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The Prologue1,289 words
Chapter I - A Birthday1,467 words

Chapter I - A Birthday

Fab was awaken by her parents very early in the morning. It was not an usual day like all others. It was her 5th birthday and this is a "special" day for any foal.

"Come, you are going with us," said Pa.

Fab got very scared, as she was rarely instructed to go with her parents, let alone this early in the morning. She began shaking out of fear as she was approaching them, but seeing anger in Pa's eyes, she held herself together and tried to control the shaking. Then they started walking towards a part of the town Fab has never been to. It was early autumn and leaves were still falling down in Manebridge. The sky was dark and covered in smog as always, sounds of factories and workshops drowned out all other sounds. Fab struggled to even hear hoofsteps of other ponies, rushing to work.

Amidst all the noise, Ma said to the little filly, "Remember the way, because we won't pick you back up."

Hearing that, Fab got really frightened. "Where are they taking me? Will they just leave me to some stranger? Will I get hurt?" the thoughts began crossing her mind violently. She was shaking till they got to their destination. When they got there, Pa saw her shaking again. Fab looked at him still frightened and now she knew exactly what is coming next. Pa raised his hoof and hit her for cowardice. Fab then quickly forgot about the pain as she looked up and saw a giant textile factory, right on the edge of town. Overseer came out to greet parents and her.

"No worries Mr and Mrs Goldwheat, we just got new textile mills and now I can at least assure you your filly won't return back home deaf," he said among other "jokes" and inappropriate banter.

This didn't help Fab at all, but at least she showed a tiny smile when she saw overseer's unusually red face.

She moved with the overseer to the textile mill and got quick, barely distinguishable instructions. When he left for his office, a foal appeared right next to her and scared her to death.

"Hi mate, I'm Bobbins. It seems like we are co-workers now. It's my first day here as well. Anyway, what's your name?" he said.

Fab, not being used to talk with strangers and being treated kindly, just stayed quiet and tried to find out what exactly she was supposed to do. Bobbins was a little confused over Fab's silence.

Despite the embarrassing introduction he again interrupted Fab's thought, "Oh, I see you don't know what to do. Look, just put your hooves between these turning cylinders, pick all the wool and take it to the mare at the end of the hall."

Struck by the kindness that foal showed her, Fab finally stammered, "T... Th... ank you."

"Hey, you finally said something! So now, can you tell me your name?" Bobbins cheered.

"Fab," she said very quietly.

"Okay Fab, nice to me..." "First shift begin with your work!" the overseer shouted across the hall.

Bobbins couldn't finish his sentence and jumped to his place next to Fab. She was a bit embarrassed after all that happened. To speak with somepony after years of having to be quiet is a momentous change. And yet, an unpleasant change for a filly like her.

"He's strange. Better to avoid him, he may be hiding something," she thought to herself as the wooden machines began working.

She has never seen woollen threads moving so fast in her entire life. The only ones she had seen before were the ones at the neighbour's little spinning wheel for wool. As she was thinking about it, she saw the wool pilling up and started picking it up in a normal tempo. And then all from the sudden "Crack!" The sound was heard across the entire hall and then a filly began crying. It was an overseer, still red-faced beating slow working foals with a whip! Fab grabbed all the wool as fast as she possibly could and hurried with the basket full of it towards the mare at the end of the hall. Being very weak, she already got tired after the first basket. But then "Crack!" The overseer was there right when she walked slowly and hit her with the whip. It was the most painful hit Fab ever felt. Her vision got blurred for a moment and time seemed to stop. But being reminded of her parents, she quickly came to her senses and knew exactly what to do - be quiet and hold the crying. The overseer started shouting something to her, but she just ran to her place and rushed with work.

And so it was for the entire time, until the short clock hand turned around for a full circle.

"First shift leave the workplace!" the overseer finally shouted.

Fab was leaving very slowly, being exhausted from the all-day work. Then she saw Bobbins waiting at the doorstep. Having another chore was too much for her, but she had to get there, since it was the only exit.

"Hi Fab, are you alright after that?" he asked rather calmly.

"Yes," she answered, while making it clear with her eyes that she just wants to get out of there.

Bobbins saw that and just said in goodbye, "I'm glad for you then. I'm very tired now, it was much harder than I expected, so see you tomorrow."

Fab just shook her head a little towards him. All exhausted and dirty from working on a textile mill, she got away and slowly walked out of the factory and so the first day of work was over. Still dizzy, she took some time to get her thoughts together and moved towards her home. The poor filly was getting afraid immediately after some steps on the crowded, muddy street of the Manebridge. She knew she's going from one hell to another, but couldn't tell which one burns hotter. Her parents are surely going to give her a pack of hits rather than a pack of meal. "And yet despite all this, it was not even the worst part", she thought to herself. The memories were too harsh and alive for her to just think about it. Now she just had to follow the right path back home. At that time her parents were still working, but they would surely get back when she got there as well, so all hope of at least a short peaceful rest was blown out.

And Fab's predictions were correct. Just as she had reached her home, the parents got there as well. Ma, seeing Fab all tired took a chance for a little poke at her.

"So, how is it working in such a cosy workplace to bring a little money home?" she asked.

"Oh no! It has begun already," Fab thought to herself.

She knew exactly what is coming. Even an innocent joke or not so innocent poke almost always develops into insulting or a huge quarrel.

"Stop asking her that! At least she does something. If you are worthless at least do something of worth for the others. Isn't that right, Fab?" said Pa to her, "Just look at our neighbour. His foal is a blacksmith apprentice since he stood up. And what about you? Don't turn your eyes around me!"

Fab got scared, hid in the corner and just waited for the opportunity to run away. She would rather starve on the street than listen to all the rubbish in her home.

"Ah, she must have inherited her uselessness from her father," Ma said, reminded of (in her opinion) Pa's mistakes in the past that had lead them to this bollocks.

Pa furiously replied back, "Oh yeah?! I wonder who had to be a bloody nob all the time in ..."

"Now it's the time! Run! RUN!" the voice in Fab's head shouted.

She gathered all the strength she still had, stepped on her hooves and galloped out of that house as fast as she could. Then after getting just enough far away to make the sounds disappear, she laid down in some side street, away from the preying eyes of few strangers passing by. Unable to sleep, Fab started thinking again about everything. That was her birthday and it seemed just like a sign of how the life is going to continue till the day that would finally end her suffering. Beatings not only at home, but at factory as well, evil ponies in a disguise and starving. As she was falling into the deeps of despair, a strong wind "woke" her mind. It was not over. Fab got determined to stop this and finally live a decent life. Fab had a plan.

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