Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons. Competition Compilation

by Katarn

Never Again by Tiroth

Lots of ponies have told me that travelling alone is a bad way to commit suicide, bad meaning it’ll hurt rather than it won’t work. I’d always shrugged in reply, picked up my saddlebags, and walked off. But every now and then, something would happen to hammer the point home.

Like running into a pack of zombie ponies.

I ran through ruined streets as fast as my legs could carry me, blood pounding in my ears. I knew I was faster than the monsters behind me, but that wasn’t much comfort - not when I’d collapse from exhaustion before any of them stopped for breath. I needed a distraction, or some hole to hide myself in where they couldn’t find me.

Hence, the ruins.

Most ponies think it’s stupid, but times like this are why I travel alone. I’m running for my life, and one wrong move equals death. If other ponies were with me, it would mean their deaths too. I don’t want anypony else dying for my mistakes. Not again.

I scrambled through a door-shaped hole in a nearby building and took a look around. No loot, no weapons besides my rifle, no clear doorways - wait, another room out back. Might be something useful there.

I leapt through the door and instantly went down in a tangle of flailing limbs. Twisting, I kicked against the floor and pushed clear, scrambling upright. I swing my rifle round, trigger in my mouth, sights lining up with - a pegasus mare. Heavily pregnant.

We just stared for a moment, before a loud crash from the other room drew our attention. The zombies were about to catch up with me. If I wanted to escape, I needed to move.

But there was no way the mare could outrun zombies, and I’d lead them right to her. It didn’t matter that it was an accident.

With a grunt, I spun on my hooves and blew out the brains of the first ghoul through the door. I wasn’t going to let this mare and her unborn foal die for my mistake.

Never again.

Comments

[ChaosMedler]

I liked it, the first few lines didn't make as much of an impact until coming to the last few, made 'never again' mean far more, thanks for this.

[BirdsBooksBrownies]

I know this is über late, but I would love to see more of this story line, I guess the rather surprising "find" stoked my curiosity.