[Editor’s note: the following is written in a much sloppier script than the norm.]
To whoever finds this: my name is Hayfever, and I live in the town of Lareindo south of the Macintosh Hills. I leave everything to my younger brother Flax. My documents and Mom’s necklace are in the safe, [scribbled out]. The combination is [scribbled out].
Signed,
Hayfever
[Editor’s note: the usual script resumes here.]
Well, that was close. I don’t think I’ve had a closer brush with death. Yes, going forward was stupid. What is it with me, mountains, and stupidity?
Okay. So. Found out why there isn’t much in the way of ponies in this particular area: this is manticore country.
Left the ruins in the morning, made straight for the pass. Found another set of ruins right at the top around noon; looked like some kind of toll gate. Poked around a little, didn’t find anything, kept going. Ran into yet another set of ruins mid-afternoon, but these looked more thoroughly ruined. Destroyed, walls torn down, rubble everywhere, that sort of thing. Poked around again, and actually found stuff this time. At first, nothing that told me anything bad had happened; mostly ordinary things like tarnished silverware or some old clothes, maybe a knick-knack or two. But when I found a ruined chest with gems spilling out, it finally hit me that you wouldn’t leave something like that behind on purpose.
And around the time I realized just how badly I’d screwed up, a manticore came bounding out of what little forest there was. You know, those big lion/bat/scorpion things? And you never really hear just HOW big they are; this one could’ve eaten me in two or three bites. Based on the way it charged at me, I’m pretty sure it was going to try.
I managed to get out of sight behind a wall before it reached me, but it still tried to track me; I think it could smell me. Chased me around the ruins for what felt like hours, roaring like mad the whole time. I managed to get a break and make it into the sparse forest, but it still kept following me, the trees barely impeding it at all. In hindsight, I wonder if it was REALLY hungry.
Galloping blindly, I ran up against a cliff and managed to find a cave with an opening just large enough for me to squeeze through; way too small for the manticore to follow me. Inside, the cave was the size of a small room and closed in the back, so if the manticore didn’t leave, there wasn’t any way I was getting out. Wrote that quick will just in case I was killed and someone found my journal, so I wouldn’t just vanish during my trip. (Note to self: erase the location of the safe and the combination.) But after a few minutes of trying to get me, the manticore gave up and left.
Waited a few more minutes to be safe, then poked my head out to look around. Didn’t see it, didn’t hear it, and the sky was turning purple. Since it was late and I was tired, I decided I’d set up camp in the cave, since it seemed secure. Couldn’t make a fire, thanks to the roof, but I guess that’s a small price to pay for safety.
Note to self: listen to your instincts more. You won’
A note to myself:
Listen to your instincts more.
They’re smarter than you.
They always know when
You’re going to do something
That’s really stupid.
Hmm. First try, that time. I’m lucky I didn’t try to write it while being chased by the manticore, or it would’ve been something like this:
Crap crap crap crap crap
Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap
Crap crap crap crap crap.
Hey, it was all that was going through my head at the moment.