As the mare had told them, the train station was just ahead. It was in a terrible condition, tall grass and weeds wrapped themselves around the structure. Animals from the forest must have made their homes there, for a fox was seen coming out of a hole on the side of the building. Applejack couldn’t see any tracks, but after walking further she realized that they were almost buried beneath the earth.
“What do we do now?” Macintosh asked. Applejack looked at him, unsure.
“We follow the tracks,” she said.
Applejack and Macintosh pulled forward and let the rusty train tracks lead the way. She reminded Apple Bloom to watch the barrels. She didn’t who, or what, may be in their presence. It was agreed that neither of them wanted to cross paths with rogues such as the jesters who stole their wagon.
“I wonder why the trains don’t run through here anymore,” Macintosh said.
“I think I know a few good reasons,” Applejack answered.
He nodded. Macintosh knew exactly what she was referring to.
As with the majority of the trip, the Apples were silent. It wasn’t out of spite like the times before, but it was from pure anxiety. Apple Bloom looked forward and only saw the backs of her brother and sister. She knew they were frightened, although they didn’t look it. Neither of them wanted to admit it. Even Billy hadn’t talked throughout once the journey continued. Apple Bloom drew him close and stroked his head.
She looked into Billy’s eyes. Something was troubling him, but what?
Later, it felt as though an eternity was passing them by. The tracks were a straight line, the background was changing endlessly from trees to flatlines to steep hills. It was good that the sun sat above the clouds. After days of wandering through the dark forests, it was nice to be out in the open with the sunlight beaming on their skins. If there was anything that the Apples learn through their lives, they could always count on the sun for everything. They were apple farmers after all, and all of life counted on the sun.
Little did they know that the sunlight would not last. Applejack saw something overhead. She told Macintosh to slow down, and she placed her hoof over her eyes, squinting while looking closely. The old, earth-bound tracks led to a tunnel, which in turn led underground.
She gave a questioning glance at her brother. Then Applejack stared at Apple Bloom, who gazed back at her with concern. “Is something wrong?” she asked.
Applejack fell silent. “We’re fine. Just taking a moment.”
She gazed back at the tunnel. Why am I so nervous? Applejack thought. I have to get going. I have a job to do. Applejack forced her legs to move, but she stood in place. The earth seem to stop spinning, all of reality reduced to nothing but a blur until Macintosh brought her back. She stared at him while trapped in a daze. Macintosh nodded his head toward the tunnel, and they both pulled forward.
Apple Bloom saw the tunnel as well, and just like her sister there was a feeling that something wasn’t right. She looked at Billy to find that he was trembling, curling himself as though he was hiding from something sinister.
“What’s happening?” she whispered.
“Shoot! I knew I should’ve asked that mare for a flashlight,” Applejack said in the darkness. Her voice bounced off the walls. “How could I’ve not known we’ll be walking through a tunnel? I can’t see a dang thing!”
“We’ll be out soon,” Macintosh said, although he didn’t sound sure of that. “Just hold your breath and make a wish.”
“That ain’t funny,” said Applejack.
Apple Bloom winced when the opening of the tunnel became a speck of light, then a tiny dot. The darkness was so thick that she was afraid to move. She stretched her arm out to make sure Billy was next to her. She felt his fur on her hoof, but the moment of relief was past.
Soon, she was back in that dark forest from days before. Closing her eyes didn’t help; she only saw more of the black void or the owl that was following her, taunting Apple Bloom with hoots. Her mind was probably playing tricks on her, because she was so sure she heard the same owl in the deep tunnel. Apple Bloom let out a loud yelp that echoed when the wagon made a sudden stop.
“What is it?” Macintosh asked.
“I can’t do this!” yelled Applejack. “I can’t see where I’m going! I’m scared we’re going to hit something, or trip and fall and don’t even see it, then all our cider is gone!”
“Then we’ll just have to keep walking. It ain’t no use standing around in the dark,” said Macintosh.
“We don’t have any light! I need to see, Macintosh!” Applejack’s voice was loud, but it came to a surprise for Apple Bloom when she and Mac didn’t burst into an argument. Still, she was reluctant to move on. Applejack had the idea of turning back and finding another way, but Macintosh instantly shot it down, saying that they’ve already made it this far. There was no use stopping.
The darkness of the tunnel was weighing itself on Apple Bloom. Since Billy wasn’t making any noise, she felt alone again. Something about it was bothering, as if the tunnel was a living being. Out of the darkness was a faint, inaudible sigh. Tunnels don’t do that, Apple Bloom thought. The blackness became thicker and thicker, like a blanket of shadows consuming them.
“I want to go,” she whispered.
Macintosh and Applejack couldn’t hear her. He was busy trying to bring composure to her sister, who was beginning to freak out.
