• Published 31st Oct 2019
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Pony Horror Anthology Vol. II - LoreLove



The collection grows as do the fears and dread of ponies caught within.

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The House

Sitting at the flower stand in town square, Daisy stayed watchful for any customers ready to snatch up a nice bundle of flowers. Her friends had taken breaks for lunch and she was tasked with managing the stall until their return. It was never a matter of drawing straws, she just enjoyed being around ponies and didn’t mind being tasked with handling the shop alone for a bit.

“Hello?” a stallion spoke up, slowly walking over to the colorful stand.

“Hello, sir!” Daisy said cheerfully, her smile being as bright as she could make it. “What can I help you with?”

“Hmm, well, I was wondering what might be a good flower for an anniversary,” the stallion said as he looked over the various types before him. “It’s for my wife.”

“Oh! I’d love to help!” the mare stated as she nodded, her green mane bouncing eagerly.

There were several options she pointed out and began asking questions to help better come to a conclusion. It seemed the stallion had never really done much flower shopping and was at a loss for what might be good. Daisy was elated to be helping somepony with such an important decision.

Eventually, there was a choice made and the stallion thanked her numerous times before heading off. He had bought two bouquets just to be safe. She was almost jealous of the lucky mare getting to receive such pretty flowers for an important day. There went her mind, drifting aimlessly in the cloud as she daydreamed about having a stallion of her own.

It was probably only a few minutes, but certainly not long enough, when she felt a tapping at her back. The mare, mostly lost in her thoughts, slowly came back to reality to figure out what was going on. Her head turned and she locked eyes with Lily, one of her friends.

“You okay?” the blonde mare asked with a smile. “You were staring off into space.”

“Oh? Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking,” Daisy admitted and blushed lightly. “Stallion came by for flowers to give his wife. Wouldn’t it be nice to just settle down with a handsome pony and all?”

“Yes,” Lily agreed but couldn’t stifle her giggling, “but I also like to run a flower stand with my friends.”

Daisy grinned and they joked softly back and forth for a while. She was lucky to have friends who cared about her and understood her. They even believed her small plights that would sound so ridiculous to other ponies. Missing items that she truly thought vanished or dogs barking in the late hours yet none were around. All in all, she was happy to have somepony to share her thoughts with.

The day went on, mostly with just a few sales. Roseluck returned shortly after Lily and they all had started their evening gossip. What pony went where, why the princesses didn’t order many flowers, so on and so forth. Nothing really juicy ever got discussed but it was the fact they got to share it between each other that mattered.

Fall had begun its entry into Equestria with the soft winds and cool air. It was a refreshing feeling to remind them all of the time to come. It would only get colder and lead into Nightmare Night as well as Hearth’s Warming. Daisy loved Hearth’s Warming.

Day slowly faded as the evening began looking to end. Night would be upon them all soon enough and the flower trio decided it was as good a time as any to pack things up. The tarp rolled over the stand as they all said their farewells and gave a quick group hug before heading off.

Daisy sighed softly and contently as she started her walk home. It would be nice night with the cooler weather rolling in and making it more relaxing than the heat. She gave a greeting or two to ponies she passed as her eyes kept checking the sky and waiting for the stars to appear. Just one was all she needed for a wish.

Instead of heading home, her ideas leaned more towards a simple troll around town to just enjoy the rest of the evening. She hadn’t taken a little walk in some time so it sounded like quite the plan. Her hooves moved as she watched ponies starting to close their own stores and others heading to their homes. It was as if a play had ended and the stage lights had dimmed. All the actors were leaving to reprise their roles the next day.

It certainly was something to witness. Daisy found it fascinating in her own way. Things always changed to something else as night fell and the absence of ponies almost giving the town an unnatural vibe to it. Of course, she knew better. Ghost stories were something she didn’t exactly enjoy but there were attempts to not let Nightmare Night give her too many scares in the past years. It was all in fun, she would tell herself.

The town’s housing became less compact the more she moved through it. The spaces were traded with larger trees or just simply a nice bit of grassy land. She hadn’t felt following the stream out of town and opted the opposite direction to move away from it. Running water was soothing but she hardly explored often in the town.

Her attention went from building to building as she walked along and felt the temperature drop slowly. Glancing up revealed the night sky beginning its appearance as well as the first few specks of stars. The mare was giddy and smiled at the sight, nearly ready to make a wish upon the first star she saw.

Daisy’s hoof snagged onto a protruding root that she hadn’t seen. The mare grunted and staggered before finally coming to meet the ground entirely. Her legs had gone everywhere but below her to keep her upright. With the wind knocked out of her, the pony took a moment to gather herself before pushing up off the grass.

Dusting herself off, Daisy made sure she hadn’t made any serious injury before looking around. Nopony had witnessed her embarrassing fall. That was good at least. She was just about ready to move on when her head turned to notice the structure nearby.

