Sweet Apple Acres Crop Rotation: Spring '83 -
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A Glimmer of Hope in the Black

Sweet Apple Acres Crop Rotation: Spring '83 -

The following is the transcript of a journal found in the wall of a cellar at Sweet Apple Acres. The book itself is thick, case-bound, and bears the words “Sweet Apple Acres Crop Rotation: Spring ‘83 to ___” on the cover. There are several dried bloodstains along the spine and back cover of the book, but no bloodstains were found on the property.

The farm itself was found with several lights hung in the orchard around the farmhouse and barn, half of which had been broken and the remainder of which were deprived of power. Both the farmhouse and the barn had been stocked with supplies similar to the library where Twilight Sparkle’s journal was discovered. Behind the farmhouse, three plots of soil, identified by Twilight Sparkle’s journal as fresh graves, were discovered, but they were found to be empty upon exhuming.

The first two-hundred and eighty-seven pages of the journal cover information about the usage and yield of the orchards at Sweet Apple Acres over the past few years. This information is extremely detailed and was searched for any important notes or writings, but none were found.

The following dozen pages are blank and then the book was used as a journal by Applejack, a member of the Apple Family who lived on the farm. As with Miss Sparkle’s journal, the validity of events recorded here are under question, and they conflict with the account of the journal found at the town’s library.

April 18th

Well, I don’t really know what to write, honestly.

It’s been two days since the sun didn’t come up. I figured I could start keeping a journal to keep myself occupied and get my mind off everything going on, and this was the only thing we really had on hoof. Apple Bloom’s still shaken up, wondering if Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are alright. We’re all doing our best to keep her calm, but I know the worry is starting to get to all of us. So far, Granny Smith’s pulled out the photo albums, her knitting set, and more than one cookbook, and Big Mac, well, he’s much more talkative than usual.

Meanwhile, things that make better sense in some campfire story are going on. You can’t even step a hoof out of a candle wick’s light without getting the chills. This darkness is just unnatural. There’s not a light in the sky and the only thing you can see is the town twinkling off in the distance. I keep hoping the girls are alright. Dash is the only one not with Twilight at the library, but I know that girl can take care of herself. The rest, I just hope they’ll stay hunkered down to wait whatever this is out.

For us, we’ve got all the supplies we should need and I’m sure this will all blow over soon. Why, I bet Twilight’s got a nose in half a dozen books right now, trying to find an answer, and if anypony could figure it out, she can. I really hope she can.

(The margins of this page are filled with several numbers, ranging from six to fifteen. Several are crossed out or followed by a question mark. Only some instances of the numbers twelve, ten and thirteen are circled.)

April 19th

We got a surprise today, to say the least. It was around one in the afternoon, according to the clocks at least. Big Mac was helping me move a few more supplies over from the barn and we saw lights getting closer from the town. I didn’t know how to react really. Granny Smith kept Apple Bloom away from the window and we locked the doors. Next thing we know, there’s a dozen ponies marching through the orchard with lanterns, packs, and a couple of those lights they’d brought in from Canterlot.

We were wary of trusting our eyes, but I had Big Mac come out with me to meet them. I recognized a few faces from town and some of those ponies from Canterlot that arrived on the train; then I saw Rainbow Dash at the back of the crowd. I was more than a little relieved to see her alright, but it was one of the others that stepped forward. He said his name was Spanner and that he was one of the investigators that came into town.

He said they’d been holed up in a hotel near the edge of Ponyville and after some talk and worry, assumed we would have enough supplies to share and space for them to stay. We hadn’t really taken full stock yet, but I talked it over with Granny Smith, Big Mac, and even Apple Bloom. We couldn’t just turn all of them away.

We spent the next few hours hanging up their lights and getting them running, sorting out supplies, and setting up some room for everyone in the barn. From the looks of it, we have enough food and water for everypony to last us a few weeks and there’s still a few trees close to the farmhouse we can get some food from if we need it.

