Bittersweet Apple Acres (DARKFIC)

The night was long, as Crimson continued to try and weaken the restraints, seeing that was his only option. Tomorrow, it would be his turn to die, so if he had any hope of escaping, he had to do something and fast. Even if he managed to get out of the restraints during the sleeping hours for the Apple Family, he wouldn't be safe. Not by a long shot. First, he'd have to escape the slaughterhouse, then would come the next step before he was even safe. He'd have to escape the Apple residents that guarded the outskirts of Ponyville.

The Apple's worked like a wolf pack, and Applejack was the alpha-mare, while the others were just pawns. Crimson had never encountered the other Apple residents, but he had seen them before. The main Apple's that guarded the outside of Ponyville were Apple Fritter and Braeburn. Apple Fritter was quick and agile, while Braeburn was more intimidating and strong. Nopony had ever escaped the outside of Ponyville, because each time they were stopped. Apple Fritter and Braeburn made the perfect alliance; wits and strength. What came after them was unknown to everypony.

For hours on end he attempted to loosen the restraints, and still it had not felt like he had even managed to weaken the steel. His limbs were aching from putting pressure against the steel, but he knew he had to stay strong, otherwise he was dead. He was exhausted, but he had come close to death today, and was only saved by some faraway angel giving him a second chance. The madness with Ponyville had to end somehow, and the only way to get help was to somehow escape this forsaken prison born from greed and desire.

After a whole night of struggling to break free, Crimson's heart dropped at the sight of sunlight peeking through the cracks of the rotten barn wood, meaning his time had come. Despite his effort, the Apple Family had won, and another innocent pony would be imported into the slaughterhouse as soon as he was grinded up and put into the applesauce just like many other countless victims. As much as he hated to know that another one of his Ponyville kin would be put through the torture he has experienced, he had to face facts. His day had come, and soon Applejack would come to seal his fate.

He decided to try one last time, and lunged his limbs forward, praying for the constraints to weaken. His attempt failed once more, and the metal constraints were not even budged. Crimson was exhausted, tired, and weak. He wanted to die, and knew he would soon, yet he had a feeling that Applejack would have much more than just a simple trip through the grinder planned. He knew she was going to make his final moments the most miserable moments of his life.

About an hour later, the door below creaked open, meaning Applejack had arrived. Her hooves clamped against the hard floor, up the stairs, as she arrived at the top of the stairs. The left side of her face was bandaged, and she was dressed in an unlikely outfit, designed to make her look attractive, but Crimson knew there was nothing "attractive" about Applejack, and she was evil to the core. The bandages didn't surprise him, but the outfit she was in.

"What's up with your get up?" he asked. "Do you do this with all your victims before they go through the grinder!? Try to seduce them!?"

Applejack just ignored him, and grabbed a whip she had brought. Crimson had no idea what was going on, but he didn't expect any different.

"What are you waiting for, you dirty mare?! Get it over with!" he yelled.

Applejack giggled, holding the whip in her mouth.

"Y'all ain't goin' through the grinder," she said in a low voice.

Crimson was immediately confused.

"What are you talking about? I thought you wanted me dead?"

"I did," she said. "That was until Granny Smith convinced me otherwise. She offered me a proposition I just couldn't refuse, seein' it gives me somepony to love, and lots of other gimmicks that benefit me."

Crimson was starting to shake, as Applejack continued her explanation.

"It was all perfect. Too perfect to pass up! You and me, Crimson! TOGETHER FOR ETERNITY! HELPING THE APPLE FAMILY GROW!"

Crimson was starting to understand, but still didn't understand the FULL price of Applejack's proposition.

"Please. Just kill me," he pleaded.

Applejack placed her hoof upon his bruised cheek.

"I can't do that," she said, beginning to draw in closer to Crimson. "Not when you are my ace stallion to breed with for the rest of our lives."

Crimson's heart stopped from the sound of Applejack's words, as he started to feel her caress against him. It was just like the first time. Crimson knew that the worst was coming, and he didn't want to EVER face that torture again. Now done, Applejack started to get herself into position. Crimson started to struggle more violently than he did the entire time he was here, hoping for a miracle to happen.

Applejack started to move back towards his body, as Crimson started struggling harder, feeling the wall start to shake. Applejack was inches from him, when suddenly the restraint on his right back hoof came clean off the metal wall. He had a free limb, and just before she could connect, he landed a hard kick with his free hoof straight to Applejack's rear, and before she could become aware of the situation, she was lunged forward into the non-mobile grinder headfirst. The kick was hard enough to push Applejack's entire head through the row of blades.