An old and rather dilapidated looking building sat on the very edge of town. It was far more run down than any other house she had seen in her passing glances. She was certain it was in worse shape than any other home in Ponyville at all. How did the eyesore not get refurbished when the nearest houses looked far better?

It was quite the conundrum for her to process but she didn’t think long on it before trying to continue on her way. With her being at the edge of town she only had the option of walking back. Not a bad idea since night had taken over the sky and the light from the moon placed eerie shadows everywhere.

One last look to the odd building made her uneasy. The place looked completely strange compared to everything else and stuck out more than she thought. It didn’t help that the moon had taken liberty to give it quite an unsettling presence as well. Again, she wondered why nopony had tended to it and for how long it had been there.

Most of the roof looked sunken in or having holes. The walls were faded and worn as well as the door itself. Some of the beams had clear damage to them and looked to be barely holding anything up, yet there it stood. It almost looked to refuse coming down on its own.

Daisy studied the place a bit more as she took in the details as best she could with her limited lighting. The door kept drawing her attention, bit by bit. There wasn’t anything special about it and clearly nothing that she could find to cause her to look. It was just a simple, old wooden door with a rusted latch and possibly very squeaky hinges. Then why did she want to look at it?

The house seemed like it was a new addition to Ponyvile despite its clear age. Nothing really made much sense as she stared and wondered. Things like old houses were always either cleaned up or torn down. There were hardly any buildings just simply left as they were. What made this one in particular so special?

It took her a good few minutes to finally break her line of sight on it. She would ask about it the next day. Surely, somepony knew about it and she had just merely, and quite literally, stumbled upon it. A shrug came from her as she began moving along, back the way she came. It could be a good piece of discussion with her friends.

With the odd house behind her, Daisy made her journey back into town and towards her own home. Her thoughts stayed with the aged structure as she wondered about its history or who may have lived there. She barely noticed arriving at her house with her mind focused on the other home.

Stepping inside, the flower pony made herself a simple meal after shutting her door and lighting a few lanterns. Her daffodil sandwich stayed partly eaten as she gazed out the window to her kitchen and admired the night sky. It was a peculiar thing, that olden residence. Her mind wandered a bit more before continuing her meal.

She would be sure to bring it up to the girls later. They would probably have as many questions as she did or maybe even answers. The idea gave Daisy a small smile, happy to share something that she found strange even if it made her a little unnerved. Her guess was the moonlight making it look so creepy had her feel that way.

All she had left to do was finish her sandwich and get ready for bed. That was, if she could get her excitement to low enough to sleep. She was just eager to talk to her friends again, especially about the house. It should be a fun day.

•••••

Daisy was early to the stand for once. Her eager attitude to tell her friends of a creepy old building she saw had her with more energy than she could handle. Most of the time waiting was spent just rearranging flowers, adjusting bouquets and even offering a free flower for some passing ponies. It was strange to be so excited for talking about something so strange.

Her eyes kept staying on lookout for either friend while she smiled and kept a chipper attitude at the small booth. There were moments she thought she had seen them but it was just her being a bit antsy. It was almost impossible for her to sit still.

Eventually, both of her friends did arrive. Lily was first who came in only a tad early follow by Roseluck who was almost on time exactly. They were quite surprised to see their green maned friend eagerly waving a hoof at them and beckoning them over.

“Girls!” Daisy said, unable to keep her smile from reaching across her muzzle. “I saw something neat last night!”

“Oh? What was it?” Lily asked, looking over the flowers and taking stock.

“You know the houses leading out of Ponyville?” the daisy marked pony asked and looked between both mares.

“Mhm, what about them?” Roseluck inquired as she sat behind the booth with Daisy.

“Well, I saw a strange one. Kind of creepy,” Daisy explained and turned to face her friend nearby. “It was all old and broken down. Like something you read out of a scary story!”

“Huh?” Lily said as she looked up with a confused expression.

“Have you seen it?” the green maned pony asked and tapped her front hooves together nervously. “It was… just on the outskirts of town.”

“Daisy,” Roseluck spoke up, “there’s no house like that in Ponyville at all. All ponies would know of it if it existed. You know they tear those down and replace them, right?”

The excitement had quickly drained from the mare as she sat still and looked down. There was a moment of doubt that maybe she had seen what only looked like an old home but perhaps it was the moon’s light hitting it. Her brow stitched together as she met Roseluck’s gaze.

“No,” Daisy said firmly. “I know it has to be real. If I check this evening and it’s still there then I’ll get you girls to see it too. If not, then, well…”

Her sentence trailed off as she knew it’d be a tease for a small bit if she was wrong. It was just that she knew she had seen it. Wrong or not, she had to check again. Maybe her lunch break could be spent trying to find it once more.

“Don’t feel bad,” Lily said softly and sat on her other side. “Even if it was a mistake, you seemed happy to tell us. I bet it must have been real neat to see it the way you did.”

“Yeah,” Daisy said quietly and smiled some.

