Mannequinsby FearlessJinyxChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 5FinallyEpilougeChapter 4Chapter 1,~Mannequins~, As Wonkid ran, his mind raced with the events that had just unfolded. He was running from "It",no, oh no, not "It", them. Taking a hard left, he ran into the nearest room and creaked the door closed. He shuttered cowering behind the old beatup door, hyperventalating from the panic that consumed him. He listened, but in the darkness, he could only hear the sound of his own heart. He closed his eyes,hoped, prayed this was all some mistake. Some foolish phillys nightmare. "It's just a dream, oh please Celestia let it be a horrible, horrible dream" He chanted only to reassure himself of his dwelling fate.But as he listened, he heard it. The only thing that whisped in his ears, was the rythmic beating of his own heart. As he stood, back against door, he heard what plagued his ears to the point of pure terror, another rythmic beating, joining his, consuming his. He opened his eyes, but in the danky old house of Mrs Rainy, he could see nothing of the room before him. But he knew, "They" were watching him. And the heartbeats grew, into a sympathy of the souless. ,~3 Weeks earlier~, Like any normal day, Wonkid woke to his alarm clock. Buzzing its annoying little hum, endlessly until he got up to turn it off. Wonkid was a stallion born in Ponyville. He was only 19 years old, but his life seemed so boring that he must have lived decades more in his head. His coat was a plain light gray, and his mane a dark brown. He was subjected to much torment as a young colt because of his depressing colors. He often wished to be a Pegasus, to fly like a bird, see the world from a better viewpoint, sulk in the clouds when he was depressed. Being a simple earthpony was saddening for him to think of, so he rarely let his mind trail off to that topic. He brushed his teeth, got his lunch ready (He never did had time for breakfast) and left for work. Like any normal day, he walked past Sugar Cube corner, and down the street towards Mrs Rainys store. Wonkid hated his job, all he did day after day was sit behind the cash register of Mrs Rainys clothing store. Mrs Rainy was an old mare, the oldest in ponyville. Wonkid could describe her as weak, frail, an old bat. She needed a respirator to breath. Wonkid didnt even see her anymore. All she did was sit in here room on the upstairs floor (As the shop also served as her house). When payday came, Wonkid would find the envelope of money on the counter waiting for him as he opened shop. He hadnt cared to wonder why she didn't hand it to him in person, as he thought she was just old and loony. Wonkid could hear her on the days when there were no customers (which were many due to the horrible selection of clothing in the store) talking to somepony in her room. He just thought it was her age and dimensia causing her to believe somepony was there with her. She had no family left, all had either died or left Ponyville. She never had any young to call her own, she might not have even ever dated, as she always kept to herself. He remembered her once saying "Come here sweety, let mom-" but she was cut off as a pony entered the shop. "She thinks she has kids?" he thought to himself, walking home from the shop later that day. "What a weird old hag." Chapter 2,~1 Week earlier~, It was payday, and as Wonkid walked to the shop, he thought of things that could make working at the shop less boring. He had told his friend Kolinsky he would buy a new MP3 so he could listen to his favorite music. Kolin was Wonks bestfriend, and had been since they had both been blank flanks. Kolins cutiemark had shunned him from otherponys, as Kolin was a thief. Not just "a" thief, but one of the best thieves in Equestria. He had only been caught once during one of Fancy Pants as a royal guard had caught him stealing jewelry. Now that he was banned from returning to Canterlot, he stayed in Ponyville. But Kolin loved his job as a delivary man, and he had once or twice "missplaced" someponys ruby or emerald. "So whats up with the old hag?" asked Kolin as he paced up next to Wonkid. "She's been gone for weeks. Everpony thinks shes dead," he grimaced, looking towards wonkid as he walked. "No, shes not dead, she just, loony. all she does is sit up in her room," wonk glanced out of the corner of his eyes looking towards the joke shop as he passed. "Are you sure that you didnt, I dunno, help her push daisys? Give her a reassuring pat down the stairs?" Kolin said, grinning darkly. Kolins humor was often cruel, or gross, but what would you expect from a thief? "What kind of sick fuck would kill an old lady?" There was a little disgust in Wonkids voice, the mental image of the act of pure carnage made him cringe. Kolin gave him a look of "Hey, you and I both know theres some weird ass ponys right now," He was right. There was the happy, fun loving, charismatic earth pony Pinkie pie who had gone into somekind of depressing, solitary state. Maybe she's Mrs Rainys prodigy? As the two entered the shop, Kolin glanced over the store. Dark, bad smelling, and eerie. The mannequins always sent a shiver up Kolins spine. They were old, stuffed dolls the same size as any pony, their cloth was a rotten yellow. They had all been hand stiched by Mrs Rainy herself. They were meant to show off the clothes in the store, but for some reason, everyday that Wonkid came in their clothes had been removed as they were also moved around. Wonkids reasonable logic quickly granted him a escape route "Its just Mrs Rainy, she lives here after all. And whats a pony like her have to do anyway?". As Wonkid drew closer to the register, he noticed his check wasn't there. He searched the entire area, to check if by some gust of wind it had blown somewhere. But a quick search of the floor and Kolins good vision made it obvious the check wasnt in the room. "What a lazy bitch," Kolin grunted angrily stepping up after scanning the underside of a display stand. "She probably forget what day it was," said Wonkid giving Kolin a reassuring glance, "I'm sure well find her in her room," Kolin gave a quick nod and the two slowly trotted toward the stairs "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid called at the foot of the stairs. They waited a minute but heard no responce. "Mrs Rainy, its payday again, can I get my money?" again they waited, but