On the Road to Galloway

by Matthew Penn

Chapter 2

Apple Bloom tried to return to the pleasant field of blue sky and flowers in her mind; but every hoot, howl, screech, and twigs snapping sent her back to the reality of the tall dark trees. Once in awhile she turned her head back to see how far she had gone from the wagon, or if something was following her. She thought back to what Granny Smith had told her when she was in a situation like this.

“When in doubt, just whistle.”

Apple Bloom put her lips together in an attempt to whistle, but the tune she tried to emulate came sputtering from her mouth. “Dang it,” she muttered.

Her left leg stepped on something unpleasant. She slowly raised her hoof to have her face contort at the sight of it. Was it mud, or… she didn’t want to think about it. Apple Bloom dragged her hoof on the ground to make the brown stain disappear. “Not only is this place scary, it’s disgusting!”

Apple Bloom twisted her head at the sudden hoot of the owl that was bothering her before. “Why is that owl following me? Aren’t they supposed to come out at night or something?”

She froze in place when she heard a nearby bush rustle. Apple Bloom ear’s also picked up a small but very audible click on the dirt below the bush. She took a few steps back, ready to run back to the wagon. “Who’s there?” she asked nervously.

Apple Bloom closed her eyes. After a moment she opened them again, and a small mouse was standing below her. Suddenly, she didn’t feel tensed anymore.

“Hi there, little guy,” she said in a relaxed voice. “Are ya lost? I don’t have any cheese for you. Do you know a way out of here? You see, my brother and sister and I are traveling, and we - “

Her words were cut and her breath was stolen from her when an owl descended from the trees and swiped the poor little mouse from the ground. Apple Bloom watched in horror as the owl carried the mouse under its clawed-feet.

Apple Bloom let out a shrill cry of terror and ran back to the wagon. She called for Macintosh and Applejack as she ran through the frightening-looking and mangled trees. Apple Bloom returned to the wagon; unfortunately, Applejack and Macintosh were not there.

“Big Mac? Applejack?” she yelled. Apple Bloom searched over, under, and around the wagon. There was still no sign of them. “Big Mac? Applejack?” she yelled again. “Where are you?”

She screamed when she felt something touch her shoulder. Apple Bloom fell on her back and pleaded for whoever it was to not hurt her.

“Calm down, Apple Bloom! It’s only us,” Applejack said. Apple Bloom opened her eyes and saw her brother and sister standing over her. “What on earth were you screaming about?”

“I tried to find a way out, but it was so scary! I was all on my lonesome! Then I saw an owl catch a little mouse and I just couldn’t take it anymore!” Apple Bloom took the moment to catch her breath. Then she gave an accusing look to her sister. “Where we’re you?” she yelled. “I thought something done happen to you!”

“Well, there ain’t no outhouse ‘round here,” Applejack said flatly.

“... That’s gross!”

Applejack rolled her eyes, then turned her attention to the wagon. The wheel was still broken and there were only eleven barrels of cider left. She removed her stetson, scratched her head with her hoof.

“Big Mac, are you strong enough?”

“Yep. Why?”

“Get on to the back and lift that wagon up. I’ll try to pull it from the front.”

Macintosh stared at Applejack, cocked his eyebrows. He turned his head to look at the wagon for himself. “You really expect me to carry that thing all day?”

“I expect you to help me get that wagon to Galloway, pronto!”

Macintosh glared at his sister. However, seeing that there was no other way, he sighed defeatedly and walked to the back of the wagon. Applejack strapped herself to the front. She ordered Apple Bloom to climb in the wagon. “And make sure we don’t lose anymore barrels,” she said.

Apple Bloom watched as Macintosh used his strong forearms to lift the wagon off the ground with Applejack pulling it forward. Apple Bloom whince at the sound of a hooting owl.

---

“Our we out of the woods yet,” Macintosh said through gritted teeth. Applejack didn’t know how much time had passed since they pulled the wagon off the ground. She couldn’t remember the last time she seen sunlight. The road, nor the trees, hadn’t changed.

“Not yet, Big Mac.”

“I hope we get outta here soon,” said Apple Bloom. She hid herself between the cider barrels. “This place is giving me the creeps.”

“I know, I heard you the first four hundred times,” said Applejack.

Applejack continued to pull the wagon forward while Macintosh carried it from the back. Apple Bloom tried hard not to look at the trees, as well as not letting any of the barrels fall over. She wondered when they were going to get out of the forest, if there was actually a way out at all. Mostly, she was also worried about the things that could be lurking behind the trees. Apple Bloom spent the majority of her time looking over her shoulder.

Everypony was silent. Suddenly, the wagon stopped moving. Apple Bloom grabbed a barrel before it could fall out. Once Macintosh noticed Applejack stopped pulling forward he set the wagon down. His arm muscles throbbed painfully.

“You hear that?” said Applejack.