I offered some space in the house for Dash, so the whole barn wasn’t packed full, and then we set up a watch rotation on Spanner’s recommendation, which Big Mac, Dash, and I volunteered for again. I’m glad they’ve got everypony’s safety at heart, and I’ll be damned if I don’t do what I can to help.

April 20th

It was actually kind of normal on the farm today. We kept our guests occupied out in the barn, telling stories and enjoying some of Granny’s cooking. Apple Bloom had one of her classmates to play and talk with, even if it wasn’t Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo. Dash kept complaining about not being able to stretch her wings beyond circling the barn, but we took some time to try and relax together, even if that was just talking and praying the others were still safe and warm. We can barely see the library from here, and it makes me wish we had a telescope or something to be sure, but it looks lit.

I also took some time to talk to Spanner. He came with another investigator, Sugarcane, and three guards, and said the rest of their party had bunked up at Town Hall. He wasn’t too worried about them though, said they’re more than tough enough. I tried to ask him if they had any idea what was happening or if they were working on a solution, but he wouldn’t talk about it. That’s probably for the best.

For now, I just need some sleep. Got an early watch tomorrow that I need to be wide awake for.

April 21st

I had a nightmare and it feels like it was a bad one. Whispers, shadows, running through a dark forest. It was like I was in a ghost story. I just can’t seem to remember it all now, like it’s foggy or some memory from a dozen years ago. It was there when I woke up, for just a second, being scared for my life, for my family, with my heart racing a mile a minute, but now it’s gone.

I know it sounds far-fetched, but after I heard some others talking about bad dreams too, I talked to them about it. They didn’t seem to remember them clearly either, but maybe it’s all just nerves. I mean, Big Mac and Dash didn’t seem like they were unsettled, and Apple Bloom looks a mite more chipper than the past days. Anyway, I didn’t end up getting much sleep because of that, but I kept going strong for everypony else’s benefit.

Something else is still nagging at me though. I overheard one of the guard’s talking with Spanner earlier, about wanting to do something instead of sitting around. I think they want to try and go to another town, to see if it’s like this. I know he probably won’t let them go through with it, but if they tried to, everyone else probably wouldn’t react calmly. Hopefully I’m right and we just stay put.

April 22nd

There was a crash behind the barn in the early morning, from where we were keeping some of the crates of supplies. Big Mac and the guards tried to keep everyone calm while Spanner, Sugarcane and I rushed back to see what was going on. I was surprised by what we found. We’d hung a couple of lanterns around the barn and farmhouse, and three of them had been smashed on the ground, luckily without causing a fire. There were splinters of wood from two crates scattered about and the insides had been picked clean.

There weren’t any hoofprints in the dirt or claw marks on anything, but that wasn’t the strangest thing. The air felt odd, almost dead, and though it wasn’t cold, something made my bones shiver, even in the light. It was like the feeling that you’re being watched, from everywhere, and it took hours for it to go away. I didn’t tell anyone about it, except for Dash later, I guess because I thought it was just a feeling.

Anyway, I was a little concerned about coming back to everypony else with news like that, and so were Spanner and Sugarcane. When we got back, they told everyone the crates had been stacked poorly and, unfortunately, everything in them was ruined. It didn’t seem everyone was happy with that answer, but at least getting an answer calmed them down. Until one of those guards from yesterday started a ruckus.

He had been off in a corner for most of the time he wasn’t on watch, but the next thing I know he’s marching over to Spanner and shouting about twiddling our hooves instead of doing something. Then three other ponies jumped up and complained about the same thing, and before you knew it everyone started arguing until Granny Smith managed to quiet them down.

I can’t say it was the most civil discussion I’ve seen, but it’s decided now. Two of them are leaving tomorrow. They’re going to head north, towards Trottingham. It’s a little less than a day’s trot, so whether they actually find it or not, we’ll hear back in about two or three days. I don’t know what’s out there causing this, but I pray they make it back safely.

