around and it couldn’t hurt to check up on his little brother.
He then proceed to trot back into the house, trot through the kitchen and into the living room, where Scarlet was waiting for him. The worried look on his little face was enough to tell him that something was wrong.
“What is it Scarlet?” He asked him.
Instead of answering, Scarlet led his brother to a closet and opens the door. Inside the small enclose room was a variety of coats and jackets, but the one thing that stood out was a lone schoolbag. It was a Power Pony theme schoolbag, displaying pictures of the different heroines.
“I don’t get it you called me here for a schoolbag?”
“Not just a schoolbag, its Hard Head’s schoolbag.” Scarlet explained.
“That bully? Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Scarlet stated, putting his right hoof into the bag and pulling a book out. “This was the book he stole from me when I was trying to return it. I got in trouble with the librarian because of him.”
“Ok that’s his schoolbag, but what’s it doing it here?” Crimson ask his little brother to which he just shrugs.
“Alright Crimson and Scarlet, dinner is ready?” Their mother called out from the dining room.
Both brothers headed for the dining room where their mother and their father were waiting for them. While the mare was setting up the plates and dishes, the recently bathed father assisted her.
The brothers sat on their usual spots and waited for them to be finished. A minute of two later and both parents finished and sat on their seats.
“Now boys this meal is a special one, especially for you Scarlet.” The father said.
“Why’s that?”
“Well Scarlet, remember how you told us of Hard Head bullying you at school.” The mother spoke. “So your father and I track him down and brought him here.”
“Really, where is he?”
“Why in here.” Answer the mother as she took the metal cover off the plate.
Both Crimson and Scarlet gasp in horror at what was on the plate. There lying on the plate was the bully, Hard Head. All sliced up, cooked and prepared to be eaten.
Neither Crimson nor Scarlet closed their agape mouths as both were still horrified at what they were seeing. It only gets worse from there as their minds were assessing all this shocking information. Here was a little colt, brutally murdered and turned into a meal. And it was their parents no less that committed this horrible atrocity.
“Come on sons, dig in.” The father said. “Your mother worked really hard to make this meal for us.” He then lifts his fork up and stab a slice of meat. Licking his lips, he open his mouth and took a big bite out of it.
Immediately after seeing his father eating the piece of the colt, Scarlet bolted out of the room. Crimson then follow after him, not wanting to be in the same room with the cooked up dead pony.
When he left the dining room to go after his little brother, he caught a glimpse of him galloping into the secret door. The older brother then quickens his pace and gallop down the same old steps of the dark, creepy staircase. As he does this, the door automatically closed behind him.
Turning on his flashlight, Crimson began calling out to his little brother while traveling down the steps. He kept on calling him until he eventually found him. When he did the colt found him sitting down and silently whimpering.
“Scarlet, where were you going?” Crimson ask him.
“I just had to get out of there Crimson.” Scarlet answered. “Those ponies are…are murderers!” He exclaimed. “They killed Hard Head and now they want us to eat him!”
Crimson was taken back this, never seeing his brother raise his voice like that before. “Look Scarlet, I know this all kind of mess up. That our parents are cannibals and-“
“No!” Scarlet interrupted. “Those are not our parents! Our mom and dad are not monsters, they would never do that!” He then looks away from his brother. “I don’t know who those ponies are, but I refuse to believe that they are our parents.”
Crimson didn’t say anything for a bit, letting the situation sink in as he thought about what to do next. “Alright Scarlet listen up, we’re going back up stairs and when we do we’ll immediately contact the police and tell them about those ponies. Understand?”
Scarlet remain silent. He didn’t want to go back up there with those monsters, but it was better than staying down here.
Nodding his head, both brothers turn around trot back up the steps and eventually reach the closed door again. Before opening the door, the both of them mentally prepare themselves for lies behind that door.
Crimson turn the handle and the two steps forward. Upon exiting the dark stairwell the two brothers quickly found themselves back to their house, but things were different.
Instead of a lighted, clean room the room was dark and the place was trashed. The walls were damaged, the windows were shattered with plank boards nailed over them, furniture either destroyed or placed in front of doors and windows.
To say that the colts were confused is understatement.
As they search around, many thought were running in their heads. All of them questioning the situation they were in and trying to find answers.
Suddenly a strange noise came from the garage, breaking the brothers out of their train of thought.
“What was that?” The little brother question with a hint of fear in his voice.
“I don’t know, do you think it’s them?” Crimson said, referring to their parents.
Scarlet didn’t respond to his brother inquiry and stayed staring at the door to the garage. Crimson turn and face the garage door. He then proceeds to slowly trot towards the door with his little brother staying close behind him.
Once he was in front of the garage door, he took the lock off and turns the handle. He pull door open and peaked inside. Inside the pitch black garage stood a single window, casting a lone light into the garage room. Standing in the middle was a single dark silhouette of a pony.
“H-hello?” Crimson said shining the flashlight on the pony.
The flashlight reveals the pony to be their mother. She had her back turn against them and she looked absolutely terrible. She was thin to the point that her bones was showing, the vibrant color of her coat became more pale and her once clean and straight mane was all rustled up.
“Mom?” Crimson called out to her, a decision he regret in a second.
