The Pink Mile

Let me tell you a solemn truth about third Tuesdays, I'm not too particulary fond of them. Its the kind of day where you wake up and expect the worst sort of news, its neither a joyous occasion, nor is it anything to look forward to in my occupation. My personal opinions on the matter aside, I understand that Third Tuesdays are the reason why I and my fellow officers are employed at The Mile, and it is a practice that we grimly have become extremely professional and expedite in. When I left the side of my dearest husband this morning and donned my uniform, I knew I was in for a long day, Third Tuesdays were the kind of day where once again, Day and Night shifts would be merged into enacting an event on The Mile. I knew it to be a long haul in front of me, as are every Third Tuesday, but today I didn't want to leave the comforting arms of my beloved husband. I didn't want to go into work and carry out the righteous act as directed by law. I did not want to murder someone I had just became friends with. If I had known what events would take place that night, and of the events that happened the night before, I would've scheduled a hearing with the governor to postpone the execution, until at least another 3 weeks had past. And...maybe another 3 weeks...perhaps...maybe more? If I would've known of the dark magics that would arise on that evening, I would've opened the cells immediately and let loose all tenants, telling them to be free from the horrors of The Mile, and of the Equestrian Federal Penitentary. Alas, I didn't know, how could I know? I was just a powerless young fool, believing she was doing the right thing. God...oh god...was I wrong...

Tuesday, June 24th, 1947. 06:30

The alarm bell went off louder than usual, a sort of cacophony of clamour between those two buzzers and that hammer. My husband, bless his soul and his wisdom, slammed down on the morning interloper and yawned with groggy eyes to me.

"Morning Sugarplum." he sleepingly muttered, stroking my mane gently and caressing my fetters.

"Morning Honeybunches." I drew him in close and awarded the both of us with a long drawn out smooch that seemed more dynamic than the cup of warm Columbra brew I would soon be ingesting.

"Pinkie... we haven't had... that much...activity since Honululu." he whispered, rubbing his hoof up and down my belly from underneath our downy sheets. I really wish he wouldn't, after our... exercises of the evening, I fear that I may have to allocate the budget to purchase a newer, let us say, cleaner, pair of bed dressings.

"I know Enahn, I honestly can not say what had overcome me last evening, I just.." I could feel my body tingle, in non descriptive terms that I don't feel needs to be mentioned to a nice young man like yourself.

His hoof met my lips as our eyes locked with one another. "The doctor must've given you really good advice Pinkie."

I felt my lungs exhale with the heaviest of sighs, and I rolled my head to look at the spackled ceiling of our master bedroom. "That's the thing... it wasn't Dr Menowitz's advice Enahn..."

I rolled over and took his wonderous face into my hooves, and I stared right into those green colored pools of handsomeness. "Enahn, what I am about to tell you, is the right hoof to God honest truth."

My husband listened sincerely to my tale of reconciliation, urinary tract miracles, and personal bonding with the calmest look of acceptance on his face. Even at the part where I said that Ms Sparkle laid her horn upon my chest, and freed me from my souls pain, he refused to surrender that look of acceptance on his grizzled face. I thank Celestia every day that I had married that man, Enahn Edgar Pie, surname Mousse.

"And that's when I came home, and saw you cleaning the dishes in your apron, and I was overcome with this great need to... well, you know." I implied pointing my head downward toward the sheets.

"What are your personal thoughts on the matter Enahn?" I said, slowly making my way into his warm fuzzy chest. Ah, the scent of a man, how wonderous.

My face lifted from his heavy sigh, I could honestly tell he was pondering very hard at the line of debate I had posed to him. Not to be blamed or anything, any other sane man would be questioning the mental stability of the person who would knit such yarn.

"To be honest Pinkie..." Enahn took my chin and I could feel him lift my gaze towards his. His eyes shone with a sense of seriousness and confidence as if what he was about to speak was a God's honest truth as well. "I think you may have one of God's angels held up at The Mile."

Oh lord, I tried to contain my laughter, but a little wisp of a giggle escaped my lips. Enahn, he wasn't the brightest of ponies, but he sure wasn't a dim one either, and with good ears to boot as well.

"And what's so funny bout that idea Missy?" Enahn grumpingly stated, puffing his cheeks out.