It did make her feel better hearing those words. Witnessing the structure in such lighting did leave its impression, very clearly. Though it still was eerie the more she remembered. She’d search for it again for sure even if it did seem a little scary. It wasn’t like she was going inside it.

They did end up giving a light tease about seeing things but nothing bad. Daisy found herself laughing with them at some of them. Most of the morning had little in terms of customers so they just let their time go towards chatting about anything that came to mind.

Lunch did make its way to them and it seemed most ponies were out and about around the time. Lily took hers first allowed Daisy to go next. Plenty of flowers were being sold during noon with most bouquets that had been prepared selling out. Not bad for the busy hour.

Lily returned soon enough, giving Daisy a soft pat on the back with a hoof. They exchanged small talk before wrapping up any other purchases and swapped places. It had finally come time for Daisy to give a little search. There was a small wave to her friends before she headed off.

If her memory was right, she just had to retrace her path from last night. Every thought seemed to leave her mind as she focused more on where she needed to go in order to find the right house. Circling the edge of town would eat up her whole lunch before she got any food. A direct way to and from would be easiest.

She wished that it was easier to remember how she got there. In the daylight it all looked so different to her. A few streets looked entirely new with how the sun shined on them. There were so many ponies around that she wasn’t sure if she was even headed in the right direction a few times.

Slowly, the dense crowd cleared up more and more. Houses began appearing less clustered and trees started popping up more. As much as she felt she was on the right track there were still doubts plaguing her mind. She just needed to see it and head back was all.

A look into the sky to see the sun’s position had her sigh. Her lunch was nearly half-way over already. If she didn’t find it soon then she might just have to call it a loss and move on. While it was a neat thing to look at, Daisy wondered if maybe she had just imagined it all. It was dark at the time and she was letting her thoughts carry her, right?

Her hooves kept moving as she studied each building carefully to make sure she hadn’t passed the one in question. Every minute that slipped past made her worry about getting food and not having Roseluck enjoy her lunch when she needed. What would she say to make it up to her? That she was searching for the ghost house? They might be pretty upset with her if she admitted that.

Every house looked about the same that she passed. Maybe she had imagined it all. Perhaps there was no broken down building. Daisy’s ears lowered as she slowed her pace and took a few more looks. Either she had gone the wrong way or there was no house she remembered seeing.

The sound a small dog barking ahead drew her attention from her gloomy outlook. At first, she couldn’t see where it was coming from before the canine sprinted out across the street from left to right. Daisy gasped stepped back for a moment before looking to see where the critter ran off to. She couldn’t believe it.

There it was. The very house she was searching for stood on her right and just as old and creepy in the day as it did in the dark. She was surprised how it had managed to sneak up on her despite being an immobile building. Everything about it made her as uneasy as before, almost a bit more than usual.

One thing that stood out was the extremely faded look it had. The houses nearest were so vibrant and full of life while the strange one appeared more out of place than she noticed at night. Daisy studied the oddity a bit longer before her eyes began to linger more on the door. It was still just as normal as any other but so worn. She couldn’t figure out why she kept being drawn to it.

Barking snapped her out of her focus as she saw the canine from before wagging its tail and looking at her. It gave another playful bark before scampering off around the house. It had no collar so she had no clue what pony it might belong to.

“Puppy?” she called out and waited. Her eyes stayed on the spot she saw them disappear before slowly moving back to the door.

Did she want to go inside? Of course not! She was already feeling unsettled by the thing just sitting outside and looking at it. There was no reason she would want to. Yet, she almost expected the door to open at any second.

Her eyes barely blinked as she stared and seemed to wait. There was a weird tension building and she could feel it continue to climb. The air had grown colder but her focus was entirely on that door. What secrets did the house hold? Did it even have any? Why was she feeling obsessed over the creepy structure?

A bark made her jump and scream momentarily. Daisy’s heart had leapt into her throat as she scrambled around. It only dawned on her seconds later that it was the dog she had lost track of who had pulled her out of the trance.

“H-hey, puppy,” the mare said while trying to calm her frantic heart. “Who’s your owner?”

The dog circled in place, panting, while looking up at her. If she had the bits and the time, she would have loved to take them home. Sadly, it was out of her hooves to take in an animal at her current situation.

Her eyes nearly looked back to the house before she decided to check the time once more. Daisy felt her spirits lower. It would be time for Roseluck to take her break in mere moments. How had she spent so long just sitting there?

“I got to go, puppy. Want to walk with me?” Daisy asked and got up to begin navigating her way back.

It seemed her furry friend was more than okay with tagging along. They did seem skittish as she couldn’t quite reach a hoof to pet them due to their sudden withdraw from her. Every time was the time no matter how she attempted it. The dog just didn’t like to be pet.

At least she could finally verify that there was a house. Maybe her friends would come with her to see it. They were all rather scared of most things but it helped when they were together. Daisy hummed lightly as she took down mental notes of what paths she took just to be able to give directions and find it easily another time if needed.

