Old Wounds

“Little pig. Little piggy! It’s time to wake up now little pig.” I heard a voice cooing through the quiet room. I felt a sharp pain in my side and gasped in pain. A feeling of wetness emerged over the right side of my stomach. I opened my eyes and watched the red droplets flutter to the ground above me. Looking toward my legs, I saw a knife sticking out of my stomach...My knife.

“Well, well, well. Looks like our little piggy has finally awoken! Welcome to the slaughterhouse little piggy!” I heard a voice cackle from behind me before a feeling of pure pain resonated through my body. I could hear the sound of flesh splitting and the large splash of blood dropping to the floor. My vision tinted red as I looked about the room with bloodstained eyes. I brought my eyes back to my stomach and found a large, sharp shard of metal stabbed through the right side of my stomach.

“Oh no, no, no little pig. Don’t roll over just yet. You haven’t squealed enough yet!” The voice shouted as the metal was yanked from lesion it created. Blood seemed to pour out of the wound and it quickly fell over my face, silencing my wail. Sputtering and coughing, I shook as much of the life fluid as I could from my face. My vision was starting to fail as I lost consciousness, unfortunately, my capture had other plans.

I felt the sharp prick of a needle and felt my body go numb. The bastard used a painkiller, Morphine most likely…

“Can have you dying just yet little pig. The bacon is always so much better when the pig struggles.” I heard the now wobbling, rustic voice coo from beside me. I don’t know if he was enjoying this or if my hearing is failing to cause that wobble…

Looking to the side I finally saw my kidnapper, his scraggly white tufts of hair showed his age. The bags under his glossy green eyes showed his determination, he’s been up for a while waiting for this. His small, almost fragile frame was a clever ruse for his true strength and ability. But most of all, his deformed face told me exactly who this was. The burn marks over his face was now maggot free but just as disgusting.

“Ooh, little piggy finally sees its butcher! Hello there little piggy, I’m Old Rock, Nice to slaughter you!” The man said with a squeal of delight.

“F-fuck...You. I’ll kill you…” I croaked out through my tortured lungs. The feeling of pain was returning, and with it, the blackness. I gave a cocky smile as I passed out.

The sound of thudding boots echoed throughout the room. I heard the rattling of chains and the cracking of wood. Opening an eye slowly, I peeked over the torture room. I saw Old Rock bent over a workbench by the wall, he looked busy. Bringing my eye up to my stomach, I saw that I was bandaged very well, He most likely didn't want his “Little pig” to expire too soon. Looking further up, I saw the bane of my captivity hanging in the form of two ropes tied around my legs. I looked at the knot holding them together, if I could get it undone then I could get out of here. I let my head go limp to look over the room more only to see that the old bastard was nowhere to be found.

The growl of an engine reverberate throughout the confines of the room. I crane my head around to find Old Rock holding a gas cutoff saw. My heart rate increased and I’m fairly sure I shit myself. I started wiggling and squirming as he slowly walked closer to me. My arms felt like they were made of lead as I struggled to bring them up to the knot imprisoning me. The closer I got to the knot, the closer he came. I grasped the knot but I wouldn't have enough time to figure out how to untie it. So, I pulled with all I had and raised myself closer to the ceiling. I climbed up the rope as fast as I could, only, it wasn't fast enough. I felt the burn of the saw tearing skin and muscle on my right leg. It wasn't enough to take it off but I wouldn't be using it for a while. My grip on the rope slackened and I fell, my constant wail never faltered as I rocked in pain. As the adrenaline overtook me, Anger replaced pain. I rocked and wiggled until I was facing Rock.

“BURN IN HELL!” I screeched over the deafening whine of the gas powered engine. I swung my head back and sent it sailing into his crotch. It didn't seem to do much besides push him back a step or two. I started rocking back and forth to gain momentum. I pushed forward at the apex of my swing and grabbed rock by the arms. The saw was dangerously close to my chest, if I messed this up…

I fell back as I towed to man with me. I pulled my body to the side as I ripped him forward. The saw tore through the side of my vest on its way to the hardwood floor. The saw punched through the floor and bucked against the grain making it pop into the air. The man followed the path of the saw and caught it with his face. I reached down and hefted the saw up to the rope, cutting it easily. I fell with enough force to lose control of the saw, the rabid machine slammed into the floor beside me. I rolled to the side as it gave a final buck and the blade started to slow as it lay still. I groaned in pain as I stood. I felt my wounds reopen as I moved. I looked over myself once more and found that I still had some of my gear on me. Nothing helpful but I’ll take what I got.

I looked around the room until I found my vest, weapons, backpack, and the makeshift sword sitting in a blood filled corner. I hobbled over to the corner as best I could. My leg was throbbing and I could feel the blood leaking out of it. Hefting my gear back into their correct positions, I picked up the sword and looked it over, the edge seemed to glow in the growing brightness of dawn. I slid it in between my backpack and my armored vest before looking over by the workbench. I found my nvgs sitting in a broken heap on top of the rustic metal. I sighed at my terrible luck and worked my way over to Old Rock.

Standing far enough away in case of an attack. I looked over the man, deep in thought.

What the hell was that about? Did this crazy fuck “save” me from the military? If so, where in the Sam hell am I?

