The House Of Pain

My eyelids felt so heavy it seemed almost impossible to wake up. I realized I landed on a bed of marigolds just outside the mansion. The air was crisp and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Back to reality I guess.

The bat wings were gone as well as the rest of my weird extremities. Even so, my legs were sore and I rolled in the grass from side to side. "What a wild trip that was," I said as I brushed off the dirt from my pale coat. "Blak! Oh, damn."

I rushed back to the house and as soon as I approached the entrance there was no one there. "Oh, not again!" I cried and laid my hoof down. "Guys? Rosie May? Anyone?"

Suddenly out of nowhere Blak tackled me and proceeded to invade me with kisses.

"Oh, my love, you're alright! I was worried sick about you," he sounded agitated.

"I missed you too, babe. Gosh, what day is it?"

"It's Sunday. So how did it go?"

"Well, I was left by myself to face those spirits; they're gone now. Somehow I felt you were there with me helping me."

"Yes! I was the catalyst Mamma was talking about."

"Yeah; everything will be okay from now on; at least I'll sleep better."

The hipogriff lady came in afterwards and continued, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Probably but I discovered more stuff than I could imagine. I thought this was not my problem and that it would go away eventually but now I'm in full control. This house is officially mine."

"That's sounds lovely, Dear!" cried Rosie May.

"As for you Mamma, you really got all mixed up. Gryphons are very untrustworthy but in your case I'll make an exception. This was all a matter of interests with no winners or losers."

" I appreciate that, boy! Your words are certainly more mature than the first time we met."

"Afterall you lead me to Blak and he is in fact my true love."

She laughed as her feathers ruffled, "My! I never told you to chase this little cutie; it was your decision. Did you learn something from all of this?"

"Why should I?" I said boldly. "I just conquered my biggest fear which was Death; I embraced it and now I feel like I can do anything."

"Good! Then consider it a gift you'll have to use when it's needed."

"Right now I can't think of any other situation."

"Oh, you'll see; this won't be the first or last time."

"Anyway, all this talk has made me hungry. "

"Excellent, my Dear!" said Rosie all lighted up, "that means you're well again. Please come inside."

"Yeah, I'm alive and well again."

Later that afternoon I recalled to carry out a duty besides exorcising the mansion; to visit the place where Nicholas could have been buried.

Blak and I went personally to the graveyard but it was a bit far away. When we began to search there was one for that little guy. It said, "Nicholas Goldenhooves, died age 13 of mysterious illness...wait a minute!"

I examined the parents' tombstones as well, "Justin and Angeline Goldenhooves, oh no; Blak! Do you realize what this means?"

"How curious," he said as he bent to take a closer look, "It must be a coincidence or it seems that our own Madeleine was related to them."

"Even if they were related why did she buy the estate, to find the truth like I did or was obsessed with it."

"That's going way deep down in history and I can investigate that later. In the meantime I'll leave this here." A medallion hung around my neck with the shape of the Circle of Death just like the mark on my flank. It would stay as a token to help him make a safe journey towards the land I planned for him.

"And whatever became of the Healers, Love?" asked Blak.

I sighed. "They had a much worse fate; consumed by flames and others ran out of air like Emily. Wherever they may be all we have is the memories, the facts are still very sketchy yet we should appreciate them for their determination."

"I suppose that we can't change the past then."

"It was never about that. What they showed me will stay with me forever. I wish you could have seen when I looked like a vampire."

"Somehow I felt it. A bleak memory but I'm sure it wouldn't frighten me."

"Are you sure? Maybe I could put on a disguise like that one of these days..."

"I don't mind. The macabre has a romantic side to it." Then he kissed with an open mouth; his lips were so tender and warm, "Do you really have to go?" I said softly. "This will help you remember me every day; we are one now. I'll come back in time for your birthday, is that alright?"

"Hmm, I can imagine what I'm going to get..."

"I'll think of something."

"I don't care; all I need is you and nothing else."

Silly pony.

END.