"It's just...that can't be right. God wouldn't send one of his angels to The Mile, Enahn. God doesn't condemn his servants to death." I could feel myself rambling on about. In those years, I really thought I understood theology and the basic decision makings that omnipotentant other worldly beings would make. They were callous, ignorant days of brash youthfulness.

Enahn rolled over and lifted the bedspread from ontop of us, and he stretched motioning his posterior in my direction.

"Well, you know what they say Sugarplum, God works in mysterious ways." He murmured as he yawned mightly into the sunrise.

I felt my jaw fall in response and I nuzzled myself back into the downy bedsheet.

"Hey Enahn?"

"Yeah Pinkie?"

"Can we go for round seven?"

"Pinkie I am not from Havana baby! Now get your fine little patooty out of that bed and get dressed. Its the Third Tuesday after all." He said, descending upon me, with a violent possessed tickle hoof.

"Yeah.... I guess it is."

My hooves wriggled around slightly underneath the downy bedsheet as I struggled against the extremely effiecient hooves of dear Enahn, "Okay, okay I'll get up! Just stop with your grabby hooves."

I leapt off the bed and landed squarely on my hooves with a bit of tremble. You see, women are a bit different men in, certain well... ways. Whereas Enahn can stand proudly in front of the vestibule, I had a sensation relative to his infamous Jell-o salad to my knees. I made my way to the nightstand with the grace of a drunken ballerina, and plopped my bottom on the cushioned stool that he and I fashioned out of drift wood back when we were just young ponies, back when money didn't come so easy.

With a heavy yawn, I started removing the curlers in my mane, everyone catching themselves on a bit of a knot, sending a twitch down my neck when I removed them.

It was certainly Tuesday, but a Tuesday I didn't want to wake up for. I have to execute Ms Zecora this evening, and to be honest, I don't think my newly healed soul was this ready to be scarred once more.

I felt hooves dipping from behind my neck as a light kiss sent a quick tingle right down to my forelegs. "When you're done, come on down to the kitchen Sugarplum, I'll make something special for you girls The Mile."

And with that my husband slowly turned round, and brushed his tail against my face, and headed down to the kitchen. I felt a soft giggle escape from my lips, as I began combing my mane. Maybe today won't be so terrible, at least I have my Enahn to rely and invest my hope in. No matter how dark, or how rough a day is, he is always there, with loving arms to comfort me.

and I thank God for that.

The wafting aroma of sweet Columbra made its way sneakily to my snout, beckoning further downstairs....

Young man, I want to ask you something very personal. Up to this point, I have been very, withholding in my storytelling to you, and I wanted to know if its any trouble if I... well, would be more open with you. What do I mean with that son? Well, an old mare like me doesn't have many secrets left in her beating heart, so its best that I come and tell you my tale with all its weights and brevity that it holds on my heart. Please, do forgive me if it is too much for you to bear, I will immediately draw back if it becomes too much.

The kitchen was aloft with the scents of coffee, baked sweets, pastries, and of course, a pungent Eue d' Guchi, a rather expensive, but familiar and welcoming scent to my nostrils. I reached forward and pulled out a chair for my husband and I. Hmm... bacon, eggs, sweet peach tea...nothing out of the regular for a morning such as today. Oh how do I know? Well, the sound of sizzling bacon kind of gives it away, the smell of slightly crisping egg is a dead giveaway as well, and for the sweet peach tea? Well, to be honest I just saw that.

With a smile of contentment over my face, I trotted over to the meshed porch door. The door creaked slightly as I made way and retrieved the 'Derry Chronicle', a simple little 12 page newspaper for a simple little town of 1200 ponies. Sure, we may not have as many ponies or stories as Jacky or Perkins have over in Ludlow; or Dashy who lived yonder in Castle Rock, but we manage to put together 12 pages of news every morning. Even if its just classified and stories about Mable Meriums cats scratching around in the forests and giving people the spooks. I trotted back indoors and sat at the kitchen table, right as Enahn laid a plate of bacon and eggs before me, and poured me a glass of sweet peach tea.

