The Monster Below

by Greenback

The Life Before My Eyes

Author's Note:

This story takes place in an alternate timeline that takes place approximately 50 years after the end of 'Friendship is Magic'. This new timeline begins after the events of season six and generally follows the events of the rest of the series, with the biggest difference being that Celestia and Luna never retired, and still rule Equestria.

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

—Edgar Allan Poe

***

It's been said that when you're about to die, your life flashes before you. Good and bad alike are shown, and nothing is hidden. Like so many other ponies, I dismissed it as wishful thinking, nothing more than a literary device for books and movies. Now, however, I'm not so sure; as the needles descend toward my forehead, I realize that I probably won’t survive this.

Fear makes me tremble, but the cuffs around my limbs hold me in place as the mechanical arm descends, the needles glinting in the glare of lights above the table. I try to be brave, to be defiant in the face of pain, and to keep panic from taking control. But it’s so very hard; before panic comes fear, and that fear momentarily takes hold. I instinctively buck, but the cuffs are too strong to break. I can’t even move my head, for the braces screwed into it keep me completely immobile. It has to, lest the machine makes a mistake and destroy my brain.

I struggle, but I can’t break free. I can’t run away. I can’t call for help. I can’t do anything but watch as the needles get closer, closer, ever closer.

Then they hit.

The thick needles go through skin, muscle, and bone. I bite down as the plungers come down with a soft hiss, a cocktail of chemicals being pumped into me. With no pain receptors, my brain can’t feel the pain, but I do feel the thick goop sloshing just under my skull, moving, spreading…

…Growing.

The needles are yanked free, and I sweat. The pain is nothing compared to the fear. The needles were nothing.

What’s coming is even worse.

The mechanical arm moves away, and, in its place, a new arm comes down. At the tip is a small circular saw. It starts to spin, sounding like the drill of a demented dentist, only louder.

It’s coming for me.

I sweat. I shake. I try to hold back the fear… and I fail.

Oh Celestia, please, not that! I don’t want this! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!

The fear flees. Panic takes over. Rational thought and logic is replaced with animal instinct, and my body thrashes, adrenaline giving my limbs and muscles strength. The screws on the cuffs creak as every muscle in my body reaches its limit, then goes past it as I fight to get away… but that's not enough. The cuffs are too strong.

The drill descends. I try to twist my head, but the clamps hold me in place like an obscene lover. For all its strength, it can't force me to watch. I squeeze my eyes shut. Perhaps it's the old childhood instinct of hiding in the dark, believing that the monsters can't get you when you're under the covers of your warm bed. But all the darkness in the world can’t protect me as the drill hits my head and begins to cut, taking its time, in no hurry to finish the job, ignoring the pain of the one it operates on.

Oh Celestia, it hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

I scream. I scream and scream and scream.

And then things go dark. Sounds fade away. The pain dims. I still feel blood pouring down my face, but it's fading away, all of it.

The realization hits me: this is it.

Through the fear, and before oblivion, a single thought breaks through, perhaps the last thought I'll ever have.

How did it come to this?

Comments

[Platinum2094]

I think I'm in love

[kryvian]

creepy as fuck.

[Croco]

Man, Mondays sure suck.

[Spryzler]

2232627 This comment was the highlight of my day oh my Celestia

[Moonofthedarknight]

That's what I call an interesting start! Onwards to the next chapter!

[InMyMind]

Shall this be interesting, or shall this be cheesy 'torture porn'?

Let's see!

[BronyCrystal]

ummm okay Dokay Lokay Then own to next chapter

[thorondragonic]

well that is an interesting thing. think it should be referred to the prologue than an actual chapter but it makes me want to know how this poor sod ended up like this and why.

[Aoki]

You had me the moment you opened up the chapter with a quote from Edgar Allan Poe.

[AppleTank]

Those are some very good descriptions

[SIGAWESOME]

2232627

Man, Mondays sure suck.

Tell me about it.
☑ Wake up
☑ Have a shower + grooming
☑ Have brekkie
☑ Do the washing up
☑ Auto-trepanning
☐ Research Things That Ponies Were Not Meant To Know
☐ Pay bills
☐ Grocery shopping for milk and eggs

Nothing but work work work!

[SinfulDreams]

4428205 CHIBBY!

[Corejo]

Huh. Well this could be interesting. Let's see if the story holds up to that prologue.

[Muggonny]

Really well done chapter. I especially love that you add in a quote by Edgar Allen Poe. I think it adds effect to whatever you have brewed. This chapter adds so much intensity and curiosity that my mind nearly exploded twice.

[Warrior Kitten]

Just started reading this and already I like it. That big space at the start of the chapter was cool. I got the Princess Luna theme on, so I just saw a blank space of stars. Was cool.

[Slavenger Karl]

Why do I feel the vibe of burning candle masochism in this?

[DashMaster]

4428205 SAME!!

[tsaukpaetra]

Elementary, it started with dissatisfaction...

[Violet Sky]

7499596
It's 2020, so there's an add there now.