Thing a Day

by Rennoc215

Garden of Shadows

Thing a day: Garden of Shadows

Darkness. That's all I've known for the past few years. You see, I'm in a coma. Now, I've heard that being in a coma is like time travel, going to sleep on one end, and waking up on the other. If that's the truth, then this is the longest, most boring dream I've ever experienced.

All I get is this oppressive darkness, and that's all I get to see. I can ocassionally hear snippets of what's going on, but honestly, I think that my brain just wants to mess with me as much as possible.

Now, I know where you all are going. "Get on with it," and "What's so interesting about being in a coma?" But all in good time, because every tidbit might help you understand how things have happened... or at least, will have happened.

There are only two things that I cling to from hearing. I know my parents love me, but the one thing I remember the most is hearing them say the words nopony in a coma wants to hear: "We love him, but we can't stand watching him like this. His condition hasn't improved, either. Go ahead, and pull the plug." After that, I heard them walk up and whisper "Goodbye, Dreamer."

It hurt worse than anything I had ever experienced. Worse than falling off the roof, worse than breaking my leg and all the other terrible things that I had felt. And I knew, this was something that would never leave me.

The other thing I heard was the doctor's response. "No," He had said, defying equestrian law. It was the most heartwarming thing, especially after I had my own parents break it. That's when I heard his explanation. "He has a hyperactive brain, and as such, is in a more dream-like state rather than a coma. It's still a coma, but he could wake up as if it were the sunrise after the night he went to sleep."

That also boosted my spirits. After all, if this was a dream, and not a coma, then I might be able to enjoy myself. But of course, it was still a coma and not a dream, so I couldn't control the dreamscape. Thus, the black wasteland that I could never escape. So honestly, I really haven't done anything.

Besides, do you know how hard it is to have a dream within a dream? Whenever I go to sleep in here, I might dream, but just like a sunrise, when I wake up, I don't remember the dream. I can feel that time has passed, but I don't remember anything. So here I rest, praying for the awakening that I so desperately crave.

Seven years. That's how long I guess I've been in here. My parents could have had a foal who never knew he had an older brother. That's what stings the most. I'll never get to see them again, even if I did wake up. Why? Because I could always feel it when they were there. It was their scent, I guess, it infiltrated my dreams, and told me that they were there.

But they never came back. To them, I had already died. Who knows, they might have held the funeral and everything without me. That's what hurts. So I cling to the hope of my doctor. He's the only pony who ever comes around anymore. But I don't even know what he looks like, only that he is a guy, and smells faintly of toothpaste and surgical scrubs.

But here I lay, blackness surrounding me, with nothing to do. That's when my life changed, forever. It was hazy at first, but I began to see a discoloration forming before me. It slowly solidified, and molded itself into the shape of a midnight-blue mare, easily twice my size. From her neck and rear exploded a mane, brilliant and dazzling blue, with a star pattern in it. Wings formed, and then a horn. As those solidified, her eyes took shape, and the light blue was like a firework in my inky blackness. She smiled as she took form, and I prostrated myself, realizing I was in the presence of royalty.

"I felt the nightmare, and I came to comfort you," she said with a smile. "Tell me, little one: why is this a nightmare for you? Are you afraid of the dark?" She asked, tilting her head.

I haven't actually spoken before in this, because I never thought to try. After all, if I got in the habit of talking to myself, I might go crazy. "My apologies, I didn't mean to distract you from your duties, your majesty." I said, bowing again.

Her expression softened, and she chuckled lightly. "Very well." She said, beginning to phase away.

"Wait!" I cried, jumping to my feet.

Her form solidified immediately, and she pointed an accusatory hoof at me. "Hah," she victoriously declared. "I knew something was wrong!"

I shook my head. "No, my lady. It isn't that anything is wrong, it's just that..." I said, my voice trailing off, as I scraped my hoof on the ground.

"Yes?" She asked, motioning with her hoof for me to move on.

"Well, it's just that... You're the first pony I've been able to speak to in a long time." I said, looking up at her with hopeful eyes.

She smiled. "Fret not," she said. "Dreams often feel like they take an eternity, but soon you will awake, and then you won't have to worry anymore." She finished, beginning to fade again.

"No!" I cried, "It's not like that." I added, reaching out for her.

She solidified, and a frown crossed her face. "You think that you know better about my own domain than I do?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Very well," she challenged. "Tell me! How does the dreamland work?"

That's when I realized she thought I was dreaming. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not dreaming." I said, and she gasped.

She looked around, before a light came to her eyes, as she realized what was going on. "A coma?" She asked, looking apologetic.

I nodded, and motioned with my hoof. "It's been like this for seven years, maybe more. I lost track of time after I don't know how long ago."

"But," she asked, confused. "If you are in a coma, then how did I find you? I can only enter dreams." she asked, befuddled by the situation.

I had to think a while, then it came to me. "You're one of the princesses, right?" She nodded, and then I knew just how to proceed. "Then you keep up on the news, right?" another nod. "Some time ago, a lawsuit probably came up. A doctor defending a colt from his parents pulling his plug?"

Her eyes lit up, and she nodded. "I became very well aquianted with the case, because the studies fascinated me. A hyperactive brain, keeping the mind in a suspended dreamscape. I thought we might be able to use this to keep other ponies occupied in a dreamscape while they were in a coma, but it was an event that couldn't be replicated.

The lawsuit died down quietly, and the doctor was allowed to continue his studies, as his parents had already come to accept that their foal was dead to them. It was a terribly sad case, but it ended peacefully." She finished with a nod. "So that means that you are..."

I nodded. "Dreaming eye. My parents always called me 'Dreamer,' though."

She frowned, and paced for a few moments. If I can enter your dreams now, though, when I used to not be able to reach you..." she said, muttering to herself. "Does that mean that you are improving? I'll need to talk to doctor Stein, but we might be on the verge of a fantastic discovery." She turned to me, and gave me an apologetic frown. "I'm sorry I must be off so soon." She said. "But I need to talk to your doctor." She finished.

"Wait!" I cried. "If I'm now dreaming, does that mean I could actually change this blackness?" She shrugged, and I continued. "At the very least, it's been seven years since I spoke with anypony. Could you at least sing me a lullaby before you go?" I begged, and she gave me a soft smile.

"Of course, Dreamer," she answered.

"Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment..." She softly sung. Within moments, I was resting peacefully, and then she was gone.

Author's Note:

Gosh darn internet failing me half an hour before the deadline...
Thats a shame. I did have this done before midnight, I just couldn't post it. Ah vell.

I got this one after watching the video below and falling in love with the song.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.