The Book of Darkness

[Meanwhile...at Carousel Boutique.]

Rarity felt disoriented. Feeling as though she was hit by a minotaur's fist. It felt as though something was wrapped around the back of her head. She reached behind her horn and felt something soft. Bandages she concluded. Rarity thought she hit her head on something and one of her friends found her. She would need to pay them back a lot for saving her life. A thousand images went through the unicorns head of what the scene looked like when one of her friends, or even her dear sister Sweetie Belle, had found her. If must have been awful. Rarity tried to open her eyes, but they felt heavy. She must have had a concussion. Rarity opened her yes as best she could and looked around her. She was in her living room on the couch. It was strange because she remembered being upstairs at one point and now she was downstairs. Rarity already didn't trust the situation. She tried to stand, but her concussion was making it hard to do so. Rarity grabbed the top of the couch and used as support for herself. Now sitting straight up, Rarity could get a better look around. She was by herself, for the most part. It looked as though someone had ransacked her shop and home. Mirrors had strange smudges on them, drawers were opened and the contents sprayed everywhere. Her dresses, her hours upon days or work, were ruined. Riddled with holes, dirt, and some other...red substance. Rarity felt a chill run down her spine.

-Is that...blood? Is it...-

She slowly reached a hand over her hand toward the bandage. Feeling around it, she felt a wet spot near her horn. It was her blood on the dresses. Now the unicorn was even more confused and scared. Rarity attempted to stand but it felt as though weights were on her hooves. She let out annoyed sign. She didn't have the ability to walk yet, a possible robber got into the boutique, and she has possibly lost a lot of blood. With no memory of why she was in this situation, Rarity thought of only one option.

"H-hello? Is any pony there?" she said.

No response. She was alone. Rarity gave a sudden jolt to her legs and was on her hooves standing...for a good few seconds, before falling onto her stomach. Rarity felt a sudden wetness on her head, she thought more blood was leaking from her wound. She reached a hand up but found a cup of water had spilled on her head. She looked out the corner of her eye and saw a plate on her glass table. Rarity grabbed one of her couches cushions and pulled herself up, she could feel some of the concussion subsiding. She looked and saw a hay burger on the plate. Someone laid food out for her. Was it the robber? Rarity scoffed at the thought. Who ever this robber was she would make sure he was put behind bars. Rarity felt herself freeze when she heard a sudden dish smash. Followed by the sound of a heavy grunt. She heard the sounds of heavy steps in the next room followed by the sounds of metal hitting metal. He had a weapon with him. Rarity started freaking out, a heavy sense of dread coming over her. She worried if this robber would take advantage of her, or worse, he already did. Rarity heard the heavy steps come into her room, and quickly make their way over to her. She closed her eyes and prepared for the worse.

She felt two hands pick her up by her legs and back and lift her off the ground like she was a feather. Rarity's head didn't feel as concussed as it was. Her vision was becoming much more clear and feeling was returning to parts of her body. At any moment she would fight her way out of this goliaths grip. Just as Rarity was about to throw the first punch, the hefty intruder placed her back down on the couch as if she was fragile. Which in her mind, she was. Rarity's sight was fixed on her couch, pretending to be concussed still. She felt the large hand of the intruder go across her mane checking the bandage. She heard a heavy sign, feeling the bandage slowly come off. Her wound was exposed and the intruder poked it and moved Rarity's hair out of the way to see it better. Meanwhile, the unicorn was scared to move. This intruder was looking her over like she was his patient.

-Why don't you just kill me already!- Rarity thought.