Not to dwelve away from the story lad, but I saw one of her cats on my normal drive to The Mile, this was a couple of weeks before, well the incident occurred. At first I didn't even think it to be a cat, I thought it was some mange ridden rat, I remember something though son. Its eyes, they were as big as dinner plates they were, as if...well, as if it was unearthly. Now being the young mare that I was I thought the poor thing had been attacked by some coyote, and I reached into the back of my Plymouth Fury, it was an early model of an automobile that was gifted to Enahn and I, by Warden Cake ,who had a friend by the name of Mr White, who was celebrating his daughter's birth, for outstanding service at The Mile, and I drew my shotgun to put the poor thing out of its misery. I can tell you young man, I don't know what I saw in that critters eyes, but I was certainly not able to hold the firearm straight let alone pull the trigger. Its eyes gave a sort of gleam, reminsicent of the eyes I've seen at The Mile, those same hungry violent eyes of the desperate.

I'm sorry, I rambled too much in something that isn't really that important.

I opened the newspaper, not really much of news going on this morning. Seems like Mable's cats have gone spooked the Sheriff again, looks like they were carrying, some sort of...car battery? Hah. That ol' drunk of a sheriff must have been drinking again. I lifted my breakfast to my eager lips as I continued reading, seems like the Dellinger boys went missing down by the crick, along with Mears girls as well. The parents seem real upset in the interview, delusional even, something about balloons.

I sipped a bit of my peach tea, and turned the page. Suddenly I dropped my fork, as I felt the peach tea stick in my throat.

"Sugerplum what's wrong?" Enahn asked looking up from his home brewed cup of Comubra.

"I have to go." I dropped the paper, and quickly ran to the telephone, dialing the rotary with an anxious fury.

My heart beating furiously, as well as my hooves tapping relentlessly on the wooden floor, I waited for my call to go through.

Enahn got up from the kitchen table, and collected my unfinished meal, throwing a glance of loving concern my way. I'm sorry Enahn, the food was delicious, but this is alot more important.

"Hello? Who the hay is callin' this early in the marning? I told y'all I ain't interested in no damn interview, now sully off!"

"JACQUILINE APPLELINE!" I found myself screaming through the receiver. "HOW DARE YOU NOT CALL ME IMMEDIATELY!" Enahn dropped his hooful of dishes, breaking the silence that had fell between Jacky and I. He slowly picked them up, and sighed as he left the kitchen.

"Pinkie... Rarity and I have been trying our damndest just to keep everything as mum as possible."

"Well obviousally it hasn't worked. I read it in the Derry Chronicle. The dinky little 12 page newspaper I have here in this small town, so you bet your hindquarters the rest of Equestria already knows what happened."

A long moment of silence occurred, I could hear a bit of anxiety in her breathing, despite my anger maybe I should hold back just a little bit.

"I'm... sigh, I'm just mad that you didn't call me at once. Are you two okay?"

"Yeah, Rarity's going to be staying with us here at the farm for awhile."

"...what of Dr Menowitz?" I asked gingerly, knowing the situation was still rather fresh.

"...He's gone Pinkie. He was declared dead at the scene." Jacquiline forlornly stated.

"Jacquiline, I have to ask you, as your friend and as your superior officer... did you murder..."

"NO I DID NOT PINKIE!" I was met with immediately. A long silence drew afterwards, followed by mellow sobbing.

"I wanted to Pinkie. I really wanted to. I wanted to blow his fucking brains all over The Mile, but I couldn't...I just,well..." she paused for a moment.

" Jacquiline?"

"Pinkie, something happened last night something I'm not really able to explain."

"Pinkie... what I'm telling you is the God's honest truth. Last night I di---"

"Wait." I abruptly interupted Jacquiline, cutting her off.

"Would any of last nights events happen to involve a certain alicorn?" I asked hestitatingly, as if dreading the obvious answer.

"...yeah."

My stomach fell as a sense of new found confidence raised in my throat. "Very well. Dashy and I will meet you and Perkins at the usual spot for lunch then."

"The Black Tower bar?"

"The very same. We need to discuss some things, some...inmate things."

"Understood Pinkie. Ah'm gonna head back to bed, big night ahead of us you know."

"Yeah... Third Tuesday, I know."

"Listen Pinkie, I dont know why I feel the need to say this, but..."

"Everything is going to be fine?" I quickly stated.

"Yeah. Everything is going to be just fine, don't let Warden Cake rip you too hard."

"Tell me about it, I know I'm his only niece, but I swear when that man gets angry, whoo nelly does he gets angry."