More time elapsed as she journeyed through the town and back to the town square where her friends were looking a little annoyed. She knew they would be but it didn’t help seeing their faces. Daisy slowed her walk as her ears lowered and averted her gaze.

“Sorry,” was the first word she uttered. “I didn’t mean to let time go by so fast.”

“Well, hope you ate well,” Roseluck commented before she got up to get herself some late lunch. “Must have been a big lunch.”

Even though Daisy could sense the humor and see the smile she still felt terrible for it. If she had paid attention then she could have got back sooner. Her hooves nearly dragged the ground as she walked behind the booth and sat down quietly.

“Where did you go?” Lily asked curiously, turning to face her due to the smaller amount of ponies about.

“I was wanting to find the house again,” Daisy mumbled a bit and looked up. “I did. It really is there.”

“It is, huh? Where at?” her friend asked and smiled warmly.

Daisy gave her the directions after trying to recall them. Lily seemed genuinely interested in hearing about it. There were details given of what it looked like with the holes in the roof and more. Clearly a house that couldn’t be missed even if she tried.

“Oh! There was also a cute puppy!” Daisy mentioned and turned to look around. “Um, they were following me…”

“There wasn’t a dog with you when you came back,” Lily stated and shrugged. “Maybe they just went back or something.”

“Yeah,” the green maned mare said in a downtrodden tone. She was really hoping to have the canine around longer.

Roseluck’s lunch was shorter than usual but not due to Daisy’s late return. She was reassured that fact. It had merely been a quick bite and nothing more. It didn’t take long for Daisy’s friends to begin talking about various topics.

While she did want to chime in and participate in the conversation it also felt like she only had one thing she really wanted to talk about. The house. It seemed to suddenly be the only thing she wanted to bring up for some reason. Somehow, it had left an impression on her that she felt others should also know about.

It was a while before there was a small lull in the changing of topics before Daisy felt comfortable bringing it up. The details she had said before were repeated along with the directions and anything else she could remember for Roseluck. Her friend nodded and thanked her, stating how she might go see it the next day or so. At least that helped lower the desire to speak of it.

Daisy still stayed mostly quiet after. No other topic seemed to stay with her as the house stuck in her mind more and more. She couldn’t even place why it did. It was a strange looking thing but had no other real reason to be such a focal point for her.

Things quieted down around the town as the day drifted into the evening. Ponies headed home or got their last few supplies from shops. The weather began cooling more and managed to keep Daisy’s mind on the ruined home. She had felt cold there both times she went.

“I think we could call it a day here,” Roseluck said and got up to stretch. “No sense waiting for ponies that aren’t here.”

“Unless we get ghost customers,” Lily joked and they both laughed.

Daisy stayed quiet. Her thoughts were littered with nothing but the structure and she couldn’t think straight. Instead, she simply got up and began walking home. Both of her friends seemed to not mind as they closed everything up fine and went their own ways.

As she walked, the pony’s thoughts came and went but always seemed to center around that one object. It didn’t matter how hard the attempted to think of something else, it always came back to it. A smaller worry passed by quickly enough but she did wonder if she was developing a strange kind of obsession. It didn’t make sense for her to, especially with how it wasn’t anything too out of the ordinary.

It was just a house. A very worn down and dilapidated house but still just a single home. Her mind wouldn’t let it go though. Why she was so focused on it was beyond her.

Whenever she did let her mind freely think of it, it always came down to a specific piece. The door. It always drew her eye and it had somehow made her sit there and wait long enough to pass time through her lunch.

“It’s just a stupid house,” she told herself, trying to believe it and let her thoughts be freed of the grip it had.

Her head stayed down as she stared at the road while walking. It felt hopeless to think of other things. The sky darkening and the stars slowly appearing weren’t even interesting to her suddenly. She despised how a single home had managed to run rampant in her mind so often. At least she was home.

Daisy sighed and lifted her head then felt a chill run down her back. She was standing in front of the old house. How had she mindlessly made it directly to it? A look around showed she was very much on the edge of town once more.

It took her a moment to finally move her legs once more. The mare turned circles around herself as she made sure how real her setting was. It almost felt like a cruel joke played on her for the odd desire to keep thinking of the thing.

A light bark sounded out nearby and Daisy stopped. Her heart was already worked up from the sudden worry. An unknown venture through town without her knowledge was something she knew wasn’t right.

“Puppy?” she said quietly, hoping it wasn’t another trick.

To her relief, the same dog from earlier in the day came trotting out from behind the house. It gave a little wag and barked again before staying near building’s side. Daisy nearly stepped forward but stopped. It didn’t feel right.

The dog gave another bark, almost as if waiting for the pony and calling her to it. There was a moment where Daisy considered getting closer but her gut feeling was stronger than any will or curiosity. Instead, she took a step back and looked around. No other ponies were around at all.

