The Infected World

I walked with the yellow mare, her crossbow was still trained on me, as she led me towards the farmhouse where she lived. I could instantly tell this mare was somewhat unstable because who would even live in this town? It’s swarming with infected and the only possible place for food has only spoiled sweets, candy, and, most recently, two dead bodies. But those weren’t the only signs I saw on her. From watching zombie movies and playing games with those undead freaks in them, I noticed her pupils were dilated like the psychos in my personal favorite game Dead Rising, she was shaking like it was below zero, and she just plain seemed wacky. But if I said anything, I’d end up with a bolt in my body.

As we neared the house, I smelt what was described as sweet and sickening. It was rotting flesh.

“Now please be kind to mah Granny.” She ordered me as the door opened. I nearly vomited at the sight inside of it. The bodies of several possibly equally insane ponies littered the room and some actually….. SWEET CELESTIA ONE OF THEM WAS SKINNED INTO A BUCKING CHAIR! Okay, okay, deep breaths now Iron. Maybe it was just that one….. and another was the dinner table cloth…. joy.

“Now please be kind and sit by Granny. Ah’ll get the food.” The mare said to me with a crooked smile. I was wrong. She wasn’t wacky. She’s lost her bucking lid! So as I sat down, I noticed what was probably the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. It was an elderly mare with most of her skin missing off of her body, revealing her muscles and bones. Maggots were oozing out of her body as they chewed on her decaying body. I noticed though that her cutie mark was a pie. I think I just lost my appetite for pie right about now. The yellow nutjob left for the kitchen a little later and I knew it wouldn’t be long before she came back, considering what she probably ate, so I had at most a few minutes before she returned with lunch.

I considered just getting up and leaving but then I remembered how good she is with a crossbow. So instead I decided to see what a little distraction would do. I picked up a bone from the table, she somehow made it into a knife, and picked it up. Using my aiming, or what I had of aiming with my only eye, I tossed it and to my luck, it knocked over a picture, sending it to the floor with the glass frame shattering. I then heard a gasp come from the kitchen and the mare came into the room and went over to the picture.

“No no no. Please tell meh that it’s alright.” She begged as she tried to pick up the glass shards without cutting herself. I was about to get up and run but then… I saw my defense against that crossbow of hers. Laying in the hand of a fallen pony was a .357 Revolver. The  cylinder that held the bullets had about three shots left. If I could grab it, I could possibly save myself in case anything goes bad. I was about to reach over and grab it when I saw the picture I just hit.

“S-Scootaloo….. Sw-Sweetie…. Ah’m so sorry Ah got the picture hurt please don’t be sad.” The mare said to the picture of what seemed to be her as a filly and two other fillies behind her. All three of them were smiling and seemed to be wearing what seemed to be red capes with some sort of symbol on them. Those were her friends that she might’ve lost. Or they’re alive. But then the worst thing happened. The floor under me creaked getting the mare’s attention. Quickly, I grabbed the revolver and aimed it right at the mare who aimed her crossbow back at me.

“Y-you…. you threw t-that dagger. You h-hurt mah friends.” She stammered at me. While normally this would be intimidating I couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit remorseful for the crazy mare.

“Look I’m sorry but I tend to hurt other ponies when they tend to try and eat me-” I started but soon felt a arrow zoom by me.

“Ah never said… Ah was gonna eat ya’. Y-you w-wanted food a-and Ah was gonna give it.” She said.

“T-Then explain the pony skin couch! And the tablecloth too!” I ordered.

“Them? They were tryin’ to rob meh so Ah just defended myself. So Ah made sure Ah had somethin’ to ward off intruders.” She explained. Alright, I had to admit that was a good plan.

“B-But your Granny, she’s-” I tried to get out.

“DON’T YA’ DARE SAY IT! She’s ‘bout alive as you and meh!” She claimed. So the mare still was a couple of nuts short of a fruitcake but she still had to realize ‘Granny’ wasn’t exactly…. active anymore. Any sign of movement I’m thinking was in part due to the maggots.

“Look Miss-” I started.

“Applebloom.” She interrupted.

“Look Applebloom, I know that you think that your Granny is alive-” I began to explain.

“But she is. Everyday we head out to the orchard and pick apples.” She interrupted again.

“But look at her. She’s not alive. She’s gone.” I told her and already I saw some sane portion of her trying to find some lie in my words but it couldn’t seem to find any as she started to break down into tears. She walked over to the maggot filled corpse and fell to her knees.

“G-Granny Smith… p-please t-tell him h-he’s lyin’.” She begged the corpse. The sight was almost too much for my heart to bear. I looked back to the revolver I had in my hand and considered aiming it at her and allowing her to join her family in Elysium. But then what that make me better than the old her? Than Steel Wing? I knew now that somehow, this was a chance to make things right for Applebloom. Slowly, I made my way to her as she cried her tears that she must’ve been holding back for a long time, and placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me and I noticed that the wild look in her eyes were gone now. And I saw a pair of two beautiful eyes that now spoke in a more gentle voice.

