//------------------------------// // In Darkness // Story: It Dwells in Darkness // by MisterNick //------------------------------// Beep… beep… beep… beep… Zipporwhill slowly opened her eyes. Her head throbbed steadily as if somepony were using it as a bass drum. Her body burned with fatigue as she looked about the small sterile room. In front of her and to the left next to the door was a small closet. Above her an I.V. dripped down a long tube into her foreleg. To the right sat her father Django and Miss Cheerilee. Both ponies looked worried as Zipporwhill slowly tried to sit up. “Papa,” she said her throat dry and her voice weak. Django quickly moved to her side and adjusted the bed. He lowered his head so that his daughter wouldn’t have to see him wipe away his tears of relief. “Yes, Zips. Are you okay?” “It hurts,” replied Zipporwhill weakly. Django looked to Cheerilee, “Could you get the nurse, please?” Cheerilee nodded and quickly exited the room to get a nurse. Django gently caressed his daughter’s forehead as he sat with her, “You are going to be okay. You will see they will have you back flying in a little bit,” he said giving her the best smile he could. “Papa,” said Zipporwhill as her eyes filled with tears, “I’m so sorry papa.” “Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?” “I cut through the woods. I know I wasn’t supposed to but, I wanted to make sure I got to school on time for sure, but I-I….” “Shh,” said Django quietly, “I am just glad you are here and are going to be alright. We will worry about that another time okay?” Zipporwhill nodded a little as Cheerilee came back in with Nurse Redheart. The white pony with pink hair asked Zipporwhill a few questions, asked her to follow a small light with her eyes and a few other things before writing something in a file. “Well, you’re going to have to stay here for a couple of days for monitoring but, by then you should be up and ready to go home,” said Nurse Redheart with a smile. “So, what happened to her,” asked Django. Nurse Redheart beckoned the two adult ponies off to the side and said, “That’s just it, we don’t know.” “What do you mean you don’t know,” asked Cheerilee her voice cracking in anger, “She was bleeding from her eyes, nose and mouth! I brought her here myself!” “How can you not know,” added Django his frustration mounting, “What kind of hospital is this?” Nurse Redheart sighed and looked at the two adult ponies, “I mean we don’t know. We’ve run the standard tests. We’re going to run some additional tests to be sure we haven’t missed anything; but, honestly we can’t fix something that isn’t showing up in testing. That’s why we’re going to monitor her for a few days to see if anything happens.” “It was the shade,” said Zipporwhill. Nurse Redheart and Django looked at her questioningly, waiting for some further elaboration. Cheerilee, trying to keep it together said to herself, “Shades again? They aren’t real we’ve discussed this.” “What is this shades,” asked Django, “What is she talking about?” “Well, as you know she was late to school. She said it was because she saw a shadow ghost thing. A shade.” Django blinked unsure how to respond. He certainly didn’t believe in ghosts. He looked to the nurse and quietly asked, “Is there anything that could have perhaps made that happen?” Nurse Redheart rubbed her chin thinking, “Well, again nothing came up on the scans, but maybe we missed something. It could be a tumor somewhere deep in her brain or the beginnings of epilepsy, though that wouldn’t explain the bleeding. It could be a combination of things like a stroke with some other cause.” “You can check for this yes?” “Well it should have shown up during the CAT scan,” began Redheart, “But we could use the full body scanner this time around. It’s much more thorough. It’s just that the other scanner was free and given her symptoms it seemed like the best course of action at the time.” “When the full body scanner is free please let them know to do this, okay,” said Django insistently. “Of course, I’ll tell Dr. Mixter to get her scheduled,” said Redheart, “You two look beat; if you want the cafeteria is down the hall to the left. It’ll be awhile and maybe you could use a cup of coffee.” “Well somepony has to stay with her. We can’t both just get coffee,” said Cheerilee. “I can,” said a voice from the doorway, “Stay with her I mean.” The three adult ponies turned to see, much to their surprise Diamond Tiara