The House and the Ponies

by Burnt Juice

Like a dream

Free Thoughts POV

I ran franticly through the Everfree Forest, with rabid timberwolves on my tail. They were quickly gaining ground and closing in. One managed to bite down on my tail, but I bucked him to kingdom come. He deformed into a pile of sticks and rocks, but another ran up to take his place. There are to many to deal with! Right then I tripped over a root. I lost my balance and was sent crashing to the ground. The timberwolves intercepted me and encircled my writhing body. Eeyup, I'm screwed. The timberwolves had cut off all chance of escape. The largest in the pack, obviously the leader approached me. He thrust his head back and howled. Preparing to deal a death blow- most likely involving ripping my throat out- when a wolf in the background yelled. "Free! Free Thoughts!"

"Free Thoughts wake up!" yelled Cloud Catcher. She brought her hoof back, and sent in flying across my face at blazing speeds. The force woke me up, along with throwing me from the bench in which I rested.

I sat up, dazed and seeing doubles. "Hey, what gives?" I moaned. Cloud Catcher was a white pegasus with a green mane.

"The picnic has arrived." Replied the pegasus with a smile, "oh and sorry for waking you like that, you were out cold."

I looked at the bench that I had taken a very unfortunate fall from. I guess I must have dozed off waiting for my friends to get here. We had decided to have a picnic in the park. I walked over to where Cloud was rolling out the blanket. Me, Cloud, and Tackle had been best friends ever since we were little foals.

"Are the others here yet?" I asked

"They should be coming... aha there they are!"

I saw Tackle and Cheers coming up the hill to our picnic spot. Tackle was a huge earth pony who was our schools premier hoofball player. Cheers was a yellow unicorn with a red mane. She had been a cheerleader and was dating Tackle.

We proceeded to indulge in our picnic and talk of recent events. Nothing too interesting, just some good friends hanging out and having a good time together. I wasn't exactly enjoying myself though. I have been having nightmares every night for the past week. I'm really starting to get creeped out which led my mind away from the conversations at hand. I have been getting very little sleep due to the nightmares, so I am always tired now. I could tell my friends were worried, but didn't know what to do...

"Hey Free... Free? Hello, dude you there?" Tackle waved his hoof in front of my face in order to get my attention. It worked and I snapped out of my little train of thought.

"hmmph oooh hm hada whoda hmmph hommph." Said Tackle. Can't this guy speak proper Equestrian?

"w-wha-huh" I stammered

"I said, did you enjoy the Running of the Leaves yesterday."

oh, ummm... uhhh... ya-yes, yes I did.

He looked at me funny and shrugged. He then looked away to talk to the others. I spent the whole thing in a trance, trying to make sense of the streak of nightmares. I decided in the end that I probably just having and bad week, sleep-wise.

The picnic ended rather quickly and we all went our separate ways. We bid each other good night and parted.

That Night

I stood in the middle of a grass field. It was a beautiful, sunny day. But there was something wrong. All was quiet, not even the smallest sound penetrated the field. The cool summer breeze felt strange and foreign. It could not be explained but it all just felt... wrong. The field began to rumble, throwing me to the ground with great force. Out of the ground sprouted an old house, it looked familiar. All was quiet again. The ground ceased to rumble and the house just stood there, ominously, as if challenging anyone to dare enter. I felt... fear. Why was I fearful, it is simply an old house, nothing more. The feeling persisted, until I succumbed to complete paranoia. I began to run from the house, farther and farther away, but I seemed to be making no progress. I remained at the same distance away, as if the house was following me... or I couldn't move at all. Against my will I walked towards it. I couldn't control my legs until I was at the front door. I was about to bolt away when the door began to creak open, ever so slowly. I could't move, I was paralyzed in fear, unable to move at all. The door was halfway open and I saw behind it, an eye. A single blood red eye. It bore into my brain as if searching for something. I felt as if it had tore my head open and jammed a hoof into my exposed brain. I tried to scream, but the pure agony had rendered me unable to make a sound.

I awoke screaming uncontrollably. I looked around, sweat poring down my face, soaking my mane. I was breathing heavily. I quickly got up and turned on the lights, expelling the shadows from my room. The notion of going back to sleep was an impossibility. It was about 3 in the morning. I got out my headphones and began to listen to music, which calmed me down. I sat on my bed with my head down, listening to music, trying to get the image of that goddamn eye out of my head.

Later

I stood up after 3 hours of listening to music. I was calmed down and ready to begin my day. I got dressed, ate breakfast, and left for work. I worked at a local bookstore, nothing special. I was saving up money in order to buy a plot of land and start a business of my own.

I couldn't get that eye out of head. I couldn't stop thinking about it. What could it mean? Does it have to do with my recent nightmares? Was I over thinking this and it was just a random nightmare? These questions practically drove me insane. I tried to stop thinking about it, but once I thought of a question, it bugged me until I got an answer. Hell, my damn cutie mark is about thinking. But through all these paranoid questions there was one thing I knew for certain, I've seen that house. I don't know where, but i've seen it before.

Perhaps I should investigate. But what would I find it's just some old run down house. I decided to just let it go. It's a bad dream, nothing more.

My shift ended and I went home. All was quiet except for the occasional pony walking by.

I felt like I was being watched.

I looked around to see if anypony was there. All was quiet, all was still.

"Pretty damn eerie," I muttered, "but theres no one watching me." I felt foolish, I must be getting paranoid. All over some stupid bad dream. I chuckled at my arrogance, I was acting like a foal. There is nothing to worry about. I happily trotted home, with that thought in mind.

I got home and went straight to bed. A long day of needless worrying really wears you out. I got under the sheets and drifted off to sleep.

There is nothing to worry about.