The Vine
By:Arte Pone
That's all he had really. Arte just bashing his head against his ancient desk, Arte is a young dark red fuzzed stallion with black hair and has golden eyes. He pulls his head from his wooden desk, stares at his computer screen. The hate for writer's block grows accelerated from the inside.
"I need some air," Arte said with a huff, getting up from his desk.
Arte tried to get through the chaotic trash he calls his room, He couldn't barely take a step without stepping on dirty laundry or just random things he probably forgot, he bought. Finally after five minutes of walking through his room. Arte open the blinds that sun shines in his small living room. When's the last time, I went outside?. Always stayed at home writing,drawing and listening to music like if he was still a teen, he's in his early twenty's this stallion still has a long road ahead of him. Arte opens the sliding door, heat beats down on his balcony, step after step he starts feeling heat though is sandals. Why does the sun have to be so bright and so god damn hot? His right arm shielded his eyes against the bright star. Arte eyes begin to adjust to the brightness, wind blows from the east cooling him and the balcony. Two bedroom and one bath apartment on the 10th story he lived in had a nice view of Manehattan, the ponies that walked on the sidewalk,entering into small stores and big stores a like or just hailing a cab looked like ants to him. Skyscrapers windows gave a pleasant glow when the suns radiant rays hit them. The only thing that was awful thing about where he lived was, when he gets groceries, the utter struggle and pain he goes through, it makes him cringe just thinking about that.
He takes a deep breath, inhaling the city air then letting all out. GROWLLL! His eyes widen from the roaring growl his stomach made, it sounded like a actual lion was inside his stomach. He walked to the edge of his balcony, looking downwards he saw a hot dog stand the aroma of the cooked sausages, grilled onions, sweet relish, ketchup and mustard seep in his nose, quickly he covers his nose and ran back inside. GROOWWWWLLLL!! His stomach didn't stop roaring on demanding one of those mouth watering hot dogs. Fine,chill out. He walks back inside his trashy room and gets the cleanest clothes he can catch, slips them on. Walking towards the door, he snags his keys. He gasped for a moment I left the sliding door open. He turned to the sliding door. Pulling on the handle, the sliding door closes tight, Arte flips the lock on it. He made his way to the front door, turning the knob, opening the white wooden door. Stepping out of his tiny apartment, shoving his key in the lock, he knew it was locked when he heard Click.
He strolls to a grey,cold metal elevator. Arte's finger pressed the downward arrow, to entertain him while he waits for the elevator as the number goes up to ten, he counts with. one...two...three....four....five....six....seven.....eight....nine.....ten Ding! He walks inside. There was the panel to take him where he wants, His golden eyes glance over the four by six arrangement of buttons, down below the four by six in the center was the button lobby. Arte's finger pressed the button, the two doors close together.
The elevator music wasn't as bad like the stereotypical ones that would appear on television or advertisements. A smiled appeared on his face as Arte head bangs a little. His lips goes with the lyrics, but not actually singing it.Screw it! I'm singing it and besides,No one is riding with me. He takes a deep breath and starts singing quietly.
We Are The Lights by Varian and Mr.Fijiwiji
"We are the lights, the lights, the lights,the lights,the lights" Arte sang happily, snapping his fingers to the chill out groove.
Unexpectedly, the elevator doors open quick enough that anyone getting on, saw the dark fuzzed stallion singing. His body froze as he saw the peach colored mare, walk inside. His dark red fuzz on his cheeks changed into a bright red color, blushing in embarrassment. God....I'm a idiot His little scarf was his little shelter,the feeling of silliness filled his stomach to him it was a uncomfortable feeling. The mare next to him was wearing a light lavender dress that went a several centimeters above her knees, the lavender dress brought out her light blue eyes and her hair color matched with her eyes. They didn't look at each other, she pressed the lobby button. The two doors close once again, He didn't make eye contact with her, he wanted out. Can this thing go any faster? It feeling like this is going to last for hours! The same song played, the urge to sing along to it was gone, Finally the elevator doors open the the lively lobby. This is Manehatten after all, there was ponies of all kinds of size,shape,and color his eyes can catch. The two stepped out of the elevator, he quickly storms to the huge double doors that leads to Manehatten. People walked by or walked passed him, the young stallion made his way through the crowd of people. Arte felt his mouth water as the scent of hot dogs seep inside his nostrils once again. The owner of the cart greeted him with a smile.