An odd noise sounded out until she recognized what it was. The dog was growling. Her face showed the worry she felt as her hooves backed her further away. The mare nearly turned before a bark made her cower lightly. It sounded so much more threatening than the playful barks moments ago.

“Puppy, I can’t,” Daisy said, hoping it somehow understood her.

Another bark and she jumped lightly. With her standing still, it appeared the dog would have to be the one to close the distance and so it did. The paws made their way close but just out of reach of Daisy’s hooves. She gave a forced smile before sitting down slowly. There was hope that the canine was of little threat.

Her eyes moved from the dog to the house. Every bit of the place looked so terrible. Nopony could be living in it for sure. Internally, Daisy knew where her eyes wanted to go but she did her best to look everywhere but there.

It eventually was in vain. Her sight lingered on posts and windows then right to the door where they stayed. The handle looked worn from extended use and plenty of neglect after. The moon gave little to tell in the light but she was sure that the door itself wasn’t entirely settled in the frame. It could easily just be the shadows playing tricks but something deep down in Daisy’s stomach told her that it wasn’t and she should go. She could even hear her heartbeat with how heavy it was pounding.

“Um, I need to go, doggy,” she stated quietly with her eyes still glued to the entry.

She didn’t move. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t. Whatever was keeping her there had a hold greater than her will or her fear. She wanted to go. She needed to leave.

It took her a good deal of effort to turn her head and closed her eyes. Breaking the line of sight had her let out a light sigh as she stood up and began marching herself back the way she came. It wasn’t until she knew she couldn’t turn slightly to see that she finally opened her eyes again. The dog barked its call as she kept walking.

“Take care,” she said quickly and picked up the pace without turning around.

Her eyes stayed ahead of her for the way back. She didn’t want to unconsciously run back to the house. There were no ponies out at all the whole way into town and towards her own abode. Not even anypony closing shops. It appeared as if they had all done so long before.

Daisy only decided to look up at the moon once she saw her house and felt her eyes widen. There had been hours that passed! Hours! She had somehow managed to go there and spend so long sitting in front of it without knowing. That didn’t even seem possible.

The rumble in her stomach made her realize how true it was. Including her missed meal at lunch, Daisy was running on fumes. Somehow, she only seemed to notice or feel it upon coming home. Whatever was going on with the old building was affecting her.

There was little time for her to waste as she got inside and latched her door shut. It felt safer being inside and not enduring the pull of the other house. She made quite the late meal for herself that she gobbled down in her hunger. It was bizarre that she had sat outside in the cool air just staring at a door for so long.

It scared her that time has slipped by so easily. There was something wrong about that place and she was somehow drawn to it. It was like time forgot the house in some manner. Daisy shuddered lightly and shook her head. Resting might do her good and push all the crazy thoughts and worries from some old home out of her head.

She hardly wanted to wait for some better thoughts and good rest. Her dishes stayed on the table as she simply hopped down from the chair and rushed to her bedroom. Sleep wasn’t going to pass her by if she could help it.

Daisy slipped under her covers and nestled in before she blew out her lantern and laid still. It took the poor pony another hour before she could finally begin to rest.

•••••

If Daisy got any less sleep she may as well have stayed awake the whole night. Restlessness seemed to be a bane for her. There were no other thoughts than the house running through her head. Every moment of rest was spent spiraling back to the waking world just to ponder what the house was or why it was there.

It hadn’t been but just a couple of days and she was feeling like her obsession was growing out of control. Somehow, there was little in the way of what her mind would allow. Plagued by thoughts she felt weren’t her own, the mare could only hope it would come to pass. The breaking morning through the window indicated she wasn’t to get any further rest.

Her walk down to the town square had her recounting how much sleep she may have managed to get though it was easy to tell it hadn’t been much at all. The heavy bags under her eyes and her own posture showed as much. Even if she was late to the flower stand, perhaps her friends would see just how deprived of sleep she was and let her take it easy.

Ponies moved about the town as they always did while socializing or purchasing needed goods. Even though the sun was shining, the autumn air was cool. Much of the mood for a good day had been utterly sapped from Daisy as she continued her walk to the booth. She hoped things would at least go smoothly for her.

“There you are,” Roseluck called out and gave a friendly wave. “We wondering when you were going to get here.”

“Sorry, girls, “Daisy mumbled while she stumbled into the booth and sighed. “I had a rough night.”

“Oh, sorry to hear,” Lily stated and looked her over. “You look beyond tired.”

“I am,” admitted the sleep deprived pony. Her head turned to face them as she closed her eyes for a moment. “I just want to rest.”

“You want to go home? We can take care of the booth for day,” the rose marked pony said with a worried look.

“I’ll be fine. Just give me a few minutes,” Daisy muttered and leaned against the counter top to try and catch at least five more minutes of some sleep.

