Chapters PROLOGUE
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we'll be running into a patch of turbulence in a minute or so here, please fasten your seat belts." the captain's voice came over the intercom. The seat belt light came on and people began fastening theirs. Ben Whitetree was in the bathroom, ready to throw up once more. He hated airplanes. No matter what he tried, he would always get sick. He could never handle high altitudes.
There was a knock on the lavatory's door. "Sir? We're going into some turbulence, I'll have to ask you to return to your seat-" the stewardess' voice was cut off by a massive groan of metal and the entire plane shaking. Steel and aluminum screamed once more. Ben was thrown against the wall of the lavatory and groaned in pain as he held his shoulder. There was a massive screeching sound, similar to that of nails against a chalkboard, and then everything went dark. Ben barely managed to unlock the door and it flew open. When he peered out, the entire tail section of the plane had been ripped off, and he was in it. Air rushed into his face. He flew up against the back of the cabin and he could barely see.
The last thing he could see was the ground rising up to meet him.
CHAPTER 1
I wake up slowly. Everything aches and burns. My eyes slowly open. I am lying on the ground, surrounded by darkness. Pools of light in a straight row pour in from what I presume is a wall. It reminds me of an airplane. The Airplane. The last few seconds come back to me. The tail section with me in it tore off in turbulence. Oh God... all those people... my parents...
The tail door seems to have ripped off its hinges, because a gaping hole replaces where it would be. I rub my face, suck in some air, then climb out of this wreck. The tail section is buried in the ground at the front of it, with the rudder sticking above into the trees. Think, Ben, think! Is there anything like a radio or something like that in the back of a plane?
I suddenly think of the irony of the black box flight recorder, which is actually an orange cylinder. I remember it's stored in the back of a commercial jet. I hurry back inside and try to climb up, but I won't be able to reach it. I sigh, defeated At least you're alive, Ben. At least you're alive.
Deciding to find the rest of the plane, I trek into the forest that surrounds the tail section. Eventually, it gets too dense with undergrowth for me to move through. I return to the hulk of smoking metal and try to climb on the outside to get a view above the tree canopy. After a good 30 minutes of crawling up and sliding down I balance my self on the tail's rudder and see a pillar of smoke rising above the forest a few miles away. That has to be the rest of the plane. There has to be survivors, a radio, something! I slide down and begin to trudge through the leaves, roots and ferns towards where I saw the smoke.
A seemingly endless amount of time passes. I feel exhausted, hungry, hot, sweating, thirsty. I find myself lost in the jungle, away from the only piece of civilization I can find. Now it's only a matter of survival. There's no way I'm getting to the plane now. I rise up from my rest on a dead log and put on a determined face. I will survive! I WILL SURVIVE! I begin to rush through the forest now, leaping over logs and rocks. My endorphines and adrenaline have all kicked in. There is no time to stop. I have to find water, food, shelter. Water, food, shelter. Water, food, shelter. Water, food, shelter. Water, food, shelter. I slow down to a trot now, scanning the trees and brush around me. I rest for a moment, then in the silence hear the trickle of water. There's one requirement. I once again race in the direction of the sound, and find myself standing at a small brook. Water trickles down the rocks into seemingly infinity. Letting my instincts overcome me, I drop to the ground and lap water into my mouth. It feels so refreshing, cooling, soothing. I drink more and more.
After my savage drink, I feel fatigue once more. My adrenaline and endorphines have crashed. I stumble over to the shade of a tree and fall into a deep sleep. I slowly rise at twilight. Shelter.. or I'm food for something else. I shuffle over to a seemingly scalable tree. I place a foot up and just as I am ready to climb I hear a twig snap.
CHAPTER 2
Lyra trotted through the Everfree Forest. She often found consolation in isolation, as well as the best ideas for songs with her lyre. Today was no exception. Just as she rose up to her favorite spot on a hilltop over looking the jungle, she saw a smoke cloud rise over the canopy. Flocks of birds flew into the air, scared for their lives. What's that?! Curiosity took over her and she galloped towards it, wondering what had happened.
It was a good hour later when she found herself lost at sunset. Great, now look at what you've done, Lyra. Hopefully you can find the bucking road back to Ponyville. Lyra looked around, hopeless, then began to follow a well-used game trail that would hopefully get her out of here and home. As the sun continued to lower, she continued to feel like she was being watched. Just after it had gone down, and the stars had to begun to come out, she stepped on a twig and it snapped.
In the silence she knew something, or rather, someone was watching.
CHAPTER 3
As soon as I hear the twig snap I crouch down behind the tree I was about to climb. About a good dozen yards away stands a... pony?!
That's... Lyra? I'm... I'm... I'm in Equestria?! Holy shit! Fuck, what do I do?
I'm so hungry... so hungry..
I turned again to look at her. She was holding a kitchen knife, shaking with fear. I licked my lips.
Dinner...
No.. that's.. that's crazy! I can't eat a pony! They're... they're sentient! They're-
Would you rather starve?
No... ...I'm so hungry... I don't want to die... I don't want to starve...
I stalk her and slowly move in for the kill. Watch out... knife... She suddenly looks right in my direction. I duck down before she can see me. As soon as she turns away, I inch closer. Pounce. I charge forward with a barbaric roar and tackle her before she can even turn and run. I rip the knife from her hoof and proceed to stab her several times. She cries and screams but I continue, a smile spreading on my face. I finally compel myself to stop. I stand over the gruesome scene, still grinning. Blood spreads around the body. I drop back down to my knees and slice open her belly. Her organs pour out and I feast on them, not even minding them raw. So good... food... so good... Intestines, stomach, lungs, all consumed by me. I find the heart especially succulent.
After the feasting is over, I inspect her lyre. I untie the strings, thinking maybe I could use them. I stuff them in my pocket and climb the tree I was going to earlier. Hunger, thirst and shelter, all satisfied. I drift off into a deep sleep.
Dawn awakens me the next morning. I stretch and climb down from my shelter. I lap some water in some water from the brook and go to inspect Lyra's body. Already, fleas, maggots, worms and flies have all set upon it, even some bigger scavengers. Eating it now will make me sick. Time to find another one.
I grab my belongings and pack up. I notice Lyra was traveling down a game trail. This will lead me out of this forest. I walk down slowly, enjoying the sunlight and the birds' songs and calls. Reminds me of home- No time to think of that! You must find another! Instinct commands once more, and I follow. I walk now with a brisk pace, finding the forest getting more and more sparse. Almost out of the forest now! I race now, and soon find myself in a field of crops. At the other end of this field I see a silo and a barn.
