Night Fright

by Peewee the Dragon

I Don't Like To Lose

We all stared at the place on the floor where Night Fright was only seconds ago. I heard the young Colts sniffling and I wanted to go and comfort them, but I felt as if I couldn't move.

He was gone. I wanted to tell myself otherwise, but I knew that it was the truth. Mother was the first to look away.

"Good riddance," she muttered, "let' go." She walked past me and pushed through the crowd of townsponies, but none of them followed her.

She looked back and saw that we weren't moving, making her walk up to me and grab my front leg, just as she had done on the way to this mansion. "Let's go."

The townsponies began to slowly follow, pulling their children along with them, though the young Colts and I looked back, just waiting for Night Fright to jump out from behind the curtains and yell, "I fooled you, didn't I" but nothing happened.

Mom pulled me roughly, sending pain coursing up my leg. "Let's go!" she repeated. She tugged me toward the large doors, intending to leave and not look back. She reached for the handle, muttering, "I showed that freak."

However, when she went to open the doors, they flew open, causing us both to be thrown back onto the floor. Immediately, the grip on my leg disappeared. There was a giant head in the door way. The giant head of a very familiar Stallion. His face was not his own; it had a few minor adjustments. Maybe more than a few; it looked as if he were wearing a Nightmare Night mask. His teeth were sharp and his face was wrinkled, yet it was easy to tell by the ridiculous voice that he used that it was him. It was Night Fright.

My head pounded painfully; I had hit it against the floor when I fell. My mother yelled, scare out of her wits, which didn't help the pain any. I looked up and saw her running away from the doors. She pushed through the crowd, falling but immediately getting up, before bolting it across the room, jumping through the window.

I stared at the window in both surprise and happiness. Night Fright had won the game. My attention was taken off the window when I saw a pale Hoof stretched out to me.

I accepted it and Night Fright helped me up. I stared into his eyes, seeing that they were back to how I remembered them; warm and kind. Without thinking, I threw my front legs around his neck, hugging him. I half expected to go straight through him, but I didn't. His front legs wrapped themselves around my neck as he hugged me back.

"I thought you were gone," I mumbled into his soft black mane. I felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled.

"There is one thing you should know about me, dear Peppermint; I do not like to lose," he answered softly, a smile clear in his voice.

I pulled back and saw that I was right; he was smiling his heart-warming smile, revealing his pearly white teeth. We released each other and I step back, wanting to see that he was fully back to normal. He put his hoof on the doorway as the townsponies all looked toward him, shocked to see him standing there. He walked towards them with me following behind.

He smiled at them, asking, "Did I scare you?" the townsponies smiled and reluctantly agreed. They all started speaking, saying things such as which part scared them the most, but one comment stuck out the most.

"you're not bothering no Pony, you know, you got your thing," one of them spoke, looking around at the huge room, as if seeing it for the first time.

"But did we have a good time here?" Night Fright asked, clasping his Hooves together, not letting the smile fall from his beautiful lips. It became silent. "Hello!" he nearly yelled. The Ponies thought about it, then started to agree. He started chuckling, happy that they had had fun.

Suddenly, I felt as if there was something behind me. I stepped forward so I was right beside Night Fright. The smiles that once graced the lips of the townsponies were no where in sight. It didn't go unnoticed.

"What?" Night Fright asked, "what?" They all looked behind us and Pipsqueak's mom pointed at something. Slowly, we both turned around.

Both of us shrieked as we saw a skeleton face looking back at us. It lowered to reveal Pipsqueak's smiling face. He was standing on Button Mash's back, wearing Night Fright's black cloak.

"Did I scare you?" he asked. I smiled at him, chuckling.

"Yeah," I confessed.

"No," Night Fright claimed, "well, maybe. How about that; maybe." I could hear the two Colts quietly say "yes!"

Night Fright laughed and helped Pipsqueak off of Button Mash's back.

"Excuse me," GameChanger said, grabbing our attention, "excuse me, yeah, um," he contorted his face, "is this scary?" he reached for his face before. The sight was horrific!

I buried my face into Night Fright' shoulder, as I screamed along with all the others, the only exception being the Stallion that was now holding me tightly.