When Kindness Entered In

Chapter 2 - The Journey to Safety

Now that Fluttershy was in my arms there was no going back. Not that I could ever think of putting her back in that box as if she were trash, leaving her hurt and alone. It was a surreal feeling knowing that within the squirming blankets there was this creature that for all purposes shouldn’t even be in this world. The brightly colored horse with wings should be on some cartoon, one that someone would watch and then go about their day. But my eyes couldn’t lie as to what I saw, nor could what I heard be discounted. And now as I held her in my arms I knew without any doubt that she was real and she needed my help.

The apartment complex I was in was a giant rectangular seven story brick monstrosity of a structure, clearly built for function with no attempts of appearing nice. Encircling the place was an asphalt ring where visitors and tenants parked. I had the misfortune of always seeming to get the spot as far away from the front door as possible. Luckily though there was a side door, meant as an emergency exit but always left ajar with its alarm deactivated years ago. It was a perfect way for me to make a quick entrance without much attention. Honestly what would you do if you saw someone walking past you carrying a living breathing cartoon horse? You may be excited but there are those that might get a little upset, even though seeing how this pony looked it was hard to get upset at her.

Making it to the doorway was easy, albeit getting a little rain soaked from the still drizzling remnant of the storm. Like some covert operative delivering a secret through enemy lines  I carefully made my way down the hallway, past the laundry room where washers and dryers thumping and squealing that masked any sounds I made. I then heard Fluttershy make a whimper as I found myself holding her too tightly for her comfort.

“Sorry,” I whispered to the pony under the blanket mass, “I know this isn’t the best way to get you to my home, but we need to do this. I need you to be as quiet and as still as possible until I say so, ok?”

I took the silence as a yes as I rounded the corner to where the space opened up to a long hallway where on the other end was an elevator and my and her ticket to freedom. I could have just walked up the stairs, but the jarring of each step might hurt the poor creature more than what she was feeling while I was walking.

“Hey there,” a voice said behind me, “How are you doing today?”

I turned to see my neighbor standing there with his usual pleasant smile. He was an older man, easily into his retirement, yet despite the years he lived he still had a pleasant outlook on life. This was why I respected him and any advice he gave.

“I’m doing fine. How are you doing?”

“I can’t complain. Say, that was some storm out there, wasn’t it? You were ok coming home in it, right?”

“Yeah, it was pretty bad, but I got here fine,” I said as I stood uneasily while trying to hold Fluttershy so that it didn’t look like I was carrying something living under the paint and dirt splattered sheet. Even though I trusted this man, I still didn’t know how anyone else would react to seeing what I found.

“What are you carrying there that you’re so nervous about me seeing?” he asked, always a wise and perceptive one this guy was.

“Oh it’s nothing,” I said trying to keep the tone light, “Just some stuff from work. The drop cloth I just found so any papers didn’t get wet as I forgot my umbrella today.”

“Well alright then. I’m not going to call you a liar or anything. Just be careful though that you don’t bring in any pets here. Otherwise Ms. Mildred will hit the roof. That woman is as friendly as trying to hug a cactus!”

I couldn’t agree more about Ms. Mildred, the landlady of the apartment. She was a person that appeared nice but then suddenly snapped at you for no apparent reason. She also held a grudge that lasted forever, like your name being put of a blacklist to be forever hounded by her. I knew that I was on that list when asking her why she didn’t like tenants to have pets, a simple question which was just out of curiosity since I didn’t have any. To her it was like I slapped her in the face, and so after that day she would always assume that I was up to no good, like my apartment would one day be filled with animals or something like that. Most of the time we kept our distance, well mainly me on the lookout for her and this was why I stayed at her apartment. Yet with every time that we did meet my mind would think about somewhere else I could go that was free from her wrath.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway thanks for talking to me. I really should be getting back to my apartment.”

“Alright then,” the older man said, “I don’t want to keep you any longer if you have to do something. I’ll be seeing you later I’m sure.”

Saying our goodbyes, I made it to the elevator and ever closer to my goal of getting my secret to safety. It was a tense moment in that elevator as it climbed up the floors, worried that Ms. Mildred would join me. Then I would be trapped with her always search and always disapproving glance. Thankfully the elevator shuddered its way to my floor, another challenge overcome. As the doors opened the hallway was clear, an almost eerie feeling knowing that at the other side of the two brick walls that flanked the worn carpeted hallway there were others but for the most part I could hardly tell who they might be.

Finally I breathed a sigh of relief after reaching the door, fumbling the keys while trying to hold the shaking creature wrapped in the filthy blanket. Finally with a click and a squeak the door opened into the living room. Where I finally set down the bundle and opened it up to let the yellow cartoon horse out.

“It’s ok. You’re safe now at my home,” I said as she looked around at the space. It must have been a shock being in a place that she had never seen with perhaps things that she never knew about in her life. As she did reality hit home as I knew that I had no idea how to actually take care of her! Sure she was out of the cold and rain, but what next to do was any guess. She was an animal, but she also had many human qualities about her like the way she acted as I watched her. I couldn’t think about helping her like I would a dog or a cat, so I had to give things a human touch.

I noticed that she looked miserable, not just from the pain she no doubt felt but other things too. Then again I’d feel the same way lost, alone, hurt, and dirty. That was when I knew the first thing that could be done.

“Would you like to take a bath? I think you’d feel much better if you did. I know I do taking a shower.”

Her eyes instantly grew brighter at the idea and with a definite nod. I knew she approved. I picked her up again, this time a little more trusting in me, and carried her towards the bathroom. This was the first time I ever actually felt her coat which despite being dirty and covered in debris it felt very soft. Her unusual pink mane and tail was almost silky to the touch as it brushed against my hands as I entered the bathroom. Setting her down I turned on the water in the tub and after filling it propped her up on the edge of the tub. She reached her hoof down and touched the water, making ripples with each passing stroke.

“Is the water a good temperature?”

She nodded again and I set her carefully into the water, watching as her body sank in save for her fore legs and her head. I realized that it would be awkward trying to bathe this cartoon horse thing on my own, and judging by her shy demeanor I knew she wouldn’t like it.

“Here is a wash cloth, some soap, some shampoo and a towel. Are you ok bathing yourself?”

Another nod confirmed this although she seemed hesitant with the fact that I would be leaving.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be in the next room, and I’ll check on you in a few minutes. If you need anything, let me know, ok?”

She nodded as I carefully closed the door and proceeded back into the living room and sank into my favorite couch. For a moment I thought that this was all a dream, that I just got home and that I would be waking up any moment on the very couch I sat on. I guess it was hard to imagine the fact that there in my apartment was a yellow cartoon horse in my bathtub. My mind raced with questions as to who she was, where she was from, and most importantly how to take care of her. Now I could take care of myself easy enough but never did I take care of someone else like that. I especially didn’t know how to take care of something that was not entire human but yet not entirely an animal.

My thoughts and worries were broken by the sound of music, not like something on the radio filled with harmonies and instruments but a simple melodic hum coming from the bathroom. It was with this sound and remembering that kind face that I saw in the parking lot, a light amongst the grime of the city, that I knew that even though I didn’t have a well thought out plan for my new house guest, I would try my best to help her.