“You know they don't like it when you are like this, right?”
"They can rot in the ground for all I care.”
“You don't really think that. They used to be your friends.”
“USED to be… you know they aren't anymore.”
“Is this really how you are going to be? One little fight and you lose it! I remember when you used to stand up for friendship. Now all you do is wallow in self-pity. If you are like this with them, then what about me!? If this is how you treat them after losing a little pocket watch then how do I know you won't stab me in the back next time something like this happens?”
“It isn't just some pocket watch! You wouldn't understand.”
“You can't keep shutting ponies out. You know you have friends, and you know we are here for you. Please… just talk to me.”
“I'm done talking. I have to go to work.”
“Fine. Leave. When you need me… if…. You need me, I will be here.”
The stubborn stallion left with a heavy conscience. After all, he was right. It wasn't just some pocket watch. It was HIS pocket watch. The pocket watch he got from his mother. He had kept it with him from the very first day he got it. What made it special was the carving on the back, which read “To my darling son, Thunder Spark. I love you.” Clearly this was no ordinary watch. It was special to him. The only remnant of his bright past.
“I can't believe this! The one pony that I feel that I can trust… She should be there for me, but instead she makes me out to be the bad guy. I thought I knew her better…… I just wish things could be how they were before. I should have stayed home. Things wouldn't have gotten this bad.”
The stallion began getting in his work clothes. As he slipped his hoof through the last sleeve he glanced in the mirror. Just for a moment he stared before realizing how late he was. Swiftly the stallion trotted off to work. He couldn't be late a third time else he would be fired. Work was never an easy task for Thunder. It took him nearly an hour to get to the farm. He did always enjoy the trip though. He would pass by interesting places and see smiling faces, none of which ever payed much attention to the stallion. Sometimes he would wave to the old horse passing in the opposite directions, and other times he would stop and chat with the sales associates at the market stalls. More often than not, however, he would keep to himself.
It was the amount of time it took that made his task difficult. Time was of the essence, and Thunder Spark never seemed to have enough. Ever since his parents died, he was alone. He spent most of his time working. When he wasn't working he was usually caught spending time with his best friend, Star. Nopony actually knew her real name, so they all just called her Star. It was the name she asked for when she was adopted. Recently, however, the stallion would rarely be caught outside of his home. Of course with work taking up most of his time, he never had much to spend on himself.
As the stallion drew near the farm, he slowed to a walk. Another hard day of work ahead of him. The boulders were looking good, and many gems were close to being ripe. For once he had gotten there early, and simply scouted the field to see what kind of day was ahead of him. He was the only pony in the area who would work on the old rock farm. Nopony in any nearby town would even dare test themselves with the tasks involved with working on the farm. Thunder didn't mind though. The farm's caretaker was a kind stallion. Often times the caretaker would bring Thunder food and drinks. It was the owner of the farm that was cruel. The owner had forced Thunder to use worn tools, and not give more than a 15 minute break. Such was life for Thunder Spark, though.
He tried not to let any of this bother him. Working wasn't exactly appealing, but it was something he could put up with. It was the only source of income he could get, as most jobs he tried to get he wasn't “qualified” for. Due to his young age, most hiring managers referred to him as a young colt. Where as he was definitely old enough, he never did look or sound like it. His thin, short frame, and mild voice made him seem to be just past puberty. Unlike most stallions, his coat was soft, and bright. In most cases, other ponies would treat him like a child. With Thunder having a short fuse, this was an easy way to get on his bad side.
The sun was now high in the sky, and lights of all kinds of colors beamed on Thunder's fur from the growing gemstones. His own bright colors typically helped him stay cool in the heat. He would still sweat from all the hard labor he would perform. It would range from mining deep into thick rock, or carrying gem stones from one end of the farm to another. Each day was as hard as the last. In normal cases a stallion going through this kind of labor would gain a decent amount of muscle mass. However, Thunder Spark is a different story. He hardly makes enough money to keep his home, and just enough after to feed himself. He never receives the proper nutrients to gain any strength. His small stature makes his job somewhat of a difficult task. This wasn't his only handicap however. This is a job meant for an Earth Pony. Thunder happens to be a Pegasus. His thin bones aren't made to do heavy work like this. Many of the ponies that pass by are naive and suggest that he simply use his wings, but this isn't a simple task for the young stallion.
Growing up, Thunder really enjoyed his ability to fly. Living in a small town where the common populace was mostly composed of Earth Ponies, he would easily stand out amongst a crowd. All of the young fillies and colts at school admired him. Its easy to say that his early years were some of his best. Little problems rose, and when they did, he would quickly resolve them. His friends would get into many disputes, but in the end they always looked up to Thunder Spark. His ideals brought all of his friends together. This always made Thunder feel good, knowing that his friends were happy because of him. This wasn't the only thing that made his life golden. He had two amazing parents that showered him with love. They weren't perfect, but he definitely loved them both. He was more attached to his mother than he was his father. Every day his mother would tell him how special she thought he was. He was always so full of confidence and very headstrong about his future.
