A Slave's Freedom

My eyes focus on the eels in front of me. Their razor sharp teeth and eyes of death numb me to the core, making my world warped with only them and I.

Loud hammers pound against heavy drums.

"On the count of three, we charge that side, okay?"

The sounds of drums overwhelms my body, sending shock after shock of fear to the tips of my fingers and toes.

White men bark orders, while other men draw their muskets and attach their bayonets.

"Are you ready?"

I give her a nod. Drums grow silent as white men draw their swords up high, before sweeping them down.

"GO!"

And another volley from the barrels of death penetrate into the hearts of many.

I hop as fast as I can towards the eels who roar tremendously at our effort. Thinking about it, it is like we are slaves being forced to fight against their master's keep. No swords or guns though, since we are not fighting. Just escaping these many hungry, savage eels to achieve paradise, something I have longed for. Her gallop, though three legs, stay strong and fierce, while my meager and lopsided hop falls behind, yet in suit with her charge. Before we face them head-on, she looks back at me for one last time, sharing a smile that could break men at their heels. Then, without any fear left, Rainbow Dash jumps into the thicket of death and despair. I follow her in, and the bloodbath begins.

The first eel to our right dives down from above. We both dodge his attack, sending his head straight into the cliffside. He moans loudly before roaring for his kin. Apparently one hears his call, as we see a giant boulder being hurled at us.

"Look out!" I hear Rainbow Dash shout, before shoving me to the ground. The two of us fall in a heap of pain, but thankfully none of us add to our battle-scars. The boulder lands right next to us, its tallest and sharpest edge blocking the hungry eels from getting to us. The luck was with us at the moment, so we should take advantage of it. Rainbow Dash must've had the same thought, as she nods at me before rushing to my left, hoping to catch the eels off-guard. Keeping up with her unspoken plan, I sweep to the right and attract the attention of two red-scaled predators, who growl savagely before attacking me with their mouths wide open. In an effort to trap them, I rush towards their wall, hugging it desperately. The result works to my advantage. The first eel misses me badly and instead hits a giant bolder at full speed. The giant eel's head splits the rock in two, revealing gems of many shapes and sizes glimmering in the light. The second eel misses, but manages to control its speed. It looks around to try and find me again, but I stay as quiet as I can while shimmying in the shadows of the gorge. I do not want to deal with more eels than I can handle.

While my desperation ensues, I keep my eye on Rainbow Dash, who dodges a near nail biter. The two eels who she attracted from sweeping around the rock had decided to pin her at the same time, but fortunately for her, her good wing gave her enough leverage to dodge the eels' attacks. As a result, the two eels bump heads, sending both into a confused state of mind. While they sit there in pain, she dashes on ahead, taking on the next two eels with a smirk on her face.

I rush on after her, making sure I'm not left behind. Unfortunately, the eel from before has other plans. It swoops down in front of me with one large sweep, smirking all the while. The long red eel screams at me, sending the hairs of my skin awry. The fear and adrenaline both course through me now, and my mind cannot stop thinking that this is my end. Yet, to my own surprise, I do not back down. There is too much at stake to be hiding. I need to act. I let the eel circle around me, hoping that it will attack. And as it snaps at me, I hop up. I narrowly escape its jaws, and watch as the eel's teeth bares into its own skin. The mighty beast shouts, shaking the gorge walls. As it does, it gives me the opening I need, and I take it without no hesitation. With that, I rush ahead to meet my next opponent, who emerges from the right side of the gorge, scattering rock and debris in all directions.

Putting my arm out to shield myself from the debris, I continue my charge towards my enemy. However I am not unaffected, as I sputter from the lifeless grains that enter me. I hear Rainbow Dash doing the same as she dodges another attack from a large purple eel. We both wipe our mouths after coughing out the dust from our mouths, look at each other, and then raise our heads to the unwelcomed gaze of an eel's dreadful stare. It growls very lowly and sniffs at our bodies with glee. It feels like a dog tending to find a scent of us slaves, but only larger, deadlier, and wanting to kill us.

