The Conversion Bureau: Reality Restoration

by Fullmetal Pony

The Good Book: Trial

Thomas awoke in a flash. Outside his window, the sky was beginning to turn rosy with the early signs of dawn. He needed no alarm clock to awaken him, getting up at this time had been built into his body after years of work. It was even harder to sleep at night now. Every day was now a struggle for survival.

As per usual, he quietly got out of his bed and made sure not to disturb his still sleeping wife. She had her own troubles to deal with; he didn’t wish to add sleep deprivation to her trials. When he’d cleared the bed, he tiptoed over to his nightstand and grabbed the good book.

He paused on the same passage he’d been reading for the past six months. The passage blared in his mind throughout the day and while he worked. “And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; Yea, thou shalt search about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety,” he murmured as he looked at the rising sun. He closed the book and put it down again.

He silently made his way to his bathroom to clean up and then went to the closest and took out his uniform. It was simple and humble, nothing that stood out. Words mattered more than looks. He tied up his shoes to finish his attire and slipped out of the bedroom.

Long tendrils of light stretched from the windows across the floor of his house. As he walked down the hall to the kitchen, he noticed light escaping from Sarah’s room. He frowned. Maybe Linda opened it when she got back last night. She should have closed it. He moved to shut the door, but something caught his eyes in the early morning light.

Small with a white body and pink and green hair, its plastic form reflected the early light off of itself. He trudged forward and picked up the small toy. He turned it around and looked at the Hasbro logo on the bottom of one of the hooves. He clasped the pony figure in his hand and quickly rushed off to the kitchen. He didn’t want to cause more of a disturbance in the room. It’s for her own good. He chucked the toy in the trash.

After that incident, Thomas didn’t feel like lingering in his house much longer. He grabbed a bagel and ate it without either toasting or spreading cream cheese on it. He opted for a glass of milk rather than coffee today.

He quickly finished off the milk and then climbed into his car. He clicked a button to open the garage, but he got no response. He clicked it again, but the garage didn’t move. A tinge of fear ran through him and he turned his key to ignite his car. To his relief, the engine hummed and the car came alive. Batteries probably just need to be replaced.

He got out of the car and went over to the opener that was built into the wall. He had a habit of opening the garage after he got into his car, despite the built-in opener being right next to the door. He clicked the button and the garage was flooded with light. He got back into his car and put it in reverse. He pulled out onto the street and drove off to work.

~~~

He fumbled with his keys as he tried to find the one that would unlock the building. His office was like a second home to him, yet finding the key was always a hassle for him. “Ah-ha!” He held up a tiny bronze key and undid the lock.

“Finding the key has always been an issue,” came a weathered voice. “Everyone before you had a similar complaint.”

Thomas turned around and smiled at the old man standing behind him. “Good morning Anton. How are you today?”

Anton stretched out and his back made an audible crack. “Troubles with the spine again. Had a bit of a fit with the nurses at the home. They offered me treatment, but well…” He stroked his thin white beard. “They mean well, but they are easily led astray.”

Thomas rested a hand on Anton’s shoulder. “Then pray for them today. I know you are only a janitor here, but you are always welcome to join in. A strong community is what we need now.”

“Thank you Father.”

“Please Anton, you are a friend. Just call me Thomas.” Thomas held the door open for his elderly cohort and then entered the church as well.

~~~

Thomas had just finished reading the day’s passage when he looked up from his podium at the crowd in front of him. His heart raced for a second when he saw his wife near the back. He steeled his resolve. Bare it! You can’t falter up here!

“Times right now are tough,” he began. “Six months ago, many people around the world suffered. Hunger, poverty, and violence were all staples of daily life. Some people thought it was too good to be true when an apparent salvation appeared. Food, prosperity, and peace were promised.” Thomas’s features darkened. “Then the ploy was revealed. Give up the body, the body crafted in the image of our Lord, and you could have it all.”

Thomas slammed a fist on the podium. “Trickery! It is said in Revelations that followers of the Beast would bear his mark. Well, let it be known that his servants don’t just bear his mark, they are the beast!” Angry chants and some people yelling “Save us!” echoed through the church.

“I admit it.” Thomas’s form slumped. “Even I was tricked. I had thought my brothers and sisters who condemned television were too extreme. I thought something as innocuous as a children’s show would never hide such a sinister plot.” He looked back at his wife. “I even enjoyed watching with my daughter. I though, ‘Surely a show in which the forces of good battle a horned monster of chaos had a positive message to it.’” He shook his head back and forth. “I beg the Lord for mercy everyday for being so foolish.”

He walked back and forth along the front of the stage. “Oh, there was a Devil on that show. He clad himself in white and graced himself with angelic wings.” He looked up at the stained glass, which showed Michael with a sword raised high. “He convinced the world he was just a make-believe princess.” He stared back at the congregation with a furrowed brow. “Now we know he is all too real. He keeps his guise and his kind words. People come to him with good intentions, but we all know what path good intentions line.”

He walked back to the podium and closed he large ceremonial book. For a few seconds, the room was deathly silent. Then he spoke again. “Brothers, sisters. Times are tough. Everything man could want is at his fingertips, but we must resist the temptation, for it is evil! Like our Lord, we are in a desert now and the Devil has promised us a kingdom. I urge you all to remember you are humans crafted in the Lord’s image and persevere. The end times are here and eternal bliss is close. Thank you all for attending.”

The crowd dispersed as usual. They came for solace, but then again it was Sunday after all. Most people had more free time then usual for September, what with school being reorganized and job opportunities both cropping up and disappearing in droves. Thomas was thankful that his job would continue no matter what. No, it was more than a job; it was his duty to protect his flock until the proper shepherd came.

There were also a few stragglers as well. They begged him for personal solace, but he only gave them the promise that the Lord would be with them.

“But father!” A woman cried. “My neighbors! I’ve been friends with them for years! How can I deal with them now that they’re monsters?!”

It was screamers like this that bothered him. They were irrational and that was dangerous. Irrationality thoughts led to brash actions: Crusades, witch-hunts, Inquisitions. He reached out to comfort the woman. “My child, it is all right. You are unspoiled. Yes, they have given into corruption. The pit likely awaits them. But, you still have your brothers and sisters here to comfort you. Never forget that.”

“T-thank you father.” The woman shuffled away.