They will, but not as themselves.

(There are numerous water marks on this entry and the next.)

April 23rd

The guards set off in the morning and everypony’s been real quiet since. I guess they’re all anxious to see them come back, even if it’ll be two days at the least. I took Dash aside for a bit to see how she was feeling. She’s as chipper and tough as ever, but she wishes we could at least get answers instead of lazing about on the farm all day and night. I’d like some answers too, but Spanner and Sugarcane don't seem prone to opening up about all this. Maybe Dash and I could try looking for something, but I don't have any idea where to start. Always watching

In fact, I’ve been thinking about yesterday and the broken boxes behind the barn. If something is out there, that’s been causing all of this, and it just ran up, broke three lanterns, picked two crates clean, and vanished without a trace, could we find it? Could we stop it? I don’t think anyone’s doubting that whatever this is can’t shouldn’t be natural, but then what could it be? Always waiting

I guess the only hope I have now is that Twilight will arrive at the farm with a plan and an answer, maybe after we see the sun come up. Some part of me knows it’s unlikely, but sometimes that’s what hopes are for, just to take your mind off things. For the next chance.

I had another nightmare. It was pitch black, but I know I was still at the farm. I could hear something, clawing and scratching at the doors and windows, even at the floor. Someone was close, but I couldn’t see who. They just kept asking “Why?” over and over again. I tried to speak, to comfort them, but nothing came out. Then they were gone. There wasn’t a scream. The floor didn’t give out. Nothing grabbed them. They were just gone. It got colder, deep in my bones, and then I heard their voice again. They told me to stop fighting. That’s when I woke up.For the next feast.

If the other dream was the one I couldn’t remember, this is the one that won’t go away. I’ve tried to sleep, but I just hear the scratching again, and then I get cold. I don’t want to wake anyone up, but, I have to tell someone about it in the morning. Maybe it’ll be gone by then, if I’m really lucky.

For the fun of it.

April 24th

I don’t know what to think anymore. The way this all looks just doesn’t make sense. Just because

Things were quiet until around noon. That’s when the guards we’d seen off two days ago showed back up, except it wasn’t from the north, towards Trottingham. They came from the south. it seems

They were shouting and screaming nonsense as they galloped in. That got our attention before the faint lantern lights. They were out of breath, their gear and manes ragged and dirty. They were mumbling about shadows, trees, and mazes, at least from what I could understand. It took us awhile to calm them down, but the only thing we got out of them was “a week” before they were out like a light. in sync

We didn’t find out what that was until a few hours later, when one of them woke up. We had moved them into the farmhouse, to give them a bit more comfort. I volunteered to keep watch over them and I called for Spanner when he started to stir. It took a few moments for him to start rambling again, but this time it was clearer. Doesn’t mean the needle’s not skipping

He said they headed north, towards the woods, but as soon as they got in, the trees never stopped. They doubled back after an hour, but the path was different. Then they started hearing things in the distance and seeing figures out of the corner of their eyes. He said they ran for days, at least a week, but that’s impossible. They left here two days ago. It’s all perspective

Spanner told me not to tell the others, just to not get them worried about feverish ramblings, but my curiosity got the better of me. I talked to Dash, and I asked her how long the sky had been dark before she saw the others coming here. Before they got to the farm.

She said 5 days. You just can’t trust your own.

April 25th

The nightmares don’t want to go away. Every time I close my eyes, to sleep or not, I hear the clawing. I see eyes, I think, but they feel so empty. It’s pitch black, but I know they’re there, watching. Everypony else is still worrying about the guards that came back, muttering to themselves and each other. They’re definitely improving, but still seem shook-up.

I can still see the library from here, but what if they’ve been stuck there for weeks longer than us? What if they’re gone?

I didn’t tell anyone else about what I heard yet. I’m sure Spanner wouldn’t let me anyway. It’s for the best, for their comfort, but what about mine?