Almost occurring out of nowhere, his mother fell ill, and like a cliché movie, Thunder had decided to stay home to take care of his mother. He was close to graduating from school, but his mother was far more important to him. For nearly two weeks straight he was there to take care of her. She loved that he was willing to give everything for her, but she felt guilty for keeping him from school. She constantly assured him that she would be fine and that he should continue going to school. Thunder was always stubborn and would stay home in spite of her concerns. After some time she started doing better, and Thunder's father had a day off from work. The young stallion reluctantly went to school. The whole day he was wishing he had stayed home.
Near the end of the school day, a fine dressed stallion burst into the class that Thunder was in. It was abrupt and unusual. He breathlessly scanned the room for the correct colt to address, but couldn't seem to find the one he was looking for. After a moment of confusion the teacher asked the strange pony about his motives for arriving uninvited. The stallion apologized, and whispered something to the teacher. To the students it seemed inaudible, but the teacher was completely shocked and was overcome with grief at an instant. With tears in his eyes, the teacher called out to Thunder, who now had his wings fully erect. The strange stallion looked to Thunder Spark.
“You seem to be the pony I'm looking for. Please, come outside with me, I need to speak with you privately.”
Without receiving a response the stallion left. Everypony was in shock for a few moments before Thunder realized that he should follow. With confusion in his steps he made his way outside. The atmosphere was calm, and all seemed normal. When his eyes finally met with those of the stranger, he felt his heart drop. He realized that the only reason this pony would be here is under dire circumstances. As the stranger took in a deep breath to speak, a lump starting growing in Thunder's throat.
“Judging from the look in your eyes, you realize that I am not here under good circumstances. I hate to not explain the specifics, but time is of the essence. I am not very good at things like this, so I will try not to beat around the bush. We don't know exactly how it happened, but… your house has caught fire. Before you take of flying, I have to tell you now that it is still too dangerous for anypony to enter the building, I ask that you stay here and try and relax, but I know how you teens are. We are doing everything we can to save anypony inside.”
Thunder took this like a deep cut. He was completely stunned, and almost unresponsive. As much as he was aware of what the stallion was saying, he simply couldn't understand it. This was all very sudden. He was able to only utter a few words.
“Are they dead?”
He already knew the answer to this question. Before even receiving an answer the young stallion's eyes were quickly filling with tears. He stared intently at the stranger. The moment the stranger tried to avoid eye contact was when Thunder broke free of his impairment. Like a bullet he began flying towards home. His eyes creating streams of tears behind him. He landed heavily near the house scarring the earth in the process. He didn't even notice the firefighter advising him to stay back. Without a second thought he bolted into the building. His mind was completely focused on his parents. Upon entering the building he saw all of the furniture engulfed in flames. He watched his childhood, and every memory he shared with his mother turn to ash. He froze at the sight of this. Before he could regain his momentum forward, part of the ceiling broke and crushed half his body, the pain was so agonizing that he lost consciousness.
Upon waking from his state of unresponsiveness, he quickly jerked his body forward and was struck with a sharp pain in his right side. His entire body was aching and covered in both bruises and burn marks. He took a second to look at his surroundings. The calm, quiet room that he now resided in seemed to be a hospital. He had no idea if it was just a nightmare, or if the nightmare had yet to come. As stubborn as he was, Thunder convinced himself that nothing had ever happened. He laid in the bed for some time fighting with himself. After some time of laying motionless, the door began to open. Normally he would sit right up to see who would be entering, but things were different under these circumstances. His thoughts were so heavy that he hardly heard the door open. He neglected the fact that he was no longer alone.
The pony who approached was a nurse. She quickly noticed that he had regained consciousness. The kind mare set a glass of water on the table next to him. She sat for some time and gave him silence. It was clear that she knew the events that preceded. In a very calm and light voice, she spoke to him.
“I am glad to see that you're awake.”
His silence was the only answer.
“The firefighters told us what had happened. I am sorry that you had to go through that.”
Silence.
“Your friend was here earlier. She only went to get some food, but she will be back soon. She was restless watching you. I believe she said her name was 'Star'.”
His gaze lazily shifted. He was clearly hearing what she was saying. He simply had no idea what to say in return. The Nurse understood, though. It isn't easy to recover from such a tragedy. He debated speaking to the nurse. He quickly grew uncomfortable and attempted rolling onto his right side. He was rudely reminded by the pain that he was injured. He let out a quick scream of agony. The nurse quickly jumped forward and tried to quell him.