The intruder let out a sign. Getting up from the couch and standing next to Rarity, unsure about what to do. He bandaged her, and even found food for her, but it felt as though he was missing something. Something important. He turned and looked at the unicorn, her back facing him. He puzzled for a minute, picking at the stitches of his "mask". Then he remembered, her name, he hadn't learned her name yet. The intruder wanted to ask her, but he knew she would freak out and try to run away like every girl he liked. Those ones ended up becoming his dinner or new material for his masks. However, this one was different. He couldn't eat her, or could he make her into a mask. This time he needed to make a friend. One he didn't have to kill. Leatherface reached out to her and placed his large hand on her shoulder. He pulled her body over and was captivated by the ponies sheer beauty. He had never seen such a pretty pony before. Leatherface suddenly heard a voice in the back of his head, "Whatcha starrin for ya nit wit!? Slice our dinner up!". The burly man snapped his hand back to his lap and let out a sad moan. If his brothers knew what he was doing, they would yell him at him for sure. Leatherface didn't like being yelled at, especially by his own family. Images flashbacked in his mind, images and voices of his father. The verbal abuse that was thrown at him every time he nearly got his family caught. A reminder to always be carful about what he did.

Leatherface heard a knock at the front door. He snapped his head over and quickly walked over to it. He peered through the peep-hole and saw a lizard walking on two legs. He growled in his throat at the intruder. Leatherface quickly picked his chainsaw and walked out of Rarity's sight. The mare gulped and turned her head to see of the burly creature was still in the room. He was gone. Rarity jumped to her hooves and tipped toed over to the front door. She opened it and was greeted by Spike. The drake didn't have time to say hello before Rarity pulled him in by his shirt. She closed the door behind him and peered out of the curtains to the main street.

"Rarity? Are you okay? We haven't seen you in awhile."

The dragon crossed his arms and Rarity slowly turned around. Spikes eyes grew wide as saucers when he saw the small, bloody bandage on his friends head. "Sweet Celestia what happened!?" he said, running over to her and looking over the cloth. Rarity started to stutter, trying to explain her reason for the bloody bandage. She wanted to tell him to about the intruder, but Rarity didn't hear a door close in her house when he left the room. He was still in the house. She feared that of she spoke of him, he would burst from behind a door and kill the both of them. Rarity placed a finger on Spikes lips, silencing him. Rarity didn't need to say a word. Her face said it all. Something was wrong, VERY wrong. Spike nodded and followed her over to the couch and the two sat in quiet. The mare leaned in to Spike and whispered to him.

"A...burly...whatever it is, is inside the house still! We need to get out of here before he comes out!"

Spike didn't say anything but he nodded in understanding. He grabbed Rarity by her wrist and guided her to the door. He grabbed the doorknob and tried to twist it but it wouldn't budge. He pushed it and pulled it, he shacked the doorknob, he even tried forcing it. But nothing worked. He looked outside the front window and saw the entrance was boarded up. He swore under his breathe. "What's the matter?" Rarity asked. The drake laid his back on the wall and put a hand on his head. "The doors boarded from the outside." he groaned. Rarity hugged herself and stepped away from the door. "H-he must have saw you coming." he said. Spike couldn't help but agree with her. Now the two of them were trapped inside her house with a crazy person. He needed to find them a way out. Spike silently putted at Rarity to stay in the living room. She nodded and the drake made his way toward the kitchen. He peered around the corner of the wall and saw nothing in the kitchen. He gulped and tipped toed into the kitchen, his attention fixed on his entire surrounding. Rarity said the intruder was hefty so it would be easy to spot him.

The drake gulped and cracked his knuckles. He slowly proceeded through the kitchen knowing the intruder wasn't in here. Their wasn't any closets to fit in and the cabinets were far to small. Spike then saw the door to the basement was open. It was open wide, as if someone just went down there. He slowly stepped closer to the open door, sweat running down his cheek. With a swift move of his hand, he grabbed the door and swung it shut. A loud thud echoing through the building. Spike then switched the lock on the door to its side, locking it shut. He let out a heavy sign. He trapped the intruder in the basement. Spike quickly made his way back to Rarity in the living room. He ran around the corner and saw her in a deep state of fear. He gave her a confused look as he was only a few steps away from the living room. Just then, his blood ran cold when she shouted at him.

"LOOK OUT!"

Spike didn't have time to respond as a mallet came from around the corner and swatted him in the head. He fell to the ground hard and fast. Spike's vision was blurred but all he could see was a bloody apron and mallet over him with a burly figure with a stitched together face. As his lost consciousness, he could hear Rarity screaming at the intruder.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"