"Run!" I yell. I hop as fast as I can to the right, hoping to dodge the purple eel's attack. Instead of pinning for me, he tries to tag Rainbow Dash. He snaps at her, before rushing right at her. She narrowly escapes his clutches, but her tail is not spared. As she gallops away, colors of the rainbow flitter in the wind. Some gently float to the ground, while the angry purple eels sends them spinning into the gusts, never to be seen again. The eel then shifts its attention to me, who is nearly out of its range. Yet it does not care, and as I watch it charge with its mouth wide open, I hop to the left. It is a preemptive dodge to see if it will take the bait, but it does not care as it follows me hungrily, the beast licking its lips. I hop again to my right, but nothing happens.

Left, right, left.

The eels does nothing. It must see a pattern.

As I move to the right, the eel finally attacks, its jaws coming upon me.

The purple eel's teeth barely grazes me, the underside of the beast's mouth capturing the hairs on my back. I shout in glee, thinking that I am free from him, yet I never hear the eel impact the ground. Instead, I hear rocks from behind me being tossed and displaced. Desperate, I b-line for the walls, hoping that the rocks miss me entirely. Yet my luck runs out here as one snapped half of a rock hits my side. Thankfully it is not sharp, but it still does not take away the pain that I have. I grip my side, grimacing all the while, but the dull feeling of pain and bruising lets me know of my condition.

Thinking I am free, I let my body rest in the shadows. However my mind does not want to rest, as it hears the gunshots of another angry volley. Men grimace and gasp as blood escapes their chests, while others scream their battle cries. For me, I was doing just that, screaming happily of my victories. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, wears her smirk, and charges headfirst into the crowd of many. She does not cheer. All she does is challenge those who challenge her. I do that too, but with large leaps and balanced gains. After all, she has three usable legs, while I have one. I need to keep my balance, or I am dead meat.

However, as I travel near the gorge's cracked walls, my body feigns its ability to keep me upright. I stagger and hopelessly lean against it, but soon, I meet the ground. All around me grey grains dance and cover my body. It is, as if, the gorge wants me to stay. It wants me to live with the eels. Yet they don't want to live with me, they want me for food. They are hungry like I am hungry. That alone makes me shiver as the thought of eating my friend crosses my mind. The hunger still is there, calling me home, but I cannot even stand up. All I feel is the intense beating of my heart. All I can taste is the dirt that has been tainted with death. Every little instance wraps me with pain like a whip battering my back with each intense flick. Each gasp of fresh air reminds me of a sting from the bees under the old tree on Sweet Acres. The dirt clogs my way airways. I choke, sputter, and cough heavily, hoping to let that dirt leave me. My freedom  is at stake.

"Dyson!" I hear Rainbow Dash shout, before a loud crash makes me look up at the pegasus whose life is on the line. The dirt is no longer my only problem as I see her rush dodge another miracle, and rushes towards me with concern on her face. Galloping to my side, she puts her head under my chest and tries to lift me up. Unfortunately my body is still unable to be moved. I am just to weak to continue.

Or is it?

You be a fighter, son...

Papa...

Be strong for your Momma. Be strong for ya sister. Be strong for all of 'em.

But why?

Be strong. Be strong like no other. The farm needs it.

The memory fluxes within me, sending shock after vicious shock through my body. My freedom is still there, and my family needs me! I must not let them down!

The adrenal rush surges through me once again. I look at Rainbow Dash and stand up, my pain no longer overpowering my body. Even though the dull sensation is still there, I could not focus on it. The pain will be there, but pain tells me I'm alive. I'm not dead. I'm not going to back down. Even if two smirking pairs of eels show their pearly whites... Even if they descend over us with glares of hunger.

With one loud roar from my lungs, I charge forward.

"Wait!"

Words fall to deaf ears as two smirks turn into attacks of death. The first one impacts the Earth in front of me, sending me flying above him. While the other tries to catch me in mid-air. As I see his mighty spikes come towards me, I remember the face of the pony who stood by me, even if I was wanting her for lunch. My stomach would still growl when I see her, but my mind would win. All I see is someone who talks to me without calling me a slave. I see someone who is different, who loves me as a friend. She wants me as a friend.

A friend.