Luckily, the incident had put the other stragglers at rest for the day and they went off to do their own business. Thomas made a beeline for his wife. “Linda, what’s wrong? Is it Sarah?” She just nodded in response. “We’ll take my car.”

~~~

Thomas rushed up the stairs. He dragged Linda with him. There were shouts behind them as they made it to their designated floor. He slammed the door open and rushed through the hall, past the beds and to the one place he needed to be at.

A small girl with blond hair like her mother smiled at them. “Daddy, you’re out of breath!”

Thomas stumbled over to a nearby chair and finally caught his breath. Oh thank god! They didn’t do it! “Sorry Sarah, mommy and I were running.”

“I saw.” The girl giggled, but then sucked in air between clinched teeth.

The color drained for both Thomas and Linda’s faces. “What’s wrong?” Thomas asked.

“The doctors put more spikes in my arm.” Sarah didn’t move, but her eyes looked over at the numerous tubes that ran from the medical equipment to her left forearm. “It hurt.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “The last thing I saw was mommy running. I was scared!”

Thomas got up and put his hand on his daughter’s back, careful to avoid disturbing any IVs. “Shhh.” He rubbed her back in little circles. “It’s okay. Mommy just had to go get me so I could be here too.”

Sarah used the hand that didn’t have IVs in it to rub the tears from her eyes. “D-daddy…” She moved to embrace him.

“Stop,” a voice called out. A doctor with short black hair and dark skin walked over. “Remember Sarah, moving is very bad.”

“Yes doctor.” Sarah moved away from the embrace and looked dully at Thomas. The tears were now replaced with disdain. He couldn’t blame her, all the doctors and nurses did was either take blood or stab more machines into her.

“Anyway.” The doctor brought a hand to his chest to steady his breathing. He wasn’t used to chasing patients’ families up six flights of stairs. “Mr. McAlister, can we take a walk?”

Thomas looked at Sarah and then at Linda. Linda gave him and nod and he knew things were okay, for now. “Yes.” He got up and followed the doctor.

Once they were out of hearing range the Doctor spoke up. “We were lucky this morning. We lost her for ten seconds.”

“What about now?” Thomas’s voice shook.

“She is stable, but understand, everything we’re doing now is a stop-gap measure.” The doctor stoically looked at Thomas. “This morning was a fluke.”

“It was not!” Thomas tried to check his voice, but he couldn’t hold his agitation. Damn them! Damn them all!

“Please Mr. McAlister, I know this is more than a parent should bare, especially with such a young child. But this treatment, it’s wasteful now. In a few months, we won’t even have equipment like this anymore.”

“Don't say it.” Thomas knew it was coming.

“I know you have personal viewpoints, but as a doctor you have to understand where I come from on this. Patients with inoperable tumors, Alzheimers, even those with STIs have been alleviated. Is that not something you would call a miracle?”

“No doctor, I call it treachery. I pray you see the light before it’s too late.” He was about to storm off, but he paused. “Thank you for keeping her safe this morning.”

The doctor sighed and rubbed his temples. “Despite what you think of my suggestion, I still have a duty to your daughter as a patient. I will not go through with anything unless I have your or your wife’s permission. We’ll continue treatment as long as we can.”

“Thank you.” Thomas walked away from the Doctor and back to his wife and child.

“Is everything alright?” Linda asked. Her hands were wrapped around one of Sarah’s.

“Yes,” he lied. “They were just giving me a breakdown on what happened this morning.” He focused on Sarah. “Sweetie, are you feeling better?”

“Yeah.” She wiggled around a little and didn’t make eye contact with Thomas.

He leaned closer. “What’s wrong?”

Sarah frowned. “Al left too.”

Thomas looked to his left at a bed that had previously been occupied by a young freckled boy. The poor kid had gotten mauled by a dog during the Crisis. Thomas was glad Al’s left side was facing Sarah. She didn’t need to see the scarred stump the boy’s right side had become. But despite his injuries, Thomas was glad the kid had been next to Sarah. He was quiet when he first came, but eventually he opened up and entertained Sarah in ways her parents couldn’t. Thomas was pleased that, even in a hospital, his daughter had made a friend.

He put his hand over Linda’s and gazed into his daughter’s eyes. “I’m sorry Sarah. Alphonse was a good friend. He is in a better place now though.” I’ll probably hold a token memorial for him.

“Outside does sound better.” Sarah stared over at a window on the far side of the room. “Al sounded pretty happy when he left.” Sarah let out a giggle. “He kept tripping though.”

Thomas’s face blanched. Al had lost both an arm and a leg to the dog. If he ever moved, it was in a wheelchair. There was nothing to trip on. Unless he got new legs. His hand moved away from Linda’s and Sarah’s and he grasped Sarah’s shoulder. “Sarah, listen to me. Alphonse was a good boy, but he’s done something very bad, okay?”

“Daddy…”

“You need to pay attention. You don’t like the doctors here, right?”

“But daddy…”

“They may try to give you something purple to drink. Don’t take it. Please! It’ll kill you! Promise me!”

“Daddy, you’re hurting me.” Thomas noticed that he could feel Sarah’s shoulder bone under his palm. He instantly backed away. “Daddy?”

“I’m sorry sweetie. Daddy had a long day.”

Sarah glanced over at the large clock that hung over the exit doors. “But it’s not even noon.”

“Sometimes days aren’t measured in time.” He brought his hand out again and rubbed her hair.

Sarah tilted her head in confusion. “Then what’s the point of clocks?” Linda and Thomas laughed at that. They’d both gotten quite good at false laughter. “What’s funny?” Sarah’s face was tinted red.

Thomas ruffled her hair again. “Nothing sweetie. You’ll find out when you’re older.” Outwardly he smiled, but inwardly he tore himself to shreds. The doctor’s words burned in his mind. A vial of purple glowing liquid flashed across his memory. No! He pushed the wicked thoughts back. This is a trial! I must stay strong! For Sarah’s sake! He slowly brought his hand away from Sarah’s head and looked over at Linda. “You’ve both had hard mornings.” He put on a fake smile and turned back to Sarah. “But you were very brave. Is there anything you want from the toy store?”

“Well.” Sarah brought her eyes to the bed. “They don’t have the good channel here, so I can’t see the show. But do you think you could get me a new pony toy?”

Thomas clenched his hands. “Anything but that.”

~~~

Thomas sat at the kitchen table, eating the casserole that had been in the oven for at least three extra hours. It was dry, but at least Linda’s cooking was better than hospital food. He looked at the two empty chairs next to him.