"Maybe Rarity and I will hear it from Ludlow, that'll be a hell of a wake up. You take care Pinkie."

"You too Jacky." The line went dead, and I returned the phone into its cradle. Not even 07:00 yet, and this day has already turned into something stranger than the previous. I trotted back to the kitchen table and plopped down, muzzle in my hooves.

What the hell is going on in the state of Mane?

I felt Enahn's forelegs dipping over my neck and the scent of his Eue D' Guchi permenating my nostrils.

"Everything okay Sugarplum?"

"Yeah... everything is going to be just fine Enahn."

"I made you something special today, a kind of thank you, to you and to the angel."

I froze when he spoke that word, he didn't know what happened last night, I'll tell him later after I talk to the girls at lunch, but for now he doesn't really need to know. I crumbled the newspaper into my uniform pocket, and continued to follow my adoring husband to the stovetop.

"Yeah? Did you bake something special?" I asked, feeling the warm heat from the iron furnance. and reeling in comfy hunger from the delicious scent within.

"Yeah, I made cornbread. Haven't really tried out this recipe before, but I think..." he gingerly sliced through and lifted a square of the sweetbread to my mouth.

"That you'll really love it!" he finished, slapping my muzzle down. Oh god it was delicious! My mouth permiating with saliva over the sweet sugary morsel.

"That is amazing Enahn! I'll make sure that the gals have a piece of it too!" Enahn stumbled a little while picking up the hot baking pan.

"O-okay dear. Just make sure that the angel gets some as well. And don't you hog it all missy!"

"I won't silly billy! Geez, who do you think I am?"

"You're the woman I married, I KNOW you."

"Well... you got me there."

Enahn gave me a quick peck to the cheek, and threw my overcoat on top of my honches.

"Now hurry along Pinkie, get your business done so you can come home quicker." he said with a bit of a naughty chuckle.

"Y-yeah. I'll... try to make it as quick as possible." I felt my tone falling with every word that came out of my mouth.

I trotted out the back porch, and jumped into Chryssy, its the name Enahn chose for the Plymouth. I set the transmission into reverse and backed up, nearly running over Mr Claredon's massive St Bernard. The damn thing was just standing there, glaring daggers at the bumper of my car.

"Caju! CAJU! Move yer fat butt you big galoot!"I yelled out from my window. Caju growled slightly, huh that's weird. Normally that dog is as passive as a baby with a bottle. I honked my horn, but Caju refused to move whatsoever. Ergh, I'll just drive around him, I tried reversing to the left, but he moved along with the car and sat down.

"CAJU!" I screamed in frustration as I tried reversing to the right, and he followed in suit.

"Oh when I get my hooves on you..."

Suddenly one of Mrs. Mable's mangy cats jumped from the brushes and hissed at who I thought to be Caju. If I hadn't have been so frustrated, I would've noticed its dinner plate sized green eyes were directed at me. Caju quickly got to his paws and chased after the mangy cat.

"Finally!" I huffed, as I backed away from 112263 Joyland Dr, and made my way to The Mile.

As I pulled away, I could almost hear a faint yelp of pain in the distance.

Now something that I am not entirely keen on, especially when the ol pickle barrel of a brain is running at full speed to keep the gears grinding, is memory. Its not just because I'm an older lady, young man. I had the same sort of troubles when I was in the prime of my youth, but could you honestly blame me?

Two of my friends have had a terrible, nightmarish scenario revolving what I'd liked to think at the time was just a fatal misunderstanding of martial troubles. Not only that, but the same pony who incited the event, happened to be my personal doctor as well, and I do say although I felt sprier than a spring chicken from the release of my, nether chains... I was still concerned about the health of myself, and my dear Enahn!

Also lets not forget the purple elephant sitting in The Mile, Twilight Sparkle. How in all of Equestria can I even begin to focus when I've got a bonafied force of heavenly nature sealed away behind an inch and three quarters of steel, condemned to die by my own two hooves?

Of course I couldn't focus, let alone remember that my dear Enahn had made a basket of sweet cornbread. I suppose it wasn't aware of the issue until something, well, I guess I'll reminence on the event.

The drive to The Mile wasn't particularly long, nor was it particularly interesting. Derry didn't have much to speak of as per town culture or attraction. Just the typical three street burough out in the sticks, I suppose if anything we are popular among the reclusive and the elderly.