April 26th

The guards were back on their hooves today, at least for a bit, but Spanner wanted them to keep resting. I figure he knows best for them, but in the meantime we’ve had to ask for others to help with keeping watch. They were willing, but I just wonder if they’re able too.

I had a better night’s sleep than the last few, I suppose. I can still remember the other nightmares, but at least I didn’t have one last night. Have to appreciate the little things I suppose. In fact, I had a dream that felt like a regular old day in Ponyville. Dash was practicing a new trick, Rarity had some new dresses to show off, and Twilight kept rambling about this rare tome she got shipped in from Canterlot.

It really felt like all this had just been some fever dream until I woke up.

I know this will be over soon. It just feels like it.

It will.

In screams.

In submission.

Or in both.

(This page is covered in several water stains. The following phrases are written in the margins of the page: Why didn’t I speak up? Why didn’t I say anything? Was I afraid? Did I know? Did he deserve the worst? Had I already given in?)

April 27th

It all happened so fast.

Dash and I were keeping watch late into the night with two others. Everyone else was either asleep or relaxing in the barn, and then we heard a scream. It came from over by the farmhouse, where one of the others was patrolling. We ran over as fast as we could, while Big Mac kept everyone else huddled in the barn.

When we got there his lantern was broken and we could only see him at the edge of our own. He was clawing at the ground, like something was pulling him, and then something black reached out and swallowed him whole. I tried to run forward to help him or to see what was doing this. All that was left were the grooves he left in the dirt, stretching out into the dark.

By the time Spanner got to us, there was another scream back at the barn. I thought it might have been another one of these things, but when we got back, Big Mac was trying to restrain one of the ponies. His coat was stained with this black stuff, like soot or something, and it was spreading. He was shouting for us to let it end and give up, while one of the others was on the ground, nursing a wound.

Spanner was quicker than me. He ran up, kicked the crazed colt in the head, and knocked him out cold. We tied him up in the corner, helped nurse the other pony’s wounds, and then we told Spanner about what happened to the pony on the other side of the barn. I wasn't surprised when he told everyone to grab as many supplies as they could carry and move to the house, but I was when we left that pony tied up in the barn.

For now, we just need to stay safe and in the light. I won’t let it happen again.

April 28th

Everyone’s been on edge, asking Spanner questions and demanding answers. He tried to explain that they’re just as in the dark as the rest of us, but promised they would keep everyone safe. It’s only the five of them, with two of them resting upstairs, but I trust Spanner wants to do the most he can to protect everyone.

The rest of the time, we just kept watch. The lights we left out in the orchard are still up and even if these things try to knock them down, it will let us know where they are. Maybe that will be enough warning to keep us safe. Meanwhile, Dash is more wound up than before; I had to stop her from flying circles in the living room three times. She was upset for the first time since she got here, said it’s all she really has left.

I saw one of the lights in town go out. They’re so faint from here, but I know I saw it. I don’t think it was the library, but

One by one

Lights and Lives

Going out

I just want this to be over. I just want everyone to be safe. I just want to see everyone smiling again.

They are.

(This entry’s writing style is different from the others.)

April 30th---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------RD

Things went bad yesterday. Those things came back, from inside.

I was with Applejack, Big Mac, and Targe, one of the guards, towards the end of our watch. Spanner said the other two guards would be back on their hooves today and that they were gonna be alright. He came down with Sugarcane and them, we let him know that we hadn’t seen anything near the orchard, and said our goodnights. Applejack and I went to get ready for bed and she stopped me from flying again. She tried writing in this journal, and I started arguing, but then we heard a thud from downstairs.

We ran down as quick as we could, well, as quick as Applejack could, and we saw one of the guards collapsed at the foot of the stairs. I tried to get close, but Applejack stopped me when she saw blood. Well, at least it looked like blood, but it was thicker and black. Then he started twitching on the floor, trying to get back up, but it didn’t seem like he was awake at all, because he kept going limp. Applejack looked shocked and I guess I was too, but I pushed him away so that we could get by.