“… and now we move onto our discussion of genetics,” the TV blared. Thomas kept the TV on for company when he had the home shift. The quiet was too deafening otherwise. “With us is Dr. Smith of Stanford Medical, Dr. Wu from the Elsevier journal of psychiatry research, and our three guests that have just been discharged from rehabilitation.” Thomas shuddered when he saw the three ponies: a unicorn, a pegasus, and an Earth Pony.

The news anchor turned to the three ponies first. “Well, you’re why we’re here today. So why don’t you tell us a bit about yourselves.” The anchor held up a microphone to the pony that was closest to him, the pegasus. “Care to start?”

The pegasus scooted around her seat a little. “Well, my name now is Maple, but it used to be Amanda.”

“Why the new name?” the anchor asked.

Maple glanced up down her light brown hooves and up at her red bangs. “Somepony else said I kinda looked like a maple tree now. I don’t really know why, but it just stuck. Plus, all my friends changed their names too.”

“I see. Now, do you know why you became a pegasus?”

“No really.”

“Then, perhaps you could tell us why you chose to convert?”

“Well, my family wasn’t the most prosperous one, so things like vacations were rare and college was a pipe dream. It didn’t help that we had always had health issues.” Maple glanced over her body. “Hard to believe I was once two-fifty. Anyway, that pretty much stuck me at a dead-end job, but I wanted more than that. I wanted to go out and see the world, but who had time for that? There were a lot of days where I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then an opportunity came along. A way to get out my job and my repetitive life.”

Maple shifted her hooves around. “I still remember the dream. The Princesses were there. As much as a I wanted to bolt out of there, I wanted to stay as well.” She chuckled a little. “Sorry for the bad comparison, but it’s like looking at an eclipse. But they just said a few kind words about me converting. Strange thing was it didn’t seem rehearsed. Before I woke up they said they looked forward to seeing what adventures I go on. The doctors said I woke up with a smile.”

“I see.” The anchor turned to the two doctors. “Your thoughts?”

“We’re still trying to fully grasp the factors of pony genetics,” Dr. Smith started. He looked over at Maple. “Pardon my frankness, but this woman had extra energy stored in her in the form of fatty tissue. That energy could have been used in the creation of additional limbs.”

“Have there not been skinny people that have become pegasi?” The anchor asked.

“No, there have been. However, while this is only speculation right now, additional energy stored in the body may increase the likelihood of a person obtaining wings or a horn through conversion.”

“Interesting.” The anchor turned to the other doctor. “Doctor Wu, your thoughts?”

“Could we perhaps have our horned friend here speak first?” Dr. Wu extended an arm over to the unicorn. “I’d like her to speak before I do.”

The unicorn happily looked at the cameras. “Thank you Dr. Wu.” She giggled a little. “I never thought I’d get to meet somepony who actually works with Elsevier. I actually wanted to intern there. Oh, my name is Moonshine by the way.”

“I see,” Dr. Wu replied. “Can you tell us what led to your choice to convert?”

“Curiosity. This was something unheard of in human history. The complete transformation of the human body and even a bit of the mind, or so I heard. No surgery, no stiches, just some artificial grape and a nice dream. Getting out of all my student debts was a nice bonus too.” The other ponies laughed at this.

Dr. Wu clasped his hands together. “Interesting. What was school life like for you?”

“A fight.” She glanced at both the doctors. “I’m certain it hasn’t changed much from when you were in school. Pre-med is your life. You breath biology, eat chemistry, and sleep with a psychology book under your pillow.”

Dr. Smith chuckled. “It’s the same.”

“Things are different now though.” Moonshine reached up and touched her horn with a hoof. “I can already manage small cuts and scrapes. Once I have proper training, who knows? This horn could become more precise than our best machines.”

Dr. Wu sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. “Like my colleague here, what I say is just speculation, but I believe how a person thinks also factors into their conversion. I know from experience that pre-med work often requires a high level of multi-tasking, something that requires a compartmentalization of daily life. I’ve analyzed and diagnosed other converts and have noticed certain traits and personalities fit with the sub-species they become.”

Dr. Wu passed a hand over to Maple. “Our winged friend here desired adventure and exploration. That’s something wings can give you.” He gestured back to Moonshine. “You however were curious of the effects conversion would have. Combined you're your pre-med psyche, you fulfilled parts of unicorn personality.” He looked back at the anchor. We’re hoping to correlate our research with the Myers Briggs personality grid to give us an algorithm for conversion.”

Dr. Smith raised his hand to make a point. “I’d like to add that we already know conversion isn’t an even three way split between the sub-species. Our final guest is an example of the, so far, common result of conversion.” He looked at the Earth Pony. “No offense.”

“None taken,” the pony replied. “Guess I should start with my name. Name’s Ashton Bradey. Unlike the girls here, I haven’t changed my name yet. I’ve got more important things on my mind.” He glanced at the other ponies. “Moving is probably on your mind as well.”

“Sorry,” the anchor interrupted. “We’re actually covering that on another segment, can you keep it to how you chose conversion?”

“Sure.” Ashton nodded. “Well, I really had nothing to lose converting.” He tapped a hindleg with a forehoof. “I was on a scholarship for football. Fourth game in, my leg might as well have been blown clean off: torn ligament, broken ankle, and an Achilles tendon in shreds. Heh, coach said the someone must have had it out for me.”

Ashton slumped a little. “That was it. I moved back home and went to community college after I recovered. I was never meant for anything other than the game. Without that, well… manager at McDonalds didn’t seem like a far off dream.” Ashton took a deep breath. “Couldn’t even play catch with my old man. Some days, I considered the knives in the kitchen or the gun under my parents’ bed.” Maple brought a wing over and patted Ashton on the back.

He placed a hoof on the wing. “Thank you.” He turned back to face the cameras, not with a frown, but with a smile. “It was a long half of a year. Then things began in the spring. I thought it was some mass hysteria. Then a friend of mine from the community college came over, um, teleported over. My old man nearly shot him out of fright. Luckily, I recognized his voice, just barely though. It’d been the first time his mouth had fully functioned.”

Ashton rubbed his hindleg a little. “When you’re like me, you gravitate to others with similar issues. They know what it’s like to be broken. But when I saw my friend bouncing up and down, I knew giving up hands was worth it. See, this kid had been slow before. He only really seemed to do well at art, and even that was hard for him ‘cause he couldn’t firmly grasp anything. Now he was jumping around and happily talking so fast it was almost hard to understand him. I looked at my parents and they knew, even if they’d been against it, that I’d have done it no matter what.”