Screaming on the top of my lungs, I focus on the remaining land ahead of me. Only a few more eels to go after I possibly get snatched by this one. I hope she will make it. I close my eyes as I prepare to be eaten.

Yet seconds pass, and I don't feel a thing. Did he grab my leg? Did I lose an arm? Are my pain sensors gone?

I open my eyes. I landed miraculously on my good leg. Behind me lays a beast who got himself stuck in a hole. He tries to yank himself out, but his head is caught in the rocks. I laugh a hearty laugh, soaking up the scene of victory. Another one down.

And another one. And another one.

"ROCK SLIDE!"

Was I counting eels or rocks?

Time seemed to slow as Rainbow Dash galloped towards me, her injured hoof raised to not impact the ground. I unconsciously step towards her.

However, she growls and bats me with a wing. "Come on!" she says, before flicking her tail at me. "Grab my tail!"

I nod and grab on, my hands gripping the remains of her tail tight. She then breaks into a full gallop, while the rocks that were once lifeless began to fall all around us. Some of them hit the remaining eels that are trying to escape too, while others almost hit us. It's like the gorge doesn't want the eels anymore.  Or maybe It doesn't want Rainbow Dash and I. Thankfully, we'll be taking our exit soon. All we need is time!

"Dyson! Hold on tight!" she shouts as she begins to extend her gallop.

I keep a tight hold of her tail, whose wavy long tail now remains as a shorter stub. I watch as the world around us falls apart. Eels get crushed by the boulders they lived near. Old reminders of death get shattered to pieces, sending sharp pieces of bone into the eyes of our enemies. Many screams fall dead to the sounds of rocks caving in. Only her and I dodge the final few rocks, which roll and tumble past us into the rock formation behind us. I turn to watch what Rainbow Dash was seeing: a slope going upwards. It was like the gorge had paved the way out for us.

With speed, she brings us up the slope. Behind us lay heavy rocks that had tumbled and smashed the eels that wanted us dead. As she slows her gallop, I see Rainbow Dash's tired face grow heavy. Second later she collapses to the ground, her flank hitting the rough terrain first. I sit beside her too, my energy completely exhausted. Somehow with a hobbled mess and a three-legged and one-winged pegasus, we were able to beat the Gorge.

Sitting near the escape to the green landscapes above feels like I am only a few steps away from heaven. No bridges with a cave below. No more eels to try and kill us. No water to try and swim past. No more emptiness inside. No more tears. No more lost hopes.

Just her and I near the gates of Heaven.

I look at her with a smile on my face. "We did 'er, Dash."

"Yes we did..." she breaths, her voice cracking as it trails off.

She and I, with two tired smirks of freedom, bump hand to hoof and stand on our legs. Even though the burn hits me full force, I still want to leave. I want to sit on the ground, where formidable trees with brown branches hang overhead, protecting us from the heat. I want to feel the wind not terrorize my body. I jus want to be free. I just want...

To mean something.

No more waiting, we are--

"You still have me, Dyson."

My eyes widen as I hear his voice again.

"What's wrong?" Rainbow Dash asks, her gaze apparently was on my face. She must've said something. That must be it.

"Yes, Dyson, what's wrong?"

Don't think of him as me...

I stair at her and see the image of a tough, rough white man with a gaze of death. He stares at me. She stares at me. "H-He's..."

Who is who?!

She raises a brow at me. "Dyson? What's--" She stops talking as she sees me shiver and shake at the sight of the rocky ramp ahead of us.

"Try to escape, Dyson. Just try." I could feel him his smirk and hard gaze upon me. "She'll never follow you, though. She will go her separate ways and you'll be all alone." I look at her with my mouth open wide. "What will you do then?"

I shake my head as I ignore his voice. I don't need his lies. I don't need him.

I just...

Need to escape.

As I take my first step towards the exit, I hear the thousand roars of gunfire overhead. Bullets whiz past me, penetrating another man in blue uniform. I feel his pain momentarily, grabbing my senses and shattering them to pieces. I grimace and hold my chest. I hear her behind me scream in shock. I feel her try to hold me up with her muzzle, but my body simply has given up. I lay on the ground as my body convulses and shakes. My eyes flutter to a close, and there, darkness ensues.

'You're mine..."