I kept an eye on him while Applejack went to find the others. His body kept twitching and his coat started turning black. I backed away before Applejack came back and told me that she found the others, holed up by the kitchen.

When we got to them, their group was smaller than I remembered. The other guard that relieved us was gone. Spanner said he’d changed too, and the couple that owned the hotel wasn’t there. We all just kept hunkered down for a while and tried to tend to a colt one of the guards had bitten. He was the one that had been injured in the barn the other day and he was looking worse by the minute.

Things were quiet for a while. If we hadn't relaxed we might have been able to stop what happened. We didn’t notice the colt’s coat changing, or that he grabbed a knife from the floor, until he got a hold of Apple Bloom. We tried to calm him down and keep Applejack from charging him, but he kept saying that it was all hopeless.

He started to relax, for just a moment, but we couldn’t get Apple Bloom away before he cut her and bit one of her legs. He was gone after Big Mac got a hold of him. Applejack and Granny Smith were tending to Apple Bloom, but Sugarcane and Spanner walked up to them.

They wanted to cut off her leg. I could already see it starting to turn black.

They said they were sure, that there was enough evidence that contact with these things or being injured by them was enough to make you change. They thought if they could cut off where it was growing, that it would do something. I didn’t know what to think. It didn’t sound crazy, at least the way they said it, but Applejack wouldn’t hear it.

We gathered all of the supplies we could and moved upstairs, blocking off the staircase. It was quiet for a few hours, but Apple Bloom kept getting worse. She was feverish and this black stuff kept spreading. No one seemed to want to say anything with how angry Applejack had gotten. She probably would have kept saying no, at least until Granny Smith took her aside.

I don’t know what she said to her, but Applejack was holding back tears when she came back. Spanner grabbed the medical kit and a knife. It was only messy for a moment. Apple Bloom was feeling a lot better a few hours later.

Applejack doesn’t want to think about what happened, but she still wanted me to write it all down, in case someone else finds this. I can’t blame her.

I would want to forget if it was my family.

May 1st---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AJ

It’s hard to think we’ve been holed up here on the farm for two weeks, and things keep getting worse. I’ve been resting since we moved upstairs, but I think I’ll be ready to help with the watch again soon. The nightmares haven’t come back, but it’s still hard to sleep. I can hear what sound like hoofsteps downstairs, but no one has seen anything from the stairs. I don’t have a view of the town from my bedroom window, but maybe I’ll take a look tomorrow.

Rainbow Dash came to talk with me for a bit before bed and to let me know everyone’s doing fine. She’s worried about me, I know, even if she wouldn’t say it. I know the others are too. I’m just tired. We all are, aren’t we? I wanted to ask her if I should have said no, but it’s not for me her to say. Apple Bloom will be fine. She’s safe. We’re safe. I just know it.

Not for long

I had to wake up in the night to help Granny. Apple Bloom's dressings needed changing. Granny said that she was getting better. Her fever is long gone, and there wasn't any sign of infection. She's really a trooper. I barely even saw her flinch while we did it. She can't move much on her own, but her spirits are holding up all the same. I'm proud.

May 2nd

~~I kept hearing it, all night, in my dreams. Just a whisper in the dark, behind the walls and from downstairs. I couldn’t understand it, but it felt angry. It was so silent, but I couldn’t ignore it. It was dark, but I could see a shadow. There were screams, I think. They were drowned out by the whispers.~~

~~It’s never going to leave, but I could make them.~~

The journal was open when I woke up. I didn’t write it.

I don’t even remember waking up before now and no one else would have written this. Not even Pinkie or Dash could be that cold. I felt better after I put it out of my mind, but it didn’t stop there. I went to go do my turn at watch, letting Bulwark take a break, but the next thing I know Dash is telling me to get some rest.

