Voices in the dark
Dark...
Why was it so dark?
I was lying on a cold stone floor. I tried to stand, my body feeling cold and numb. Something metallic rattled at my hooves. Carefully I reached out a hoof. Whatever was there felt like chains. The feeling in my legs began to come back as I moved them around. Something cold was enclosed around each of my legs, above each of my hooves. Each time I moved the chains rattled.
Chains... bindings... I was chained in this dark place? How did I even get here?
OK, don't panic, just think back.
I had attended a concert in Canterlot, Octavia had performed. I was such a fan of hers, Afterwards I had a few drinks in the bar, as always a few stallions tried to chat me up. Something about my peach mane and white coat seemed to attract them to an earth pony mare like me.
I left alone, I recall walking through the streets towards my hotel. There was a sound behind me and... and I awoke here...
My eyes had adjusted to the darkness some, I could make out my chains, fixed to a ring hammered into the floor. The floor itself was made of flagstones, cracked with age. My chains were rusted and stained with something dark.
“Hello?”, I called out, hoping somepony would hear and answer. “Is anypony here?”
My calls echoed, fading away. Not a sound responded to me, not even the faint whispering of the wind. Was I underground? That would explain the lack of wind and the echoes but how did I even get here?
The silent darkness began to get to me, I had lived my life in the light, surrounded by my friends. What had I done to deserve this? I began to cry.
Something moved in the darkness, the smallest sound of something scraping across the stone. I scurried back as far as my chains would allow. What was out there? Sweat ran down my mane as I shivered in terror. I strained my ears, trying to pick up the noise again.
Hours passed without a sound beyond my own breathing, had someone noticed I was missing? Was anyone searching for me? I was so emotionally drained I don't even remember laying down to sleep.
It was still dark when I awoke.
It felt like I had fallen asleep and woke up in a nightmare, Trapped forever in this dark world of silence. I cried some more, I was close to breaking point. What had I done to deserve this?
A hot breath blew across my neck, with a scream I ran, only to be pulled up short by the chains. I lay there sobbing in the dark, terrified and alone. no..not alone. Something was in here. Something was watching me from the dark. Was whatever it was out there what had brought me to this place? Or was I here to be...no...to be food...
I couldn't think like that, it couldn't be true. That sort of thing only happened in nightmares and horror stories. Then so did what had happened to me...
Why couldn't I stop thinking like this?
OK girl, deep breaths. Don't panic, you will achieve nothing by panicking. Focus on finding a way out of this.
I pulled on my chains,following them to the ring. I bucked at it, my hooves making loud ringing noises as they struck the corroded metal. The metal ring barely moved. I pulled at my chains, praying to Celestia the corroded metal would break, they refused to even bend. I screamed, dragging at the manacles around my legs, hoping against hope they could be slipped off with some work. My legs bled from numerous cuts and scrapes before I finally accepted the truth, unless these chains were unlocked I was trapped here..with whatever that thing in the dark was.
What can I do? What is that thing out there?
“Hello? I know somepony is out there... please let me go...”
Silence was my response, was I just imagining there was something there? Was my mind playing tricks on me?
Yellow eyes opened in the dark before me, glowing in the dark. Hot breath stirred my mane as I stared in horror and terror at the eyes. Serpent like slits cut down the amber glow, those eyes watched me as I stood frozen with terror. Those eyes held intelligence and contempt.
Slowly the eyes closed, there was a feeling of something vast drawing away in the darkness. My fur felt damp, I must have wet myself in fear of..whatever that is...
“please no..” I cried with the sheer hopelessness of my plight, trapped and even if I could slip these chains I had no idea were to go, in the pitch black I couldn't see an exit.
Had I died and this was my own personal hell? Was this a divine punishment for some wrong I had committed? Some dark sin I could not recall?
I must have slept again as I awoke once more on the cold stone. I curled up and wept, why is this happening? Why? Why? WHY??
I lived my life well, I had no enemy's, I was well liked in my home of Manehatten, popular even. All I wanted was to finally see Octavia play live, to hear her majestic music in person. Just a small break from my day to day life, so how had it become this waking nightmare?
What was that creature in the dark? What did it want from me? Did it just enjoy watching me suffer? Did it enjoy my fear and pain?
The bleeding in my legs had stopped long ago, my fur now matted with blood and urine. I was hungry beyond anything I had known. I had not eaten in days, or as close as I could guess in this endless darkness. I was filthy, my white coat a dirty grey, my beautiful peach mane, my pride and joy, was tangled and encrusted with dirt.
I sat down on my haunches and looked up into the blackness.
“What is it you want from me? Why are you doing this to me?”
The only sound was my tears dripping onto the stone.
Time seemed to blend into one endless moment, silent and dark. The creature refused to show itself again. Leaving me alone in this world of darkness and misery.
I have no idea how long I have been here, days and nights have little meaning when all you see is black, My mind has begun to break, I can feel the isolation and horror beginning to break me.
Voices in the darkness called out, at first I answered them in the vain hope of rescue. Now I know them for what they are, my fraying mind trying to cope with the horror of what my life has become.
I heard my mother call for me, the voice of my sister screaming my name. Each of my friends called for me in turn. Even the voice of that cute stallion Starshot I saw defend his fillyfriend at that bar. Voices of people I once knew called out, voices of friends now gone...
My mind was at its breaking, if I stayed here much longer I would go insane. The isolation alone was tearing me apart without hearing the voices of my loved ones call to me.
Those eyes in the dark now seem to show themselves regularly, never in the same spot, never the same distance away. Whatever was out there enjoyed my pain and misery and was now doing all it could to make it worse. Mocking laughter echoed from the inky blackness, deep and oddly duel toned. What was here? Why was it doing this to me?
I was weak from hunger, I was so tired but I somehow knew if a slept I would never wake again, I had slept on and off until this point, I'm unsure for how long and when as I have lost all sense of time. I was going to die here, I think that's what that thing in the dark wanted. Just to watch as I suffered and wasted away.
“Why wont you show yourself? Are you just a coward getting his kicks from watching me suffer?”
I know what I just said was stupid, but if I was going to die here, I at least wanted to die with my head held high. I wanted to die with what little respect I had left for myself.
A deep growl echoed, seeming to come from everywhere at once, Those yellow serpentine eyes opened in front of me. The growl came again. I was rooted to the spot with terror once again as those eyes lifted above me. Light flared into the darkness, almost blinding me. Flames in the dark, illuminating my tormentor for the first time.
“A Dragon...”
The contempt on the great beasts face was obvious, It roared, the sound bouncing from the unseen walls and echoing into the distance. Great claws crashed into the stones on each side of me. The beast stared down at me as if considering what to do with me.
The monsters jaws opened, sending flames roaring at my shackled form.
My final thoughts were of my family, then I knew no more...