Heck, even most of the roads aren't paven, and with my fine taste of land purchasing, I happened to be the sole driver of the dustiest, and least cared for road in all of Mane, but you have to do what you have to do, especially these days when the times are rough.

I putted my hoof on the steering wheel as my mind raced through the events of the previous day, and how I would be able to explain any of it to Warden Cake, and in that focus unfocusing, I felt the bumper slam

I felt my stomach descend as quickly as my hooves did on the brake pedal. Oh God, oh sweet Lord I think I may have hit something! Scrambling with my seatbelt, sweat torrenting off my brow, I hurried out of Chryssy to inspect my ungodly act of ignorance.

Sure as molasses, Chryssy had a bit of dent on her bumper, and I could my skin crawl at the sight, not of the bumper of course, but what the bumper happened to hit. Lying in fetal stance, blood dripping from his muzzle, interior nescessities open to the cold morning fog, wheezing in extreme expression of discomfort lay Caju, The Saint Bernard I had just reprised not longer than fifteen minutes ago.

"Caju...Caju... I'm so sorry." I knelt down to pet the poor thing, and was met with almost immediate gnashing of his teeth in my direction.

I drew my hoof back instinctively, feeling abashed for my stupidity to try to comfort a dying animal.

I knelt down once more and looked Caju in his forlorn, pained eyes. I could feel a cacophony of brevity with that canine's eyes, anger, fear, sadness, the same eyes I've seen on inmates from behind their cells. A spiteful look, as if you were the bane of their very existence, however there was something else I saw in his eyes. I saw that same green wide eyed look of savagery, the famished ravenous eyes of the murderous barbarian, not unlike those mangy cats that have been prowling about. Caju's eyes seemed unearthly with that sheen, and I found myself at a point where I knew that such a thing was not meant to kept in such a state.

"Shh... shh... I'll end it Caju. Just...stay there." I whispered, petting his stained fur. The whimper of a growl I believed to be his acceptance of my following action, or at least thats what I'd like to think. I trotted back to Chryssy, and reached into the back seat for my shotgun. I cocked the chamber and loaded a single shell into the barrel, the whole process of it was not unfamiliar to me.

With the amount of near death wildlife I encounter here in Derry, I suppose I had taken a bit of The Mile home with me. A sort of duty I felt nescessary in life, I was an executioner, at home and at work.

With a heavy sigh, I crawled back out, shotgun in hoof. I suppose I would need to go through two duties on this third Tuesday, and two lambashings. I can't imagine what Mr Claredon will think when I have to tell him that I had to put down his beloved St Benard, the two have been inseperable since he was just a puppy.

Shaking my head of the idea, I trotted back to the front bumper of Chryssy, and what I saw in that brief moment of time, still haunts me to this day. Where there used to be a sorrowful sight of a dying dog, laid a trail of blood, feces, and fur... and a tuft of a tail being dragged into the brush, by not one, not two, but twenty, TWENTY mangy cats, all with those unearthly green dinner plate eyes. I felt a thunderbolt strike through from the top of my brow right down to my hooves, as I dropped my shotgun and stumbled sideways onto the hood of Chryssy. The sudden announcement of my shock seemed to give away my being to the gaggle of...and please don't laugh young man... evil creatures, causing all fourty dinner plates to afix upon my being. An horrid cowl, which I could only describe as demonic pierced my ears, as one by one, the green eyes disappeared into the brush, taking the barely breathing figure of Caju along with them.

I can't...oh god...I can't breathe. What...what...what in the living daylights is going on? My heart was running rampart against my ribcage, adrenal pumping through my veins,

"I can't...I can't be here. Enahn....ENAHN!!!" I panted in fear as I dropped my shotgun and scurried into the drivers seat. I quickly shifted into reverse and slammed my hoof on the gas pedal. I have to get home, this was a sign, this definately had to be a sign from God. My jaw grinding against my tongue I sped away like a bat out of hell.

I wasn't sure how quickly I was traveling, but I knew whatever speed I was, I wasn't going fast enough. My hooves clenched on the steering wheel, I kept my eyes on the passing landscape in front of me. My god...its everywhere. That Green, those horrendous green dinner plate eyes, from behind every stump, from every ditch, those same alien like eyes glaring into my soul, accusing, ravenous, murderous awful eyes!

