The Beginning Of The End

I take in a breath, and I let it out. I look around.

The windows upstairs are boarded up. The doors are locked shut. Paint on the walls is chipped and faded, as if failing remember the light of better days- or any light at all. Wallpaper is peeling, darkness is encroaching and time is running out.

We’re almost out of food. Down to our last crackers. They need to eat. All of them need to eat.

It’s been months. Months holed up in this once cheerful place. We came here because Cloudsdale was infested, and they swarmed us all. Everywhere we looked there was death and destruction. Fires, carts overturned, ponies running and screaming like mad. My daughter and her friends were with me when it struck. We took shelter in the nearest place- Sugarcube corner. We were fortunate to end up in a place where there was plenty of food. But the food is running out. And we are trapped.

Should we go outside, they will attack us. They will do to us what happened to everypony else. When those ponies saw them, they went mad. There’s no other way to describe it. Ponies crashed through windows, started fires, did whatever they could to die. I have not met any pony yet who has not gone crazy from the sight of them. We got to shelter, but because of what happened, the agriculture in this town has halted, as all the farmers but one have died. I do not know what can be done. If we stay, we will die. If we go, we may also die.

It wasn’t just Ponyville that was hit. Trottingham, Las Pegasus, Manehattan, Saddle Arabia, Prance. It started there, in Saddle Arabia, and it spread to all of those cities. It hit Cloudsdale before it hit here. I was able to escape. I put pieces of clouds in front of my eyes as I fled my home, but my husband was not as lucky. As he tried to fly with me to safety, another pony bolted past him, knocking into him, and taking from my path. I didn’t see what happened after that. Didn’t want to. But I heard everything. It was a singular shriek of complete madness. I knew it was him. I knew his voice anywhere. It was the voice that said “I do” to me at our wedding, the one that sang our daughter to sleep as a foal, the one who comforted me after a nightmare. And now I would never hear that voice again. The thought disarmed me, but it did not stop me. I nosedived toward the ground, and I counted the seconds until it hit six. I usually hit the ground at eight. Then, I bolted forward, keeping low, and made my way to Ponyville by memory.

It hadn’t hit there yet. But I knew it was coming. I found my daughter in the square by calling her name, and I literally dragged her inside the nearest building. I told her of what was to come. At first she seemed to think I was joking, brushed it off. But when she saw the look in my eyes, she knew. She rounded up her friends while I blocked the windows, and then, once they were there, I boarded up the doors.

We rounded up all of the food and supplies in Sugarcube Corner, and brought it down to Pinkie’s party planning cave. There were no windows there, so we would be safe. But we cannot stay here anymore, no matter how safe it is. Because we don’t have any food.

But I knew, I was certain, that the infestation had spread now. To Sires Hollow? To Our Town? To Canterlot? Most likely. The unicorns in our camp knew that the creatures could pass through force fields. Like they weren’t even there. Twilight Sparkle tried that, putting a shield around Sugarcube corner, then slowly inching it out. It kept the ponies out, certainly, but we saw the shadows of them, flying from right outside. Close enough to sweep against the building.

Nowhere in Equestria was safe. Of that much I was sure. So I asked Twilight where we could go. Where it could be safe. She only told me one place- Mount Eris. Where the Hippogriffs lived, most often as seaponies. If they used their pearl to transform us, we could live down there. We could live, period. No fear of having our eyes open. No need for barred windows or doors. There would be food. There would be shelter. Our world could be just that- a world. With living, breathing creatures we could talk to, with food, shelter, and serenity. With coral, and sand, and shells, and color. We would not be confined to a cave. We would never have to live in fear again.

I have decided that today is the day we start that journey.

I yell for the girls to come here. They all gather. In the months since the infestation, with no parents to turn to, they have all become my daughters, and I in turn have become their mother. They all are old enough to take care of themselves. But in this kind of situation, they are foals. They may have gone camping, they may have taken care of farms, they may have ruled Equestria at one point in time, but they have never been mothers. They do not know the power of this instinct. And it was time for me to put it to use.

“Listen to me,” I say, deadly serious, “We are leaving today. We are going to Mount Eris. The hippogriffs and seaponies could help us. Give us shelter and food. This will be the most dangerous thing any of you have ever done. More dangerous than facing Nightmare Moon, or Discord, or Tirek together. I know you have saved Equestria before. But it cannot be saved this time. We are leaving all together. I know you have seen some things. But you have never experienced this. I have. The second we leave here, you will follow my instructions to the letter. You do not talk, unless you think you hear something, and you will need to listen better than you ever have in your life. Do not use your magic. It could make us easier to track because of the light. Do not fly, under any circumstances. They fly too. The higher you go, the bigger risk you take. And you cannot afford any risks on this journey. And do not, under any circumstances, no matter what you hear, take off the blindfolds that we have made. Do you understand me? I want each of you to say yes to me. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Said Twilight Sparkle.

“Yes.” Rarity Replied.

“Yes.” Pinkie nodded.

“Yes.” Fluttershy whispered.

“Yes.” Applejack professed.

“Yes, Mom.” Rainbow Dash finished.

I nod. “Good. Everypony get your blindfolds on, and let’s go.” I say.

