Crawl Space

by A Green Notebook

Crawl Space

They were doing it again.

Fighting because of father's latest stunt. Now I'm in the darkest room in the whole house. Their yelling and various insults vibrated the walls and echoed through the house, even though the door to the crawl space was closed and locked, as well as being blocked by various objects from my room, namely, the dresser. I called it a crawl space, but wasn't really sure if that was the correct term for it. It was more of a secret room that you couldn't completely stand in, but had to crawl around to get somewhere.

Using a spell that an old friend taught me, I lit a candle. Cobwebs found their place in the corners of the small space and a cool breeze swept inside through the cracks in the wooden walls. Pieces of tape lay on the dirty ground, while most of them were still attached to the wall, though they were beginning to peel off; the winds from outside No matter how much I tried to clean this place up, the mess just kept piling up. Beside me was a few blankets,and notebooks just in case it would be like one of 'those' nights. Sometimes, the arguments between Ma and father would get so bad that ma would completely forget about me, and not sleep on the bed with me, so I came in here just to keep myself safe from the people outside of the house. Last time that happened, father broke his hoof trying to defend us.

The only thing that scared me about the 'crawl space' was the door of cardboard on the other side of the room. I taped over the edges of the 'door' just so nothing can come through it, though I think that whatever that could come through would be successful. Ma also told me to try and seal up that cardboard door the best I could. She was fully aware that I crept in here sometimes when I was scared, and she was, thankfully, very tolerant of it. So long as it kept me safe. Sometimes she liked to stay here with me, though it would be uncomfortable with the lack of space. That, and she would hold me tightly and cry into my mane. I hated to have to admit that I'd cry with her sometimes.

I wondered if things would be different. If I were born some time in the past. When everything was 'normal' as Ma called it. She used to tell me of how much fun she had with friends, and all of the ponies that she used to know. But Then everything changed when she met father. He 'set boundaries' and limited what could and could not be done. Ma said that he did that because I wasn't born yet, but when I asked father, he'd say that that wasn't the reason and leave it at that. Whatever the reason was, I think that I would have enjoyed if I had been born sooner rather than later. Maybe then, father wouldn't have become as harsh as he was now.

Maybe then, I would actually have friends. And I'd be allowed to leave the house, without any fear from my parents. Whatever the case, I think that everything would be better for all of us. Father could go back to work, and Ma and I could spend more time together. I'd like that. Maybe also, Ma and father could work on making me a baby sister or brother like Ma said she'd have liked. So that I wouldn't be alone for much longer. It would be something to write in the notebook about. Write about the kind of life that I'd have instead of the one I was in right now.

A door in the house slammed shut, vibrating the walls, shaking me out of my day dream and making dust slowly descend from the ceiling of the small crawl space. The door to my bedroom shut as well, though not as hard. I curled up in the corner of the room and extinguished the candle's flame. It was impossible to tell who was entering the room, but the light hoof-steps almost helped narrowed it down for me.

"Berry?" Ma's voice called. No matter how scared or sad I was, her voice always made me feel better. Her voice was smooth as ice itself, and always brought a chill to my spine. But it was a good one. The only downside to having such a caring voice such as hers, was that she was unable to rid the soothing feeling from her voice and get an angry tone that was actually threatening and/or intimidating. Unless she was speaking with father. "Are you in here honey?"

I heard the bed creak and the closet door being opened. Then the nightstand dragged itself across the wooden floor, as was the dresser. I cringed at the screeching of decayed wood dragging on decayed wood. Once the arduous task was completed, the crawl space door slid open. Ma's flowing iris mane appeared first. The next was her emerald eyes and her lavender coat. I gestured for her to enter, which she struggled to do.

"Are you and father finished?" I asked, nuzzling my head into her chest causing her to grunt and let out a small groan.

"Y-yes. We are." Her voice trailed off. A tear rolled down her cheek. Her chest was wet with something, but it was too dark for me to see what it was. Probably just tears. "Dear, I need you to start packing your things."

