RED SHEET

My legs are frozen in place. My blood is an icy river trapped in my body. I shudder as I stare into the dark void, where over a dozen pairs of glowing red eyes are fixed on me.

They approach me. They are calling my name. They curse it. They thirst for my death.

"No... no! Not again! Stay back! Please! Leave me alone!"

I turn around and run as fast as I can. Every cell in my body screams at me, as if a million tiny strings were pulling on them. I can't stand the thought of what is happening. I want to get away before it's too late.

I can hear them following me. The dull sound of hoofsteps chases me into the woods. The forest is dark. It's cold. I can barely see a few feet ahead of me. I close my eyes and just keep running. I don't want it to happen again. I don't want to hear it. Not again.

A blood-curdling scream tears through the night. It drills through my skull and howls into the deepest parts of my body. An unpleasant tingle moves through my teeth, bones, and skin. I almost bite through my tongue. My heart is squeezed into a dry little lump of flesh, though the blood keeps flowing. Even drained of all of its warmth, it keeps me running.

The wind howls stronger as my legs speed up. My throat and lungs burn as I breathe hard. My limbs ache from the exertion. A dozen tiny cuts and bruises adorn them as the undergrowth bites into me repeatedly. Tears stream out of my eyes and stain my face. The terror I feel is enough to rip my soul apart, but it's too cruel to let that be the end of me. It holds back so it can keep me together and watch me squirm. It even helps me run faster, just so I can live and entertain it longer.

There's a sickening sound of joints crackling. I yelp and stumble to a halt as the lifeless soil around me starts to shift. Dozens of lumps form all over its surface. They grow slowly, then split apart to reveal the awakening horrors.

"N-no! Please! Stop!"

Dark figures start to emerge from the ground. Thin, twisted, blackened appendages claw their way out of the soil. A pair of burning red eyes unveil themselves as the head becomes exposed. I watch in mind-numbing horror as they free themselves and stand on their hooves. They howl toward the sky, then turn their gaze upon me. Malformed husks that vaguely resemble the ponies they once were drag themselves in my direction.

"Get away from me!"

My eyes dart back and forth frantically. I find an opening and quickly make a run for it. I seal my eyes shut as I pass the beings by mere inches. I can hear their rotten limbs crackle as they try to grab me. I can hear the snapping of their jaws. The growls erupting from their throats. I scream desperately at them, but I no longer form words. I just want to drown the noises out.

The forest seems endless. Countless dark trunks rush past my vision. Never thin enough to show a way out, but never too thick to stop me. It feels as though the woods themselves are toying with me. Every other turn, I run into more of the abominations. They're everywhere. They hound me tirelessly. Their howls never stop.

My strength is running out. I can barely dodge them by now. A few of their swipes at me land glancing blows. My skin burns and boils wherever they touch me. An icy feeling spreads through me afterward.

There's a clearing up ahead. I burst forth from among the trees and collapse at the center of it. I'm gasping for breath. My limbs feel like they're about to fall apart.

For a moment, I feel a sense of relief. The horrifying noises are gone. All I can hear is the subtle voice of the forest during the night. It brings a smile to my face.

The tall grass rustles behind me. I inhale sharply and turn to look. One of the blackened beings is there, staring at me silently. I slam a hoof onto my mouth and give a muffled scream as it takes a step forward.

"Stay back! Go away! Leave me alone!"

More of them emerge from the edges of the clearing. They circle around me and start closing in. The one closest to me extends his hoof to point at me. My eyes go wide as the twisted appendage morphs into flesh and blood. It's soon replaced by a grey-coated hoof that belongs to an earth pony with a black mane. He looks at me with a hateful expression.

Behind him, the others change as well. A crowd of familiar faces are spread out before me, all of them as remorseless as the one leading them. They start chanting my name. They speak of a mark. A curse that must be destroyed.

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to help him! I didn't mean to do anything wrong!"

The forest around us dissolves into a bright scene: a small town bathed in sunlight and filled with decorations. Every detail speaks of a most wonderful celebration. But the innocence of this place dies quickly as the inhabitants succumb to their darker instincts.

The lead pony gestures for the others to act. They surround me, their figures blotting out the mercy of the sun. I close my eyes and curl up as their hooves reach out toward me. The icy terror lets out one last laugh in my head.

"No! Please! Somepony help me! Let me go! Don't—"

My throat is all but torn by the scream I let out. A white-hot flame touches me wherever their hooves meet my skin. It spreads all over me as they grab hold. My flesh and bones burn to ash while they rip me apart. My soul tries to hide, but the fire consumes it as well. Only my screams manage to escape.

Moments later, the forest goes silent.

This is my punishment. The same thing again and again and again. This is the fate that I must share with them.

I could have saved her. But I was too afraid. I thought they might do it to me as well. For all I know, I would have sold her out if I knew it could save me.

I'm a coward. I deserve this. We all deserve this.

There is no rest for us. Death will grant us no mercy, for we have shown none.

I don't know where you are now. All I know is your nightmare.

I live through it every single night.

My eyes open once more. The room is drowned in darkness. My face is buried in my blackened forehooves. I shake from my sobs, but there are no tears. All I can do is grovel like a pathetic weakling before the icon of my sin: a small pile of bones among the ashes. My own curse has turned me into something lesser than what they are.

"I'm sorry," I whisper.

Author's Note

A tribute to Story of the Blanks by Donitz (link)