"Hello, welcome to Nathan's Hot Dog Stand, what can I get you?" said the owner with a slight Manehatten accent.
"I want one hot dog please" -He blinks and puts his hands in his pockets- "With ketchup,onions and sweet relish please"
The owner gave a simple nod and started going to work building the dark red pony's hot dog. He watched the hot dog being put inside the bun then the toppings. Contain, he was very eager to eat it but waiting felt like centuries to him. Without knowing he licked his lips as the owner held out his order. He snaps out of it, he grabs his prize Finally! The stand owner looks at Arte's eyes and laughs. This makes him look at the other stallion.
"What's so funny?" Arte asked with slight feeling of being fun of.
"Its nothing, I know when a customer is hungry like starving and dying to eat my famous dogs" - He hands him a coke - "Don't worry about paying it kid, It's on the house"
Arte smile grew till the point his cheeks ached. Sweet! Jackpot!.
"Now get out of here" The owner said.
Arte walked to the park to savor his food. He sat on a nearby bench and bringing the dog to his lips. Each bite he took was small, chewing it thoroughly letting the favor hit his taste buds. SOOOOO GOOOODDD!!! It was finished after 8 minutes of heaven, he sat back on the bench, taking small sips of his beverage, watching ponies walk by on their phones. He wondered if he even had a phone, He didn't. He gets off the bench and walks to the nearest phone store, once he enters a blast of nipping air sends down a shiver down his spine and dark red fur on his arms goes up. Why does it have to be so cold? His body adjusts to the room temperature, He glances over the new and old phones alike, but one from the whole room filled with electronic devices stood out to him. He grabs it from the shelf and also in the progress knows what plan he's going to apply with his new toy.
As he walks he uses his new phone downloading applications and making it his own. He gets back to the lobby. Face to face with elevator again, he waits once again when he pressed the upward arrow. The two doors open again and steps inside. Again with the song, so catchy but I won't make that mistake again. He stood there quietly like as he was receiving a lecture, he did what kept him occupy his time counting with the numbers. Ding! He steps out of the elevator once again and it shuts closed.
He puts his key inside the doorknob and turns, the door opens. He takes a deep breath.
"Home sweet,Home" said Arte with a smile as he walks to his room.
His happiest guy in the world face, turned into a look of disgust and hate. His computer still on with the same title and his name. You know what! I'm going to clean up this room. He went to his kitchen and grabbed a couple of trash bags and a clean hamper for his dirty, rotten clothes that made his hairs in his fuzzy arm stand on edge. Picked up the trash, like tissue papers, balled up papers and food wrappers. Clean clothes went to the clean hamper, after he was done he walked by his door and placed the bag full of trash near the door, as for the dirty clothes he placed next to the door as well. He plopped down his couch, "playing" with his new toy. He took a glance over to his fridge,seeing his cousins number. Arte knew that's the only family he had in touch with through Skype on his computer, all of his friends after high in Canterlot became complete strangers to him. He doesn't blame them after all he was very shy and his trust thin as a needle, he's still like that. He gave a sighs then try to make up of what numbers were on the tiny sticky note on his tall, white fridge. He types in new contacts what number he thought he saw, Arte fingers went to work as he typed to the number [Hey It's Arte text me back when you get this :3] An hour passed by and Arte as on his headphone listening to his favorite song.
His phone rang he stops the music and disconnected his headphone then slipped them on his neck. Putting the phone to his ear with joy talking to the person that understood him the most.
"Hey long time no see" Arte said cheerfully.
He heard sobs through the other side of the line, this worried him and made his heart sink. His cheerful mood was murdered
"Hey whats up? What happened it sound like you were crying..." Arte said with a slight of worry that grew.
Finally the sobbing and sniffles were done ad he could tell they have collected their thoughts and emotions for a brief moment.
"Arte.....your mom....she's gone,"
Arte gripped his phone tight and his eyes filled with shocked then followed back with tears.