No conversations seemed to take place during her attempt at rest. The background noise of ponies talking nearby or their hooves became the white noise she needed. Her eyes remained shut as she let the sounds continue. There were only a few minutes of the peace she found before images of the house invaded once again.

Daisy sat up and let out an exhausted groan. She didn’t understand why such a single thing had become so insistent in her mind so quickly. It was just a house. The only real thing that was special about it was that she had found it on a random walk and saw how old it was.

Yet, it terrified her. That had to be at least one reason it kept picking at her brain. There was nothing else to it other than it made her uncomfortable. She had been scared of many things in her life but the still building on the edge of town had her somehow stressed beyond belief. Maybe deep down she could feel there was something more with it that kept its secrets from view. Perhaps she feared what those secrets might be despite being drawn to it.

“You sure you’re okay?” Lily asked, tilting her head with a concerned look about her.

“No,” Daisy admitted. She knew she probably wore the worry on her face. “I keep thinking about that stupid house.”

Roseluck and Lily exchanged glances to each other before looking away. They were hiding something from her. Daisy sat up and gave them both a questioning gaze.

“We went to check that place out last night,” Roseluck said slowly. Her eyes never met Daisy’s as she spoke. “We followed the directions you had said and made sure.”

“Yeah, it was after we closed up shop. We were heading home and decided to met up again to go see it,” Lily admitted, her eyes downcast.

“Okay,” Daisy said as she grew a bit confused.

“Daisy, did you give us the right directions?” Roseluck asked while giving a small look to her.

“Of course. I made a note of the streets and roads,” the green maned pony said. “What’s this about?”

“Uh,” Lily muttered as she looked around. She appeared worried. “Daisy? There isn’t any house there.”

Somehow, that phrase made her more scared and upset than she already was. Instead of cowering or accepting it, Daisy felt herself doubting both of her friends. She felt as if they were playing a trick on her. Nopony could go to that spot and not see it. She was even there last night for hours. How could they deny that?

“You’re lying,” she retorted. “You couldn’t have gone last night. I know it!”

“Daisy, calm down, please,” Roseluck said softly as she motioned with her hooves. “We did go but we didn’t see any old building there. Just an empty lot.”

“No!” Daisy shouted and backed away. “You two are lying. I was there last night myself! We would have seen each other!”

Ponies nearby had started to notice to commotion. A few tried their best to ignore it but ended up standing still to listen.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Lily tried to reason to her friend. “Look, maybe we just… took a wrong turn.”

“I don’t see how,” the distressed pony said, her feelings hurt more. “I told you the way.”

“Daisy, why are you getting so upset over this? You said yourself that it was just a stupid house,” Roseluck mentioned in hopes it would bring her friend around.

There was some silence between them as Daisy took a moment to try and reflect on the comment. It was true that she had thought it was dumb and it had ruined her sleep. There was just the matter of them simply not believing her and acting as if she made it up.

“I can show you,” she finally said under her breath.

“What?” one of her friends asked, leaning in.

“I’ll prove it. I’ll show you it’s a real house,” Daisy told them, lowering her voice.

Neither of her friends knew what to really say. She had just flipped out over seemingly nothing. While it could have been the lack of sleep or maybe her unnatural draw to it, Daisy knew it simply called for her. She had begun to get herself worked up over it all. Small things were bothering her and making her feel as if she was just making up stories.

“How?” Lily regretfully asked as she looked back to Roseluck.

Another long pause. Indeed, she didn’t quiet know how to get her friends to truly see the oddity. If they went themselves then they might take a wrong turn despite accurate directions. If she were to lead them then they might back out. She needed something concrete and sure.

“A picture,” Daisy muttered to herself. “I can take a picture of it and show you.”

It seemed her friends were at a loss of what to say. They wanted to tell her to let it go and just get some sleep but were afraid of her acting out once again. Instead of trying to sway her to forget about it all, they remained quiet for a bit. It didn’t appear as if their friend would take any suggestion unless it was what she was looking for.

“Okay then,” Roseluck said softly. “Okay. You can take a picture and show us.”

“Yeah,” Lily agreed, though clearly unsure. “Just promise us you’ll get some more rest? You can take the rest of the day off. Just try to relax.”

Daisy nodded slowly without looking to them. Her mind had been made up. The only thing she seemed to care for was hearing their own agreement to the matter. If she showed it to them then they wouldn’t be able to deny it. Maybe she could finally let it go after too.

The mare quietly got out from behind the booth and gave a light wave to her friends. All the ponies that had stopped to witness the argument had already moved on. Her thoughts drifted on about the house as she wandered through town for a moment. If she were to provide proof then she needed the proper equipment.

Her legs wobbled once or twice as she made her way around town. The rest of her day was spent looking for a pony willing to part with their camera for just a few bits for the evening. It took her longer than she wished after searching high and low. Many didn’t wish to lend it out, others only wanted to sell it instead of just letting her borrow it for a moment.