The air had been taken from my lungs. I guess father's bluff wasn't really a bluff after all. I may not have been told this would happen directly, but I've heard enough arguments to know what father would do if there was a really bad argument or fight. He was fully aware that we'd have nowhere to go, but we never thought that he'd have actually kicked us out of our own home. Outside of the front door was a tough world. No place for a mother and daughter to be left all alone. Ma knew that we'd be cast aside sooner or later, but I didn't want to believe it. Father couldn't do that to us.

"Please Cranberry," Ma spoke, sniffing and grunting as she tried to push me out of the door of the crawl space. "Go and get your bags. I've already had mine packed."

I complied, not wanting to hurt her more than she already was. The bright light that shone from the windows almost blinded me. Serves me right for having spent most of the day in the crawl space. I grabbed my saddle-bags from the floor and walked towards my bed, which was riddled with junk that belonged to me. Anybody could agree that I didn't have the most stuff. All I had was a few toys and clothes, plus two blankets; one heavy and one small. Hopefully that would keep me safe outside in the endless winter.

"Berry, I know you don't have much, but we have to leave this place." Ma said, fear in her voice. I looked at all I had. It really wasn't much. Between food and water, when ma and father went out to get supplies, toys and books for me wasn't such a high priority for them. Toys were just entertainment, and books with all their pages still inside were hard to find out there. I just had to make do with books that were for fillies, and one Daring Do book. Unfortunately it was the seventh in the series, and it was hard to keep track of everything, mainly because you needed to read the books before to understand what was happening.

Ma stood by the door, her large packs slumped on her back. One pack full of her own personals, and the other full of food and water. The stressed and fearful expression on her face, made me go and put my hoof around hers, and made me give the best smile I could manage. As a tear formed in her eye, she managed a weak smile.

"Mama?"

"Yes Berry?"

"W-what happened?" I placed my hoof on her chest, over a cut that bled at a moderate pace.

"This is..." She paused. "Your father hit me. He, uh...his...um...hoof cut my chest. At first, I couldn't believe it, but when he started throwing threats, I hit him back. Harder than I liked. Then he... jumped at me, so i did it again. Then he told me to get you and leave."

"C-can I at least say goodbye?" I sniffed. I didn't care if he hit me too sometimes. He didn't deserve to be left alone.

"No." Ma responded. She began to walk after levitating my bag on my back. The long hallway led to the living room, which was littered with trash and papers. Parts of the living room was buried underneath the pieces of rubble; completely caved in. The leather couch that was stained with Celestia knows what was moved from it's original position, facing the window, and was on it's back and facing the caved in part of the house. The wooden table that barely supported itself was also changed in it's position, moved right beside the front door. What happened in here?

"Berry, I need you to just sit right there." Ma placed me on the makeshift chair beside the window. "Don't move. I need to go talk to your father again one last time."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she was already at the other side of the room. I just let her go, and stared out of the window. I gasped at the sight. Sunlight! I've never seen it before! Wow, look at how bright the black streets and grey pavement was! Even the other dilapidated houses looked beautiful under the sun's lovely gaze.

A slight rustling caught my attention, and ma's grunting from the halls beckoned me to see if she was alright, but I remembered what she wanted me to do. So instead of marching down the halls like I normally did, I continued to gaze down at the streets. From what Ma said, Fillydelphia used to be a god city to live in. Then everybody started leaving when the storms hit, but Ma couldn't go anywhere because I was just a foal, and I wouldn't have been able to survive in the harshness of winter. Now that I'm older though, and winter seemed to have lasted forever, I would be able to make it through the days ahead after Ma and I leave here. Hopefully, father would be able to live here without any trouble. I felt for the bruise he gave me on my waist. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to forgive him for that, but he was angry and drunk at the time, so I wasn't sure if it was him or the drunk making him do it.

I thought about the times before though. He wasn't drunk those times, but he was angry. Again, wasn't it just the anger speaking and doing those things for him? It had to-

Wait. Who were those guys?

Five ponies walked down the street, packs hanging off of their sides and weapons balancing on their backs. They all wore goggles and masks to cover their mouths, as well as jackets that were sown from other pieces of clothing. And they were heading here. Climbing the steps to the front door.

I jumped off of the seat and ran down the hall. Tripping over a piece of rubble, I scraped my hooves on the pebble ridden floor, before bumping into ma.

"I told you to wait by the window Cranberry." She said with the most stern voice she could manage.