to no avail. The two gave eachother worried glances. Kolin took the first step up the stairs, but before he made the second step they both heard a old haggard voice call from the top floor "Come on up sweetys,". Something in her tone wasnt right, she sounded much too didstant, as if the voice came frome another dimension. They both gave each other a quick nod, Wonkid stepped forward and led Kolin up the stares. The boards creeked as they walked, Kolin made a little note of this in his head. As they approached the door to mrs Rainys room, Wonkid heard a small thudder from downstairs. "Eh, must be a customer, they can wait a minute" He said looking at Kolin with a shrug. Wonkid knocked on the door but to his surprise it had glided open, as if to invite them in. Neither ponys had been in this room before. The walls were painted a light violet, there was a single window encased in white drapes, the wallpaper had streaks of water damage on them. What caught both their eyes was the rocking chair. Blank in the middle of the room, faced towards the window so that neither pony could see its inhabitant. It sit there in the dim light of the morning hours, rocking, back, and forth. It was a rythmic pattern that caught the two off guard. "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid said timidly, still in the doorway. The rocking stopped, but still no responce. Kolin gazed at the chair but gave a quick nudge to Wonkid as to say "Well? Get your fucking money,". Wonkid nodded, edging ever so quietly to the chair. Wonkid gulped as he set his hoove above the rockers shoulder. Something about the mood made Wonkid wonder why he was even here. Common sense told him something was wrong, but his curiosity had overpowered all the common sense that held his mind together. "Mrs Rainy are you alr-AGH!" He gave a sudden scream falling backwards. His back hoove gave the chair a thud that spun the rocker around to face the two horrified colts, and Mrs Rainys cold, emotionless gaze drifted onto them. Her face was as white as the mannequins from below, her cheeks convexed from age. Mrs Rainys corpse stared into the two frightened colts, who were now stumbling into the hall. Chapter 3,~1 Day Later~, Wonkid gazed dreamily at the ceiling pondering everything that had happened in the short time of entering the shop and were he was now. Theyed found Mrs Rainy, dead inside of her room. But she wasnt dead, she couldnt have been. She'd talked to them, invited them up. Hell, her rocking chair was even fucking swaying! But it was all too true, the autopsy reports had said shed been dead for atleast a day. Wonkids hoove were tapping away at the floor below, he had a bad habit of doing this when he was nervous. Kolin entered the room with two sarsparillas in his hooves, handing one to Wonkid as he passed. "Here, drink up." he swayed, gulping down a chug of the sweet drink. Wonkid only eyed the glass, still nervously tapping his back hoove. "Do yo-, do you think that she was, realy dead?" Wonkid stared at Kolin who returned his gaze with a curious expression. "She talked to us, we saw her rocking, the autopsy must be off, ill bet you any money in the damn world the surgeon was drunk off his plot," Kolin heaved, chugging another gulp of sarsparilla. Wonkid thought on what else the autopsy said. "The autopsy said she died of a heart attack, do you realy think she wouldve been rocking if her heart exploded like that? Heart attacks are violent, ive seen one before Kolin, but then how did she talk, the dead can't talk, everypony knows that," Wonkid stopped himself, not only from speaking, but from tapping his hoove, or moving. "Was, was that her ghost?" he said in a voice no higher than a whisper. Kolin stared at his friend with one eyebrow raised "Do you seriously think that was a ghost? ghosts dont exist dumm-shit. Snap out of it Wonk! She was an old mare, they drop like flys!" Kolin now had a migraine as he scanned Wonkid who was staring at the ground, ashamed of his unreasonable statement. They both sat quietly, daydreaming about the same subject. Kolin kept giving Wonkid quick glances as he drank the few remaining drops of the sarsparilla. Finally, Kolin spoke up "Did you see it?" he questioned staring straight ahead at Wonkid with a look that made him uneasy. "See what exactly?" Wonkid now could see envy in Kolins eyes, a look he was all too familiar with. Whenever Kolin wanted something, he made sure he got it. "The safe, in Rainys room," Wonkid realy didnt pay much attention to theyre surroundings in the shop, but Kolin had always had a keen eye for detail. "No, i didnt," Wonkid now knew his friends motives before he even mentioned it. "What do you thinks in there? Money, jewels, ooh, I know! A old ass dress of a famous actress?" Kolin was grinning now, and Wonkid knew exactly what was happening next. Wonk had never actualy stolen anything of value. He never had the guts or skill like Kolin. He had stolen a apple in the market once, but that was petty theft. What Kolin would suggest would be some intricut plan of dodging laser beams, and breaking codes. That was, as it seemed to Wonkid what it would take. "We should check that safe out, im realy good at cracking e'm! and without Mrs Rainy there, who'll miss it?" Kolin had now stood erect, walking in a slow pace, back, and forth. " But, I dont want to steal a safe, im just not cut out for that. And what if you get caught? We could both get in serious trouble." Wonkid spoke with reason, but Kolins greed took none of it. "You doubt my skills?" Kolin replied almost offended. "No, no, not like that, its just..." He trailed of, pondering what to say next. "Your just what? Scared? of some fake ghost that lurks the halls of Rainys shop?" Kolin smirked st Wonk who only grew more ashamed. "It'll be fine Wonk. Trust me, we'll just take a quick look, I promise we'll be quick." He smiled reassuringly to Wonkid, as if to say everything would be alright. And Wonkid trusted him.This would be the last mistake Wonkid had ever made. Chapter 5,~11:30~, The two now were only mere feet away from the door. They both looked around, to their luck, they saw no pony. Kolin nodded at Wonkid who was still looking around. Wonkid unhooked the key from his belt, and unlocked the door. It made a ancient noise, as if it were hundreds of years old. The two made one last glance before they jumped into the shop and closed the