At that last thought I started looking around the room even more, spotting a window on the far side of the room. I began my journey across the room with a stab of pain.

“Looks like my old wounds are open again. Can this day get any better?” I say as more pain lances through my stomach. I made it a whole four steps before my leg finally called it quits and gave out. I hit the ground with enough force to crack the rotten floorboards. I gasped in pain and grasped the bleeding appendage, the blood slinking through my fingers. I held it tight to try and stave off the bleeding but after two minutes with no change, I called it quits.

With a grunt of pain I crawled out of the hole in the floor and slid across the floor. My leg trailed uselessly behind me as I made it to the window. Heaving my weight up onto the window sill I looked through the dirty, slightly broken glass.

“Where the fuck? How did I get here?” I said in confusion as I looked over the dilapidated ruins of a town. The buildings sagged low and the metal from the skyscrapers melted to the ground. The landscape was burned black from the sweltering heat and all the vegetation was gone. Looking further out I saw the size of the crater the town was in, it had to be at least a mile in every direction. There’s only one thing I know of that could have caused this…

“Beautiful innit?” I heard a scratchy voice from behind me say, almost wistfully. I whipped my head around and saw Old Rock standing a few meters away from me. I reached for my pistol, a simple Glock 21 with a suppressor, and pulled it from the leather holster. I winced as the pain in my leg overtook me. I dropped to the ground causing my vision to blur and my hearing to falter.

“What? Can’t take a bit of pain? Poor little pig…” He cooed as he started stomping toward me. I aimed through the blindness, fought through the pain, and shot.

Luna snapped her head back with a gasp, she’d had enough. I looked up to her while absentmindedly rubbing the dark scar on my leg. The look on the princess’ face was...conflicted. It’s almost as if she knew what it was like but maybe not to the degree that I experienced. It took a moment for me to realize I've been staring at Luna for a solid two minutes. I shook my head and glanced over to Umbra. He looked concerned, he should’ve been...That memory was more sensitive than I thought it would be. Good thing she didn't stay to the end or we would have had some problems.

“I...How...Why?” Luna sputtered out. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow as she calmed and organised her thoughts. “Who were those men? Why did they attack you? What were you even there for? And...What happened to those other humans?” She asked somberly. I sat back a minute to think up a response. I didn't really want to delve into my worlds problems, this world seems so...Innocent.

“They were military. They hate anyone who isn't military. To get supplies for my camp. They were killed.” I shot out quickly. I was starting to get uncomfortable, I’m not exactly one to talk about bad memories.

“Killed!? Who would do such a thing!?” She shrieked out loud enough to be heard through the entire wing of the hospital. I sighed quietly before letting out a small chuckle.

“Everyone. In my world, nine times out of ten it’s kill or be killed.” I say with yet another sigh. I've been doing that too much today.

“Hey Hamus, I think I’m ready to clock out. Think you can hurry this up?” I hear an irritated Umbra ask from the side. I laugh a bit and bit my farewells to the princesses and Twilight’s friends before I walked out the door with Umbra.

Umbra

Me and Hamus walked in complete silence the whole way back to our camp. Climbed the tree in silence, and prepped for sleep in silence. The only word that was spoken that night was me saying that I’d take the first watch and wake him in an hour. He nodded and laid his head down on his backpack. I looked out over the forest, letting my legs dangle from the side of the platform. I looked at all of the brightly colored flora and heard the sounds of animals once thought to be myths. I looked up at the bright orb lolling toward the horizon, ready to begin it’s sleep.

What are we doing here? We’re creatures of another world stuck inside of a mythological story book! God, what would mom think of this? Two warmongering creatures stuck inside an innocent playground of myth and fairy tales...How will we even fit in here? We look so...different. Our skin isn't cartoonish and neither is any of our stuff. I wonder what we can do around here? The peo-ponies around here are going to flip when they see us, I know I would. Two alien creatures that reek of blood, sweat, and gunpowder waltzing through the street? They’d be shot on sight! I guess we should accept that we’ll never fit in here, in this world as a whole. But what of the princesses? Aside from the incident with Twilight and Rainbow Dash they seemed to...Care, Well, mostly at least. Maybe this world has something for us after all…

I heard a singular beep from my wrist showing that the hour was up. I walked over and shook Mike awake only to have him grab my arm and rip my to the branches below.

“Get the fuck away from my you psycho! I’ll kill you!” He shouted at me. It took him a moment to look around the surroundings and find that he was still in the tree.

“Fucking hell…” I groaned out, I think I caught a branch with my ass!

“Oh shit Nate! I’m sorry, brother. I was dreaming up Old Rock again, I guess I just kinda lost it…” He said apologetically as he helped me to my feet.

“Forget it, it’s time for your watch.” I croaked out as I did some small stretches, elating some pops from my lower back. He nodded and went over to the edge of the platform and stared out at the ever expanding tree tops. I dropped myself onto the branches and rested my head upon my Pack. It wasn't exactly comfortable but it would work. After a few seconds of cool winds and chirping crickets, I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Author's Note

This is a short chapter but I really just wanted to finish up the memory sequence and give you guys something. Hope this is satisfactory.