“Please, try to be still. When the ceiling fell, it really hurt you bad. I wasn't told the extent of the damage, but I can only imagine how difficult it must be to bear this pain. From my understanding it may be some time before you can fly again.”
“I don't care about my wing. I just… I am ready to wake up from all of this.”
“I'm sorry, I don't quite understand.”
The stallion simply grunted and deeply sighed. “This is a dream… a nightmare rather. I am just waiting to wake up and have it all be over. I know its all fake, nothing like this would happen.”
“Oh dear. Thunder… do you remember what happened. I don't want to upset you, but this isn't a dream.”
His eyes started tearing up as he began accepting reality. He didn't deserve this pain. He didn't deserve to lose his parents. They didn't deserve to die. It was the truth, however. They were gone, and he has to accept it. The young stallion gulped back the tears.
“Where is the doctor?”
“He is just taking care of paperwork.”
“Please… go get him.”
“Right away, I will be right back. In the meantime, please try and relax.”
With that she left. This was the second time someone asked him to relax when it simply wasn't possible. How could he relax? He grew very restless with his mind running rampant. What was only minutes seemed to him like hours. How long had the nurse been gone? Would Star ever be back? The questions just kept coming. His mind was constantly overclocked. His gaze was caught on the ceiling, but he couldn't see a thing. He was trapped in his own thoughts.
The doctor and nurse returned, but Thunder seemed to not notice. The doctor approached Thunder, and he quickly responded to the doctor's presence.
“Doctor?”
“Yes Thunder, I am here. It is good to see that you have come to. I am expecting that you have many questions. I can't answer them all, but hopefully what answers I do hold will help you through these hard times.”
“I am in the Hospital, right?”
“Yes, that's right.”
“Am I here alone?”
“I'm sorry?”
“When I got here… was there anypony else with me?”
“There were two firemen with you. They told us what had happened.”
“So I am here alone… my parents…”
“Mr. Spark, I do apologize. The firefighters told me everything. After you ran into that burning building, they ran in after you. Soon after they freed you, and got you to safety, the building collapsed. You are lucky to have survived. They put out the rest of the fire, and came to find out that a candle had been the cause of the fire. They searched through the rubble, and not much was found. However… they did find two bodies. Thunder, I am sorry, but there was nothing that could have been done.”
Thunder went silent again. He tried to prepare himself for this, but actually hearing it was far more destructive than he could have possibly imagined it. He tried so hard not to cry. Eventually he cracked and began weeping heavily. His pillow was quickly drenched in his own tears. Both the doctor and the nurse had left to give him some privacy. He felt like a child, but no matter what he thought about, his mind was clouded by the ominous thought that was death. He realized at this moment that everything is mortal, and if he held on any longer then it would be the death of him. He made the decision to keep from getting close to anypony. He couldn't risk losing another loved one. With all of this excitement, he tired himself out, and after calming down from his fit of crying, the stallion passed out.
Roughly an hour had passed before he was awoken by the nurse. She was sweetly trying to wake him without being rude. His eyes slightly opened, and he saw compassion in her eyes. It was clear that she was concerned about him, and wanted to make things better. She was very sweet.
“Thunder…"
The stallion was half asleep. “Hrmph”
“Thunder… your friend is back”
It took him a moment to realize who she was speaking of. When he realized he muttered to the nurse.
“I'm up… send her in.”
The nurse softly left the room, and Star entered. Silence fell, and an awkward ambiance fell upon the room. Star was struck with both grief and confusion. Her one best friend that was always so full of joy and energy, was now laying defeated in a bed with no sign of light in his eyes. He wasn't looking directly at her, but she saw his depression. The gloom caused her to become empathetic, and tears formed in her eyes. His glare shifted slightly towards her, and he opened his mouth to say something. The room stayed silent. His mind was too clouded for him to speak. Star attempted to approach him, but was held back by fear. The stallion she saw now was different from the one she knew. When her tears really began falling she ran towards the bed and buried her face into his chest. His own eyes began tearing up again.
“I wish you wouldn't see me like this.”
She tried to calm down to speak, but she couldn't manage to do anything but bury herself deeper into his chest. He stayed perfectly still. His body was completely exhausted, and he didn't have the energy to move even if he wanted to. She continued to let all of her sadness release into the still room. In spite of their sadness, the room seemed to not be swayed. The atmosphere stayed both awkward and uncomfortable. There was still an ominous stillness to the room. Even though his world came crashing down, the rest of the world seemed to continue unphased. Everything was blind to his circumstances, and the world would leave him behind.
“Star… what am I going to do.”
She was able to dry her eyes enough to speak softly. “You have always been able to fix things. I know you will figure something out. Now isn't the time for figuring things out. I think its best that you just take time to calm down and relax.”