door. Inside it was pitch black, they couldnt see anything. It was so quiet, Wonkid felt as if he was entombed within a coffin, lost forever in a small world, losing breathe. Kolin flicked his light on. The room was normal as it always had been. The display stands offered cheap clothes, the register sat in the corner. Wonkid noticed something different though, the mannequins were missing. Kolin hadnt even seen this change, but Wonkid had worked here long enough to get the same mental image within his head of the shop. What could have happend to them? A slight chill ran through Wonkids spine, he barely noticed it. The whole scenario was unerving. Yet again Wonkid wonderd why he was here. He had no business to be. He thought about Mrs Rainy, and felt remorse. She lived here, alone, depressed. He should have been nicer to her, but it was now all to late. She had died without a friend or family. So alone, always alone. Kolin walked to the center of the room "Stay here, ill go crack the safe". Kolin made his way up the stairs, vanishing from Wonkids line of sight. Wonkid looked out of the now boarded window into the streets. He set his light on the cash register, it was pointed towards the hallway upstairs. He listened to some creaking sounds from upstairs. It felt lonlier than ever now that even the sunlight had forsaken this decrepid house. Almost as if life had never even entered. The dead silence was what Wonkid had grown used to, but not like this. This was the absence of sound altogether. He didnt hear anything from upstairs either, only suspecting that Kolin had the skill to crack a safe quietly. As Wonkid stood he heard a slight brushing sound, as if something were being dragged across a wooden floor. He turned to investigate, but found nothing misplaced. Shrugging it off, he turned once more to gaze into the empty street. Now something broke the cold silence with a sweeping sound. Wonkid quickly turned, and gave a startled yelp before shoving his hoove into his mouth. Before him stood a mannequin, one of Mrs Rainys displays. It stood in the beam of Wonkids flashlight, potruding an eerie silhouette onto the hall entrance. The lifless doll was directed towards Wonkid, this made him scared. Not terrified, but scared. This fear was like that of the unknown, a stupid but real fear that filled the emptiness of knowledge. Wonkid stepped forward, curious of the thing. His main concern was, how did it get there? He knew he could not have missed it, this even in his state of mind was clear. But then somepony must have put it there, was Kolin playing a joke on him? "Kolin, are you in here?" Wonkids voice swayed through the room in a low voice that made him sound small, and weak. There was no responce, but as Wonkid stared into the blank face of the mannequin, he didnt expect one. Something was wrong here, he knew Kolin never played jokes like this, he wasnt a prankster. Wonkid approached the doll in a slow, careful pace making sure he didnt move too fast. He put one hoof beside its face and nudged it. The doll swayed back and forth before shaking to a stop. The dolls had never crossed his mind when he worked here. But now in the early night, this mannequin was something that Wonkid feared, a real being that made him cringe. He looked around the room, finding nothing else misplaced gave him a sigh of relief. He moved the doll over to one corner of the room, being careful not to make any sound. Turning he moved over to the window and peered out. He watched the street now hoping that Kolin would hurry up. Looking down at his watch he found it had already ben 10 minutes! Wonkid grew more uneasy every second now. What could be taking him this long? Tapping his hoove on the ground he thought he'd check on him if he didnt show within 3 minutes, surely that'd be enough time for him to crack the safe. As Wonkid waited he heard another dragging noise. His eyes widend, turning around he gasped. Standing in the middle of the room was the mannequin, not only that but a mere 2 feet to its right there stood another. Wonkid shivered staring at the two dolls. This couldnt be happening, how the hell are they moving. In a voice that even startled himself, Wonkid asked "Why are you watching me?" He looked back and forth from each of them, his eyes wide in fear. He had to check on Kolin, now. Edging across the room, Wonkid didnt keep his eyes off of the two dolls, who stood innocently gazing off towards the door. He made his way to the stair cases entrance and peered up. It was completely dark on the 2nd floor, Wonkid would need his flashlight. In his haste to find Kolin, he hadn't even thought of it. Now almost expecting to find the mannequins moved, he slowly averted his eyes from the staircase into the middle of the room. Sure enough, what met his eyes were the blank faces of the dolls. Both stared dreamily towards him, as if curious of his intentions. He thought about running, leaving Kolin to whatever horrors lied in the shop. He rested his hhof atop the doorknob. Kolin was his bestfriend, he couldn't just leave him behind. He grabbed his flashlight and set off towards the stairs. To his relief the mannequins hadn't seemed to have moved. He began his trek up the stairs, wincing as the steps creeked underneath his hooves. Taking a final look at the two mannequins, Wonkid ascended into darkness. FinallyAs Wonkid entered the second floor, he took notice to how large the corridor expanded. The darkness seemed to reach farther than the deepest depths of his own mind. A slight shiver ran through him as his flashlight panned over the hallway. The wooden walls were splintered and torn. The faint memory of it was abandoned as Wonkid approached the door, his heartbeat gaining pace. He took a quick look over his shoulder to reassure himself of his solitarity. To his relief the hallway laid bare, as if the atmosphere wasn't enough for him to panic. He layed his hoof onto the door, he could faintly hear a thumping sound behind it. It opened with a moan, like a decrepit widow whose voice echoed through the night for her lost love, the door swung to its end in Rainys room. This was were she had stiched the dresses in the store, personally Wonkid thought the old mare needed a new hobby, but she loved stiching. The room was pitched black, Wonkid hit the light switch a few times, but the fuse must've died. He aimed his light to the central chair, it sat