Fallout: Equestria - Broken Luck

Fallout: Equestria - Broken Luck

Chapter 3: Breaking Point

I awoke with a start, jumping to my hooves. It was night time again. Glimmerhoof was laying next to me, and it startled her, making her yelp in surprise. I could see now, at least. My shoulder was bandaged, and my body wasn't aching anymore...but I was incredibly thirsty. "Glimmer...what happened?" I asked, after having a good scan of our surroundings. We were still where I fought the scorpion.

"Y-you passed out on me. I thought you were gonna die, Tough." she said, getting up and throwing her hooves around me in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're okay. After you passed out, you started flailing around and foaming at the mouth. I didn't know what to do. I just kept you covered and tried to get you to drink water. You've been out for two days."

Two days was a long time. "How much water do we have left?" I asked carefully, trying to not let the worry bleed into my voice. She raised one canteen. "...I see. Well, I will be up when the sun rises. Let me try and get my bearings when it does, so I know where we are. I think we might have gotten lost in the sand storm."

"Okay Tough...but please, will you stay awake? I don't want to wake up to another one of those things." she asked, her voice shaky.

"Yeah, I'll stay up. You go ahead and get some rest. I'm starving anyway, I'm going to eat and sharpen my gladius." she smiled at me softly, and she snuggled under the blanket again. I, on the other hoof, got into the wagon so I could rummage. The light of the meager fire she made was enough for me to find some stale hard tack bread to chew on, and my whetstone. I settled by the fire and began to slowly sharpen the blade.

It must have been only a few hours before sunrise, because I didn't feel like I was up for all that long when the sky started to light. I wish I could have seen the sun rising. But I didn't waste time pondering the vision of the sun. I needed to act quickly. Time was against us, and if we were lost, we were as good as dead anyway. I quickly ascended the tallest dune of sand near us, getting to the top and peering around. Nothing but sand, cacti, and creatures scurrying about, getting their food and water before it was too hot to be out. I did a complete turn about, and I sighed. We were lost.

My first concern was the fact that we had next to no water. Those two canteens wouldn't last us more than two hours, and I had no idea how close any town was. But I remembered what the old geezer that owned us said. 'If you get lost out here, just look at which side of the cactus the flower leans. Go that way. You'll get to a settlement eventually.' I nodded slowly, and I approached a cactus, looking it over. The flower was blooming beautifully, but I couldn't tell which way, if any, it was leaning. After spending more time than I probably should have comparing angles and sides, I finally settled on a direction, and I quickly made my way back to the cart. Glimmer was still sleeping peacefully...a smile was on her face. I couldn't imagine how frightened she was to see me disabled. I could let her rest while I broke camp and packed the wagon.

I did it in record time. I packed what little bits of that scorpion were left too...we were going to need all the food we could get on the trip back. When I went to nudge her awake, she didn't respond. She must have been in a deep sleep. "Glimmerhoof, get your lazy flank up. We got to move. It's going to get too hot if we stay." She finally stirred slightly, her eye cracking slightly. It didn't have the same sparkle it did before, but I figured it was just sleepiness.

"Alright alright...give me a hoof up into the wagon, won't you? I'm feeling so tired..." she asked, closing her eyes again.

"You're such a lazy ass. Fine." I replied, gently picking her up and putting her into the wagon. I tucked the blanket around her, and pulled the tent tarp so it covered her head from the light. "There. I think we'll be able to make it. Make sure you drink water, okay? Don't worry about me so much, I'll be fine."

She nodded in confirmation, and I hooked myself up to the cart once more. Away we went, in the direction that I settled on. I don't know how long we went. I couldn't judge the time except by how hot it was getting. Hours, probably. The whole time, Glimmer stayed asleep and quiet in the cart, the smile on her face. She must be having good dreams. I chuckled each time I looked at her. She even kicked her hooves a few times. Finally, it got to a point where I couldn't go anymore, it was too hot. I needed to check my bearing anyway. "Glimmer, we're stoppin'. We gotta make sure we're on the right track and get a tent set up. It's too buckin' hot to be moving."

"Okay Tough." she responded sleepily, her head lifting up. "You want me to help?"

"Nah, you keep resting. I'm sure taking care of me was hard enough on you."

"Heh...it was. Alright, I'll just stay in the wagon. Don't take too long though, I don't want you to pass out in the heat."

"I'll be done in a minute!" I grinned at her, and wasted no time in getting the tent set for passing the hottest part of the day. It must be a little after noon. I helped her out of the wagon, and once again, we sat under the tent. We rationed the water, and though I tried to insist, she said she didn't need as much water as I did, so I ended up drinking more. I suppose she was right. I was the one hauling the cart, after all.

"So where are you going?" she asked me, her head tilting slightly to me. "I thought you were lost."

"Oh, I'm following what our late master told me. Follow the cactus flower direction."

"Are you sure that's right?"

"Absolutely. I remember that clear as day."

"Good, good. I don't want you to die out here...I need you." she giggled and put a hoof on my cheek. "You're my sweetheart, after all."

"I'm more worried about you! I'm Tough, I can handle it. I don't want -you- to die. No offense, you're kind of delicate."