Then, Apple Bloom remembered the advice Granny Smith gave to her. It was the same advice that came to her when she wandered through the dark forest.
“When in doubt, just whistle.”
Apple Bloom frowned. She couldn’t whistle. No matter how hard she tried, her lips made that noise a motorboat made when somepony was trying to turn it on. Well, Applejack always said that practice makes perfect. Apple Bloom didn’t necessarily believe that herself, seeing how perfect their siblings are, or were in this case. Applejack was trying to Macintosh to turn the wagon around, but he wouldn’t let her. Apple Bloom sighed, puckered her lips, and blew.
Finally, after all this time, she whistled.
She grinned, and she suddenly didn’t feel afraid anymore. At first Apple Bloom’s whistle was low, drowned in the voices of her siblings discussion, then the tune became loud as she continued. Applejack was the first to stop talking, started by the noise from the back, only to realize it was coming from Apple Bloom. There was silence, however, a moment later, Apple Bloom whistled Row, Row, Row Your Boat.
“Apple Bloom, what the hay are you doing?” Applejack asked.
“Whistling. Granny Smith says it helps when you’re scared.”
Apple Bloom continued to whistle. For a moment the wagon didn’t move. She heard Macintosh’s voice mutter something through her whistling, then the wagon rolled on. Apple Bloom paused to smile again, seeing that he finally convinced Applejack to endure the darkness. Even her whistling brought Billy’s spirits up. For the longest time it was as though he disappeared in the darkness, but he responded happily, although not very loud, to Apple Bloom.
Macintosh took small, cautious steps. He had too, it was the only way. He wanted to make Applejack was okay, but there was no way to see her face in the darkness. She did mumble to herself, probably repeating a mantra she learned from her friends, maybe Rarity or Twilight.
The whistling more or less put Applejack at ease, but she still wanted to get out of the dark. She silently prayed that they reach the other side of the tunnel. Applejack started, making a sudden stop and shrieked when she heard a rat passing by.
“Those dang varmints!” she yelled.
“It’s okay, keep moving!” Macintosh said.
It was during that moment Billy made noise. It wasn’t the joyful bleat baby goats often made. This one was different. There was something about the tunnel he didn’t like, something about the darkness that troubled him. Apple Bloom rubbed his back and whistled.
The tunnel also whistled.
Apple Bloom gasped, then shut her mouth. “D-did y’all hear that?” she stammered. Silence fell upon them. Billy threatened whoever may be in the tunnel, but Apple Bloom was shush him. Then the tunnel whistled once more.
With a loud voice, Apple Bloom yelled “Stop!” Macintosh was fast to obey, causing Applejack to nearly slip out of her saddle.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“There’s somepony in here,” Apple Bloom said with a tremor in her voice.
“Then why are we standing here for? We gotta get out of here!” Applejack said frantically.
Macintosh attempted to calm her, and as soon as he was about to open his mouth to say something, the tunnel whistled. Hoofsteps followed.
The dark and stillness of it all was getting to them. There were more hoofsteps, growing louder than the last. And more whistling. Macintosh ready his legs and hooves. “Run!” he said.
The wagon rolled out with great speed brought forth by himself and Applejack. Billy yelled along with Apple Bloom as the whistling from the tunnel continued. The fear of never escaping the tunnel grew in her. She held Billy tight and screamed very loudly to drown out the whistling, but it persist.
Applejack tried to keep up with her brother, who was running at an incredible speed. Through her heavy breathing she warned him to slow down or they’ll destroy the wagon, and there will be no cider. When it seem that the tunnel stretched to eternity, she beheld a small miracle ahead of her.
“Big Mac, look! The light!” she said. “We’re almost out!”
They charged forward, and the light grew brighter and brighter. Sweat trickle down their heads as they rushed to get to toward the end. It was like those ponies say when they’re dying, and they see a “bright light at the end of a long tunnel,” as they would say. Applejack shuddered at the thought. The blackness was dissipating as they reached the other side. Then, through sweet relief, the wagon was finally under the yellow sun. However, being caught in the dark for such a long period of time caused pain to their retinas. The Apples hid their eyes from the sun.
“We did it… we’re out,” Applejack panted.
“Yep,” Macintosh added.
While they were recovering, Apple Bloom found Billy in her arms, relieved and grateful to see his lovely face and white fur. She hugged him, not letting him go for even a second. Then she gazed at the tunnel. The experience was incredibly strange beyond recognition that she couldn’t find the right words. What was following them?
Hoofsteps and whistling found their way out of the tunnel, giving Apple Bloom a terrible fright. “Step on it, y’all!” she yelled. The wagon dashed away from the mouth of the tunnel. From now on, she decided that the dark forest and the scarecrow were no match for the utter, thick, consuming blackness that they had endured. Hopefully when they’re finished with the delivery they will find another way home, a path that was safe.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing from here. Not yet.