With the way her funds were, Daisy couldn’t afford just buying a camera in order to prove something so ridiculous. A few times had her wonder if she was even doing something worth her time. She knew that sleeping on the idea would benefit her more than just running through in a haste. The problem was every time she closed her eyes she could see that house.

It had been nearly all day of her looking for anypony to part with such a device for a small bit of time until she found them. A simple stallion that she recalled vaguely. He was more than happy to give her the camera so long as she showed him the pictures she was taking. It was a fine arrangement and she gave him the bits before slipping the neck strap over her head.

As she left, Daisy remembered where she had seen him before. The stallion that asked for flowers for his wife from the other day. He must have been rather happy to be so eager and offer his camera for her so willingly.

The camera itself was one of the newer types she had only heard of. Some type of magical developing film that would be ready in minutes instead of having it professionally done. She didn’t understand how it worked but was glad to not have to wait longer to show off her finding. There was even a small attachment on the top for a flash that was filled with lightning bugs and a crystal.

Perhaps it was the walk that eventually calmed her down or maybe the fact she hadn’t seen the house but Daisy did feel better as the sun began to set. Her mood had settled enough to not feel as if she was being tricked or having to prove anything. She must have come off so out of her mind to her friends.

The mare sighed and sat down to let herself cool off more. She wanted to sleep but knew what would be waiting for her. Although, if she was wrong then maybe her night would be more forgiving. While she was constantly thinking of the place, maybe she would be allowed to get some peace of mind by trying to rest.

Her eyes glanced down to the device hanging around her neck. She had made such a fuss over wanting to prove something so mundane. It was hard to believe how she went out of her way so far just to get up to the point where she considered casting it all aside. If she stopped while she was ahead then maybe it would be enough to have her feel satisfied. When she goes to the stand the next day she could apologize for how she acted.

Then again, she did have the camera. What would just one picture hurt? She really had come this far so why not just go snap a quick one and leave? It wouldn’t be anymore time taken from her day, would it?

Daisy looked up to study her surroundings. It wasn’t far from where she sat. Looking to the sky she could guess a good half and hour or so before it got dark. A small trip there, take a picture, then a walk back. Sounded simple enough. Worse thing would be having a picture of the house that haunted her thoughts to keep around so she wouldn’t need to physically go see it.

The idea seemed to be more positive than negative in her mind. A grunt sounded out as she stood up and stared down the road. It would be easy. She would tell her friends how sorry she was for acting so rash and then merely ask if they wanted to see the image. No need to push them about the subject.

A nod to herself and she began to walk. While she still didn’t feel in her right mind it felt far more clear than she had earlier in the day. Her mumbling as she went on her way was a reminder of just to snap a quick picture and leave. Since her thoughts flooded to and fro of the house itself it just became easier to say things aloud she discovered.

Whether it was partly due to the cooler weather for the night or that she had taken time to let her temper settle, Daisy had felt better on her walk to where she remembered the building. A small voice in the back of her head tried to convince her that she only felt more at ease for going to the house. It was a small thought but one that made her worry about her mental well-being all the same. Regardless of the issues, she continued onward in hopes her simple idea would sate all of her thoughts.

It didn’t take her long to begin hearing the familiar barking of the canine once again. Her ears perked up as she listened and drew closer to the area. Each small bark sounded out in the area while she tried looking out for the furry friend. Up ahead, the dog ran circles and stopped when it noticed the mare walking.

Daisy tried her best to smile as she stepped closer but merely looked down to the dog. She could feel the ominous presence the house had and she wasn’t even looking at it. There was no doubt it was right there.

“Hey, puppy,” she said lightly, trying to prepare herself to just snap a picture and go.

The last time she stared at the structure it had captivated her and somehow pulled her away from everything to the point hours had passed in just minutes. She didn’t want to let such a thing happen again. Her eyes tried to move but she did her best to keep averting them until she was ready. It took her a few minutes to finally feel up for it.

The mare’s gaze turned with her head as she let the view of the cold building set in her sights. There was something wrong with it for sure. No other house had her feel so uneasy every time she was near or saw it. Why did the one before her stir such feelings? Why did she feel the house simply didn’t belong?

Instead of pondering more on it, Daisy shook her head to try and shake any mental hold it had. Her hooves adjusted the camera as she tried to figure out how to make the thing work. The dog continued its barking as she fiddled with the contraption for a while until finally understanding at least the basics on it. How nopony else heard the canine was beyond her.

A look around showed no other ponies nearby once again. It felt like they never ventured as far she did. Possibly why the house still stood and no others cared to notice it. The mare sat back and held the camera with her hooves as she looked through the offered eyepiece. Even through it she could feel the draw of the home.

It was too much work to zoom in or out further so she just did her best with what she could manage. Her focus looked over the house before settling right on the door that made her unnerved. A slight hesitation paused her actions before she blinked and tapped the button.

