Discursive Formations: phantoms forever

by The Red Parade

Transcript Four: Carousel

“...”

“What?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s just… hitting me now, I guess. I mean, I’ve seen bodies before, but… never like this.”

“It’s… Soarin’, everything is dead. Everything. Even the fucking bacteria and shit that does the decomposing. It’s not… natural. And isn’t the record player thing freaking you out?”

“Dude, it’s been a week. How are the records still playing music? You seriously don’t think it’s weird?”

“They can do that now? Huh. Still… I dunno. This is just-- oh, Celestia. Look down there.”

“Poor pegasus fell right out of the sky. She must have been flying when…”

“...”

“Hey, uh, we’re dead too then, aren’t we? I mean, shit, I was in my office today. Doing paperwork and filing reports. You think we should…”

“... yeah. Heh. Thanks.”

“It’s the one that looks like a carousel.”

“I hate these suits too. I’ve had an itch on my maw ever since we got here. Can’t scratch it though.”

“You think Keter will be alright? We still don’t know what the hay it is we’re up against.”

“... I guess.”

“...”

“Stop that.”

“Humming. Stop it.”

“... what do you mean you weren’t humming?”

“Don’t fuck with me now, I’m not in the mood.”

“I… just… fuck.”

“No, I swear I heard humming.”

“Why would I fuck with you? You’re the one who always--”

“...”

“Right. Calm down. Sorry. This is just getting to me, you know?”

“Yeah. Yeah. Thanks.”

“Uh, that’s it right there.”

“Did you really just get scared by the bell? Oh, Celestia, I should have picked Fleetfoot to come with me.”

“There! That music, you hear it? I swear, every building we’ve been to has been playing that stupid song.”

“Is it popular? I’ve never heard it before.”

“Whatever. Check upstairs, I’ll take the back.”

“...”

“GAH! Fucking stupid fucking ponyqueins!”

“... no. Not again. This fucking music.”

“Well, you probably can’t hear it, but this music is fucking unnerving me. It’s, like, pretty loud, but it’s muffled too. I hear a singer… can’t make out the words though. And a piano. Maybe a violin too--”

“Soarin’? That you?”

“... Soarin’? Don’t fucking do this to me right now.”

“Hey! Hey! Who are you! Wait--”

“... the fuck? Where did…”

“Okay, Command, you’re probably thinking I’m crazy, but I swear to Celestia I saw a pony. She was standing right there in the doorway. Dark gray coat and black mane. Couldn’t see their face, but I swear I saw her.”

“... yeah, no sign of her. What the fuck is… oh, and the music stopped. Great.”

“Command, I’m applying for hazard pay when I get back. I might also need a psych eval.”

“Yeah! In here!”

“You found her?”

“Bedroom, huh? Right.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

“Well, Command, it’s not looking good. Whatever did this took out the Elements, too, and we’re still no closer to figuring out what happened.”

“Let’s head back to-- woah.”

“Hey, Soarin’, was that there when we came in?”

“I don’t remember either, but I swear that wall was blank.”

“Right. Well, it’s probably nothing, Command, but on the building wall somepony spray painted the words ‘Phantoms Forever’ in red paint. Don’t know what that’s about. Maybe we should check to see if that’s there in our world?”

“Let’s head back. Lead on.”

Author's Note:

A scout team was dispatched to the location described by Captain Maverick. No such graffiti was located.