still, as a vivid reminder of its last occupant. He panned the light to the safe, it was opened, a bag of tools lie at its side, but were was Kolin? In an timid voice, he spoke through the darkness "Kolin, where are you...?" A loud slumping noise broke through his ears. He turned with the ferocity of a mad pony. in his face stood a mannequin, a souless doll from hell. Wonkid panicked, tripping over a loose board, he fell backwards. Reaching out for support, he grasped the edge of the rocking chair, twisting it around he managed to keep his hold. His light hit the floor and rolled so that the beam cast directly onto the chair, and Kolins body seated in it. Wonkid stared into his best friends face, just a foot away from his. His eyes and mouth were stitched shut, thin trails of blood leaked from the holes punctured for the thread to twine. Wonkids mouth lay agape, his body shook from the nightmare, the horrible nightmare that used to be his friend. Wonkid stared into the face for what seemed to be an eternity. He slowly turned, his mouth still hanging, his mind blank with a terror that would have driven anypony insane. 3 mannequins stood directly behind him, each watching, waiting in anticipation. Wonkid screamed at the top of his lungs, a scream that nopony could hear, a scream that was lost to an eternel darkness that was this hell. He threw himself into the group, smashind past their line and into the hallway. Now on one side he could see half a dozen dolls watching him, he turned around and ran. As Wonkid ran, his mind raced with the events that had just unfolded. He was running from "It",no, oh no, not "It", them. Taking a hard left, he ran into the nearest room and creaked the door closed. He shuttered cowering behind the old beatup door, hyperventalating from the panic that consumed him. He listened, but in the darkness, he could only hear the sound of his own heart. He closed his eyes,hoped, prayed this was all some mistake. Some foolish phillys nightmare. "It's just a dream, oh please Celestia let it be a horrible, horrible dream" He chanted only to reassure himself of his dwelling fate. But as he listened, he heard it. The only thing that whisped in his ears, was the rythmic beating of his own heart. As he stood, back against door, he heard what plagued his ears to the point of pure terror, another rythmic beating, joining his, consuming his. He opened his eyes, but in the danky old house of Mrs Rainy, he could see nothing of the room before him. But he knew, "They" were watching him. And the heartbeats grew, into a sympathy of the souless. Now as he sat there terrified, he yelled "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!?", he fell to the ground clutching himself, trying to grasp onto any sanity that still remained in his fractured mind. He rockedhimself now, chanting endlessly to stop the noises. They were surrounding him, watching him, teasing him. He crawled his way to the center of the room, were he began to rock. "They're here, they're here, they're here," His mind had shattered, his sanity was lost. A bright beam illuminated in his face and he screamed, "NO! DON'T KILL ME! NO!" Footsteps rushed to him, lifting him off hthe floor. He kept his eyes shut, still chanting, "They're here, they're here..." EpilougeWonkid sat in his cell, awaiting his appointment. He gazed silently to the door, recounting what had happened. They said he killed Kolin, that HE poisened Mrs Rainy. How could this be? He didn't remember anything of the night Kolin was killed. It was like a blank page in a forgotten diary. He had cried the night before, made himself so sick he vommited. He missed Kolin, how could he hurt him so badly? The door opened, and two stallions in blue armor stepped in. They both grabbed onto his arms, dragging him into the hallway. His cell was dark, so the light made him squeeze his eyes tight. The hall was a long corridor of rooms. As he passed each cell, he could hear a scream. "This must be a nightmare," he thought. "I'll just wake up like I always do, i'll go to work and Mrs Rainy will be there, and ill go hang out with Kolin," But in the back of his mind, he knew that could never happen again. Finally they'd reached the end of the hall. A wooden door with metal bars lay before them, a plaque above the door read "Head Phsychiatrists Office". The door opened and the two guards threw him in. Before Wonkid was a large wooden desk, behind it was a leather chair, turned so Wonkid could not see its occupant. Finally it swiveled around, a tan pony wearing a vest, with dark brown hair and reading glasses sat forward. "Hello Wonkid, my name is Doctor Jinyx." Thank you to everyone who helped me through this. If I get enough views, i can promise a sequel! Sweet nightmares everypony! Chapter 4,~Present day-11:00~, Back at Kolins house, the two ponys went over the plans one last time. They would sneek in the front door, as the building was farther away from the others, no ponys should notice them. Kolin then would walk up into Mrs Rainys room on the 2'nd floor, where he would crack the safe, and steal whatever was inside. Wonkid would keep watch downstairs just incase somepony saw them enter. They would both leave through the back door, and move from alley to alley to get back to Kolins house. "Do you have the mask?" Kolin asked, strapping the flashlight around his belt, which supported a bag of instruments needed to break the safe. "yeah, they have eye and mouth holes, just like you asked," Wonkid tossed the mask to Kolin who caught it with his mouth. They both set theyre masks on, wiggling them so that they were secured. As they made their way along the alley, Wonkid couldn't help but feel fear. What if they were caught? They both would be banished from Equestria, they might even be banished to the moon! Wonkid had to keep a steady face, Kolin wouldn't allow such emotions to even step into his mind, all he was focused on was the treasure inside the vault. Kolin hadn't done anything like this in months, adrenaline flowed through every inch and fiber of his body. The act of robbery had always been Kolins talent, even before he had his cutie mark. This was what Kolin lived for, and its what he planned to do until he became old and useless, or he fell dead. But Wonkid had never actualy enjoyed robbery, it made him feel like a coward. Nonetheless he trusted his friend, and he wouldn't let him down.