standing in the doorway. “I heard about what had happened, we all did in fact and I came by with a few cards from her friends. Get well stuff and all,” she said tapping her backpack. Cheerilee blinked, “I didn’t know you two were friends.” “Miss Cherilee,” stated Diamond Tiara flatly, “I’m friends with many of my classmates. Silver Spoon may be my best friend but, she’s out of the country with her family on some diplomatic jaunt to Saddle Arabia. So why wouldn’t I be concerned when my good friend Zipporwhill wound up in the hospital?” Cheerilee rubbed the bridge of her nose, “None of this makes sense and I’m too tired to try and think about it.” “Go on home Miss Cheerilee you have done more than enough,” said Django, “I will let you know what is going on later okay?” Diamond Tiara smiled up at the adults and made way for the exhausted teacher to exit. “Zipporwhill’s dad I’ll keep an eye on her. I can press the button if anything happens.” “Come on, I’ll take you to the cafeteria. She’ll be fine for now.” Django sighed and looked back at his daughter not wanting to leave for a second. As he looked at her he felt the hoof of nurse Redheart on his back, gently coaxing him to go to the cafeteria. “I just don’t want to leave her,” he said quietly before looking at Diamond Tiara, “You get help if anything and I mean anything goes wrong you hear me?” “You have my word,” responded Diamond Tiara as the Django and Redheart exited the room. Diamond Tiara lingered in the doorway and watched as the two adults walked down the hall. Her eyes dampened; she turned her head so that Zipporwhill couldn’t see them. “Your father is a good guy.” “He’s the best,” said Zipporwhill with a tired sigh, “Nopony believes me about the shade though. They think it’s something in my head.” Diamond Tiara entered the hospital room. She scowled at the furniture before taking a seat next to Zipporwhill, “Parents, don’t tend to believe such stuff unless it happens to them. It’s just too weird for them.” “I guess so.” Zipporwhill watched Diamond Tiara unpack her bag, placing four get well cards on the nightstand next to her, one of which was obviously store bought. Next, she pulled out the large canister of salt and sat it next to the cards. Zipporwhill’s gaze shifted from the salt back to Diamond Tiara as a small frown crossed her face, “Why’d you do it Diamond?” “Do what,” asked Diamond Tiara as she stopped zipping back up her pack. “You know what. I don’t know how you did it you can’t use magic, but you summoned that shade.” Diamond Tiara frowned, her eyes narrowed and her voice became acidic, “Do you really think I’d do that? What have those blank flanks been saying about me behind my back?” “Nothing but, you never really talked to me before.” “I’m just trying to make a new friend and cheer her up when she’s in the hospital!” “Yeah but, you knew the legend when nopony else did. You’re carrying around the largest can of salt I’ve ever seen for no real reason, unless it was for protection from something like this.” Diamond Tiara blushed but, her sour demeanor remained and looked injured. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” she said in a measured and angry tone. “Please,” begged Zipporwhill placing her hoof on Diamond Tiara’s foreleg, “If- if you really want to be friends you have to be honest with me. It’s what friends do.” Diamond Tiara shuddered as she looked down at the hoof that rested on her. It was gentle and caring; a quiet plea from one would be friend to another to do the right thing. Diamond Tiara looked down at that hoof and began to tremble. As she shook, tears, the first in a long time fell silently onto the hoof. “He never came,” she said in a weak whisper. “Who never came?” “My dad,” she said look up her eyes starting to look puffy, “He never came to my birthday party. He never comes to any of them.” Zipporwhill blinked, “Why not?” “Because he always has to work,” she sobbed. “He’s always in Detrot, or Fillydelphia or overseas. He’s always making deals. The last time I saw him he made me wear a stupid bunny suit and hop around in a circle at that stupid farm.” Zipporwhill forced herself to sit up. The world spun violently as she grabbed hold of Diamond Tiara and gently pulled her close to give her the best hug she could, given her condition. She felt the sad filly sob into her shoulder. “He hates me,” sobbed Diamond Tiara. Zipporwhill gently rubbed Diamonds back, “No. He doesn’t hate you. “ “Yes