The Shining Descent

The Shining Descent

By: The Sentimentalism Brony

Chapter 8

All Work and No Play…

Outside the Overlook, the wind whistled and moaned as snow and ice pellets flew across the blackened sky. The weather was so atrocious it stopped any and all transportation by flight. The only way to get around was from machinery specifically designed for such a task. Snowcats. But anypony who dared to go outside in this weather was a crazy pony. A crazy pony indeed. For if you were to get stuck in this weather, you would surely parish from the conditions alone; not to mention the potentiality of getting stuck and starving to death…

“Awake. That’s all you ever are, is awake,” Prism said to Apple. “You need to get your sleep. For sleep is good for the brain, young Apple.” Prism trotted over to the side of Apples bed, and loomed over him. Apple tried to see his face, but it was still shrouded out in the blanket of eternal darkness. “You need to listen to me Apple. And you don’t seem to be doing such a good job at that. That’s why I’ve come to you. You need to heed my words Apple or I’ll be forced to make you. And you won’t want that, dear Apple, you don’t.”

Just as Prism finished his spiel, Fluttershy trotted through the bedroom door in tears. “Honey,” Fluttershy started, “we need to get our stuff together, we’re leave –“But Fluttershy was cut off when Apple lunged forth and began to chant. He began to chant one word and one word only: “Redrum.”

“Redrum,” Apple stated in a growly voice.

Fluttershy sat onto the bed next to Apple and began to coax him. “It’s okay honey. Did you have a bad dream?”

To which Apple responded with: “Redrum” once more.

As Fluttershy began to shake Apple in a dated attempt in springing him from the dream world, she missed Apples eyes rapidly shifting to the left of her to look into the far corner of the room. For in the dark, back corner of the room sat Prism. Apple was attempting to negate the communicative ministrations of Prism, but it was no use. Prism was too strong and he broke through Apple’s will, like the Friendship Express gliding through a barricade.

When Prism spoke, Apple spoke. It was a finely tuned game of Chutes and Ladders, as Prism would speak, but the words would radiate forth from Apples maw as if they were his own; albeit gargled and raspy.

“Redrum.” The two said in unison.

Fluttershy stroked Apple’s mane out of his eyes and spoke to him again. “Come on, Apple.”

“Apple’s not here right now, Mrs. Fluttershy.”

“Come on, Apple, wake up. You just had a bad dream. Come on…Everything will be fine.”

Apple stared directly into his mother’s eyes before saying, “Apple can’t wake up right now, Mrs. Fluttershy.”

“Wake up Apple, right now! Come on! Wake up!”

“Apple’s gone away now, Mrs. Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy then pulled Apple into her warm embrace, before sobbing into his neck. She wept until she couldn’t weep any longer. She then pulled herself from his small frame, and looked into his bright green eyes longingly before stating: “Oh, Apple.” She then pulled him back into a hug, sobbing again slightly.

2…

Big Mac walked through the halls of the Overlook in need of some release. He had been feeling pent-up with the frustrations of being unable to continue any further with his novel. The ideas just wouldn’t come to him; the inspiration just would flow. It could have been considered maddening even. But his worrying about his novel all ceased when he heard the sound of a radio broadcast coming from the Overlook’s Offices.

Closing the gap on the door, Big Mac leaned in to hear if Fluttershy was inside; possibly calling somepony else for help. Thankfully, for him, it wasn’t. The radio was just receiving a message from the Mountain Patrol units.

Walking into the room, Big Mac could now fully make out what the Rangers were rambling on about.  “Mountain Patrol calling The Overlook. Do you copy, Overlook? Over.” Big Mac approached the oak dresser and placed both his hooves atop its metallic case. Then, in one swift motion, he flipped the machine onto its faceplate and stared at the back of the miraculous ingenuity. Locating the silver covers fastening clips, he popped them into the open position. Placing the machine back down flat, he ripped the lid off the machine, and looked thoroughly through the circuitry. His eyes falling upon the machines fuses, he tore them from there sockets, the speakers audio churning to a gargled halt before completely fading from existence.

“That takes care of that,” Big Mac said to himself. “Now…Time to have that chat with Fluttershy.”

3…

Fluttershy sat in there hotel suit, Big Apple at her side. She was attempting to get Apple to eat some cereal while her listened to his favorite radio play again. But the efforts were proving to be futile, as Apple continued to stare blankly into the distance, just as he had when he “talked” to his mother last night.