"I know. You're the soldier. But don't you worry, I know you'll take care of me." she yawned, and leaned her head against the cart. "I've just been so tired. I think I'm going to nap again. If I don't wake up when you poke me, just toss me in the cart, okay?" she said, closing her eyes.

"Alright Glimmer. You keep resting." her chest was already rising and falling slowly. I smiled and snuggled against her, dozing a bit myself. It was nice. She was warm. Her fur didn't feel as soft as it usually did, but I figured it was just because of the heat and water rationing. I didn't fully fall asleep though, I didn't want to get jumped again. And I wanted to move as soon as it felt cooler. That's what I told myself. When I awoke again, though, it was much later than I wanted it to be. "Glimmer! We gotta get moving!" I said, shaking her. She blinked slightly.

"Huh-wha? Okay! Um...want me to help break down?" she asked, yawning widely.

"No, get into the wagon. I can break down faster by myself." I helped her into the wagon, then broke down the camp again. I went to check a nearby cactus to get my bearing again. This one was a little easier, the flower was growing lopsided. With the direction in mind, I hooked up to the cart, and started off at a brisk trot.

Her voice broke me out of my travel tunnel vision. "Hon, are you okay? You're sweatin' something awful. Have you drank any more water?" she asked.

"No...I was kind of checked out while I walked. I wish you were feeling better so I could talk to you."

"Drink water Tough, you can't be passing out now. I'm sure you're so close to town." she chided.

"Fine...toss it to me?" I asked.

"I...don't know where you put it. You'll have to get it."

I sighed and unhooked from the cart, moving to the back and giving her a playful nudge. "Are you just being lazy?" I teased. She giggled and waved her hoof at me. I got the water, and drank deeply from it. I offered it to her too. "Want some?"

"No, I'll be alright, I snuck a drink while you were pulling." she winked at me. "Go ahead and drink it down. You'll need it more than me." I nodded slowly, and slurped the life giving liquid down. I left a bit in there, and offered it to her.

"Here, you need to drink too." I firmly expressed. "Don't make me force it down your throat."

"Ooh, kinky. I might make you." she replied, sticking her tongue out. "No, I'm fine, really. You go ahead. I get the feeling that you're close to town." she replied.

I stared at her for a long moment, then finally I nodded, and drank the rest. Now we had none. She smiled, and settled back down, getting the blanket wrapped around her, and flicking her head. "Go on, let's get you to town. You're looking terrible."

I wish we were as close as she said she felt. But we weren't. I think we were headed in the right direction, but it was much farther. Another night...and day break. More hurried trotting. She was becoming less and less responsive to me too, and I was having to help her more and more, in and out of the cart. But her voice was gentle to me, and she kept encouraging me to press onward. But when it got to mid-day...it was just too much. Fortunately, there was a cliff to take shelter under...I was just too exhausted to set up camp again. I pulled the wagon near it, and hauled Glimmerhoof out, so we could lean under the cliff. I was panting hard. I felt weak. I wanted to sleep. Her voice though, it broke me out of my lethargy.

"Tough...stay awake." she said firmly. "You can't fall asleep. You're so close."

"G-glimmer...I...I can't do it. I'm so tired...so thirsty..." I replied, falling onto her shoulder and snuggling into it. She felt oddly cold for some reason.

"Tough no! You can't fall asleep. You -have- to keep going. Please Tough, for me. I want you to survive." she said, prodding.

"What do you mean? You've been talking like that for awhile now. Why aren't you saying 'we'?" She looked at me with those big, emerald eyes, her mane, the same color as her coat, falling over one.

"I think you know why, Tough."

"Wh...what do you..." she put a hoof up to my mouth.

"Tough...this...this is going to sound absolutely insane. But you have to survive. I would want you to survive. You're so close to the town. But you can't make it there like this. Tough...you have to eat me." she said. Her eyes...they're so lifeless...no...please... my brain pleaded with me.

"Glimmer, please...don't tell me you're..."

"Shhhhh...you know it's true...I'm dead...you've been carrying me around for three days. I died that night, after you woke up from your coma. I'm glad I got to see you alive one last time."

I couldn't help it. Hot, too-salty tears welled up in my eyes. "No...you can't be...how are you talking to me?"

"You're delirious, Tough...the heat is making you crazy. But we can't talk anymore. You're going to die if you don't eat me."

"I can't...I can't...it's wrong. I would never do that to you. I love you!"

"I know you do honey...but if you love me, you'll let me help you one last time. Just promise me that you'll remember me?"

I wish I could have responded...but I couldn't help it, my mind was too wracked with sorrow. The little bit of tears I was able to squeeze out were staining my cheeks, and I wailed, holding her body against me. She didn't talk anymore. She was so...lifeless. But...she was right. I would die if I didn't have -something- fluid.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't save you Glimmer...so sorry..." I choked, and I sank my teeth into her neck, ripping a chunk of her flesh off with a sickening rip. I don't know how her blood was still flowing...but it was precious liquid. I kept chewing...ripping, swallowing, chewing. I felt like I was doing it forever...but finally, my stomach couldn't handle anymore. She tasted like the sweetest sugar I could have imagined. Her blood was like honey.

But my stomach was bitter.