he does,” said Diamond Tiara lifting her head from Zipporwhill’s shoulder to look her straight in the eye, “That’s why I needed that shade.” “What,” asked Zipporwhill her eyes widening. Diamond Tiara looked down and wiped her eyes, “Bits can buy you anything and on spring break I used some to find a witch in some hollow in Kenbucky to summon the one of Sombra’s foals. I was going to trap it in a large perfect blood diamond.” “Why?” “Because I could crush daddy’s competition by using the power of that shade, then he’d stay home more often.” Zipporwhill tipped Diamond Tiara’s head up and looked her in the eyes, “Did you ever try talking with him? You know, tell him you miss him and that you want to do something with him?” Diamond Tiara cocked her head to the side, “You think that would work?” “Well it couldn’t hurt,” said Zipporwhill with a slight shrug and a smile, “It’s a better first step than resorting to dark magic that, let’s face it you can’t use right?” Diamond Tiara sighed and wiped her eyes. She slid away from Zipporwhill and opened the blinds on the window. The crescent moon hung in the sky, its dim rays barely illuminating the hospital grounds. “Don’t be naïve,” said Diamond Tiara quietly, “There are always ways to do whatever it is you want. You just have to be willing to do them.” Zipporwhill’s eyes widened more, “And you are?” Diamond Tiara sighed, “I never meant for any of this to happen. I’m sorry you were dragged into this mess.” Diamond Tiara grabbed the canister of salt from the nightstand and began to pour it on the window sill. She looked up at the clock that read 10:30 pm, “This should help hold it off. It’s the easiest way for it to get in here.” “What about the doorway?” Diamond Tiara looked at it and shook her head, “I wouldn’t do it now. Too many ponies around and they’ll either sweep it up or will brush it aside. Besides, the hall lights are on. It should be safe. “ “Why is it still after me?” “Sombra’s shades are very focused,” said Diamond Tiara, “It didn’t get you but, it did weaken you. It will want to finish what it started and will do whatever it can think of to reach that goal.” “And the salt,” said Zipporwhill, “I know it weakens them but, how? What does it do?” “The barrier it creates hurts it badly. If the salt isn’t disturbed by another pony it would be like getting a million bee stings for each grain of salt. Such pain would, more or less, make it not want to bother you again whether it is in its natural form or if it posess-,” Diamond Tiara looked over at the door and noticed Django silently standing in the doorway, “I should go. If you need anything, just ask okay,” With a nod to Django and not one other word Diamond Tiara trotted out. “Is she the one who has been telling you about these shades?” Zipporwhill nodded quietly as her father sat his coffee down and sat next to her bed. The young filly blinked as she looked at her father who looked at the salt by the window. He raised a hoof to brush it away but Zipporwhill’s plaintive whine stopped him in his tracks, “Please papa, you have to believe me. It was a shade, a ghost. “ “That will keep it out huh?” Zipporwhill nodded again. Django sighed and set his coffee down next to the cards as he took the chair next to her bed. “If it makes you happy I will leave it alone.” “Thank you,” responded Zipporwhill weakly, “Papa do you know where my glasses are?” Django sighed and rubbed his daughter’s forehead, “They broke at the school. We will have to get you a new pair.” “Oh.” “And do not worry about whatever it is you are worried about. I am not leaving here until you leave here. “ “Thanks papa.” Django continued to rub his daughter’s forehead as he began humming a soft tune. It was an old tune; one that Zipporwhill had heard many times when she was still in diapers. Sometimes her mother would hum it to her when she had had a nightmare and was afraid to go back to sleep. Her father did it now. The young filly slowly began to relax; her eyelids drooped as sleep slowly wrapped its soft wings about her. The world was quiet, except for her father’s voice and what a low electronic hum somewhere off in the distance. Zipporwhill furrowed her brow and looked out the doorway. The hallway light flickered and her eyes widened. Then, like flipping a switch, the hospital went dark. Zipporwhill bolted upright, her back pressed against the wall as the now familiar waves of terror washed over her. “No. Please no, “she