Crimson knew he had an opportunity to escape, now that the grinder was blocked, and Applejack was struggling to get herself out. The weight his free limb was pulling down on his whole body, so he quickly thought of his options of escape. He couldn't just slide out of the metal, seeing his limbs were stuck tight, and he couldn't reach or grip the key on Applejack's belt. He only had such little time to get out, so he couldn't wait to build up a sweat to try and slide out. He knew what he had to do, and it was going to cost him more than one hoof.

Crimson braced himself, as he pushed his body away from the wall with every bit of strength he had. The metal restraints started to dig into the flesh of his limbs, causing him to start bleeding. The restraints dug into the skin, past the meat covering the bone, and as much as he was screaming, he knew this was the only way. The metal dug into the bones of his hooves, and being so close to escape, he was running out of strength. He wasn't going to let his only chance of escape fail, so using his free limb, he pushed his body away from the wall, digging the metal into the bone. With one final thrust using his free limb, one of his front hooves snapped.

The pain of the snapping limb made him scream and cry, as he pushed more and more into his broken limb, planning to sever it. It took three hard lunges, but finally his front left hoof was free, and bleeding profusely. The weight of his body had increased, but he needed more, so he did the same process with his other front hoof, until it too severed clean off. Blood leaked out of the open wound, as he fell forward onto Applejack's back, snapping her spine.

Using his mouth, he grabbed the key from her belt, and managed to unlock his back hoof from the restraint, struggling to stand straight. He felt light-headed, but now was not the time to pass out. He had to get out. He took a hard tumble down the metal stairs, seeing his front hooves were now gone, and only bleeding like crazy. He'd die of blood loss if he didn't get them covered soon, so he stood back up, and made his way toward the barn door, but realized the moment was perfect. Applejack was finished, and now she was about to pay the ultimate price for her dirty deeds.

Using the wall as a guide, Crimson made his way toward the switch that started up the machine, and listened as Applejack pleaded for his mercy. He only ignored her, and stated something before finally pulling the switch.

"Just like you. I'm not sweet, I'm as cold as ice," he said, starting the machine.

Applejack's blood sprayed everywhere from the top of the machine, as it ate her head alive. The sound of her screams were silenced in mere seconds, hearing the sound of only her skull cracking, and her blood gushing throughout the machine, as her head was severed clean from her shoulders. The machine continued to run, shredding away at whatever was left at the base of her severed neck. Blood continued to gush everywhere from the punctured arteries within her neck, as her headless body finally went limp, and Applejack was gone forever.

Crimson didn't celebrate, only rushed into the Apple's residence, hoping to find something nearby that could close off the wounds he had. Inside, there was nothing except a running stove, and a set breakfast table. There was not a single towel or anything that he could place over the wounds until he found a hospital. He had to think fast, seeing the Apple Family could be back any time, and quickly, found a solution, even though he wouldn't like it. The burner on the stove would be able to stop the bleeding and close off the wound, otherwise he'd be easy to track, because of his blood trail.

He took a deep breath, and placed one of his hooves along the surface of the burner, immediately feeling excruciating pain. He held it in place for about ten seconds, making sure he closed off the wound fully. He did the same with the other hoof, starting to feel a bit nauseated. Despite the pain, he had to get out, so he ran back to the inside of the slaughterhouse, unlocked the barn door with the key he had taken from Applejack, and ran as fast as he could from the once welcoming Sweet Apple Acres.

Crimson ran in the opposite direction of Ponyville, hoping not to run into any Apple locals. Luckily for him, there was nopony in sight, and he had managed to make it a great distance from Sweet Apple Acres. He hid away in a thick area where he couldn't be seen, and looked at his front hooves that had been burned to a crisp. Many things ran through his head, both positive and negative. Was he truly out of the Apple Family's clutches? How was he going to stop the Apple Family's murderous cycle? Who could help him?

All he knew is that he had to somehow get help from a distant place. Ponyville was the worst place to go right now, until he could get the right help. He refused to ever go back to that farm ever again, and wouldn't rest until the Apple Family were put behind bars where they belonged. Justice had to be done, for already too many lives had been taken. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere, until he had strength, so he made sure he was hid well, and closed his eyes into a long sleep.