Chapter 1,~Mannequins~, As Wonkid ran, his mind raced with the events that had just unfolded. He was running from "It",no, oh no, not "It", them. Taking a hard left, he ran into the nearest room and creaked the door closed. He shuttered cowering behind the old beatup door, hyperventalating from the panic that consumed him. He listened, but in the darkness, he could only hear the sound of his own heart. He closed his eyes,hoped, prayed this was all some mistake. Some foolish phillys nightmare. "It's just a dream, oh please Celestia let it be a horrible, horrible dream" He chanted only to reassure himself of his dwelling fate.But as he listened, he heard it. The only thing that whisped in his ears, was the rythmic beating of his own heart. As he stood, back against door, he heard what plagued his ears to the point of pure terror, another rythmic beating, joining his, consuming his. He opened his eyes, but in the danky old house of Mrs Rainy, he could see nothing of the room before him. But he knew, "They" were watching him. And the heartbeats grew, into a sympathy of the souless. ,~3 Weeks earlier~, Like any normal day, Wonkid woke to his alarm clock. Buzzing its annoying little hum, endlessly until he got up to turn it off. Wonkid was a stallion born in Ponyville. He was only 19 years old, but his life seemed so boring that he must have lived decades more in his head. His coat was a plain light gray, and his mane a dark brown. He was subjected to much torment as a young colt because of his depressing colors. He often wished to be a Pegasus, to fly like a bird, see the world from a better viewpoint, sulk in the clouds when he was depressed. Being a simple earthpony was saddening for him to think of, so he rarely let his mind trail off to that topic. He brushed his teeth, got his lunch ready (He never did had time for breakfast) and left for work. Like any normal day, he walked past Sugar Cube corner, and down the street towards Mrs Rainys store. Wonkid hated his job, all he did day after day was sit behind the cash register of Mrs Rainys clothing store. Mrs Rainy was an old mare, the oldest in ponyville. Wonkid could describe her as weak, frail, an old bat. She needed a respirator to breath. Wonkid didnt even see her anymore. All she did was sit in here room on the upstairs floor (As the shop also served as her house). When payday came, Wonkid would find the envelope of money on the counter waiting for him as he opened shop. He hadnt cared to wonder why she didn't hand it to him in person, as he thought she was just old and loony. Wonkid could hear her on the days when there were no customers (which were many due to the horrible selection of clothing in the store) talking to somepony in her room. He just thought it was her age and dimensia causing her to believe somepony was there with her. She had no family left, all had either died or left Ponyville. She never had any young to call her own, she might not have even ever dated, as she always kept to herself. He remembered her once saying "Come here sweety, let mom-" but she was cut off as a pony entered the shop. "She thinks she has kids?" he thought to himself, walking home from the shop later that day. "What a weird old hag."
Chapter 2,~1 Week earlier~, It was payday, and as Wonkid walked to the shop, he thought of things that could make working at the shop less boring. He had told his friend Kolinsky he would buy a new MP3 so he could listen to his favorite music. Kolin was Wonks bestfriend, and had been since they had both been blank flanks. Kolins cutiemark had shunned him from otherponys, as Kolin was a thief. Not just "a" thief, but one of the best thieves in Equestria. He had only been caught once during one of Fancy Pants as a royal guard had caught him stealing jewelry. Now that he was banned from returning to Canterlot, he stayed in Ponyville. But Kolin loved his job as a delivary man, and he had once or twice "missplaced" someponys ruby or emerald. "So whats up with the old hag?" asked Kolin as he paced up next to Wonkid. "She's been gone for weeks. Everpony thinks shes dead," he grimaced, looking towards wonkid as he walked. "No, shes not dead, she just, loony. all she does is sit up in her room," wonk glanced out of the corner of his eyes looking towards the joke shop as he passed. "Are you sure that you didnt, I dunno, help her push daisys? Give her a reassuring pat down the stairs?" Kolin said, grinning darkly. Kolins humor was often cruel, or gross, but what would you expect from a thief? "What kind of sick fuck would kill an old lady?" There was a little disgust in Wonkids voice, the mental image of the act of pure carnage made him cringe. Kolin gave him a look of "Hey, you and I both know theres some weird ass ponys right now," He was right. There was the happy, fun loving, charismatic earth pony Pinkie pie who had gone into somekind of depressing, solitary state. Maybe she's Mrs Rainys prodigy? As the two entered the shop, Kolin glanced over the store. Dark, bad smelling, and eerie. The mannequins always sent a shiver up Kolins spine. They were old, stuffed dolls the same size as any pony, their cloth was a rotten yellow. They had all been hand stiched by Mrs Rainy herself. They were meant to show off the clothes in the store, but for some reason, everyday that Wonkid came in their clothes had been removed as they were also moved around. Wonkids reasonable logic quickly granted him a escape route "Its just Mrs Rainy, she lives here after all. And whats a pony like her have to do anyway?". As Wonkid drew closer to the register, he noticed his check wasn't there. He searched the entire area, to check if by some gust of wind it had blown somewhere. But a quick search of the floor and Kolins good vision made it obvious the check wasnt in the room. "What a lazy bitch," Kolin grunted angrily stepping up after scanning the underside of a display stand. "She probably forget what day it was," said Wonkid giving Kolin a reassuring glance, "I'm sure well find her in her room," Kolin gave a quick nod and the two slowly trotted toward the stairs "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid