StolenAlicorn's Sad Stories

by Stolenalicorn

It just hurts a little, that's all.

The sharp twinge returned to his back, like one really long needle just sliding it's way towards his flank. This was how it always started. He carefully moved towards his chair for support, he had to get this done with soon. He'd promised that he'd pull the cart for his friend as she needed a lot of supplies to fix her roof.

Not that he could hurry it along. It moved at it's own pace and would take as long as it liked.

With a resigned sigh he looked to the bottle of pain killers on the end table. He'd taken a couple only hours before, and knew if he took more he'd be … if he took more his stomach would be the next problem.

She was counting on him, and his strength. He stayed still a moment and all too soon felt his flank tingle, grow hot, then, even worse, he didn't feel it at all. Next his hooves would tingle, but they never went numb. Small miracles.

At least when his flank went numb he could usually move again.

Tentatively he took a couple steps, only for one of his knees to buckle. Fortunately the other was sturdy enough to hold him upright so he didn't collapse onto the end table. Again.

How long would it last this time?

He needed to keep from limping. Once she'd caught him limping and said he should see a doctor. It was easy enough to dismiss, lying and saying that he'd stepped wrong and just moved on.

He knew by now that she was aware something was wrong. Last time caught him reacting to the pain she suggested he see a doctor, that maybe it was time for him to not take on so much.

He couldn't do that. Ponies depended on him. They needed him to pull whatever was necessary. He'd been … he is the one everypony comes to when they need something pulled. When they needed help moving anything.

He forced a chuckle as he remembered the furniture sales pony commenting how well they knew him, despite him never really buying anything.

He'd helped countless harvests, bucking trees and pulling plows. Whatever job needed doing, everypony knew they could count on him.

His mind drifted back to the suggestion he see a doctor. He never did go see them. He may not be as young as he once was, but he wasn't even middle aged. He'd argued to her that he'd just been working too hard and needed a day or two.

The pain was just a nuisance, that's all. A sudden jab in the small of his back, almost nothing. When it first started he'd yelp, after a while he'd grunt, now he just sneered at the pain. The less he made of it, the less of a problem it was.

The numbness came later. He could usually work through it, he just needed to keep moving. As long as he kept moving the feeling would eventually come back.

His knee was another problem, that stopped him for a few seconds without fail. And it didn't always happen so it would catch him off guard and he would almost always stumble, or worse if he wasn't lucky.

The numbness was now beginning to fade. With a little luck he wouldn't have to deal with it again that day. He had work to do.

He couldn't just sit around. He couldn't be laid up by a little pain, or a minor inconvenience.

He shook his leg as the tingling came back to his flank, soon too that would go and he'd be alright. Just the pain, but that was normal anymore.

He put on a smile as he walked out his door towards his friend's home. He couldn't let himself be stopped by such a little pain.

He couldn't be … useless.