"We have to hide!" I whispered. Before Ma could open her mouth, a bang came from the front door. They were trying to get inside! Ma grabbed me and threw me into my room. She slammed the door shut and locked it, grunting as she levitated the small dresser beside the door with her arcane adrenaline. I opened up the door to the crawl space and Ma followed me. Again, using her magic, she levitated the bigger dresser in front of the crawl space door and shut it.

BOOM!

The front door being forced open sent vibrations through the walls and floor, and caused me to go into a state of panic. My heart almost burst out of my chest, and my breathing became spasmodic. Ma held me close and tried her best to shush me. I looked around, hoping that there was some way that we could slip away unnoticed. Then I looked at where that cardboard door was. It was torn down! Those ponies could easily slip inside and get to us!

Wait a minute.

"Search everywhere!" One of the ponies shouted. His voice sounded very close. Everything did in the crawl space. The hoof steps echoed, as did their voices.

I glared at where that cardboard door used to be. I tugged ma's hoof and pointed at the opening. There had to be a way out through there.

"Watch yourself when you go down honey. Don't make a lot of noise." Ma whispered. She aided me on the way down from the opening. It was really dark. I could barely see anything two feet ahead of me. When Ma climbed down, she brought the candle down with her, already lit. Even then, there was barely any light, and we could scarcely even navigate through this place. We were able to stand up though, as opposed to the smaller crawl space.

"What about father?" I asked, slowing my descent.

"He made his choice already." Ma said, the words sending chills down my spine.

"Whoa!" I tried to soften the impact with the dirt floor, but to no avail. My hooves were searing hot from the pain I endured in the hallway. Ma went ahead of me, looking around for an exit. I looked back to see what I'd tripped on, but instantly wished I didn't.

"F-father?" He was wrapped in plastic bags, numerous cuts on his face and chest. I could barely even recognize him. Ma couldn't have done this. This wasn't like her. She was too nice and sweet to do such a horrible act.

"Cranberry," Ma whispered, grabbing my hoof. "Please. We need to stay together."

The spine chilling screech of the dresser being dragged upon the floor made my heart stop. Ma slowed her pace, looking back at the hole we crawled out of. Her arcane grip tossed me in front of her and she told me "Run. I'll be right behind you. See that up ahead? Head towards that light."

But I was glued to the ground, still horrified from the sight of my own father. Ma began pushing me, forcing me to go forward, and I tried to go along with her but couldn't. The light seemed so far away. It was so far away.

I turned my head as soon as I heard yelling and the crawl space door forcefully slide open. Ma ceased all motions. She tensed, and brought me closer, as if to shield me from whatever would come through the hole in the wall. If they did kill me, I hoped that it would be quick. Ma would probably be there on the other side with me if the worst came.

Comments

[Touch of Darkness]

Wow...just...wow...I...I am at a loss for words.

This a such a great opening to a story. The tension, the panic, the potential for lies and deceit. What a cliffhanger!

I usually don't have much respect for MLP stories that include an abusive father, because the writer usually tends to take it too far at one time, but this, this is awesome. The perfect mix of memories and wishes, along with the horrors of reality, God, I just want to high five you man.

Now, there is only one thing that confused me.

...so I came in here just to keep myself safe from the people outside of the house. Last time that happened, father broke his hoof trying to defend us.

Is this "people outside the house" the same ponies that are broke in this chapter? And what about Berry's father defending them? It just seems a little weird that he defends them from the ponies outside the house, just to send them right into their hooves later. You made it very clear that Cranberry and her ma were being kicked out of the house, and you also made it very clear that the ponies out side were bad. So why the contradiction of motives? First, Berry's father is fighting desperately hard to defend his family from the ponies outside, then he is literally shoving them outside with them. Explanation wanted. Other than that, great start!

[A Green Notebook]

3501919
Well, when Berry's mother said that they were leaving, it was all supposed to be a lie to Cranberry. Berry's father didn't really kick them out, hence the last scene when both Berry and her mother are in the crawl space. Other information like why Berry's mother thought about leaving is something I want to be explained as the story progresses. I hoped that helped a little Though I'm actually still debating if I should continue or leave it as a one-shot.