My name is Windy Whistles. This is my story.

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I planned our exit very carefully.

I alternated between Pegasi and non-pegasi in our formation. I was furthest to the left. Then Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Twilight, Applejack, and finally Rainbow Dash. I did this so we could all link wings and have them rest against the non-pegasi’s backs. We can keep track of everypony that way. Pinkie helped to take down the boards on the door, and as she did, I felt my heart sink as the safety I worked so hard to gain was stripped away, one nail, and one board at a time. Then, finally, it was done. The door was unsealed.

“Everypony, put your blindfolds on. Do not take them off. Whatever you think you hear, do not take it off.” I say, authoritatively.

They all nod. I make sure theirs are on before I put on my own. “Do not take them off.” I say again. Then, I speak. “Into formation.”

They all get into the line I commanded from them. Then, I take in a breath, slowly let it out, and do the thing that I fear most. I open the door.

We exit together, very carefully. We do not lose touch with one another. Then when we are out the door, I wait for the line to form again.

I know we need to stock up on supplies, and I know where to go. Rich’s Barnyard Bargains. The fresh produce from the land may have died, but they have jarred foods, blankets, everything we will need.

I asked for instructions on how to get there before we left. Dashie gave them to me. And our trek begins. I stay just a bit further forward than the rest, to try and guide them around obstacles. There is an overturned cart near Sugarcube Corner. I guide them around it. It is our first obstacle but most definitely not our last.

I don’t think everything we were risking really hit me until my hoof touched something soft when we were making our way down the street. I didn’t have to look to realize that it was another pony. I took a giant step over, then cautioned the girls of doing the same. I thought it might have been a stallion, judging by how high I had to lift my hoof to step over. I didn’t dwell on that long. I just helped them step over, and moved on.

The possible stallion was our first body, but not our last. Everypony came into contact with at least one, despite my attempts to guide them. I imagine they wondered if it was some pony they knew. I know I did. I took them through the streets, around corners and alleyways, until, if my memory served me well, we made it. I felt around for a handle, and found it, and guided everypony inside. Despite my blindfold, I could tell the difference in lighting. It grew darker. When everypony was in, I made sure the door was shut, and I took off my blindfold, daring a glance.

The windows were covered. I could tell right away. I exhaled. “You can take off your blindfolds now.” I say.

They all do so, and look around, at a treasure trove of supplies. It was like winning the lottery. Food, blankets, clothing, equipment. Everything we could need.

“Everypony stock up. Blankets, clothing, supplies for being outside, and weapons. Nonperishable foods only. We don’t know how long this journey will take and we need to be set for a while.” I say. They all nod, and split up.

I grab As much food as I can. Thankfully, they sold saddlebags here. I grabbed two more and put them on my back, filling them up. I grab a few blankets and scarves in the next one, and first aid supplies in the last. As I go, I also grab some food to eat now. The sweet taste of Zap Apple Jam hits my tongue. It is sweeter than anything I have eaten in months, and I savor it, and eat until the jar is empty. I go through two more jars, until I am finally replete.

I look around to see what every pony has gathered. Rarity has gathered clothing for the journey, along with food. Pinkie has gathered all food, and is chowing down on some crackers. Fluttershy has stocked up on blankets and whatever water she could find. Twilight has gathered food, water, and a book on survival. Rainbow Dash has gotten food, but is the most stocked up on weapons. A trowel, a rake, a shovel, a hoe. And some more deadly ones, like shears, an axe, and a weeding fork. She passes one thing to everypony. I get the rake. She gets the shears. Fluttershy gets a trowel. Pinkie gets the hoe. Twilight gets a weeding fork. Applejack gets an axe. Rarity gets a shovel. For the ones with pointed edges, I work to sharpen them, until one touch can make you bleed.

And then, I spy Applejack after the weapons passing. She is staring at the jars of Zap Apple Jam, looking tearful. I go over to her, wrap a hoof around her.

“Ya think my family is still alive?” She asks me.

As the element of honesty, I cannot lie to her. I wouldn’t anyway, with this situation. Now was the time for brutal honesty. “I think we are the last ponies alive in this town. If my husband didn’t make it out, I don’t think anypony else could. I’m sorry.” I say, and hug her.

She starts to cry. “It ain’t fair! First Ma and Pa, now Granny Smith and Big Mac and… Apple Bloom.” She breaks down sobbing. “I’m sorry, sis! I’m sorry I didn’t protect you!” She collapses to the floor.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity come over to her, put their heads with hers. They have all lost their sisters. They understand. They help her up, and we all gather together, in a ring of loss, until she calms down.

When that is done, I speak. “We need to get moving. The more time we spend here is a risk to us. I don’t know if the creatures can get through non-barricaded doors. We need to move on. Keep your weapons out, your ears open, and your minds sharp. I will find us a place to rest for the night when the time comes. Now that we are stocked up, we need to go. There is nothing more that this place can give us that we can carry. As much as I would like to stay here, we would be in the middle of the infestation. We cannot risk that. We must get somewhere safe. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” They all said together.

I nod. “Everypony put your blindfolds on and let’s go.”

Bird Box

by FabulousDivaRarity

The Beginning Of The End

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