Red Eye

by Fonypan

Session 24 - We'll Hold Each Other Soon

Red Eye looked up. It was dark outside, and Timpani’s corpse had grown cold. Red Eye had lost track of time. She didn’t know how long she’d been holding Timpani. She checked, again, for a pulse, and found none.

Just a short while later, Red Eye shifted. She pulled Timpani’s corpse onto her back, and struggled to stand. Her disintegrating body had grown weak, and she could only just barely hold Timpani’s weight.

Red Eye left the shack and made her way towards Reignton’s cemetery with short, strained steps. The moon hovered high in the sky, bathing the land below in silver-blue luminescence. Soon, a cluster of grave markers came into view.

Red Eye struggled uphill and into the cemetery. She found an empty patch of land, close to the existing graves but not so close that she would disturb the resting dead. She lowered herself to the ground and rolled Timpani off of her as gently as possible.

Red Eye borrowed a shovel she found leaning against the wall of a nearby shed. The cold, hard ground fought her every attempt to dig. Despite the dirt’s firmness and her own enfeeblement, Red Eye dug undeterred.

When the first rays of sunlight broke over the horizon, Red Eye had managed only a shallow grave. Fearing she would be discovered before she had time to finish a proper resting place, Red Eye dragged Timpani’s body into the hole.

“I’m so sorry,” said Red Eye. “My evil blood wouldn’t spare even you, sweet angel. I tried to tell you. Why wouldn’t you listen?” Red Eye started crying again. She leaned down to hug Timpani one last time. “I’ll avenge you. As soon as I get back, I’ll smash my own phylactery. I promise.”

Timpani stirred. Her eyes snapped open. She was bleary and disoriented, as if waking from a long nap. “Don’t do that, you’ll die. Silly pony.”

“Timpani? You’re alive!”

“Why am I in this hole?”

“You died. My blood killed you! I checked for a pulse and everything. You were ice-cold.” Red Eye pressed a hoof to the side of Timpani’s neck. “Oh no. You’re… Just like me.”

“That’s a good thing, right? Now we can be together forever!”

“This isn’t a good way to li— exist. It’s very painful.”

“Any pain is worth enduring if I can be with you. As long as we’re together, I consider this a blessing, not a curse.

“Timpani…” Red Eye touched noses with her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Red Eye.”

A sudden shout shattered their tender moment. “The monster is loose! It’s stealing corpses!”

Red Eye looked to the base of the hill. A small mob of ponies was already assembling. Some of them were armed with axes and pitchforks.

“We should go,” said Timpani.

“Yes, quickly,” said Red Eye.

Red Eye helped Timpani up from the dirt, and the two of them fled. Despite Red Eye’s sluggishness, they had a significant head-start. They managed to evade the villagers just long enough to find a hiding place.

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Later, after nightfall, Timpani emerged from the hollowed-out trunk of a massive, dead tree. The townsfolk had long since stopped their pursuit. Timpani rubbed dirt in her coat, sullying the solid white.

“What are you doing?” said Red Eye.

“I’ll be harder to see this way. I’m going back for as many of our things as my saddlebags will hold.”

“Timpani, no. It’s too dangerous. We can make new memories.”

“At the very least, we need your phylactery case and my sewing kit.”

“I’m going with you.”

“Then put on some dirt.”

Timpani finished dirtying herself, then helped Red Eye darken her own coat. The two mares snuck back to their house. They watched and listened carefully for the presence of other ponies.

The house had been trashed. No possessions had been taken or damaged, but no piece of furniture remained upright. Some of the walls even had holes kicked into them.

“Were they trying to demolish the place?” said Red Eye.

“They were looking for us,” said Timpani.

The two mares located their saddlebags and loaded up. Between the two of them, they managed to gather all of the things they’d brought with them when they moved to Reignton.

Red Eye and Timpani left the house as quietly as they’d come. They trudged off into the darkness, following a dirt road to parts unknown. They would visit town after town, until they found a home.

Comments

[Limedog]

On the bright side, you two can continue to be loving monstrosities.
On the dark side, you two can continue to be loving monstrosities.