"Have to get home....I have to get home..." I barely mutter under the duress of panic, my bladder on the brink of bursting in terror. There, right there! Our black little cottage, at the end of the dusty road! My hoof slammed on the brake pedal as if were made of lead, and slammed the transmission into park. I didn't even wait to turn the motor off, before I fell out of the Buick, stumbling to find my own hooves.

"Enahn.....ENAHN!!!!!!!" my words falling empty on the fog layered morning. Quickly stumbling up the porch doors, I burst through the screen door into the kitchen, slamming it behind me.

The smell of bacon, egg, peach tea Eue de Guchi and sweet Columbra still permiated the small room, relieving me if only for a moment of my sheer terror. With a heavy sigh I fell to the wooden floor, I'm safe. I'm finally safe from those horrible eyes.

"Enahn? Enahn sweety are you home?" I murmured slightly behind a thin veil of confidence. I crept to my hooves and walked over to the table where I had noticed the cornbread sitting pretty at my chair with a note on top of the cloth covering it. With a bit of hesitation, I pick up the yellow manuscript and began reading.

"It's a good thing we've been married for so long Pinkie, or I would've been insulted. Luckily, if I know anything about you, you'll be back soon to pick up the cornbread. I'll be headed down the crick by the time your back, to help with the Dellinger boy search party." My voice whobbling at bit at the final part, "I will always love you sugar plum."

I sniffled away my remaining panic, as I wiped my eyes with the note. Thank God I'm married to that stallion. Feeling a bit hungry from my lack of breakfast, and my not so flattering tendancy to eat sweets, I pulled off the cloth to the sweet cornbread. Ahh... still warm... still oh so sweet. However something did catch my eye other than the glistening glow of martial baked goods, a rosary and yet another note from my dearest Enahn. Curious in the gesture, I decided to read this one as well.

"Pinkie, I've been doing some thinking, and I know I ain't much one for thinking, but please take me seriously when you read this. I do believe that you have an angel of God at The Mile, which makes me think if such a thing were possible, maybe the opposite of such could be as well. This rosary was my Granny's Pinkie,she did always use to say prayers to St Michael, patron saint of truth and justice. I know we ain't much into the faith nowadays, but I suppose a little bit of it never hurt now and then. Please, take it with you when you see the angel again, and please from the very bottom of my soul, know that everything will be okay. Love, Enahn E. Pie, surname Mousse"

I looked at Enahn's letter and I stared at the rosary with an intense confusion upon my face. I could feel as if the motion of events were being manipulated by some warring outside forces beyond my tiny comprehension. On one side sat a terrible unknown force of paranormality right outside my doorstep, and the other an almighty presence that is seemingly reminding that its going to be okay. Not being the one to really stand against either, I picked up the rosary, and slipped it into my coat pocket. I threw the cloth back over the cornbread and threw it on my back. The sun shone right through the window of the tiny kitchen and I couldn't help it, I smiled.

It was a third Tuesday, but I felt like everything was going to be just fine.

I turned around and trotted through past the screen door leading to the backyard. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, yeah. Everything is going to be just fine.

Which then at that moment my calm was met with that ungodly howl of a cat call. My eyes slammed open, and sure as sugar there they were! Not twenty...not fourty... I couldn't even count how many of them there were. Those green eyes piercing right through my soul once more, clawing its visage right into my brain.

I shook anxiousally as I raised my hoof, and began walking through the yard, surrounded by countless eyes of the wicked creatures, the cacophony grunting and hisses swarming all around me. My voice quivered, as I shook in place.

"I'm not afraid of you. I'm not afraid of any of you, so you can just go up and get. There's nothing worth spooking around here ya flea bitten idjits!"

I wasn't really sure if it would work, but it didn't matter. I had the sort of grin on my face that felt invinicible to the terror around me. I made my way into Chryssy, who was still idling in the yard, and put the car into reverse. The eyes watched all in unison as I pulled away and made my way down the dusty road. Whatever I did, it must have worked, because from that moment on, I never did another one of those horrible beasts again, I guess maybe Enahn was right about the Rosary, maybe it was good to have a little faith that everything was going to be alright. I lifted the cloth off of the cornbread, and helped myself to a small smidgeon. Everything was going to be fine.

Or at least I thought.