Ashton shrugged his shoulders. “I still waited out the Crisis though. An injured kid on the streets was more likely to get stabbed before he even got a taste of grape. Staying safe and being with my family was important at the time. When things died down a little, I got up one morning, shook my old man’s hand for the last time and made my way to the closest hospital. I came home the next day on all fours.” Ashton smiled at the cameras.

“Doctors, your thoughts?” The anchor looked off beyond the cameras. “And your final statements if you wouldn’t mind? We’re a bit short on time.”

“May I?” Dr. Smith asked. Dr. Wu nodded. “Very well. As I said before, the ‘Earth Pony’ sub-species is the most common result of conversion that I’ve seen. Like with Ms. Maple, it’s possible energy and healing had a part in Mr. Bradey’s conversion. A chunk of the energy used in conversion may have gone to healing his leg.”

“When you say ‘energy’ you’re referring to magic, I assume?” The anchor gave Dr. Smith a skeptical look.

Dr. Smith furrowed his brow. “Magic doesn’t exist.” The ponies pulled back a little. “Oh, take no offense. What you call and utilize as magic is merely something the human mind has not yet fully understood.” He focused on Moonshine. “You said you wanted to hone your skills with your horn? That appendage is the equivalent of introducing anesthesia in the Dark Ages. By the time humans fully comprehend the new tools they’ve been given, ‘human’ could be little more than a state of mind.” He fell back into his chair with a pensive look on his face.

The anchor turned to the psychiatrist. “Your final thoughts, Dr. Wu?”

“Mr. Bradey’s conversion, while common, still keeps with my ideas as well. His life revolved around football and therefore, playing it was the ‘normal’ for him. His desire to fix his leg and return to normalcy possibly invoked his change to be an Earth Pony. No wings and no horn, just two pairs of legs.”

“Which I’m perfectly fine with,” Ashton chimed in. “Although football isn’t really my thing anymore. I’ve seen the reports, there are other things I could do now. Help ponies in ways playing a game never could.”

“Ah.” Dr. Wu smiled. “Therein lies possibly the largest change from human to equine. Increased empathetic desires are common traits of converts.” Dr. Wu stood up. “I actually have a simple test to-oof!” He slipped on the ground and crashed with a thud. All three ponies rushed over to help. “Sorry, I did some theater back in high school, it’s hard to forget a prep fall. But thank you for the concern.”

He gathered himself and sat back down. “No hesitation. It’s the same reaction I’ve seen in my studies. Two more seconds and they’d have seen I was perfectly fine. That’s two seconds a human ponders what to do: help, stand by, or maybe even laugh at another’s misfortune. It’s a survival mechanism. Humans, by instinct, place their own survival as a top priority. It’s not selfishness, it’s hardwired into our system.” His eyes passed over the three ponies that still looked at him with slight worry. “A system that ponies don’t have.”

“Incredible,” the anchor said. “Thank you all for your time.” His face was then on the camera again. “After the break we cover more of the African miracle and whether pegasi need bother with it. Stay tuned.”

The TV had been black ever since the ponies had shown up. Thomas sat at the table with a now empty plate. He threw it in the sink, went to his room, clasped his book, and allowed himself a moment of weakness. He fell to his knees. “Please,” he whimpered, “It’s too soon for her. Don’t let them take her away.” He stayed on his knees for a while.

~~~

Thomas noticed a figure waiting by the church when he pulled into his spot. He wasn’t late, but he still rushed over. “Anton, you really don’t need to come so early! A man your age needs his… rest.” The man standing in front of him was taller than Anton, even taller than Thomas. Whereas Anton had a crop of white hair, this man was bald. He wore a similar outfit to Thomas.

“I think I can rest later.” The man held out a hand. “Good morning Father. I’m Father Rosélin from the town over.”

Thomas reached out and shook Rosélin’s hand. Thomas winced a little; the grip was quite strong. “Good morning to you as well. But what brings you away from your own house?”

Rosélin let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, don’t worry, I have attendants to handle any wayward souls back home. Besides, it is Monday, surely you don’t get that many visitors either?”

“No, but I still like to be there to comfort them. These are harsh times after all.”

“You are correct about that. In fact, it is why I have come.” Rosélin clasped a hand on Thomas’s shoulder. Like the shake, the pressure Rosélin exerted was slightly painful. “Father, has any of your flock gone astray?”

It took Thomas a second to figure out what Rosélin was getting at. But there was only one way to truly know when someone had gone astray. Ironically, it involved hooves. “I pray not. My congregation is large though. It is hard to keep track of everyone.”

“I see. It is hard to remain pure when the lake of fire burns around us and tempts us to take a dip in it.” He leaned closer so that Thomas could smell his breath. “We must be united in times. Protect each other.”

“Yes.” Thomas could have sworn he felt the pressure on his shoulder increase. “I often tell my congregation the same thing.”

“Good.” Rosélin pulled back. Thomas was glad the grip on his shoulder was gone. “I just came by to make sure all was well here.” Rosélin clasped his hands behind his back and started to walk away. “Even some of our own have been lost to the beast. Driven mad by his temptation and forcefully adding more to the abominable herd.”

“I heard of that too.” Thomas tried to hold down his breakfast. The night came back into his head.

~~~

Thomas needed food and water. It wasn’t just for himself, but for Linda and Sarah as well. The hospital was on its emergency generators, and even those only worked sporadically. Magic surges had taken out power to half the city. Patients had been dying left and right, some from their illnesses, but many more from simple dehydration. Thomas didn’t know if the lack of potion was good or bad. Sarah was always asking for water and the pipes were dry. Thomas kept his wife in the hospital while he braved the streets.

There was a fire somewhere. Thomas couldn’t see the blaze, but its scent hung in the air. People ran and stumbled across the streets. He kept to the shadows, lest he end up with a knife sticking out of him. He knew where the warehouse store was. He just had to make a dash for it. Luckily, the darkened streets made it easy to stay hidden.

How had it come to this? Thomas had never expected the end times in his lifetime. He had just tossed aside the 2012 stuff as fear mongering. Certainly, no one had predicted a children’s show would be a herald for the end of the world. Ponies… why ponies? Thomas’s face soured. There’s something wrong with what they ask. Why is there so much suffering if they’re offering peace? Thomas jumped a little as a something big fell to the ground close by. He thoughts went back to the task at hand and he winded through the allies.

