Tales by Balefirelight (a Fallout: Equestria Group Collab)

Honeyby Honey Mead

I’m good at hiding. It’s not my special talent or anything, just something I can do really well. Mother, and everypony else I guess, has always hated it, but I figure they’re just jealous. My special talent is actually ventriloquism. My voice can run around a room all by itself.

They’ve both been really helpful lately.

I think I smell pretty bad, but after awhile you stop noticing, you know? It’s been so long since I took a shower that my sweat has carved rivers from my mane down to my hooves. Truthfully, I don’t mind most of the time, except like now, when it’s running between my eyes. I have to hold my head up or it will splash on the floor.

My breath has finally started to slow down along with my heart. Those last fifteen minutes were really tense. It’s a good thing I found this closet.

A growl of protest comes from my stomach, reminding me why I’m here in the first place.

I press my ear to the steel door and listen. The coast is clear, or it should be. I decide to wait a few more minutes to be on the safe side. Another loud growl makes me re-consider. If she’s out there, she’d have heard that.

Slowly, oh so carefully, I open the door and peek.

The hallway is empty… of life. White fluorescent lights buzz and flicker in the ceiling. There’s nowhere to hide out there, and I can’t decide if that’s good or bad. The hollow in my stomach makes it moot.

I close my eyes for a moment. I imagine the hallway the way I remember it. It helps a little. Then I step into the first puddle. It’s not really a puddle anymore, too dry, but it is sticky and disgusting. There’s no way around it, though, and jumping is right out. Trying not to breath doesn’t really help with the smell, but I do it anyways.

“Honey!” I freeze, my throat squeezing so tight that a scream suffocates and dies inside. “You’re in big trouble missy! I’ve been looking all over for you—”

I take off, galloping as fast as my hooves will carry me. Five paces. I make it five paces before tripping over a leg. My chin hits the floor and I slide through a stain, the dried blood barely noticeable against my once golden coat. I taste copper.

Before I can recover, she’s on top of me, a hoof pressed into the small of my back. “That’s a naughty girl! Running away from momma like that.”

I try to scream but only manage to garble as my bit tongue gushes inside my mouth. I start crying. I don’t know what else to do.

“Don’t give me those alligator tears, Honey! You have to face your punishment like a big girl.”

The knife presses into the top of my muzzle. It’s shiny, like a polished mirror. I can see the leg I tripped over reflected in it. There is a moment there where I wonder where the rest of him is, but it doesn’t last long.

“Momma’s very disappointed in you, Honey.”

The blade shifts.

I manage to scream this time.