Artist's Block

by Hot Dog Jones

Chapter 12 - She Leaves

Time flies when you’re forgetting things.

Or should I say, you forget time’s even there?

I was running out of things to hold onto in my life, and it wasn’t only frustrating, but it was saddening. Nopony else in town knew my pain, to forget thoughts, feelings, and dreams as if it were a daily thing. I just had to hold onto the important things.

I hadn’t told anyone of my sudden memory loss – I was too scared. Scared they would call me crazy, or send me to a doctor who couldn’t even do anything to help. Is there even a cure for amnesia? Another thing that bugged me was that it was all unexplainable. Why is this happening?

But yet, in all my sorrows, I had some sweet to balance the bitter, and it could only be Scootaloo. Whenever I was sad, she would comfort me. When I was mad, only she could calm me down. She was my everything, and in return, I was hers.

Throughout my entire relationship with her, I had always been either in a wheelchair or in the hospital. But hopefully that would change – I was going to the doctor to see if I could get off my chair for good.

“Good evening, Sketch. How are we doing today, hmm?” the doctor asked, smiling one of his trademark smiles.

“Uh, fine,” I said casually.

“Good, good. We’re planning to do a final x-ray today, just to make sure everything’s set before you get back on your hooves.” He wheeled me down the hall into a place I could only assume as the x-ray room.

***

When the x-ray finished, he seemed glad with the results. “It seems you’ll finally be able to stand again, Sketch,” he said, giving me another smile.

“Really? I can get out of the chair?”

“Yes, you can. Go ahead, try it,” he said, helping me up. I rose to my hooves, attempting to walk. I wobbled a bit, then stumbled back into the chair, emitting a laugh from the doctor. “Well, it does take some getting used to.”

I got up again, this time clutching onto the wall for support. After a few minutes of this, I let go and stepped onward by myself, my leg muscles re-adjusting. My parents were just as pleased as I was. We left the hospital, seeing a familiar face outside.

“Sketch!” Scootaloo exclaimed, pulling me into a quick hug. “I heard you were going in to get your leg checked, and I had to come over. This is awesome!”

I smiled and said, “Yeah, it’s pretty great. I can finally be normal again, and I don’t have to be afraid of stairs,” I added with a laugh.

She smiled back. “I’ll stop by your house later, possibly with the girls, they’ll be so glad to see you like this.”

“Alright, I guess we’ll see you later then.” We walked away, waving.

She waved back. “See you later, Sketchy!” I couldn’t help but laugh at the pet name she gave me.

It was great to be on all fours again, I realized how much I had missed it. Pushing the wheels of the chair became tiresome after a while, I guess. My parents and I approached our home, and I was happy to be there. My bed never felt as good as I lay on the silky sheets and rested my head on the feathery pillow. I was quite eager to sleep, and fell into a dream.

***

She continued to walk away, no matter how much I pleaded.

Leaving.

All alone, into the darkness.

She couldn’t leave. I couldn’t let her. In my frustration I uttered a name, one I thought I knew. One that I seem to remember amongst all my forgetting.

“..Starshine.”

She began to turn, her soft brown hair shifting as her head did. It seemed as if everything was in slow motion as she turned to face me.

My head looked up, my gaze coming from the floor to her legs to her chest to her neck, and finally to her fa-

***

“Wah!” I yelled as my alarm clock jerked me awake. I glared at the piece of simple machinery with a burning passion. I slammed my hoof down on the bells, almost completely smashing the clock itself.

I flopped back on the bed with a sigh. I had always had dreams of this yellow filly lately, but I only now heard her name. I just knew she was important to everything somehow.. Important to me, somehow.

I tried my best to forget about it, telling myself she wasn’t important. Eventually I drifted back to sleep.

***

This dream was different. Instead of the usual “in the void” nothingness, I was now in a bustling city. I was going somewhere, and in a big hurry too. My hooves raced down the busy road, and I had no idea where they were taking me. All I could see was that I was going into the suburban part of town, more houses and less skyscrapers.

I stopped at one of the houses, adrenaline surging through my veins. I picked up a few small rocks and pulled back my hoof, aiming my arm and gaze towards one of the second story windows. I hesitated a bit, but my emotions overcame my body, and I chucked the stone at the window. With a small click, it bounced off. I threw a few more. Click, click, click.

I saw a light come on inside and heard the soft patter of hooves. My mind raced as a figure from inside opened the window. From my angle, I knew it was her. There was her silky brown hair, a bright yellow forehead, and then her eyebrows and her fa-

***

Click. Click. Click.

“Oh, come on!” I yelled in aggravation and disappointment. There were small pebbles hitting the window, coming from..

“Hey, sleepyface! Wake up!”

Yep. Scootaloo.

I groaned and opened the window, conveniently placed right next to my bed, and tried my best to smile at the orange filly. “Well, I said I’d be back, didn’t I?” she said, smirking at me. I closed the window and went downstairs to greet her.

“Hey,” she said, her slightly seductive smirk still plastered to her face.

“Uh, howdy,” I said, smiling nervously, “where are the girls?”

“Well, we could go get them, or..” She came closer to me, talking in a bit of a whisper. “we could just hang out by ourselves.”

I laughed and shook my head at the filly. “You’re crazy, Scoots.”

All she did was smile.

Comments

[TheRealShadowFoot]

I immenselt enjoyed the finale. Even found the songs from it, which make me absurdly happy, especially B.B.B.F.F. Being a big brother myself, I can relate to it. Another good chapter though it blew by way too quickly. I think I must read close to 1000 words a minute on this site.