The store came into view much earlier than expected. A flaming truck illuminated the store in a dark orange light. Thomas moved quickly away from the beacon. But as he crossed the truck, he heard a crunch under his feet. He looked down and saw broken glass and liquid that glistened in the firelight. In day it was purple, but under the flames at night, potion looked pure black.

Thomas shivered a little and moved on. He prayed the store hadn’t been completely raided. He slowly stepped in and instantly found a blade at his neck. “What do you want?” A grizzly man snarled.

“W-water.”

“You with them?” The blade inched a little closer. “They took my truck. I took their poison.”

“I…I just need some water and food for m-my family.”

The man lowered his weapon. “Go. Take more than you need and a cut throat will be the least of your worries.” He fell back onto a cheap lawn chair. There was a rifle propped against it.

Thomas dashed through the aisles. He saw a few other people weave in and out of the store. No one made eye contact or stayed in the same place for long. The store’s atmosphere didn’t help much either. Fires strategically lit up parts of the store. The man probably wasn’t the only guard of this place. However, whoever else ran the store hadn’t gotten around to dealing with the food section yet. The scent of rotting meat and decomposing produce wafted through the air and made Thomas a little nauseous. Combined with the smell of cheap fabrics burning, the fetid stench and the lighting made the store more menacing then anything earthly should have been.

For a while, Thomas fumbled around, knocking over boxes here and there. He picked up a few crackers along the way, it wasn’t much, but food was food. Along one of the sides, he found what he was looking for though. He picked up the large jug of water, it was heavy, but he could bare it.

Then the scream had filled the air. It came from the front of the store. Thomas instinctively looked over in that direction and saw an unnatural light in the darkness, something flames could never make.

“Attention,” a voice yelled with unnatural loudness. It sounded as if it was going through a filter of some sort. “We are here to help. You can have all the food and water you want soon. This should only take thirty minutes.” The voice stopped and was replaced with the sounds of something hard hitting the ground, like a bunch of people walking in clogs or…

“Jesus Christ!” Thomas instantly clasped a hand over his mouth. Then he noticed he could see his hand fully now. The entire store was bathed in a horrible green light. It came from where the normal fires had been before, but it was dark and unnatural. It’s from the pit! Thomas steadied himself against a wall and tried to come back from the panic attack. The crackers had fallen, but he didn’t notice or really care. Escape was what mattered. Door! Where’s the emergency door?!

Thomas was running now. There were more screams now and the constant sound of hooves clopping on cement. The water jug banged against his knee as he searched for an escape route. He saw the emergency exit and bolted for it. To his side, a purple blur zoomed out of the emerald hellfire. It whizzed by Thomas’s head and shattered against the door. The purple goo glistened as it fell to the ground along with bits of glass. Thomas paused for a second, taking in everything. He moved to the door.

“Wait,” a voice called out. It was soft and gentle, a stark contrast to the nightmare the store had descended into. Thomas slowly turned. The fire gave the grey pony a sickly look. Its horn glowed a dull beige as it advanced with another bottle of potion levitating at its side. “Please. I don’t like doing it this way. They scream when you throw it on them. It’s just a small drink. Then you can see Princess Celestia in all her glory.”

No words came out of Thomas’s mouth. No prayers came to his mind. There was no protection in this place, no Lord to save him. He did what most people would do when confronting the abyss. He screamed. He screamed as the vial flew at him and missed again. He screamed as he kicked the door open. He screamed as he ran faster than he ever had in his life. He screamed while the handle of the jug rubbed his hand raw and made it bleed. He screamed all the way back to the hospital.

For many nights, he screamed as he found himself back in Hell. Only this time, the vial smashed right into his face and burned him to his very core. The Devil, with his white wings and horn, placed a gold covered hoof over him and laughed. Linda woke him up most of the time, but sometimes he snapped out of it before that. He didn’t want a bible or prayers when he awoke. He just wanted to feel his fingers caress his wife’s back. He just wanted to know he was still human.

~~~

“Father? Father?” Rosélin repeated. “Are you alright?”

Thomas lightly shook his head to clear the dark thoughts away. “Y-yes. Just reflecting a little.” He looked at the rising sun. “It’s a nice day, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Rosélin walked toward a corner of the church. “A shame there are so many stains.” Before Thomas could question Rosélin’s final musings, the man had disappeared behind the church.

While finding the situation odd, Thomas didn’t pass it up as an impossibility. After all, Rosélin was just another brother looking to check up on him. Wasn’t that what I’ve been preaching? He flung open the door and stepped down the walkway that led to the large cross and podium at the front of the church. The eggs he had for breakfast made him cough a little. Linda comforting Sarah was worth a slight upset stomach though. Maybe I should have asked him to stay. It would have at least made Monday interesting. No one came to church on Monday.

~~~

Boredom had somehow become a good thing to Thomas. While Sunday had been horrific, the rest of the week was dull and listless. That was how things had been before the Crisis, before Sarah got sick, even before he met Linda. He read the book, gave his sermons, and consoled those in need. It was what he’d been doing since dropping out of college and he liked it. To see a grieving mother smile, a lonely man find comfort, or a child find peace; those were things that made Thomas himself happy. Even with Hell spilling out of the Pacific, he could still spread the grace of god.

Then Saturday had come.

“Daddy, where’s my toy?” Sarah had her fist balled up in annoyance.

“Oh.” Thomas saw the genuine hurt in Sarah’s eyes and wanted to slap himself. “Sorry sweetie. I had a busy week.” Thomas lied. It had just been that the shift from the chaotic Sunday and the bizarre Monday morning to the mundane week had snapped such a minor thing out of Thomas’s mind.

Evidently, Linda had forgotten too, but Thomas couldn’t blame her. His worry was nothing compared to Linda’s. She’d actually been there the day Sarah first collapsed and had been there the three times doctors had had to perform emergency surgery. For as often as Thomas woke up to nightmares, he also had to comfort Linda and tell her the surgery wasn’t her fault. Often times, they just stayed up all night, locked in each other’s arms.

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone. “I’m gonna call mommy right now. That way she can watch you while I go get your toy, okay?”

Sarah put her right arm over her chest. If it weren’t for the IVs in her left arm, she’d have both her arms crossed. She still pouted though.