Apple, Honey,” Fluttershy said turning to look him in the eyes. “I’m going to go have a chat with daddy, okay?” There was no answer. Apple just continued to look into the wooden box lifelessly. Not receiving an answer, Fluttershy reluctantly walked over to the sofa in the neighboring room, took a baseball bat lying up against it and left the room.

4…

Walking into the hall Big Mac should have been clacking away on his typewriter in; Fluttershy’s hoof clacks were wary and unsteady. For the slightest overly exaggerated noise could have stirred an infuriated response from her husband. But, the lack of Big Mac’s presence was more of a looming and foreboding tone.

Something about this room felt different; Fluttershy couldn’t place her hoof on it. Was it the lack of Big Mac, the clacking, or the fact that the air felt heavier? Regardless, Fluttershy trudged on into the center of the room, continuing her frivolous searching for Macintosh. But Macintosh was nowhere to be found.

Fluttershy stepped up to the desk Big Mac had transformed for his artistic needs, and looked over what he had been working on. The page loaded in the typewriter read:

‘All work and no play makes Mr. Macintosh a dull stallion.

All work and no play makes Mr. Macintosh a dull stallion.

All work and no play makes Mr. Macintosh a dull stallion.

All work and no play makes Mr. Macintosh a dull stallion.

All work and no play makes Mr. Macintosh a dull stallion.’

Pulling herself from the typewriter, she moved over towards the stack of papers he had finished typing out and began to rifle through them.

The same result.

For every page Big Mac had wrote, he had filled it with the same mindless drivel. The same WORDS and total loss of cohesion were evident when his work was viewed. How could somepony consider this sane? This wasn’t sane. This was a cry for help; a need to get out, to break fee. And that’s what he was going to do.

Lost in total astonishment, Fluttershy never even realized Big Mac had been trotting up behind her the entire time.

“How do you like it, dear?” Big Mac half cackled with glee.

Fluttershy screeched loudly and spun around, baseball bat still in hoof.

“How do you like it?” Big Mac questioned again, starting to push forward uncomfortably.

Fluttershy backed away hurriedly as he approached, almost falling over after bumping into the corner of the large desk.

“What are you doing down here,” Big Mac said, his tone beginning to shift to the tone it had been when he had his night terrors a few nights prior.

“I, I-I just wanted to talk to you.” Fluttershy responded in a flustered panic.

“Okay then. Let’s talk.” Big Mac finished approaching his desk and pulled out the chair before sitting down. He then pulled his stack of finished work over towards him, and started flipping through it meticulously. “What do you want to talk about,” he said, turning to face Fluttershy with a crooked smile. His teeth had begun to elongated and sharp as his voice deepened and crackled further.

Clutching the baseball bat for dear life Fluttershy began to stutter out a response, slightly chocking on the words while she did so. “I-I…I don’t…Really remember.”

Big Mac lifted himself back up from his seated position and started his stride towards Fluttershy back up, and this time he wasn’t stopping. “Are you sure you don’t remember what it was? Are you sure it wasn’t about Apple, Fluttershy? Maybe it was about him. I think we should discuss Apple… I think we should discuss what needs to be done with him.”

Fluttershy continued to back up through the hall towards the large staircase that cascaded into the room. “What does need to be done with Apple, Fluttershy?”

“I-I don’t know.” Fluttershy responded.

“Oh, but I think you do. I think you have some very good ideas of what could be done with him…” Big Mac pointed his hoof into his red chest before continuing.”…And I would like to know what they are, hm.”

“Well…Well, I think Apple…I think Apple should be taken to a doctor.”

Cocking his head to the side in a state of disbelief and slight confusion, Big Mac repeated, “You think ‘maybe’ Apple should be taken to see a doctor?”

They were now three quarters to the staircase as Big Mac continued. “You think, perhaps, his heath is at stake?”

“Yes.” Was all Fluttershy could muster in-between her heavy sobs.

“Do you care about Apple?”

“Y-yes.”

“Do you care about me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Of course I do!” Big Mac taunted back. “Have you ever really thought about my responsibilities?” He then questioned.

“What are you talking about?”

