A Life's Stanza

by Treblemaker

Attack

　　Present day

A sharp buzz entered her ear, forcing Vinyl awake. Groaning, she searched for the source of the sound, only to find it emitting from the base of her horn. Mumbling something about hangovers, she pulled herself from the bed, and unceremoniously fell onto the floor a moment later. Her headache was splitting. Pulling herself to the scarce kitchenette cabinets, she pulled a hoof full of maroon dust out of the more recently stocked one. Lighting her horn, which brought on further grunts from the mare, she charged the powder. Dissolving it in a glass of water, she made quick work of the magical medicine, coughing and spluttering after she did so. She started her mental checklist for the day, but the checklist stopped after three items. Sleep, leave house by 2:20, buy drink. Her list hadn’t changed for quite some time, too long in her opinion, but she hasn’t come up with a better option.
　

Maybe back in her prime she would know what to do. Maybe she still does, but she just doesn’t want to face it. Either way, it doesn’t matter, for Vinyl doesn’t listen to her brain that much nowadays. Shutting it down is only possible with alcohol, so that is what she does. Every day.
　　

Making a better choice than consume more drink for breakfast, she decided on an apple, and attempted to wait out the nausea. Five grueling minutes passed before the medicine took hold, relieving her of the pain. It also unfortunately relived the pain, as memories came flooding back, the unfortunate side effect of a clear mind. Having the sudden urge to levitate a bottle over due to the new type of pain, her magic started to float across the room. Stopping it before it reached its destination, she redirected the tendrils to come crashing down onto the rubble pile. With an expression of exasperation she leaned her head on the wall, feeling too tired to perform any other actions.
　　

The room was quiet save the slight breathing of the occupant. Hours drew full length, until the clock measured itself at 2:00 PM. Vinyl clambered out from her position on the floor, levitated her glasses onto the bridge of her muzzle, and headed for the door. Having only taken two steps, a sharp knock was heard. Three knocks. Eyes frantically searching for an escape, a voice rang out.
　　

“Vinyl, Vinyl will you please listen to me?”
　　

Hooves clasped over her ears, attempting to block out that voice. Sliding onto the floor with an audible thunk, Vinyl started to hyperventilate. The sound of hooves scraped the carpet outside the apartment.
　　

“Vinyl, I could hear you, please, just please listen to me!” Came the voice again, breathing heavily. Heart beating faster, the DJ shriveled under the barrage of words. Staggering to get to an upright position, she headed the last few feet to the door. Hesitating, she turned the knob.
　　

A slight gasp escaped from the pony outside, after hearing the door handle turn. The unicorn pulled her hoof from the door as if it were burning. Mind racing from the risk she taken, Vinyl swallowed empty air, trying to collect herself.
　　

“No.” Came the voice which had gone for so long without use.
　　

A whimper was heard from the other side. “Vinyl!” nearly cried the voice.
　　

“No. I can’t... I can’t and I won’t. I won’t hurt them, I won’t hurt you. Please, just go.” Vinyl almost whispered, but the door soaked up her words without ever reaching the pony on the other side.

Her name was called a few more times, but without reply, for the unicorn had once more shut herself off from the world in the beginnings of a drunken haze.
　　

Vinyl kept drinking, and never stopped until the hooffalls were heard retreating back to whence they came.
　　

The night continued very much the same for the dejected mare, all memories lost to her by next morning, except that voice. That horridly beautiful voice.

Author's Note:

Yay, new chapter! i still don't have an editor, so sorry about any mistakes.

Concerning the chapter titles, they will make more sense if you understand the word in the musical sense. Classical for Octavia (Overture) and modern for Vinyl (Decay\Attack.)

Comments

[Amdazzler]

Another good chapter, but a sad one as well. :c Hoping she'll be able to get out of this slump by the end of the story.

[Treblemaker]

5367801 I guess we'll have to find out.