Thomas pressed the speed dial and, after a few short rings, Linda picked up. “Oh, Thomas, I just got back. Is everything alright?” Concern laced her voice.

“Just fine.” He replied. “Look, I know it’s asking a bit much, but do you think you could come back and watch Sarah a little longer? I need to pick up her toy.”

“Toy? What to- oh, I completely forgot. I could pick it up if you want.”

Thomas glanced back at Sarah, who was still pouting. “No, I promised her and it’s my responsibility.”

He could hear Linda sigh on the other side of the call. “You shouldn’t talk about yourself like that. I’ll be right there.” There was a click and Linda was gone.

Thomas turned back to Sarah. “Mommy will be here soon. Then I can get you any toy you want.” Sarah kept pouting. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want any toy. I just want one toy.”

“Sarah, we’ve been through this before. Those are very bad things. Remember what they said in school about how bad smoking was? Those toys are even worse. They’ll make you more sick.”

“They didn’t make me sick before.” Sarah broke eye contact with her father and glared at the bed. “They made Al better.”

“They did not!” Thomas cringed as he saw Sarah inch back in her bed, as if she were trying to get away from his outburst. The look on her face… it brought back memories of that night. Thomas hung his head low and slumped in one of the chairs by the bed. The two waited in silence.

“Is something wrong?” Linda asked when she arrived. It must have been an odd feeling for her to be the positive member of the family.

“No.” Thomas pushed himself out of the chair. “Sarah was just telling me about the toy she wanted.” He gave his daughter a weak smile. “I’ll make sure I get a good one.”

“If they have Pinkie Pie, get her! She’s funny!”

~~~

The bolt was coming any second. Thomas was sure his hypocrisy wouldn’t be given a blind eye. It… it’s for Sarah. He wouldn’t smite me for her, right? As the automatic doors to the store opened, he noticed that one of the glass panels had been replaced with cardboard. It was a scar from the Crisis. However, the other thing Thomas noticed was that he wasn’t the one who opened the doors. Someone from the inside had.

A man and a woman came out. They took nothing with them, yet had very content looks on their faces. They didn’t seem to notice Thomas, but he noticed them and raised an eyebrow. No baby toys. No diapers. Nothing. Unless that woman was in her first trimester, she’s not pregnant. Why would a couple come to this store and not even buy anything? Why smile as if they had bought something? Thousands of scenarios played in his head as he tried to figure out the enigma of the couple. They were asking for directions! People are always moving around right now. Makes perfect sense. Thomas smiled a little as he admired his deductive reasoning.

“Welcome to Toys R Us,” a happy attendant chimed. “The wait should be just about five minutes. Good timing!” The attendant kept a cheerful smile on his face.

“Excuse me?” Line? Thomas scanned the store and indeed there was a line that was contained by plastic pillars and chains. It led straight back to a neon pink aisle.

“Oh are you searching for something else?” The attendant’s smile gave way to a neutral expression. “I just assumed that’s what you were here for. It’s practically what anyone comes here for now. Shame no one buys the toys, but end of the world, what can ya do?” The attendant playfully shrugged in the face of the apocalypse.

It suddenly all clicked for Thomas: the couple, the line, and the lack of purchases. These people weren’t shopping for toys; they were shopping for bodies. After all, the toys were prime examples of how you’d look after conversion. The pink aisle was now a showroom floor. Thomas felt queasy. This is sick! It’s wrong! No! Just get it and get out! “I... I actually do want to buy. My daughter wants a toy.”

The attendant smiled again. “Great. Well, again, you had good timing. You’ll still have to wait in line, but it’s just five minutes.” He held out a hand that gestured over to the line.

Thomas quickly moved away from the attendant over to the line. At least with the doctors, there was some semblance that what they were asking was difficult. The attendant, with his cheery smile and wide eyes, frightened Thomas. A drug pusher would have been a welcome alternative.

Thomas stood in line behind a girl who appeared to be a college freshman at best. She was decked out in jeans and a black t-shirt. Her dark brown hair tied in a ponytail reminded Thomas of how Linda looked when they first met. She’s too young! I have to at least save her! He politely tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned her head around and blew a wad of bubblegum in his face. “Hmm?”

“Miss, why are you here?”

“Um, same reason everypony is here?”

Thomas inwardly shuddered. Already even using the pronouns. I need to help! “Does your family realize what you’re doing?”

“I mean, I talked with them a little. Not like liking ponies is anything new.” She fully turned around, revealing the front of her shirt. It took Thomas a second to realize it wasn’t the iconic image of Icarus made famous by Led Zepplin, but rather a twisted parody of it. A pegasus was in place of Icarus. The words “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic 2010” formed two bars around the picture. “Never did buy a toy though.”

“You’re a fan.”

“Yeah, some of my friends got me into the show last summer.” She scratched her face with a finger. “Pretty weird that it’s all real now. What about you? Normally, I’d be a bit more skeptical about a priest in toy store.” She clasped a hand around her chin. “You think you’ll open a church in Equestria? My parents were wondering about that.”

Thomas frowned, but it felt like his mouth was collapsing in on itself. “Child, there will be no church in that place.” Just turn away, don’t go to the pit!

“Oh, guess it’s a bit of a silly question to ask a priest off the street.”

“No, it’s not. Child, please reconsider this. You have too much to live for, don’t throw it all awa-”

“Next!” A voice from within the pink aisle called out.

“Guess it’s my turn!” The girl walked forward. “Nice talking with ya!” Then, she was gone.

Thomas stood there. He wanted to turn a blade on himself. He couldn’t help a child see the light. Yes, he’d noticed certain churchgoers disappear of the past six months, but he’d never actually confronted them individually. One Sunday, they’d be in the pews, the next, they’d be gone and never come back. Thomas tried to fool himself into thinking they’d just moved out of town or something similar, but a dark corner of his mind told him the truth. His words hadn’t reached them and the Devil’s gift was too tempting.

“Next!” The voice broke him out of his brooding. He took a deep breath and walked into the aisle.

There were various girl toys in the aisle: Barbie, Bratz, and other toys. But the ponies clearly stood out. Three toys: a pegaus, a unicorn, and an Earth Pony, were encased in glass and spinning around, like luxury cars. He’d seen the pegasus on TV for a few seconds. It was blue with multi-colored hair. That was the day this madness had started. The nauseous feeling returned to Thomas. The eyes on the toys seemed to glare at him. Where is it? They wanted his soul. Where is it? Hellfire danced in their eyes, the same as that night. “Where is it?!”

Something tapped his leg. “Sir, do you need help finding something?” Its voice was feminine. It was green, an unnatural minty green. Its hair was white with streaks of yellow running through it. A green horn poked out of its head and parted its mane. Its large brown eyes stared at Thomas’s own. “Sir?” the pony asked.

Thomas’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He backed into the wall of toys. A few boxes clattered to the ground. The aisle felt too small, the floor too far away. “Sir? Are you okay?”

His eyes turned to pinpricks as he focused back on the pony. He drew in his breath. “Get back.”

“Sir, if you have a medical issue, we’ve got first aid he-” The lights went out before the pony could finish. “Oh no, not a magic surge. Sir? Sir?” Suddenly, a tiny green light appeared in the darkness. It glowed from the tip of the pony’s horn and illuminated both its face and Thomas’s. “Don’ worry sir, I’m sure this will clear up in a se-” A wave of boxes containing ponies fell on it. Thomas prayed that would stall the demon long enough for him to escape. He knew it still needed its blaze to see. It was blind as long as he was.

However, there was still the light outside the store. It was a beacon that Thomas needed. He wouldn’t stay in the pit again. He rushed for the exit. He rammed into the doors on the way out, pushed them open, and kept running. He burst out the store and into the parking lot. Never! Never again! Forgive me Sarah!

He dashed to his car and fumbled for the keys. He quickly found them and pressed the automatic unlock button. He nearly yanked the handle off the door, but the car remained locked. He pressed the unlock button multiple times, but the door remained locked. “Damn it!” He jammed the key into the lock and twisted. The car still didn’t open. He pulled off the outer jacket of his uniform and wrapped it around his right hand. He had to get away before the demon came back. He raised his hand to break the window, but something stopped him from striking.

The grip on his hand was strong. Thomas spun around with his keys in his left hand as he only weapon. However, it wasn’t a pony he faced, it was Rosélin. “Please Father, it’s just me.”

Thomas’s form slumped and his keys fell to the ground. “I…I…”

“It is perfectly fine. I’ve heard about your sermons, I know you’re a good man.” He looked over at the Toys R Us and snarled. “I assume whatever reason you had for being in that hellhole was a good one.” Rosélin looked down at the suitcase he was holding with his left hand. “You’ve got an angel looking out for you, it seems.”

Why? Why is he here? Why isn’t my key working? What’s going on?! “What’s going on?”

“Father, stay with me.” Rosélin put down the suitcase and clasped Thomas’s shoulders. “They’re attacking us again. It’s a blessing that I ran into you. The streets are going to be chaos soon.” His eyes darted around. “They always prey on us at times like this.” Rosélin took hold of Thomas’s hand. “Come with me. I can help you.”

Information kept assaulting Thomas’s head. Attack. Keys. Rosélin. Pit. Light. Demon. Darkness… darkness. “Jesus!” He pulled against Rosélin’s grip. “The hospital! Sarah!” He squirmed out of Rosélin’s hand and started running.

“Father! Wait! It’s not safe!” Thomas was too far for the older priest to catch up. He made a mad blitz for the hospital.