“You know that is easier said than done. Everypony tells me to relax, but I can't. I just, can't. Do you think you could relax if you lost everything? I'm just not ready for that. There is so much to worry about, and I have no idea what I am going to do. Star, I am scared. I am just so scared. What will I do now. I am all alone...”
“You have us Thunder.”
“I get it… you want to make me feel better, but friends are different than family. They loved me, and took care of me… and all I wanted to do was take care of them. I shouldn't have left… I should have stayed home.”
“Thunder! If you would have stayed, you could have just as easily been killed.”
“I know…”
The still atmosphere remained the same. Star stared into Thunder's eyes. She knew what he meant. She began crying again. He was lost in his own thoughts once more. The two were in completely separate worlds. They stayed like this for some time until Star was calm enough to talk again. The filly got right in front of Thunder's face.
“Thunder… do you remember when I was having troubles with… that thing. I came to you. Do you remember? Do you remember what you said to me then?”
“I remember… it was some years ago, and you didn't have many friends. You secluded yourself from everypony. I was the only person you would talk to. You got me alone and were so scared that you were shaking. We were both confused and didn't know what to do about it. I told you 'I don't care about any of that stuff. No matter what happens, I will always be your friend. I will always be there for you.' I would never forget that moment. I remember how tightly you hugged me.”
“Exactly… now let me do the same for you… Thunder you are the only person I would trust completely with anything. You are my best friend, and I would never want it to be any other way. I don't care about anything else. No matter what will happen, I will ALWAYS be your friend. No matter what, I will always be here for you.”
The stallions face tightened slightly. It was apparent that he was trying to work a smile, but the sadness was refusing to let him. Star noticed this, and knew that he wanted to smile. She was very calm now, and hugged him. They stayed this way for some time. Eventually, the nurse returned, and made her presence clear by emitting a small cough. Star pulled back, and turned to the nurse. The nurse was very professional now.
“Ma'am, I do apologize, but the doctor has some business with Mr. Spark. I am sorry, but they are going to need some privacy.”
Star looked at the young stallion. Her eyes spoke her thoughts for her. They said to him how sorry she was, and how she wanted to say so much more, but couldn't find the words. He understood, and responded with his own eyes. She needed to leave for now, and she has no reason to worry about him. She left slowly, and began sobbing as she entered the hallway. The nurse asked Thunder to be patient, and the doctor would be there shortly.
It wasn't long before the doctor entered the room with a stern look on his face. Thunder braced himself. He had been expecting more bad news. He was fully awake, and readied himself for whatever the doctor had. The doctor shuffled some papers around, and glanced over at Thunder. He fixed his up his jumble of papers, and then set them flat on the counter. He walked over to Thunder, and inhaled. Thunder stared intensely at the doctor's every little movement.
“Mr. Spark.”
Silence.
“I assume that you understand that you are hurt, and very badly at that. The ceiling fell and really injured the right side of your body. I am sure that you already know that. As a standard issue, whenever occurrences like this arise we must always look at the damage. While you were first unconscious, we had given you an x-ray. I am going to try and give you the news in a sandwich fashion. First off, is good news. Upon examining your bones, we came to the conclusion that you had some fractures, but no actual broken bones. We were surprised to find this considering you are a Pegasus. This means that your bones should heal rather quickly. As for the bad news. Please try and take this lightly. The incident tore a muscle. In your case I do not believe that it will ever heal properly. This is one of the muscles that allows you to control your wing. It is very possible that you may never be able to fly. I do give you my best regards with this. Lastly, some good news, the director of the hospital got word of your current situation. He would like to allow you to stay here even after your wound has healed. It will give you some time to recoup mentally as well. I understand that overcoming things like this isn’t as easy as fixing a broken bone. Please forgive me for my inability to console you, I do hope you can find some comfort in the good that I have given to you.”
Thunder was completely dumbfounded by this. While the doctor kept going, the stallion found himself stuck on the fact that he may never fly again. He had already suffered so much loss, and now this. How could all of this happen so suddenly. Life was never meant to be this way. Everything was too much for him to bear. He was dead silent, almost in a comatose state. His breaths were short, invisible, and inaudible. His dreadful gaze was stuck on the blank ceiling. Not a single thought could get in or out of his mind. His entire existence was separate from the rest of the world. The only action he had that would convince others around that he was still alive was the occasional sniffle that he would emit.
“I see that you need some time. If there is anything that you need, don’t be afraid to ask the nurse. I do hope to see you well again Mr. Spark.”
The doctor left the room. His steps echoed through Thunder’s thoughts. Thus was the fall of Thunder Spark. He was once such a grateful stallion. He once loved everything that his life heald. He now lost everything, all in one fateful day. His life could never be the same. The stallion that lay on the hospital bed is not the same stallion that was just in class two days prior. Where time is of the essence... he has run out of time.
