What Silence Hides

FlugleWaffle Presents...

What Silence Hides

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My mornings began the same way they had for the past twenty-five years of my life, this one would be no different. I would wake up, take a rinse in our one family lavatory that was normally always occupied which is why I always wake up an hour earlier than everyone else. Somehow Granny Smith was always awake before I was though. I don't know how she does it. I would walk downstairs, treat myself to some nice cereal, apple-based of course, and begin my daily runs which entailed apple bucking, apple cleaning and then apple selling. Somewhere in my schedule I planned to purchase some nails. Granny Smith worked up a storm before I left about a squeaky board in one of our buildings and then proceeded to rant about how "Everything was better in mah days!."

On my way to the orchard, I had noticed one of the farm's sheep was still asleep. I walked to the pen where all the sheep were kept and discovered another strange anomaly: all the other sheep were staying as far from the sleeping one as the fence would permit. Entering the pen, I came closer to the still sleeping sheep and on further inspection found the sheep had died overnight. I couldn't fathom how this was possible as the dead sheep before me was actually one of the healthiest ones we owned. The corpse felt cold so it had to have died early in the night. I moved the corpse out of the animal pen so the other sheep could return to their own routine. I set the body inside the farm's shed and set a mental note to deal with it later. With that complete I went to tend to my apple bucking duties.

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Apple bucking was uneventful to say the least. It wasn't for another half hour that Applejack came to assist me. With her helping me, the job was completed in a much shorter amount of time than anticipated. While the job was boring, Applejack and I talked up a storm, debating who would do what when zap apple season came around. We may be simple farm ponies but we can talk for hours.

Apple cleaning was practically the same way except this time I had no companion. It was just me, my thoughts, and several pounds of apples to clean for sale. Applejack had left for town to do her shift at the apple-cart. Applebloom was at school and learning something new. I feel bad for her. I haven't seen her bring home a friend in years and something tells me she doesn't like that Twist filly very much.

I continued cleaning my apples until about eleven-fourty where I stopped for lunch, apple-based of course, and then left for town to take my shift of apple selling. On my trip to town I heard many ponies whispering and talking about something although I could not make out their dialogues. It was normal for ponies in Ponyville to gossip and talk but never whisper, and these ponies looked afraid too. Curiosity getting the better of me, I approached a mare.

"Excuse me miss, what is everypony talkin' about?" I asked

In a rather annoying accent and tone the mare responded "Haven't you heard!? A poor colt was attacked last night! He went into surgery this morning!" Petty things like theft was uncommon in Ponyville but an attack was downright unheard of. Granny Smith told us that no one in the history of Ponyville had ever been harmed before.

"Do ya know what happened, miss?"

"Only that the colt was unconscious when a young filly found him!" Responded the mare.

"Thanks very much for ya time mam." With that I went to go find Applejack. Perhaps she knew more about what happened.

When I arrived at the apple stand I saw Applejack sitting down with her head rested on her hooves. She appeared to be caught between bewilderment and boredom. She visibly brightened when she saw me trotting towards her.

"Thank goodness Big Mac, ah thought ya would never come."

"Sorry AJ, ah got curious about what everypony wus talkin' about and asked someone. Did ya hear somepony was attacked last night?" I said.

"Are you kiddin' me!? I haven't heard anything else the entire day! I haven't even sold a single apple." Responded Applejack.

"Well why don't ya head on back home. I can take it from here. No need to worry ya'self about this. Might not want to tell Applebloom about this either. You know how she can get about gossip."

"Your a good brother Big Mac. Ah'll see ya later tonight." Said Applejack before beginning her trot back home. I sat down in front of the apple stand and prepared for the next five hours of boredom. I couldn't wait to go back home if nothing was going to happen.

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I sat there for what seemed like days. No pony came by to purchase anything and anypony that went by was accompanied by another talking about that dang attack last night. If it weren't for mares and their gossiping, this town would be much better off. Eventually five-thirty rolled around and I couldn't have been happier to get away from this stand. Before I was able to close my stand, one colt, unbelievably, walked up to me. I hadn't seen him before today thought it could just be because I don't go around Ponyville a lot. This colt, a unicorn, had light grey fur with a slightly darker grey mane. He looked actually like a grey me save for his face which you would only expect to find on that of the Canterlot guard. I put on my best business face as he approached me.

"Hello there, I would like to purchase some of your apples. I'm new to this town and as it stands, I have no food. How much would it be for the entire cart?" He asked

Rather shocked that he wanted to purchase the entire load of apples, I was only able to stutter out "two hundred bits."

"Hehe, you look surprised, I'm sure ponies purchase a lot of your merchandise. You are, after all, the only apple producer for miles."

"Yes sir but never the entire load for one pony!" I replied as he handed over the bits.

"Well I think I'll be on my way. Thank you mister..."

"Macintosh! Big Macintosh! And thank ya for your purchase." I said

"Well thank you mister Macintosh. I believe Ill be seeing you around." With that the unicorn colt walked off with several baskets of apples. Still shocked at his large purchase, I stood there for a few more seconds until I realized I needed to be heading home. I locked up the cart and proceeded back to Sweet Apple Acres. I ate my dinner, apple-based of course, took my shower, read Applebloom a bed time story and the proceeded to my own room. I tucked myself firmly in bed and turned out the light next to my bed. I wondered if I would see that same unicorn in town tomorrow before dozing off to sleep.