“... Hear what?” asked Apple Bloom.

Applejack cleared her ears to listen closely to the air. She never said anything for a full minute. Apple Bloom wondered if being isolated in the woods has finally drove Applejack to insanity.

“That sounds… like a river! We’re getting close!”

Apple Bloom gazed at the path before them, and then at her sister. “I don’t hear anything,” she said.

“What’s going on up there?” Macintosh called.

“Get on your hooves, Big Mac! We’re almost out of here!”

He grumbled under his breath; and the pain in his arms was about to fade. He sucked in air and lifted the wagon, with Applejack pulling at the front.

---

There was a glimmer of hope when Applejack and Apple Bloom saw the end of the dark forest. All they had to do was to pass through the wall of mist and fog that stood in their way. “Hang in there, Big Mac! We’re almost out!”

“Gladly,” he grunted.

As they arrived closer toward the end of the forest trail, fog and mist surrounded them. They couldn’t see the trees or the road anymore. This was usually the part where a frightening monster or a maniac comes out and attacks them, Apple Bloom thought.

“I can’t see a dang thing!” said Macintosh

Through the thick fog Applejack heard the rushing water. It was straight ahead. She picked up the pace, much to the displeasure of her brother. For the first time since they first entered the dark forest, Applejack saw little rays of sunlight trying to burst through the fog.

Finally, after spending heaven knows how long in the dreadful forest, the Apples found themselves under the glorious light of Celestia.

This would have been a cause for celebration.

Yes, Applejack heard a river. She assumed there would be a bridge over it. Instead, the river was almost ten yards from the other side. Applejack’s curses were loud enough to scare the birds from their trees.

“I thought you said we was outta here!” Macintosh said angrily.

“Well, excuse me for not knowing a river was going to block our path!”

The siblings gazed in bewilderment at the rushing water, and the spot of land on the other side.

“Well, look on the bright side,” Apple Bloom said climbing down next to her sister, “the sun is still out.” Macintosh and Applejack neither agreed nor disagreed with her. They continued to stare at the river in silence.

“How in the hay are we going to get across?” Applejack asked.

“Um… how about we swim,” said Apple Bloom.

“Child, you must be out of your mind!” Applejack retorted. “Ain’t no way in Tartarus are we sending that wagon across the river!”

“You have a better idea?” said Macintosh.

Of course Macintosh will be the one to speak, Applejack thought. Her emerald eyes stayed on the barrels on the wagon, then turned to the river ahead.

“I don’t want to lose anymore barrels,” she said.

“Well, there ain’t no other way,” Macintosh said. “I bet the river ain’t even that deep.”

Apple Bloom picked up a rock that was sitting next to her leg and cast it into the river. With a loud splosh the rock disappeared in the water.

“... Like I said, the river ain’t even that deep,” Macintosh repeated.

Applejack sighed. “Let’s get a move on,” she said in a defeated tone. Macintosh returned to the back of the wagon and Applejack took the lead in the front. Apple Bloom took her position inside the wagon itself, making sure none of the barrels fell out. Applejack pulled forward once her brother lifted the wagon off the ground. Going into the river, the water almost came up to her neck. Advancing forward she could no longer feel the surface. “Apple Bloom, Big Mac, hang on,” she said. “It’s going to be bumpy ride.”

It took them several minutes to cross the enormous river. The water gradually rose to Applejack’s chin. While swimming across, she feared that the weight of the barrels will make the wagon sink.

“Big Mac, how long can you hold your breath?”

“... For a few minutes. Why?”

“I need you to go under the wagon and hold it over your head.”

“You’re crazy! I ain’t doing that!”

“Do you want this wagon, and us, to go under?” she asked irritatingly.

Macintosh held his breath, quickly dipped himself into the river and under the wagon, and held over his head with his arms. He pedaled his legs to keep up with Applejack’s pulling of the wagon. Applejack lifted her head high as the water splashed on her face.

While Apple Bloom tried to keep the barrels from falling over, she noticed that water was seeping through the wood of the wagon. “Applejack, are we almost there?”

“Just hold on, sugarcube! Big Mac is doing the best he can!”

Applejack couldn’t stop now. They were almost at the other side. With a force of will she pulled forward, not minding the water in her eyes. Then, as some kind of miracle, her hooves touched the surface of the river. She felt herself slowly rising from the water, much to her relief. She heard Macintosh come out from under the wagon, inhaling and exhaling deeply and rapidly, then continued with all his might to carry the wagon.

Finally, she stopped pulling once she made it to the surface. Applejack slumped on the ground, catching her breath, with her brother crawling next to her. “We’re not… doing that… again,” she said.

When her breathing was normal she looked back at the wagon. Eleven barrels of cider were still in place. Unfortunately, she didn’t know where they are, or if they were on the right path. However, she was content that none of the barrels were lost.

“... And you said it was bad idea,” Macintosh said.