What We've Lost

"I know I didn't say it as often as I should have... But... Mum, I... I love you."

"What else do you think we'll need, Spike?" I asked while I went over what we already packed. So far we had a length of rope, a couple canteens of water, some parchment, ink and quills, and a few apples. We were really counting on there being at least a few ponies at town hall, and definitely on there being emergency supplies there.

Spike looked over at me and at all of the items we had packed. He hummed in thought as he put a purple claw to his chin. Suddenly his eyes shot open wide in realization before he looked down with a glare. "There is... One thing we may need." Before I could ask him what he was talking about he turned on his heels and stalked out of the room, a brooding look on his face. I sat there in silence as I waited for Spikes return. The only thing on my mind being how well this plan was going to work.

When I heard Spikes clawed feet make their way back up the stairs I turned towards the doorway and waited to see what he grabbed. When he walked through the doorway, I wasn't expecting the tortured look in his eyes. When I looked down to his claws, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe what he was implying. In his claw was a large cutting knife, at least ten inches long. I just stared at the knife as Spike slowly walked in and placed it next to my saddle bags. "Just in case... you know?"

When he looked up at me I could see the struggle going on inside him and I knew he wasn't making this decision lightly. I mutely nodded my head and he nodded his in turn.

With one last look over our stuff, Spike made his way over to the window and peered outside. Still sitting outside the front door of the library was a bloodied and mutilated Mr.Cake. Blood and bile leaking profusely from his mouth. It seems he was using his head to try and break down the front door because it was split down the middle and leaking a severe amount of blood and yet he carried on, pacing back and forth outside.

Two more creatures were lurking about the streets near the library. Both as twisted and bloody as Mr.Cake. They were just standing out on the dirt road, staring off into space.

When Spike turned back to face me, there was fear evident on his face. with a nervous gulp, he hopped down from the window sill and grabbed a few books. "So you know what we're doing right?" He looked over at me and I nodded in confirmation. "Good, so when I throw these books at the trash cans out back, hopefully it makes enough noise for those things outside to investigate. While they're out back, we'll make a break for it as quickly and as quietly as we can and head towards town hall. Once we're there, hopefully there's some sort of guard or at least somepony with a plan. You ready?"

I got to my hooves and attached the saddle bags to my back, pulling the straps tightly so they don't slide of while I'm running. "Ready!"

"Alright, when I tell you it's safe, we'll head out the front door."

I watched as Spike grabbed a few more books and piled them near the window. Opening it up, he looked around one more time before grabbing a book in his claw and breathing a green flame onto the pages. Immediately it caught fire and was burning a brilliant emerald in his grasp. With one swift motion he hurled the burning book towards the trash cans next to the buildings rear and grabbed another book. He continued this routine for a couple more books before the three creatures heard the noise and came charging around the corner to investigate. All the while letting out guttural screams of rage.

"Okay Go! go! Go!" Spike screamed as he made his way down from the window. As he passed me, he bent down and picked up the kitchen knife he grabbed early. With a quick nod my way he ran towards the open doorway and the stairs. When I made it down the stairs, Spike was waiting at the front door with his hand on the knob. With one last deep breath he opened the door. As we slowly peered out the door, there were no creatures in sight. We could still hear them around the corner so we ran to the other side of the street before heading towards town hall.

As we put more and more distance between us and the tree house, the sound of screams and roars grew fainter and fainter before they were just a distant buzz in the air.

Spike took the lead as we walked the quiet streets of Ponyville. My head was on a constant swivel as I walked. Twitching at any sudden noise or movement I saw out of the corners of my eyes. We slowed down to a light jog to save our energy as we carried on.

Suddenly I found my self tackled to the ground. One of those creatures standing over me. An older mare with a matted grey mane tied in a messy and and a light green coat. Blood poured from her mouth onto my chest as she loomed over me. She was growling as she reared her head back to strike. I shut my eyes and screamed as I awaited the impending blow. After a few moments I realised that it never came. Opening my eyes a crack, I saw nothing standing over me any more.

Shakily getting to my hooves I looked around. The once ravenous creature now lay motionless on the road next to me, a large kitchen knife sticking out of it's eye. Spike was standing over it, his hands shaking as he looked at the creature with wide eyes.

"I-I... I had too. She was...  She was gunna kill you and I just... Oh Granny Smith... I'm so sorry." He looked over at me, tears evident in his eyes. I just kept looking between him and the body on the ground at his feet. I couldn't comprehend what just happened. The gears were turning in my head but they just weren't going anywhere.

Spike's crackling voice brought me out of my reverie. I must have been staring off into space because he looked rather worried. "C-come on Molly! We have to keep moving!" He yelled as he tried to drag me to my hooves. I complied, as if on auto pilot as he lead me towards a house down the road. In the distance I could hear the tell tale screams of the infected ponies as the honed in on us. It would only be a matter of time before they saw us.