“T-thank ya’ fer that. Ah’ve l-lived alone f-fer so long that I-I’ve forgot what it’s like t-tah have a livin’ being with meh.” She told me. She cried a little more but I held her close and allowed her to cry into my fur. She then looked at my face, allowing me to wipe away the tears.

“Don’t worry. We all need somepony through this Applebloom.” I said back with a gentle smile.

“S-So what’s yer’ name?” She asked me as she stepped back a bit.

“Iron Heart. And... sorry about what’s happened to your family. Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked with a concerned voice. Applebloom nodded which I took as a yes.

“M-mah sister Applejack is out in the barn. She locked herself in there after five of those monsters chased her into it. W-what are they?” She asked me.

“The best I figure is that these things are living corpses. Other than the fact that they want to eat our faces and devour our brains I got nothing.” I replied.

“Well…. can ya’ get Applejack’s body out of the barn so Ah… we can bury them?” She asked me.

“Of course. You grab the shovel and I’ll get them ready.” I replied as I headed for the door.

“Thanks.” She said to me. I then headed out of the door and towards the farm which seemed like it saw better days. The wood was splintering and the paint was coming off of it. As I headed to the door, I noticed that there was no lock on the outside, but on the inside is a different story. I tried to push it open but instead I felt the weight of several bodies blocking the door… which shouldn’t be possible considering what Applebloom told me about the scene. I pushed it a little more and soon felt the bodies slide away as I opened it at last only to see a mess of blood and a crap ton of bodies. They were decayed and seemed to have bullets in their heads which meant ‘Bloom’s sister did kill these infected. But then I noticed something. No Applejack.

Only a puddle of what could’ve been her dried blood. I felt a shiver go down my spine when that meant one thing. She was infected. Acting fast, I checked every part of the barn to see if her sister died anywhere in there from the loft to behind the tractor. But then, I noticed a torn and bloodied stetson laying near the barn wall. I picked it up and felt every fiber of my being chill as I realized something. Applejack did die but instead of staying that way she got a wake up call and came back as some undead monster. I ran back to the house and saw Applebloom digging the graves.

“Iron what in tarnation-”

“She’s not there.” I told Bloom.

“W-what do ya’ mean Iron?”

“I mean your sister isn’t in the barn… I think she’s one of them.” I replied. Her eyes shrunk to pinpricks as she dropped the shovel.

“W-We need to move now. If she’s here, she’ll be after us.” She stuttered.

“I know. But first, we need to get supplies and weapons.” I said to her. She simply nodded and ran back to her house. I ran back towards the barn, hoping to find something to use for a weapon since that red stallion cracked my axe handle, making it useless. I made it to the barn again and I nearly sighed in relief as I saw countless farm weapons. I walked over to a nearby machete and picked it up. It felt good but I still kept an open mind as I put the blade down. I then looked over and saw a rusted pitchfork with some duct tape laying next to it. Suddenly, the light bulb in my head went off as I gained an idea. Being that my father could basically make anything from anything he could find, he taught me how to make weapons with nearly anything. So, I grabbed the machete and the pitchfork and placed them down on the work table. I then grabbed the duct tape and taped the machete to the other end of the pitchfork. When I was done, I had a weapon that had two ends that could slice and stab. I smiled as I turned to leave…. only to see by far one of the ugliest infected in my life.

It walked upright but it’s pot belly was a sight that I didn’t need to see at all. It had a weird jaw formation and it dribbled what seemed to be pure acid. Its arms were long and ended with sharpened nails that could slice me apart like butter. It hissed before spitting at me. I dodged it and watched as it dissolved the wall behind me.

“Alright. Time for a test run.” I said as I readied my new weapon. I ran towards the infected and before it could swing one of its arms at me, I sliced it open with the pitchfork end, causing its intestines to fall to the ground with a slimy and wet thump. It shrieked in pain as the intestines fell entirely out of the stomach. It still tried to charge me but then it spat a glob on acid at me which missed and hit the wall behind me. I watched in amazement as it melted slowly and almost didn’t notice the creature nearly jump me. I was about to use the pitchfork side but I heard a loud blast and the beast fell into a hay bale maker which turned on and grinded it to mince meat. I turned my head and saw Applebloom with the revolver I had on me. I looked at my pants and saw that it was gone. She took it off of me.

“Thanks. I owe you one Applebloom.” I said as I placed the weapon on the homemade strap on my back.

“No problem. Now, can we get this done with before more show?” She asked as she passed the gun back to me.

“Of course.” I replied as I placed the gun back at my side. I followed her back to where she dug two holes and in them laid her Granny Smith and that red stallion from before.

“Ah heard the prayer ya’ said to Big Mac before I ended him. Could ya’ say another here?” She asked. I nodded as I closed my eyes and started the prayer again. “Celestia please find a place in your heaven for these poor souls. Please allow them to see their family and hopefully allow them peace through this Tartarus.” I said as calmly as I could for the two grave sights.