Trinity

Lieutenant Gerigan didn't want to believe what he was seeing on his monitor. He didn't want to think that it would ever come to this. The Nuclear Holocaust was just something in the movies. In real life, cooler heads always prevailed. Always. He radioed in regardless. "Central, this is Station C-1, Central New York. Confidence is high. Repeat, confidence is high. Probable Soviet nuclear attack. Radar detections reported across the Northeastern seaboard. Confidence is high, repeat, confidence is high."

"Copy that, C-1."

Gerigan paused, before speaking again. "Central, I need confirmation: Is this an exercise?"

There was silence on the line for about five seconds, before the other end spoke. "Negative, this is not an exercise. Repeat, this is not an exercise."

Gerigan dropped the phone and vomited. The contents of his stomach spilled out onto the linoleum floor of the radar station. The distressed Lieutenant began to sob and shake.

No. Not like this. Please, God. I wan't to see my family again. Please.

"I want preparations made for a counter-launch. For every American they kill, I want two dead Russians!" President Reagan looked like he had aged at least a decade over the past few hours. The negotiations with the Russians had ended with the red phone being launched at the wall opposite to the President. With his final command, one could sense an invisible weight laying down on his shoulders.

"It's already happened, Mr. President. NORAD has authorized and carried out ICBM launches. The die is cast." Secretary of State Shultz was always a good source of information.

"It's done, then." The President slumped back in his seat. "I presume we need to get to a secure location."

"That would be correct, Mr. President."

Nuclear detonations confirmed in West Germany, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey. Contact lost with Japan and South Korea. Over five hundred confirmed ICBMs, inbound from the USSR to hit US and Canada. First are due in thirty minutes. Automatic counter-launch initiated. Standby for further news.

The robotic words still rang in Weinberger's ears. That was fifteen minutes ago. That meant that there were fifteen minutes left until the USA was alight. The Secretary of Defense almost wanted to laugh out loud. Two hundred years of history since the founding fathers wrote their declaration, and it was all building to this, this... abomination of hatred.

He was sitting along with many of the senior military staff officials in the spacious NORAD command center in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. It was prime seating for viewing the destruction of humanity.

Even now he watched the massive NORAD central monitor, relaying in real time the movement of the ICBMs that would send his world crashing down. New York, Los Angeles and everywhere in between seemed as if they were being targeted.

"God. How did it ever come to this?" It was a question aimed nowhere, but Deputy Secretary Taft took note.

"It was inevitable. As long as either us or the Soviets held power, nobody was truly safe."

Weinberger didn't respond. It wasn't necessary.

Now the only sound in the spacious room was the bleeping of the central monitor, as the ICBMs moved closer and closer to their targets.

Weinberger wondered where his wife and children were now. Most likely in the shelter. It was a glorified hole in the ground that he had dug the prior summer when it began to look like war was coming. He knew that it wouldn't be enough. He only hoped that his family's deaths would be quick. He knew the effects of radiation poisoning, and it wasn't a fate that he wished upon anyone.

God help us all.

Suddenly, to the surprise of the gathered military officials, an aide burst into the room.

"Secretary Weinberger," He almost shouted, "You aren't going to believe this! We called out to God, and he has answered us!"

Lieutenant Gerigan couldn't believe his eyes. One by one, the blips on his radar feed were vanishing. By this point Manhattan should have been cinders. He had just gotten off the phone with them. They were still there.

What the hell had just happened?

Twilight Sparkle was thoroughly enjoying her afternoon. Her and her friends had decided to go out about the town. It was an activity that the six had been lax on in recent weeks. So many events had occurred that Twilight and company scarcely had enough time for such trivial enjoyments, but today all six of them had mostly clear schedules. Right now they were sitting outside of a local cafe, patiently awaiting their food.

"So lovely out here today," Rarity said in a gushing tone, "So much better than yesterday. Oh, so dreary!"

"Yeah, well, plants gotta have water too." Rainbow Dash wasn't in the mood to talk about rain evidently. "Anyways, Twi, how's that letter coming along?"

Twilight had a clear schedule, true, but she wasn't the type of pony to pass up on an opportunity to work. She had brought along a piece of parchment and quill, and was now eagerly scrawling away. It was Friday, after all. She would have to send her weekly letter out to Princess Celestia, after all. Better to have it done Friday evening than Saturday Afternoon. "Well, thanks."

Fluttershy had been mostly silent for the majority of the friends stay, but finally spoke up. "Twilight, why don't you put that stuff down for one day? Live a little!"

"Yeah, Twi. Y'all need to relax a bit. This week has been hectic for all of us." Applejack smiled at Twilight. "I mean, hot dang, filly! You work harder than me!

"Oh, come on you guys." Twilight talked while writing. "You know how much..."

Something caught Twilight's attention. "What... is that?"

The others all looked up at the same time. There, in the sky, was something. Something big. It appeared to be moving towards the ground, fast.

Nurse Redheart had had a long day.

The ponies of Ponyville writhed in absolute pain as they felt their flesh sear off of their bodies. Eyeballs melted, coats caught fire. Then there was nothing, as a great wind came, sweeping away the town and everyone in it.