Spike opened up the front door of the house and locked it with a click as soon as I was through the door way. We stood there, catching our breath in silence as we awaited the arrival of who knows how many of those things. Soon enough we heard their screams as they emerged onto the streets outside the house. Carefully peering out a nearby window I counted at least 13 of them. All searching frantically for their next meal. I audibly gulped as I backed away from the window and back to Spike. He was still visibly shaken from our first close encounter with one of the creatures on this trip through town. He was just standing there staring at his claws and continually opening and closing them.

"Hey spike, why don't we look around the house. Maybe we'll find something useful?" He didn't even say a word. Just nodded and followed me as I began to look around.

It was a typical two story home. We wandered around the first floor which consisted of a fully furnished kitchen and a nice dining area. Or at least it would have been nice if it wasn't splattered with blood. Everything in the house, from books, to vases, to picture frames, had specks of blood on them. Obviously one of those creatures had been in here at some point.

We figured it was gone due to the lack of anything trying to kill or eat us at the moment. The only things of use that we found in the kitchen were another knife, which Spike was very reluctant to grab, and a much needed flash light. Which, looking back on it, we should have packed right away from the library.

Finding nothing else of use on the main floor, Spike and I headed up the stairs. About half way up we heard something shatter in one of the rooms and we froze in place. We stood there for a while, just listening. When no other noise came, we proceeded up the stairs. There were three rooms up here. one room on the left, one on the right, and one at the end of the hall. We looked in the room on the left first. It tuned out to be a bathroom.

Searching the cabinets we found a standard first aid kit and some pain killers. We decided to take both of these just in case. Crossing the hall to the right most room we entered a small bedroom. From the looks of it, it was a young fillies room. There were posters of famous actors and colt bands lining the pink walls. There was a small pink bed and two dressers in here as well. On one of the dressers was a picture frame. Taking a closer look it was a picture of a young orange filly with what looked to be her parents in a park in front of a fountain.

Not finding anything else in the room, Spike and I went to check the final room in the house. We approached with caution, Spike holding the knife out in front of him as he slowly opened the door. Flipping the light switch on we saw what had shattered. A flower vase lay in pieces on the hardwood floor  at the foot of the large bed. Before we had a chance to fully take in the room, we heard a quiet whimper from under the bed. Sharing a worried glance with Spike, I slowly knelt down and looked under the bed. Way at the back curled in a ball lay a small orange filly. The same filly from the photo in the other room.

"It's okay," I tried to sound as soothing as I could. "We won't hurt you. We're here to help." I glanced at Spike and I could see him give me a worried look before I saw the little filly slowly crawl out from under the bed. As I thought, she was only a few years younger than me. The had a light beige mane and a bouquet of flowers as a cutie mark. She was shaking profusely and it took a combined effort from Spike and I to finally get a name out of her. Flora.

We lead her back down the stairs and into the dining room where we told her our plan of getting to town hall and hopefully meet up with other safe ponies. She seemed to understand what we intended but she hadn't said a word since we got a name out of her.

When it came time to finally leave the house, Flora was obviously frightened. When spike opened the door she began to shake again and started backing away.

"I-I... I can't. I c-can't go out there!" She said with a nervous stutter. "I just can't."

"It'll be okay, I promise." Spike said as he gave her a reassuring smile before turning to look back out the door.

She bit her lower lip in confliction as she thought about what was going on. Finally she took in a deep breath and followed Spike and I out the door. The town was eerily silent once again. The hoard of infected now back in their hiding spots. A chilling breeze swept through the street as we entered the market place. Town hall was now a few blocks away and could be seen just over the roofs of the nearby buildings.

There were abandoned food carts all over the street. It seems all of the vendors made a hasty exit when the creatures showed up and they left all their belongings behind. Flora was paying attention to one of the passing buildings and didn't notice an abandoned apple cart in her path. Before Spike or I could warn her it was too late. The cart began to roll towards a building and before we knew it it crashed into the side, sending apples and pieces of wood flying everywhere.

Right away the screams of the infected pierced our eardrums. They started pouring out of alley ways and abandoned buildings and before we knew it we were being chanced by over twenty creatures. Trying our best to dodge carts  and debris that littered the market square.

"Don't you know magic or something!" Spike yelled at me as he looked over his shoulder at the growing mass of infected ponies giving chase. I realised he was right and began throwing whatever I could grab with my magic behind me at the creatures.

Town hall was now in sight. Putting on a burst of speed, the three of us neared our destination. But in some twist of fate, I glanced over my shoulder and watched in horror as Flora tripped on a piece of a broken cart. She screamed in either pain or terror as the mass of infected came down upon her. I went to go and help her but Spike grabbed me by the tail and pulled me back. I looked on in abject terror as the creatures began to tear into her flesh. Her screams became piercing as the bit into her limbs and torso. The smell of blood permeated the air as more and more of the infected fell upon her.

Spike pulled me once again and I turned and ran towards town hall once again, tears freely falling down my cheeks as Flora's screams filled the evening air. When we made it to the front doors, Spike flung open the doors and I ran inside and collapsed on the floor hyperventilating. The last thing I heard were Flora's cries for help finally being silenced before the front doors to town hall were shut once again.