~~~

Thomas nervously walked through the distended pews of the church. To his relief, he’d imagined it looking much worse after a month of chaos. He’d stayed with Linda and Sarah in the hospital for a few days after the power came back on. Then he remembered that for how scared they all were, his congregation was just as scared. He had to go comfort them.

Chalices had been stolen, tapestries disturbed, and smaller crosses taken in the chaos. Those things were small losses though. The church still stood, its windows unbroken, the cross still hung.

“I was beginning to worry,” Anton said with a smile as he stood by the door. He placed his hand on the splintered frame. “A shame we’ll need to get a new lock for the door.”

“Doors can be rebuilt, people can’t.” Thomas walked up and gave Anton a hug. “I am glad you are safe.”

“I… I wish my grandkids were too.”

Thomas pulled away and looked at the old man crying. “Anton, I’m sorry, they were good kids.”

Anton continued to sob.

“It will be okay.” Thomas gave Anton a pat on the back.

A few hours later, the church was cleaned up. Some other loyal churchgoers had come to help too; evidently Thomas had been too focused on repairs to notice Anton occasionally slip in and out of the church. Thomas still appreciated the company and seeing that familiar faces were well.

The sun was beginning to dip when the final bit of repairs were being made. Unfortunately, this involved moving the large half of the pew that had been broken. Try as they might, Thomas, Anton, and the others who remained couldn’t lift it. Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow and looked down at the pew and then back at the others. “You’ve all worked hard enough. A broken pew is no reason to… to…” The pew lifted off the ground on its own. It zoomed out of the church and into the pile where all the other trash had been collected. A faint blue glow disappeared from it as it came to rest on with the rest of the refuse.

There was the sound of something hard quickly hitting the ground that eventually faded away into the ambient noise of the city. Thomas was about to say a prayer when he saw Anton fall to the ground, fresh tears streaming down his face. “Anton!” He grabbed the old man and tried to shake him. “It’s okay! It’s gone now. They won’t hurt you!”

Anton slowly turned to Thomas. “I know. Even as a demon, he still wanted to help.”

“Anton…”

