... And the lightning strikes.
It’s about three thirty in the morning in Ponyville. Nopony is up. Nopony is out around town. It looks like a ghost town. The moon is hidden behind the massive storm clouds rolling in on his summer night. A wooden door opens. Thunderlane exits the house he was in, followed by Colgate. She stands next to him with a smile, then snuggles his cheek.
“I had a great time tonight,” She says slowly, then looks up at him. He was smiling as well, and he kisses her on the lips.
“I did too…” He begins walking down the steps to the horse-drawn carriage he had called not five minutes before.
“See you later!” Colgate says down to him as he gets in the carriage. He waves goodbye, then shuts the door.
“Where to?” The pony pulling the carriage asked.
“5260 Pony Drive, please.”
“Might be a while… There’s a storm coming in…”
***
On the other side of Ponyville, a house shined brighter than all the rest. Every single light was on in that house, for Berry Punch was awake. She was pacing by the telephone, back and forth, worried beyond belief. Where was Thunderlane? She hadn’t seen him all day…
She looks out the window at the storm, now raging.
“Oh… I hope it’s just the storm…”
***
Thunderlane looked as the rain hit the window.
The pony pulling the carriage tried to say something over the rain, but he couldn’t understand him. He was too focused on the rain…
***
Berry Punch kept watching out the window, more and more doubt growing in her mind. He wouldn’t do this again, would he? Even after she completely forgave him from last time? She could have left… But she didn’t. She loves him too much. But does the love really go both ways…?
She sighed and went back to the kitchen and started pacing in front of the phone again.
“Please come home soon…”
***
“We’re almost there, sir.”
“Thanks.” Thunderlane said, still focused on the outside. The rain made loud thumps across the window as he watched the rain hit the window. Thunder roared in the distance, followed by a flash of lightning. This was a hell of a storm that’s coming…
***
Berry Punch was at the window again. Looking down at the road, she sighs once more, she was about to turn away, then she sees a horse-drawn carriage pull up on the road. She sees Thunderlane step out of the carriage, and she runs out to greet him. Wrapping him in a hug, she started to tear up.
“Thank goodness you’re okay!” She says, face buried in his shoulder.
Thunderlane wraps her in a hug as well, a small smile on his face. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
She looks into his eyes. A bolt of lightning flashes behind them, lighting up her eyes, a fiery blaze hidden behind them.
Thunderlane’s smile disappeared. She knows...
***
“Get the fuck away from me!” Berry Punch said, sobbing hysterically. She collapsed on the floor, Thunderlane behind her being consumed by guilt. What possessed him to do this again? Not even he knew…
Berry Punch slowly got up, knees wobbling tears running down cheeks. She runs down the hallway and into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.
“Oh… What have I done…?” He said, sitting on the couch and putting his face in his hooves.
***
Berry Punch lays on her bed, sobbing, wondering.
“I can’t do this anymore…” She said through her sobs. The funny thing was, even though he has broken her heart so many times, she still loved him, and she didn’t know what to do.
She reached into her dresser drawer and pulled out a 9mm handgun. She checked the magazine. Fully loaded. She stuck the barrel of the weapon in her mouth, ready to pull the trigger. Another tear rolled down her cheek as she started to squeeze the trigger.
She looked in the mirror for what she thought would be the last time.
She saw the pain behind her own eyes, the suffering she has been through…
Because of him. She was like this because of him…
She pulled the handgun out of her mouth and looked at it. The handgun was solid black with leather grips on either side of the handle.
She looked in the mirror once more, then walked up to it.
“No…”
She touched the mirror, her reflection touching back, aiding her in her time of need.
“He won’t do this again…”
She looks down at the pistol.
“But it won’t end this way…”
She looked into her reflection’s eyes, seeing the pure hatred forming behind them.
“This will be the last time I’ll wonder where he’s been…”
***
Thunderlane continues to sit on the couch, his guilt overpowering him so much that he can’t move… He feels like he has been turned to stone.
He sighs deeply, then he hears the bedroom door open. Like he has been released from the spell, he stands up and looks at the hallway entrance. Berry Punch slowly enters the room.
“Hey…” Thunderlane says.
Berry Punch doesn’t say a word. She looks away from him to the pistol, which she had concealed in her saddlebag.
“You aren’t leaving, are you?”
Again, she doesn’t say anything, she began reaching for the pistol, but stopped. She couldn’t do it… To leave would be one thing, but to take another’s life? That is another thing all together… She started walking towards the door.
“Berry… I’m sorry…”
She stopped in her tracks.
“Sorry?” She says. She looks at him, still keeping the pistol out-of-sight.
Thunderlane knew he struck a nerve. He started backing off.
“Being sorry means you won’t do it again… Do you know how many times you’ve done this?”
“I-“
“This is the third time, dammit! And I completely forgave you! Twice! Normally, somepony would have walked out on you the first time!”
“I know-“
“Shut up… Let me finish…”
“Berry, please, let me say something…”
“No… I’m done with you… And you won’t do this to anypony… Ever again…”
She pulls out the pistol with her mouth, and with absolute presicion, fires a round into his chest.
Thunderlane stands there for a moment, then falls to the ground. He is done.
Berry Punch put the pistol back in her bag and slowly walked over to him. A puddle of blood began forming around him. She sits on the couch, reaches into her bag, and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. She sets it on the table. She pulls out a glass as well, and fills the cup with the whiskey.
“Might as well enjoy one last drink with you, Thunderlane…”
And the thunder rolls…
