//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: On the Road to Galloway // by Matthew Penn //------------------------------// Applejack counted the barrels repeatedly. They were down to nine, then she counted again. How could this have happen? How was it possible that they lost three barrels over a day and a half, and they were nowhere near Galloway as of yet? What was the point in doing this? she began to think. They were just going to lose more of them, and by the might actually arrive at Galloway they will be all gone, and the troubles from their journey would have been for nothing. Applejack pushed the thoughts out of her mind before the piled on her.         “Come on, y’all. Let’s get a move on,” she said. They already made it this far, even if it didn’t feel they made any progress. The only thing the had to do was to keep moving forward, and hope for the best. She and Macintosh strapped themselves with their saddles. “Where’s Apple Bloom?” she asked, looking around.         Macintosh heard laughter, and the bleating of a goat. He took off his saddle to investigate, and saw Apple Bloom playing with the young goat. The goat jumped playfully around her, and at times it stood on its hind legs. There was one instant it ran in circles and bounced off Apple Bloom at the right moment. Mac chuckled at the two.         “Mac, can you get Apple Bloom? We have to get going,” said Applejack.         He nodded. As he approached Apple Bloom, he was reminded of the time when Winona first came to Sweet Apple Acres as a puppy. She was a happy little thing. Just as the goat, Winona jumped and leaped around Mac and Applejack when they were just Apple Bloom’s age. The goat hopped almost like a foal until it fell on its side. Apple Bloom helped it up.         “Come on, Apple Bloom. Quit playing with that goat, Applejack wants you,” he called.         Apple Bloom rushed toward the wagon, followed by the goat, then she sat herself on the back along with the animal.         “Hold on,” Applejack said. “Apple Bloom, what do you got back there?”         “Um… well…” The goat bleated before she can give an answer.         Applejack shook her head. “We’re not bringing that goat with us.”         “Please can we keep him?” she begged.         “We can’t! It doesn’t belong to us. Leave it here in the woods, or something.”         “But we can’t leave him here! He has nowhere to go!” Apple Bloom held the goat and present it to her in an effort to use his baby face to persuade her. “Let him come with us, please?” she begged again. “He’ll be lonely out here! I understand him, and he understands me!” Apple Bloom then used her best defense against her sister’s frown - her trembling bottom lip and her innocent eyes.         Applejack turned to Macintosh, who only shrugged.         “... Alright, the goat can stay,” she groaned. “But for heaven’s sake, make sure he doesn’t get near that cider!”         Apple Bloom hugged the goat, in which she received an affectionate headbutt in return. Applejack sighed in annoyance, making Macintosh laugh inwardly. She gave another one of her looks whenever he was pestering her, then the wagon moved forward.         The goat spoke very excitedly in its own language. He tried to stand on the wagon, but he kept falling on his bottom, so Apple Bloom held him in her arms. There was so much joy contained in that little creature. Although the jesters who stole their cider wagon were defeated, she still upset about how they might have treated him on the road. But she had no way knowing what they did to him. Apple Bloom smiled either way. He belonged to her now.         “What should I call you?” she asked, rubbing his head. “How about… Billy?”         Billy bleated happily for his new name.         Besides Apple Bloom and Billy, the other Apples were silent for the rest of the move forward. Much like the day before, there was no sight of ponies anywhere, and they traveled under trees that were tall enough to block the sunlight. Applejack kept a stern lookout for anything or anypony that might come out of nowhere and attempt to take their wagon, be it thieves, bandits, or…         Don’t be silly, she thought to herself. It ain’t real.         “Well… “ Macintosh said.         “Well what?” asked Applejack.         “Is there anything you like to say?”         “What are you talking about?”         “Me finding that wagon. Would you like to say anything about that? I did pretty good, didn’t I?” His posture was straight, he held his head up with pride. When Applejack saw that self-satisfied smile on his face, she stopped pulling the wagon and turned to him, with a response he didn’t expect.         “Why yes, Macintosh Apple, I would like to say something,” she said. “Your foolishness and recklessness is what got us in this mess in the first place! Yeah, maybe you did help find the wagon, but you almost gave a gotdang heart attack when it turned up missing! And by bunch of clowns, too! So it came to my attention that you ain’t taking this seriously! We worked for long days and nights to make that cider - by hoof, I may remind you - to let anything happen to it! From now, we’re only doing what I say! We ain’t doing anything, not sleeping on anywhere, and especially not eating anything unless I say is okay! You got that!”         