Return To Sender

As I stared at the pony I felt a slight sense of unease. It was nothing to do with it's appearance, but rather a vague feeling that something just wasn't right about it. The main question on my mind was "what should I do with it?"

The answer, of course, was obvious, but I was hardly thinking rationally at that moment. My only friend in the entire apartment building was gone, and for yet some strange reason I was focusing on a plush toy.

Way to prioritse, James. Your best friend's dead and this thing is what you're bothered about. Some friend you were.

Grump, my African Grey parrot, had been unusually silent, regarding the toy with a solemn curiosity.

The toy itself had a shock of neon pink hair- which was fluffy like candy floss- and a joyful smile. It was easily the most endearing plush toy I had ever seen.I placed her near Grump's cage, and he took an immediete dislike to the pony. He had always been suspicious of new things and this was no exception.

“Grump, this is Pinkie. Talk to her, chew her, whatever you do don’t make her laugh, ok big guy?”

The humour was lost on the bird, who turned up his beak in disapproval.

I suppose it was the shock of it all that made me keep it, I could use the comfort after everything that had happened.

That would… should have been the end of it, but that night something strange happened.

I was lying awake, staring at the picture of Alice, my one true love from long ago, when I heard some strange noises coming from the box. The voice was saccharine sweet but adorable.

“Hey there, I’m Pinkie Pie! I just know we’re gonna be best friends.”

“Oh I don’t know about that Pinkie, I’m pretty sure you got the wrong address” I replied, smiling.

Deciding I was tired of knowing nothing about her, I decided to search the internet for information. Apparently she was a character from “My Little Pony”.

Huh, so that show’s still on the air? It looks a lot better than the stuff I saw my sister watch as a kid.

I watched a few episodes and then decided that, though it was good, Pinkie would make a better gift for someone else.

As I began to put her back in her box she started to laugh, her entire frame shaking violently as she did. The laughter started sweet, then gradually grew less and less pleasant, far worse than the laughter it had made before. Grump was horrified, screeching and squawking, and I was afraid the commotion would wake the neighbours. Desperate to end the madness, I threw the doll out of my open window. I watched as it plummeted into the same rubbish skip I had fished her out of before. I could still hear her screams as she fell.

Full circle, how ironic.

I thought it was over. I thought wrong.