whispered almost inaudibly. Django hugged her trying to comfort her, “It is okay. It is okay. It is just a power surge.” “It comes in the darkness! She comes in the darkness,” repeated the terrified foal. Django shushed her gently and repeated that things were okay to his daughter, yet even when the hall light popped back on the room light remained off. “We must have blown a fuse.” Zipporwhill stared at the corner of the room. It appeared dark, much darker than any of the other shadows in the room. Slowly the darkness slid along the wall prompting the trembling pegasus to whisper, “It’s here. Oh papa it’s in the room.” Django closed his eyes and sighed. He would have words with Diamond Tiara’s parents for putting such fears in his daughter’s mind and driving her to hysterics. Zipporwhill was sick and somehow that spoiled little filly had gotten to her and convinced her of things that were not real. He opened his eyes again, “Where is it,” he asked. Zipporwhill pointed toward the closet as the hall lights began to flicker again. Django looked at his daughter, her eyes wide, her face frozen and unmoving as she stared at the closet. Django’s gaze turned toward the closet. He released his daughter from his embrace and slowly began to walk toward the closet. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Each sharp knock that came from the closet caused Django to take a half step back. He looked back at his daughter. Her back legs had curled up into her torso, her wings wrapped as tightly as they could about her as she continued to point at the closet. He looked back toward the cheap wooden thing. This had gone on long enough. He strode toward the closet, took a deep breath and flung it open revealing only a few coat hangers that rocked back and forth on their bar and a strange rotten odor that made him recoil. “Oh papa,” Whimpered Zipporwhill, “It’s above you.” Django gulped and slowly he tilted his head upward. Slowly, he saw it, the black mass, its soulless malevolent gaze glared down at him as its tendrils slowly stretched across the ceiling. Before he could scream it fell on him and wrapped itself around Django and squeezed him tightly. Django gasped and tried to scream. The shade, sensing its opportunity, began to enter the large pegasus’ mouth, nose and ears. Django’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as Zipporwhill coward on the bed. Django grunted as he fought against the shade. Each breath more labored than the last. His heart ached as it was squeezed from within. He could feel the darkness rapidly overcoming him. He was losing himself to it. He could feel it slowly turn his head in the direction of his daughter. He could feel as each tendril forced him into a standing position and through malevolent eyes he saw Zipporwhill, not as his daughter but as prey. He snarled, his teeth now long, sharp and hungry. “Papa,” whimpered Zipporwhill to her father tears streaming down her face, “Please papa. Don’t let it-,” She trailed off, “Don’t leave me.” It clenched about Django tighter in response and forced him toward the terrified filly, the moonlight glimmered off of its oily visage. Slowly, the shade forced the large pegasus to take one step after another toward the small one that had now found her way to the floor. Yet, as soon as it crossed in front of the window, its prey in reach, the shade found it could no longer move the hulking form of Django. Enraged, the shade slowly squeezed the heart and lungs of the large pegasus weakening him further and yet, he did not move. Papa. The word hit his ears and slowly worked its way through what was still Django. Somewhere deep within it resonated. It meant something more dearly to him than anything the shade could fathom. Slowly and painfully Django placed his hooves just below the window sill. “No,” he whispered. “Papa?” Django stared straight ahead at the moon. “Not my daughter,” he shouted and flung himself across the salt barrier. The shade screeched loudly as it crossed through the barrier and through the window as the large possessed pegasus fell to the ground three floors below. “Papa,” screamed Zipporwhill as she rushed to the window to see her father lying motionless on the concrete below, “No papa! No! Please no!” Nurse Redheart burst into the room and gasped as she looked out the window, “Get a stretcher outside now and get the nearest OR prepped for surgery,” She shouted, “Go! Go! Go!” Zipporwhill could only cry.