It was quiet, for once.
The long dark hallways were empty, devoid of any of its usual furniture. Without it, it felt as if I was in a stranger’s home. The warm and homey atmosphere was gone, replaced with uneasiness. I could feel eyes on me, but I wasn’t sure where.
Finally, I came to another hallway. I pointed my flashlight forward and flicked the switch. The shadows faded away, and in its place revealed a short, simple hallway with two doorways on both sides of it. At the end of the hallway was a chair, and sitting in the chair was it.
No name. No recognition. Just it.
Though significantly smaller in stature, the color was unmistakable. Golden. Two long ears sprouted from its head, one bent halfway. Two short arms ended in four stubby fingers, and two short legs ended in three large toes. Then the face. Its mouth was stretched into a long smile, his teeth sharpened into fangs and spaced apart at different areas. Its eyes sunk into its head, but they looked undeniably pony.
The grip on my light began to falter as I stared at the thing. It remained completely still, its all too pony eyes trained on the ground directly in front of it. I wanted my legs to move, but they were rooted to the spot. I could only keep my light and my eyes trained on it, and hope, pray, that it didn’t move.
Then its eyes moved, and it gazed right at me.
I gasped in surprise and my grip faltered. My flashlight hit the ground, and began to flicker.
“Oh no.” I quickly picked it up and began to shake it, but to no avail. The light went out, and the shadows rushed back in. I tried to hold back a sob as I gazed down the hallway I could no longer see.
The sound of footsteps.
“Don’t you remember?” a deep, sinister voice spoke from the shadows.
My efforts to fix the flashlight doubled, as I began smacking it against my hoof. The light sputtered, and in the brief moment I could see again, I noticed that it was no longer sitting on its chair. It was gone.
“I remember you.” I perked my ears as a mocking laughter filled the silence.
My flashlight flickered again, and finally lit. For a brief second, I could see its head poking out from one of the doorways. It quickly ducked back when the light came on.
My breathing became shallow as I began to sweat. I could feel my heart racing, threatening to beat its way out of my chest. Yes, I remembered him. I remembered the golden bunny.
I remember watching in curiosity as the golden rabbit lured a foal into the back. I thought the child was getting something special, and I wanted it too. But when I got back there, rather than candy, I saw something much different.
I watched as the golden bunny picked the now unmoving foal up, and stuffed them into a brown bear suit. I remember watching as he screwed its head back on. All but invisible to those who did not know that she was there. I remember as the golden bunny turned my way, and I remember running away as fast as I could for fear that he had seen me. I remembered it all.
My light began to flicker again, and I shook it desperately.
“C’mon...please don’t go out!” I sobbed as the hallway flickered between visibility and darkness. My flashlight gave one last burst and went out. I bit my lip as I shivered, then shook my flashlight again.
“Please…” I sobbed.
I could hear footsteps again. My head shot up to look down the hallway.
“The small little scaredy foal. The one who saw me.” Chuckling. “You won’t escape this time.”
I closed my eyes as tight as I could, even as I heard the footsteps getting louder.
“Not that way!” I remember my friend’s voice telling me as the golden bear suit blocked my exit. “Don’t you remember what you saw? You know what happens if he catches you!”
“I know, I know,” I repeated to myself as I desperately fumbled with my flashlight. Finally, it flickered again, and I caught another glimpse of it. It was standing in the middle of the hallway, then quickly shot into one of the doorways as the light flickered on. I backed away as far as I could, until I was against a wall. I clenched my teeth tightly.
“Mommy…” I whimpered. “Please come.”
I struggled to hold back the tears, I wanted to be strong like my daddy told me to be. He was the strongest pony that I knew.
“Mommy can’t save you now,” its voice taunted again. “But you’re not alone. I am still here.” I could see its eyes peeking out from behind the door as my light began to flicker again. “And no matter how far you run, no matter how much you wish me away, I will always be here. You cannot outrun your fear.”
It took a deep, shuddering breath. “All you can do is hide, and buy yourself a little more time.” Its eyes began to glow. “But in the end, death will find you.” I could see the white of its fangs as it smiled. “I will find you, and when I do, you will suffer like so many others already have.”
The light went out. I was shivering, shaking from what he’d said. I closed my eyes and began to sob, but Daddy’s words came to me again.
“Are you crying?” Daddy asked. “My colts don’t cry! They suck it up like stallions!”
I gripped my light tighter, and took a step forward. “I’m not afraid of you!” I yelled into the darkness. “I’m not a foal, I’m a stallion! You can try to scare me all you want, but I’m not little anymore! I’m not afraid of you!” I breathed slowly as I listened for a response.
A laugh.
“We’ll see about that.”
And then it leaped out of the shadows, its arm spread wide and its mouth open wider. I could see the pony face behind the fangs, even as the fangs began to sink into my fac—
The chime of an old grandfather clock made me jump out of bed. I was covered in sweat, my breaths shallow and rapid as I quickly glanced around. My eyes fell on my bedside clock. Twelve am.
I fell back onto my pillow and covered my face with my hooves.
One more day until the party.