“Have you ever thought about my responsibilities to my employers?” Big Mac asked, smacking his chest, causing a thunderous thud to reverberate throughout the hall. “I have signed a contract! A solitary binding agreement to look after the Overlook until May 1st… And I have accepted this responsibility. Do you have any idea what an ethical and moral principal is? Do you?” Big Mac had now begun to chase Fluttershy up the staircase. As she backed up continuously, she constantly had to struggle to stand.

Her mind had now reached a point of hysteria, as she begun to swing the bat back and forth in front of Big Mac in an attempt to keep him away.

“Stay away from me!” She yelled out over the tears.

“Why, honey?” Big Mac questioned.

“I just want to go back to the room with Apple.” She confessed keeling over, continuing to wave the bat frantically as she did so.

“Why?” He questioned again.

“I-I just need a chance to think things over.”

“You had your whole fucking life to think things over, Fluttershy. What good’s a few more minutes going to do for ya’?”

“Stay away from me! Don’t hurt me!”

“Fluttershy?” Big Mac exclaimed.

Fluttershy kept swinging, nearing the top of the staircase as she did so.

“Darling... Apple of my eye. I am not going to hurt –“

“Stay away from me,” Fluttershy cut off.

“Now, honey, you didn’t let me finish my sentence.” Big Mac paused. “I said, ‘I am not going to hurt you.’ I’m just goin’ to bash you brains in… I’m going to bash them right the fuck in.” Finishing his statement Big Mac laughed heartily.

Fluttershy swung the bat again, screaming “leave me alone” as she did so. As the bat came around the right side of Fluttershy’s figure, the wooden rod came into contact his Big Mac’s face, causing him to elicit a gut wrenching cry before falling onto the stairs, rolling down them. His body hit the landing with a noise so loud, it could only be categorized as quake-like. Quickly coming to the conclusion of what she had done, Fluttershy ran down the staircase to Big Mac. Placing her two hooves around the scruff of his neck, she began to drag him off through the hotel.

5…

Walking through the kitchen, still carrying the weight of Big Mac, Fluttershy made her way towards the large pantry door. Unlatching the door Big Mac stirred in his unconscious state, and began to awaken. Panicking now, Fluttershy grabbed the bottom latch of the door and attempted to pry it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Continuing to reef on the handle, Fluttershy paused momentarily before taking in the circumstantial conditions of the latch. Upon further investigation, the latch could be seen to have a metal pin inserted through a cut-out in the handle to prevent it from opening involuntarily. Ripping the pin out, Fluttershy was finally able to pull the bottom latch open with a thud.

Beginning to slide the door open wide, Big Mac began to wake further. “What are you doing?” He questioned in a slurred haze.

Fluttershy ignored his question and began pulling him into the room.

“What’s going on? What are you doing?” He questioned again, attempting to grab the door frame as he slid mercilessly into the produce storage.

Pulling him into the middle of the first row of food, Fluttershy ran around him and out into the open kitchen. She then turned quickly and began to shut the door, just as Big Mac began to crawl towards the doorway.

Slam!

The door slammed shut, Fluttershy replacing the locking mechanisms back into proper order.

“What are you doing Fluttershy!? We can talk about this,” Big Mac pleaded.

Fluttershy just backed up slowly, grabbing a vegetable knife from its wall hanger.

“Fluttershy, c’mon listen to me. Just let me out and we can forget this whole Celestia damned incident ever happened. It’ll be just like nothing ever happened.”

Fluttershy just fell to the floor, cringing and sobbing harder than she had ever cried before.

“Honey, I think you hurt my head really bad.” Big Mac stated, before pausing slightly. “I feel sick to my stomach…And dizzy… I think I need a doctor.”

“I can’t let you out of there, Big Mac,” was all Fluttershy said, before rising to her hooves, and walking to the exit.

“Honey?”

“I got to go now,” Fluttershy stated, still crying. “I’m going to try and get Apple down to Ponyville in the Snowcat. I’ll bring back a doctor.”

“Fluttershy?” Big Mac questioned worriedly. “Fluttershy?”

“I got to go now,” was the last thing Fluttershy said before completely leaving the kitchen, heading back to the hotel suite to get Apple.

“Fluttershy! Fluttershy! You got a big surprise coming to you! Go check out the Ham Radio and the Snowcat, and you’ll see what I mean… You’ll see what I MEAN!”