So this is how it was going to be. Macintosh ominously stared down at her, as did Applejack. After trying to prove to her that he wasn’t such a screw-up, this is the thanks she can give in return? Macintosh thought he will never live to see the day Applejack was ungrateful for any good he tried to do.         “... Fine,” he huffed.         Applejack turned her head back. “That goes for you two, Apple Bloom!”         The wagon resumed its move forward. They got their wagon back, with some cider left, and yet they will always have time to find the other’s faults. Even she believed that Applejack was too harsh on him. After all, he did managed to find the tracks on the ground which led them to the hill. That must amount to something, didn’t it?         Billy nudged his little white head on Apple Bloom’s cheek.         “That’s just my brother and sister. They aren’t always like this… not all the time.” she said sorrowfully. “Do you have any family?”         The word family triggered something within Billy. There was none of the joy that he possessed. Billy lay flat on his stomach, his furry head set between his forelegs. The position he was in reminded Apple Bloom of herself whenever she was upset. She lied on her bed in the same manner Billy was lying.         “We’re you taken away from your family?” she asked again. Billy didn’t respond. Apple Bloom lowered herself with him, rubbing his head. “It’s okay,” she said softly. The Apples continued on the path. Macintosh and Applejack had not said anything to each other all day. There wasn’t even an argument. It was nothing but spiteful silence. Apple Bloom stroked Billy’s back while he was sleeping. She wondered how long they were able to keep it up. Probably as long as they can, or at least until they get to Galloway, if they’ll ever make it, she thought. The she began to wonder how long until they stopped seeing trees. A few camping trips ago, Apple Bloom heard a frightening tale told by Applejack about creatures that wore red cloaks that lurked behind the trees. Instantly, she thought back to the advice her grandmother had about whistling.         She put her lips together and blew, but she sputtered and blew air. She attempt at whistling again before she gave up.         Applejack kept focus on the road ahead. She looked at the sky, but then, what was the point? She didn’t know what time it was. She glanced at Macintosh and shook her head. He forgot the map while she forgot her favorite pocket watch. It gold, with a ruby in the shape of an apple as the centerpiece, given to her as a gift. Of course, she didn’t let Mac know that.         Looking ahead, there was a figure of a pony coming toward them. Finally, a sign of life, Applejack thought. She waited until the wagon and the pony met at the middle so they can stop.         “Slow down,” she told Macintosh.         The pony was getting closer, and it looked as though he was carrying something on his back, but Applejack couldn’t make out for what it was. She got a clear view of him when they made eye contact: his skin was sky-blue, his face was covered with a brown beard, his mane and tail the same color. On his back was foal, no more than the age of two or three.         “Hello strangers, what can I do yer for?” he asked in a gruff voice.         “Please sir, we really need somepony’s help,” answered Applejack. “My family and I are completely lost. We have no idea where we are or how far we’ve come. We’re trying to deliver this wagon full of cider.”         “To where?”         “Galloway.”         The gruff pony’s eye grew in shock. “Galloway?” He turned his head to the other direction, then brought his head back and shook it. “I’d turn back if I were you. Didn’t you here? There’s a troll under the town bridge.”         Applejack stared at him, not sure of what to believe.         “He’s a big ol nasty one, too. He’ll eat you up the moment he sees you.”         “Eat you up,” the foal repeated.         Macintosh raised his hoof. “That can’t be,” he said. “I’ve been to Galloway before, and I don’t remember seeing any troll.”         “When was the last time you’ve been there?” the pony asked.         “A few years ago.”         “Well, he just made his residence sometime after. Many moons ago, me son and I narrowly escaped. We used to live in Galloway. We wanted to go camping, so we ventured out of town, but when we crossed the bridge… he just came out of nowhere, like he was hiding, waiting for anypony to come a-crossing. He reached his hand out to get us… but we ran. We ran as fast as we can. We haven’t returned since. Please, do yerselves a favor and turn back.”         Applejack swallowed the saliva that was building in her mouth. It took awhile for her to speak. “Troll or no troll,” she stammered, “I promised to make this delivery, and I always keep my promises. Just tell us the way.”         He sighed. “I can’t. Nopony goes in or out of Galloway… not anymore. A better choice is to keep wandering in circles than to be caught in the troll’s grasp. I’m sorry.”         The pony said nothing else, and continued on his path. Applejack gazed at the road that seem to have no end, full of trees. Looking around she found Macintosh staring at her, concerned, and indeed frighten, although he didn’t look it. She turned her head and saw Apple Bloom peeking behind the barrels. Applejack prayed she didn’t hear anything the gruff pony said.         “Come on… let’s keep moving,” she said, unsure of herself.