I was just looking at the town, the library, the black in the distance and the time flew by. It barely seemed like a few minutes, but then I saw the clock when I went to my room. It had been hours. I asked Dash if anyone had come to talk to me. She didn’t think so and I don’t remember anyone. She must have thought I was crazy.

Maybe I’m not as well as I think, but there’s so few of us left. I can’t just lie around and let everyone else take care of me. I have to keep pulling my weight. I just have to.

At least I’m not having the nightmares anymore.

May 3rd

"It's quiet."

That's what Dash said, but she's wrong.

Sleeping. The watch. It goes by so fast, except when I hear them and see them. The shadows moving in the black, and the whispers hidden in the silence. They're always there even when I can't see or hear. I told Dash and Big Mac. They thought I was joking or that my nerves were getting the better of me. I know what I saw and I know what I heard. It's only quiet because they're waiting and watching.

It couldn't just be me, but every wind sounds like howling. Every tap sounds like banging hooves. The creaking sounds like hushed, quiet hoofsteps, sneaking up from behind. How can I not treat them like that? I have to be ready. I won't let it happen again.

I won't let Apple Bloom get hurt again.

(The writing of this entry is shaky, sporadic and spaced randomly. It has been compiled with ease of reading in mind.)

May ~~3~~~~rd~~ ~~5~~~~th~~ 4th?

I can’t remember. I remember writing these things, but not them. Is that how many came? I thought it was always this many. I

If I keep writing, I’ll remember. It’s working. I think it’s working. I’m supposed to keep watch, somewhere. Dash will know or Spanner? Is it ever going to come back up? Is Twilight still there, with the others? She’s still trying, I hope, to fix it. Please let her fix it.

The others that came: 13? 7? For now, it’s 7 and the family. Are the others gone? Changed? Is that what will happen to all of us? Is that why I can’t remember? Why can everyone else?

The noises and shadows don't stop. They were always there, even when I didn't notice. I want to make them stop and leave. I keep trying. They want me to? To. To.

It’s night now. Always night, but, I have to sleep. Maybe it’s all nerves or

Please let it end.

(This entry is stained with blots of ink and blood, along with several patches of wet parchment. There are still very little signs of bloodshed within the farmhouse that can substantiate this entry.)

May 5th

I woke up from nightmares. I can remember now, but it was hazy before. I was alone, downstairs. It was dark, but warm. It wasn't like the shadows, like the cold, but there was no light. There were whispers. They kept getting louder and louder, begging me to stop. I heard mom and dad and they were sad and angry, so so angry. I tried to move or run, but I couldn't. The walls started shaking, the windows shattered and I felt something behind me. I woke up.

I just sat there, thinking, trying to understand or ignore it. Then I heard screams. It was Apple Bloom. I knew it before I heard it. I jumped to my hooves and ran into the hallway. It was dark, the barricade was gone and the doors to the other rooms were broken. I saw them. Those things from downstairs, but they were darker. They were swallowing the light. There were three. I couldn’t see into the room. I called for Apple Bloom and the others, but I only heard the screaming. I think there were whispers too.

I ran at them. I had to help everyone. I had to. It seemed to go on forever. I never fought like that, like some gung-ho mustang. I stopped when Dash pulled me away.

The barricade was still there.

The doors weren’t broken.

It was bright.

The screams stopped.

Granny. Big Mac. Apple Bloom. They were

Why did I do it? Why couldn’t I see? I felt sick and confused and scared. I just want a reason.

I told Dash to leave, with the others and as much as they could carry. I told them to find Twilight. I had to yell to make her go. They broke a window and ran. It was six hours ago.

I buried them and said a few words. I begged them to forgive. I don’t deserve it. I should have stopped it or

Mom. Dad. All of them. I’ll never see them again.

In the dark, waiting. It’s what I deserve.

The whispering.

I’m so sorry.

-

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