There was a bright flash as the crystal was surged and the bugs inside the capsule let out a quick strobe. The entire house lit up from the sudden lighting which made Daisy tense up quickly. Shadows appeared as quickly as the left but none of them looked anywhere near natural. Her fear seemed to escalate a bit rapidly noticing them, though happy they were gone soon after.

A strange noise sounded beneath the pony. Her hooves lowered the camera as she looked it over and wondered if she may have broken it. It wasn’t until a single slip ejected from the bottom of the device that she figured it out.

Daisy tore the enchanted parchment from the receiver before looking it over. It was blank. Front and back looked the exact same to her. Well, there went her worthwhile quest. The mare let out a defeated sigh as she held the blank piece. It was worth a shot.

Her gaze moved up to the house once more as she saw the dog sitting in front of the closed door. It was so strange to never see the canine anywhere else but the house. She knew if there too much of a lingering look that she might lose track of time again and lowered her sights once more. At least she had a crummy image of a faded structure.

The mare’s eyes widened at the reveal. The picture had slowly started appearing on the enchanted piece right before her. Details were barely coming in but she could make out most of it. Bit by bit, the picture slowly became more recognizable to her. It was when it had finished filling out the details that Daisy felt her stomach turn.

She did take a picture with the door being the focus. After all, it drew her attention every time. It was just that looking at the photo had something different about it. The house was there and it looked just as terrible as ever. It was the absence of the door that made her heart skip. Somehow, the picture had the door wide open.

Daisy heard the muffled barking of the dog and flicked an ear. Her head turned up to see it might be making noise over only to witness the front door open. It had been closed just moments before. She was positive if was closed even when taking the picture.

Everything felt like a warning sign to her. Alarms in her head were going off but she couldn’t help but look. There was nothing to see beyond the doorway other than a darkness that felt unreal. The mare felt weak as she dropped the photo to the ground and waited. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for but it felt like there was something beyond the entry of the house.

More barking sounded out. It was clear it came from inside the house itself and she wasn’t sure what to do. No part of her wanted to venture in even if she was worried about her furry friend. The problem was she also didn’t feel like she was in control of her own body. Her hooves took the camera and lifted it from her neck before placing it down as a weight on the photo.

Her own mind screamed at her not to go in. She knew better and she could feel the danger beyond. Despite her heart beating a mile a minute and even though her breathing was rapid, Daisy walked forward to the building. Every step only dug deeper at her in an attempt to just run away. Her hooves shook as she neared the thing and lowered her ears.

The dog had gone quiet after she got within reaching distance to the doorway. She felt like she was about to pass out from the fear running through her. A part of her wished she had. Another step and she felt her body shaking. Why was she allowing this to happen?

Before she could get a grip on herself, Daisy stepped into the darkness and within the house. The cover of the bleak and unknowing black gave way to the interior of the home soon after. It was as dirty and rundown as the outside. Furniture was still in place almost as if left for hundreds of years. Broken and cracked windows barely let much moonlight in.

Somehow, the place appeared larger inside than out. Surely just a strange illusion or something. The stairs leading up looked worn and dangerous. Each room that she could see from where she stood appeared as old as the next. There was a moment where she regained control of herself or merely came to her senses and turned around.

The door was shut and latched. No sound had ever been made of it doing so. Not even the wind of it moving to close her inside. Daisy heard herself whimper softly before trying the latch. It was too far rusted to even budge.

A light bark came from somewhere in the home. There were a few more attempts at the door before she finally gave up and looked around. If it came down to it then maybe she could break a window further and just climb out. For the moment, she didn’t want the canine to hurt itself in such an old building.

“Doggy?” Daisy called out but felt her voice being taken by the surrounding surfaces.

Reluctantly, her hooves moved to bring into the next room as she gave out a light whistle. If she could find the dog and bring it out with her then she could leave the place behind for good. Part of her wanted to just leave anyway but she felt compelled to make sure the little canine was okay.

Her nerves were on edge as she walked through the still and quiet abode. Everything about it unsettled her and made her wary. She didn’t feel drawn to the house any longer. There was some other feeling that she couldn’t place. The presence of the house had left.

Daisy whistled again and called for the dog. Nopony would be living in such a decrepit building. As unsafe and creepy as it was it would be unsuitable for any living being. Her whistles sounded out as she moved further within the building and looking in rooms. She was getting more tempted to just leave the longer she went on.

It was so quiet to her. Beyond the odd groan of the house itself, it was otherwise silent other than her whistling or calls. The dog had ceased to make any further barks and she heard no paws along the wooden floors. Her mind was being made up. She wanted to go.

There was one last whistle she gave out before she froze. Terror struck her to the core as she felt the presence once more. It wasn’t the presence of the building but something else. Something that had lured her in and trapped her. Something that had kept preying on her mind.

Something that whistled back.

Author's Note:

This was an interesting idea I had one evening. I love haunted houses and wanted to do something with one but without the typical flying objects and all.