called at the foot of the stairs. They waited a minute but heard no responce. "Mrs Rainy, its payday again, can I get my money?" again they waited, but to no avail. The two gave eachother worried glances. Kolin took the first step up the stairs, but before he made the second step they both heard a old haggard voice call from the top floor "Come on up sweetys,". Something in her tone wasnt right, she sounded much too didstant, as if the voice came frome another dimension. They both gave each other a quick nod, Wonkid stepped forward and led Kolin up the stares. The boards creeked as they walked, Kolin made a little note of this in his head. As they approached the door to mrs Rainys room, Wonkid heard a small thudder from downstairs. "Eh, must be a customer, they can wait a minute" He said looking at Kolin with a shrug. Wonkid knocked on the door but to his surprise it had glided open, as if to invite them in. Neither ponys had been in this room before. The walls were painted a light violet, there was a single window encased in white drapes, the wallpaper had streaks of water damage on them. What caught both their eyes was the rocking chair. Blank in the middle of the room, faced towards the window so that neither pony could see its inhabitant. It sit there in the dim light of the morning hours, rocking, back, and forth. It was a rythmic pattern that caught the two off guard. "Mrs Rainy?" Wonkid said timidly, still in the doorway. The rocking stopped, but still no responce. Kolin gazed at the chair but gave a quick nudge to Wonkid as to say "Well? Get your fucking money,". Wonkid nodded, edging ever so quietly to the chair. Wonkid gulped as he set his hoove above the rockers shoulder. Something about the mood made Wonkid wonder why he was even here. Common sense told him something was wrong, but his curiosity had overpowered all the common sense that held his mind together. "Mrs Rainy are you alr-AGH!" He gave a sudden scream falling backwards. His back hoove gave the chair a thud that spun the rocker around to face the two horrified colts, and Mrs Rainys cold, emotionless gaze drifted onto them. Her face was as white as the mannequins from below, her cheeks convexed from age. Mrs Rainys corpse stared into the two frightened colts, who were now stumbling into the hall.
Chapter 3,~1 Day Later~, Wonkid gazed dreamily at the ceiling pondering everything that had happened in the short time of entering the shop and were he was now. Theyed found Mrs Rainy, dead inside of her room. But she wasnt dead, she couldnt have been. She'd talked to them, invited them up. Hell, her rocking chair was even fucking swaying! But it was all too true, the autopsy reports had said shed been dead for atleast a day. Wonkids hoove were tapping away at the floor below, he had a bad habit of doing this when he was nervous. Kolin entered the room with two sarsparillas in his hooves, handing one to Wonkid as he passed. "Here, drink up." he swayed, gulping down a chug of the sweet drink. Wonkid only eyed the glass, still nervously tapping his back hoove. "Do yo-, do you think that she was, realy dead?" Wonkid stared at Kolin who returned his gaze with a curious expression. "She talked to us, we saw her rocking, the autopsy must be off, ill bet you any money in the damn world the surgeon was drunk off his plot," Kolin heaved, chugging another gulp of sarsparilla. Wonkid thought on what else the autopsy said. "The autopsy said she died of a heart attack, do you realy think she wouldve been rocking if her heart exploded like that? Heart attacks are violent, ive seen one before Kolin, but then how did she talk, the dead can't talk, everypony knows that," Wonkid stopped himself, not only from speaking, but from tapping his hoove, or moving. "Was, was that her ghost?" he said in a voice no higher than a whisper. Kolin stared at his friend with one eyebrow raised "Do you seriously think that was a ghost? ghosts dont exist dumm-shit. Snap out of it Wonk! She was an old mare, they drop like flys!" Kolin now had a migraine as he scanned Wonkid who was staring at the ground, ashamed of his unreasonable statement. They both sat quietly, daydreaming about the same subject. Kolin kept giving Wonkid quick glances as he drank the few remaining drops of the sarsparilla. Finally, Kolin spoke up "Did you see it?" he questioned staring straight ahead at Wonkid with a look that made him uneasy. "See what exactly?" Wonkid now could see envy in Kolins eyes, a look he was all too familiar with. Whenever Kolin wanted something, he made sure he got it. "The safe, in Rainys room," Wonkid realy didnt pay much attention to theyre surroundings in the shop, but Kolin had always had a keen eye for detail. "No, i didnt," Wonkid now knew his friends motives before he even mentioned it. "What do you thinks in there? Money, jewels, ooh, I know! A old ass dress of a famous actress?" Kolin was grinning now, and Wonkid knew exactly what was happening next. Wonk had never actualy stolen anything of value. He never had the guts or skill like Kolin. He had stolen a apple in the market once, but that was petty theft. What Kolin would suggest would be some intricut plan of dodging laser beams, and breaking codes. That was, as it seemed to Wonkid what it would take. "We should check that safe out, im realy good at cracking e'm! and without Mrs Rainy there, who'll miss it?" Kolin had now stood erect, walking in a slow pace, back, and forth. " But, I dont want to steal a safe, im just not cut out for that. And what if you get caught? We could both get in serious trouble." Wonkid spoke with reason, but Kolins greed took none of it. "You doubt my skills?" Kolin replied almost offended. "No, no, not like that, its just..." He trailed of, pondering what to say next. "Your just what? Scared? of some fake ghost that lurks the halls of Rainys shop?" Kolin smirked st Wonk who only grew more ashamed. "It'll be fine Wonk. Trust me, we'll just take a quick look, I promise we'll be quick." He smiled reassuringly to Wonkid, as if to say everything would be alright. And Wonkid trusted him.This would be the last mistake Wonkid had ever made.