The mare turns her body around, revealing her grotesque appearance to them. The brothers gasp at the sight of their mother. Gone was her friendly face, in its place were two soulless eyes and a set of sharp, jagged fangs. Even all four of her hooves changed, each one sporting a set of three claws that sprouted out from each of her hooves.
The two brothers were so disturb by the creature that it in their shock state it lunges at them, intending to rip out their throats. However, the chain around her neck kept her from getting any closer to the door, pulling her back.
The sudden lunge surprises the both of them and Crimson reacted by quickly by slamming the door hard on her. As the two took a couple of steps back, they heard the sound of the front door opening. Turning their heads in that direction, they spotted their father hastily getting inside and locking the door behind him.
The father was carrying a kitchen knife in his mouth while also wearing a saddlebag. Like their mother, their father was also a messed. But, unlike her he was still a pony.
“Dad?” Scarlet said worryingly.
The father lifts his head up and saw his two sons staring at him. “Scarlet, Crimson what are you doing here?” He questions them. “You should be down in the safe room.”
“Safe room?”
Before the father could respond, Crimson interrupted by asking a question. “Dad, why is mom locked in the garage and what happened to her?”
This question seems to have triggered something in the stallion as he then began panicking. “What! You weren’t supposed to go in there; I told you numerous times not to go in there!” The father yelled as trotted up to them.
“Did she bit you? Did she scratch you? Are both of you alright?” He asked his numerous questions to both of his sons
“Were fine, dad.” Crimson assured him. “Why weren’t we allowed to see our mom?”
The father sighs before answering. “Crimson, you got understand. No colt should see their mother like that, not after what happened to her.” He said, looking sad.
There was brief moment of silence before Crimson spoke up “Dad, why were you outside.” He asked curiously.
“Why to get supplies of course.” The father answered and dumps the content of his saddlebag on the ground. Only three items were shown: one can of beans, one half-full box of cereal, and one cracker packet. “It’s not much, but it will get us through for the next day or two.”
“Dad, where did those wounds come from?” Scarlet spoke up, pointing to the bandages around his right foreleg.
“Oh don’t worry son, I just accidently cut myself while climbing through a broken window. None of those monsters touch me.”
“Monsters?”
As if on cue, something came bashing against the door, startling everyone. They heard some beast like snarls as the thing outside continues to slam itself against the locked front door. Soon enough more of those creatures start appearing. They slam themselves against the windows, attempting to break through boards.
“Oh no they followed me, but how?” The father questioned. “Unless.” Looking down at his bandage foreleg he came to a realization. “So they really do smell your blood.”
“Dad, what’s going?” Scarlet shouted.
“Boys you need head down to the safe room, now!” The father ordered as he brandished the knife. “I’ll keep them distracted, lure them away from here and give them the slip.” He was about to enact his plan, but Scarlet stopped him.
“No dad, please don’t go!” The little brother begged him. “I don’t want those monsters getting you!”
“Scarlet, I have to! If I don’t they’ll find you!”
Suddenly one of the nearby boarded window busted opened and a monstrous looking pony emerge from the open window.
“Get down now!” Their father shouted. “I’ll keep it busy!” Breaking off from his son, he charges right at the monster with his knife.
Scarlet wanted to go after his father, but Crimson pulled him back and carry him back to the secret door. Despite his little brother’s protest he push onward, passing by numerous boarded windows that were being broken down by the monsters outside.
Crimson reached to the secret door and quickly slammed just in time for one of those monsters lunge at him, smashing its face against the close door. Crimson then galloped down the endless dark stairwell, galloping for who knows how long.
Eventually Crimson got tired and stopped. Putting his little brother, both ponies sat down and remain silent. The two kept remaining silent for almost half an hour now, with neither of saying anything to each other. Finally Crimson broke the silence.
“We have to go back up.”
“I know.” Scarlet simply replied.
Both brothers started trotting back up the steps. Their trip was a slow one as neither of them were excited to face what lies upstairs for them.
They finally reach the door and stood there for a good minute before Crimson actually did something. Turning the door handle, both brothers brace themselves and took a step forward.
Looking around everything was back to the way it was. No boarded windows, no broken furniture or walls and most importantly no monsters.
However, they were not in the clear yet as they looked around the house. After finding no traces of their parents the brothers believe that they were back in their own home, but are no sure. That was when they heard the sound of the front door opening and the voice of their parents casually talking to each other as they enter into the house.
Both brothers immediately head towards the front door and saw their parents in their gala wears.
“Crimson? Scarlet? What are you two doing up?” Their mother asked.
“Your mother is right, you should be in bed.” The father said.
Both brothers then rush in and hugged their parents, telling them how much they missed them much to their confusion.
After explaining what happened and even showing them the secret door they found, both the father and mother agreed that it was best to seal this door up. While they don’t fully believe what their kid told them, they at least know that there was something animus about this dark staircase and have no desire to go down those steps.
So after removing the door handle and sealing the whole door with concrete life went as normal. The brothers go about their ordinary lives and their memories of that horrible experience starts to fade away, becoming nothing more than a bad memory.
While everything was back to normal there was one thing none of them were aware of. If one listens closely beyond the seal door, they could hear the low sound of something snarling.