Anton brought up a hand to cover his eyes. “My son truly is fool.”

~~~

His breath was ragged. Having sand poured down his throat was a welcome alternative to how Thomas felt right now. He lungs ached, his feet burned, his legs felt like lead. His uniform was disheveled and drenched in sweat. The hospital was within sight now. He just needed to go a few more steps. He saw there were lights on in the lobby. Thank god. The electricity stayed on here.

He shuffled his way into the lobby. The receptionist rushed over. “Mr. McAlister! What happened to you?” The receptionist left his side and rushed over to the water fountain and filled a paper cup. “You need water. You’re dehydrated.”

“Thank you,” he rasped. The water stung to swallow. He tasted blood as well as it went down his throat. It could be worse. It would have stung much more if it were… Thomas looked at the electrical water cooler the receptionist had gotten the drink from. Cold. A little color drained from his face.

“Are you alright?”

He started slouching over to the stairs. “Yes, I just need to check on my daughter.”

“Yes… your wife tried to call you, but with the power outage, she…” Thomas didn’t hear the rest, he was flinging up the stairs with newfound adrenaline.

“No!” His cry echoed through the stairwell. Oh god, there wasn’t any power here! What if the generators didn’t work either? What if… He rushed upwards.

He busted onto the all too familiar floor. All the patients stared at him, but it was Linda who ran up to him. “I’m sorry! I tried! But I… I…” She broke down into his shoulder.”

So it had finally happened. He’d told himself this would happen, talked out with Linda, and prayed to the Lord for guidance when it came. Now he just felt empty. The last thing he’d done was promise Sarah he’d buy her a monster. This was the punishment he deserved for soliciting with the Devil. He stroked his hand down his wife’s back. “Oh Linda. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have left. I should have been with her.” Somehow, out of the void of his emotions, he pulled out a delusional smile. “She’s in a better place.” This elicited more crying.

Then he saw the bed. There was a lump under the covers. Didn’t bother to take her away. He looked down at his Linda. Did she ask them to wait until I got here? He started to get up, but Linda held him down.

“Please… don’t…” she hiccupped.

He reached down and placed her hands on her shoulders. “I have to. I have said it for others.” He took a deep breath and held back the tears. “I will say it for her. We’ll figure things out after that.” Linda’s face scrunched up. She gritted her teeth as it looked like crying brought pain to her. She let go of Thomas and slumped. The sounds of a broken creature emanated from her.

Thomas pushed himself forward. Despite the pain in his legs, he moved forward at a mechanical pace. He could only hear the beat of his own heart as he got closer and closer to the bed. He stood over the bed. Maybe it was for a second; maybe it was for a lifetime. He didn’t know how many times his mouth opened and closed with no words coming out. He looked over at the little table next to the bed. There was a bible there. He reached out and grabbed it. He knew the words by heart, but he right now he needed something solid to say them out of.

“Our father in heaven,” his voice trembled. “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” He felt the wetness roll down his cheeks. “G-give us this day our daily bread, and f-forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone.” He gulped down the air. Tiny bits of water fell to the ground. “And lead us not into temptation.”

He looked down at where his daughter lied. He had done his duty as a preacher of the Lord’s word. The Bible fell to the ground with a loud thump and Thomas let out all the tears as he sobbed over Sarah’s body. “You’re in a better place. You’re in a better place.” He wanted to believe the mantra so badly. “Someplace where it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Daddy?” came a faint voice from under the covers.

“Sarah?” I’m delusional. Linda… Linda must have been here when for the time of death. The doctors gave up. She can’t be… He then noticed the steady fall and rise of the blanket. Something was breathing under it. He reached out and hugged it. “Oh Sarah! I thought you were gone! This… this is a miracle!” He hugged Sarah tighter from under the blanket.

“I’m happy too daddy. When I saw them, I asked them to make you happy. You never really smile when you’re here.”

“It’s okay sweetie. I’m happy now.” He held her close under the blanket. He wasn’t aware that the blanket had fallen off her face. He kept her in his embrace.

“Can we go home now? They said I should be all better.” Something warm and soft rubbed up and down the side of Thomas’s neck. Thomas’s eyes flew open. Something wasn’t right. The feeling on his neck didn’t feel like either hair or skin, but a mixture of both. He kept hugging Sarah, but didn’t look up at her.

“Sarah, who said you were all better?”

“The Princesses.” Thomas seized up.

“Ow, daddy, you’re hugging me too hard.” Something squirmed out of Thomas’s grasp and lightly tapped him in the face. It was pink and a soft layer of fur adorned it except for the rough rounded end.

“N-no.” Thomas’s whole body shook.

“Daddy?”

“No.” His hands fell away from holding Sarah and griped the covers.

“Daddy?” He didn’t want to look. He wanted to stab his eyes out, poke holes in his eardrums, and blot out the world. No, it wasn’t the world anymore, it was the pit. He hadn’t escaped that night at the store; the Devil had followed him, haunted his dreams, and found what was most precious to him. Then he’d taken it.

The worst part of Hell is not the torture. It’s not the Devil that laughs at you. It’s not the regret you feel for whatever sins you committed. It’s the little angels the Devil sends you to remind you you’re his for eternity. Thomas did what all those who entered Hell did. He abandoned all hope.

“Why are you crying daddy?” A pink Earth Pony with white and purple hair asked. She had Sarah’s voice. “I got better.”

Comments

[Chatoyance]

Wow. That was an awesome chapter, filled with emotion and much jimmie rustling. You did a good job, I felt, of getting inside Thomas's head. I've always reasoned that the most narrow people are driven by fear, and Thomas is a walking mass of terror and cowardice, but he is not played as a parody. I like that. His terror and cowardice and weakness is believable, human, and has the ring of truth to it. I have met people like Thomas, I have heard them justify their flaws to themselves and others. I have met Thomas before, under several names.

And that is what makes a story good, I think - what matters is the people and whether they are believable, real. In that, you did a fantastic job, I think.

This is turning out to be more and more evocative.

[Katamariguy]

A cliffhanger! Oh joy.

[Da Bunnana King]

If I dont get more I am going to eat your face off.

[Agrith]

For some reason, I enjoy extremely religious people haveing their life and faith torn down around them, though it may have something to do with me being an atheist.

[Noble Cause]

Chatoyance said everything I wanted to.

... Damn.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Wow... Um, I'm just going to digest the emotional impact I'm feeling right now while pointing out your homophone errors. No offense, just sorting out my feels...

Bare it!
That's... actually kind of hilarious. I know you didn't mean it, (bear, not bare,) but it sounds like there's some bit of our protagonist that wants to flash the congregation.

"he winded through the allies."
Wound through the alleys. Unless he was exhausted amongst friends.

Okay, I'm cool now. So, yeah, that was exquisite. There are few things more tragic than the righteous man faced with a contrary reality. You conveyed Thomas's struggle incredibly well. My only complaint is that the flashbacks were almost too seamlessly integrated. It took me a moment to realize when a section was happening during the riots.

Also, something tells me that Sarah's going to need some therapy after all's said and done.

[Shatterpath]

Wow, that was disturbing and emotional; and yes, that is a compliment. My only critique is that you really need to get a beta because the spelling errors are really jarring. They're jarring because you're a good writer with a good grasp of language and emotion and the errors stand out all the more clearly because of that. Thank you for all of your obvious hard work!

[Mr Aquila]

do one about a veteran who thinks he will not be accepted

[GoldenGoomba900]

I like this, I've wondered what the religious fanatics would do in a time like this and the way you wrote it portrayed this very well. Keep up the great work!

[Midnightshadow]

Ow. All these feels.