Chapter 5,~11:30~, The two now were only mere feet away from the door. They both looked around, to their luck, they saw no pony. Kolin nodded at Wonkid who was still looking around. Wonkid unhooked the key from his belt, and unlocked the door. It made a ancient noise, as if it were hundreds of years old. The two made one last glance before they jumped into the shop and closed the door. Inside it was pitch black, they couldnt see anything. It was so quiet, Wonkid felt as if he was entombed within a coffin, lost forever in a small world, losing breathe. Kolin flicked his light on. The room was normal as it always had been. The display stands offered cheap clothes, the register sat in the corner. Wonkid noticed something different though, the mannequins were missing. Kolin hadnt even seen this change, but Wonkid had worked here long enough to get the same mental image within his head of the shop. What could have happend to them? A slight chill ran through Wonkids spine, he barely noticed it. The whole scenario was unerving. Yet again Wonkid wonderd why he was here. He had no business to be. He thought about Mrs Rainy, and felt remorse. She lived here, alone, depressed. He should have been nicer to her, but it was now all to late. She had died without a friend or family. So alone, always alone. Kolin walked to the center of the room "Stay here, ill go crack the safe". Kolin made his way up the stairs, vanishing from Wonkids line of sight. Wonkid looked out of the now boarded window into the streets. He set his light on the cash register, it was pointed towards the hallway upstairs. He listened to some creaking sounds from upstairs. It felt lonlier than ever now that even the sunlight had forsaken this decrepid house. Almost as if life had never even entered. The dead silence was what Wonkid had grown used to, but not like this. This was the absence of sound altogether. He didnt hear anything from upstairs either, only suspecting that Kolin had the skill to crack a safe quietly. As Wonkid stood he heard a slight brushing sound, as if something were being dragged across a wooden floor. He turned to investigate, but found nothing misplaced. Shrugging it off, he turned once more to gaze into the empty street. Now something broke the cold silence with a sweeping sound. Wonkid quickly turned, and gave a startled yelp before shoving his hoove into his mouth. Before him stood a mannequin, one of Mrs Rainys displays. It stood in the beam of Wonkids flashlight, potruding an eerie silhouette onto the hall entrance. The lifless doll was directed towards Wonkid, this made him scared. Not terrified, but scared. This fear was like that of the unknown, a stupid but real fear that filled the emptiness of knowledge. Wonkid stepped forward, curious of the thing. His main concern was, how did it get there? He knew he could not have missed it, this even in his state of mind was clear. But then somepony must have put it there, was Kolin playing a joke on him? "Kolin, are you in here?" Wonkids voice swayed through the room in a low voice that made him sound small, and weak. There was no responce, but as Wonkid stared into the blank face of the mannequin, he didnt expect one. Something was wrong here, he knew Kolin never played jokes like this, he wasnt a prankster. Wonkid approached the doll in a slow, careful pace making sure he didnt move too fast. He put one hoof beside its face and nudged it. The doll swayed back and forth before shaking to a stop. The dolls had never crossed his mind when he worked here. But now in the early night, this mannequin was something that Wonkid feared, a real being that made him cringe. He looked around the room, finding nothing else misplaced gave him a sigh of relief. He moved the doll over to one corner of the room, being careful not to make any sound. Turning he moved over to the window and peered out. He watched the street now hoping that Kolin would hurry up. Looking down at his watch he found it had already ben 10 minutes! Wonkid grew more uneasy every second now. What could be taking him this long? Tapping his hoove on the ground he thought he'd check on him if he didnt show within 3 minutes, surely that'd be enough time for him to crack the safe. As Wonkid waited he heard another dragging noise. His eyes widend, turning around he gasped. Standing in the middle of the room was the mannequin, not only that but a mere 2 feet to its right there stood another. Wonkid shivered staring at the two dolls. This couldnt be happening, how the hell are they moving. In a voice that even startled himself, Wonkid asked "Why are you watching me?" He looked back and forth from each of them, his eyes wide in fear. He had to check on Kolin, now. Edging across the room, Wonkid didnt keep his eyes off of the two dolls, who stood innocently gazing off towards the door. He made his way to the stair cases entrance and peered up. It was completely dark on the 2nd floor, Wonkid would need his flashlight. In his haste to find Kolin, he hadn't even thought of it. Now almost expecting to find the mannequins moved, he slowly averted his eyes from the staircase into the middle of the room. Sure enough, what met his eyes were the blank faces of the dolls. Both stared dreamily towards him, as if curious of his intentions. He thought about running, leaving Kolin to whatever horrors lied in the shop. He rested his hhof atop the doorknob. Kolin was his bestfriend, he couldn't just leave him behind. He grabbed his flashlight and set off towards the stairs. To his relief the mannequins hadn't seemed to have moved. He began his trek up the stairs, wincing as the steps creeked underneath his hooves. Taking a final look at the two mannequins, Wonkid ascended into darkness.
FinallyAs Wonkid entered the second floor, he took notice to how large the corridor expanded. The darkness seemed to reach farther than the deepest depths of his own mind. A slight shiver ran through him as his flashlight panned over the hallway. The wooden walls were splintered and torn. The faint memory of it was abandoned as Wonkid approached the door, his heartbeat gaining pace. He took a quick look over his shoulder to reassure himself of his solitarity. To his relief the hallway laid bare, as if the atmosphere wasn't enough for him to panic. He layed his hoof onto the door, he could faintly hear a thumping sound behind it. It opened with a moan, like a decrepit widow whose voice echoed through the night for her lost love, the door swung to its end in Rainys room. This was were she had stiched the dresses in the store, personally Wonkid thought the old mare needed a new hobby, but she loved stiching. The room was pitched black, Wonkid hit the light switch a few times, but the fuse must've died. He aimed his light to the central chair, it sat still, as a vivid reminder of its last occupant. He panned the light to the safe, it was opened, a bag of tools lie at its side, but were was Kolin? In an timid voice, he spoke through the darkness "Kolin, where are you...?" A loud slumping noise broke through his ears. He turned with the ferocity of a mad pony. in his face stood a mannequin, a souless doll from hell. Wonkid panicked, tripping over a loose board, he fell backwards. Reaching out for support, he grasped the edge of the rocking chair, twisting it around he managed to keep his hold. His light hit the floor and rolled so that the beam cast directly onto the chair, and Kolins body seated in it. Wonkid stared into his best friends face, just a foot away from his. His eyes and mouth were stitched shut, thin trails of blood leaked from the holes punctured for the thread to twine. Wonkids mouth lay agape, his body shook from the nightmare, the horrible nightmare that used to be his friend. Wonkid stared into the face for what seemed to be an eternity. He slowly turned, his mouth still hanging, his mind blank with a terror that would have driven anypony insane. 3 mannequins stood directly behind him, each watching, waiting in anticipation. Wonkid screamed at the top of his lungs, a scream that nopony could hear, a scream that was lost to an eternel darkness that was this hell. He threw himself into the group, smashind past their line and into the hallway. Now on one side he could see half a dozen dolls watching him, he turned around and ran. As Wonkid ran, his mind raced with the events that had just unfolded. He was running from "It",no, oh no, not "It", them. Taking a hard left, he ran into the nearest room and creaked the door closed. He shuttered cowering behind the old beatup door, hyperventalating from the panic that consumed him. He listened, but in the darkness, he could only hear the sound of his own heart. He closed his eyes,hoped, prayed this was all some mistake. Some foolish phillys nightmare. "It's just a dream, oh please Celestia let it be a horrible, horrible dream" He chanted only to reassure himself of his dwelling fate. But as he listened, he heard it. The only thing that whisped in his ears, was the rythmic beating of his own heart. As he stood, back against door, he heard what plagued his ears to the point of pure terror, another rythmic beating, joining his, consuming his. He opened his eyes, but in the danky old house of Mrs Rainy, he could see nothing of the room before him. But he knew, "They" were watching him. And the heartbeats grew, into a sympathy of the souless. Now as he sat there terrified, he yelled "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!?", he fell to the ground clutching himself, trying to grasp onto any sanity that still remained in his fractured mind. He rockedhimself now, chanting endlessly to stop the noises. They were surrounding him, watching him, teasing him. He crawled his way to the center of the room, were he began to rock. "They're here, they're here, they're here," His mind had shattered, his sanity was lost. A bright beam illuminated in his face and he screamed, "NO! DON'T KILL ME! NO!" Footsteps rushed to him, lifting him off hthe floor. He kept his eyes shut, still chanting, "They're here, they're here..."
EpilougeWonkid sat in his cell, awaiting his appointment. He gazed silently to the door, recounting what had happened. They said he killed Kolin, that HE poisened Mrs Rainy. How could this be? He didn't remember anything of the night Kolin was killed. It was like a blank page in a forgotten diary. He had cried the night before, made himself so sick he vommited. He missed Kolin, how could he hurt him so badly? The door opened, and two stallions in blue armor stepped in. They both grabbed onto his arms, dragging him into the hallway. His cell was dark, so the light made him squeeze his eyes tight. The hall was a long corridor of rooms. As he passed each cell, he could hear a scream. "This must be a nightmare," he thought. "I'll just wake up like I always do, i'll go to work and Mrs Rainy will be there, and ill go hang out with Kolin," But in the back of his mind, he knew that could never happen again. Finally they'd reached the end of the hall. A wooden door with metal bars lay before them, a plaque above the door read "Head Phsychiatrists Office". The door opened and the two guards threw him in. Before Wonkid was a large wooden desk, behind it was a leather chair, turned so Wonkid could not see its occupant. Finally it swiveled around, a tan pony wearing a vest, with dark brown hair and reading glasses sat forward. "Hello Wonkid, my name is Doctor Jinyx." Thank you to everyone who helped me through this. If I get enough views, i can promise a sequel! Sweet nightmares everypony!
Chapter 4,~Present day-11:00~, Back at Kolins house, the two ponys went over the plans one last time. They would sneek in the front door, as the building was farther away from the others, no ponys should notice them. Kolin then would walk up into Mrs Rainys room on the 2'nd floor, where he would crack the safe, and steal whatever was inside. Wonkid would keep watch downstairs just incase somepony saw them enter. They would both leave through the back door, and move from alley to alley to get back to Kolins house. "Do you have the mask?" Kolin asked, strapping the flashlight around his belt, which supported a bag of instruments needed to break the safe. "yeah, they have eye and mouth holes, just like you asked," Wonkid tossed the mask to Kolin who caught it with his mouth. They both set theyre masks on, wiggling them so that they were secured. As they made their way along the alley, Wonkid couldn't help but feel fear. What if they were caught? They both would be banished from Equestria, they might even be banished to the moon! Wonkid had to keep a steady face, Kolin wouldn't allow such emotions to even step into his mind, all he was focused on was the treasure inside the vault. Kolin hadn't done anything like this in months, adrenaline flowed through every inch and fiber of his body. The act of robbery had always been Kolins talent, even before he had his cutie mark. This was what Kolin lived for, and its what he planned to do until he became old and useless, or he fell dead. But Wonkid had never actualy enjoyed robbery, it made him feel like a coward. Nonetheless he trusted his friend, and he wouldn't let him down.
