Running. That's what my life has pretty much become for the last several hours. Oh, that and walking of course. Nobody can run 20 fucking miles without a break, and that includes me. The sun is still pretty high in the sky, the time probably being around five in the afternoon. That means I've been traveling for about... nine hours now. By the looks of it, I'm getting close to some kind of civilization. I'm still not out of this godforsaken forest by a long shot, but I climbed a tree a while back and was able to see the edge of the forest near the horizon, meaning I should be getting fairly close.

I'd kill for a cheeseburger. That's another thing I've been worrying about, food. I've come across countless streams, all with pretty clean water, but man was I starving to death. Maybe a few berries here and there as I passed the occasional bush, but I didn't risk it seeing how I have no knowledge on whether or not they were poison or not. I'm an anatomy and physics major, I know close to nothing about earth science!

I may have forgot to mention that my phone is getting to the point where I start to worry. At fifty percent battery, I completely turned it off, even taking said battery out of the back of the phone. I'm going to savor this for as long as I can, and there is no way in hell I'm gonna just let it die in the middle of some unknown forest.

Then there's Daring, the one I left back at her house because she was trying to protect me, or maybe the gem... whatever, I'd like to at least think she was more worried about me than some creepy fear gem. Thinking back on it, I had weapons, I could have protected her if I'd stayed. Probably wasn't the smartest idea to do that. She was the closest thing I've had to a friend, other than Olivia, since I was in highschool. I kick myself mentally at the thought, but realize I have to put that behind me for now. She's strong, I'm sure she can take care of herself, even if she is injured. But I'll be damned if she gets killed because of me.

I take off again, breaking into a sprint after taking a good ten minute break. If I sprint the rest of the way, I could be there within the hour. I'll be half dead, but I'll be there. And when I get there, I'm gonna... I'm gonna...

Good job Zack, didn't think this through did ya? Damn, I really need to work on that ability. I have absolutely no idea what I even plan to do when I get to this town, much less who I'm supposed to talk to. Daring mention these "six friends" but only described one of them, and didn't even tell me the names of any of them. Thanks Daring, really helpful there. I shake my head and laugh as my legs beg for another break. Its probably my fault anyway. I should have asked for less vague instructions than go this way and take this gem with you.

So yeah, this is my life now! My fucked up, tortuous life. It can't get any worse though...

I take it back! Sweet Mother of Mary I take it back! The unnatural predator chases me at incredible speeds, the only thing keeping it from killing me being my agility, my ability to slide under low objects, as well as jumping over and around larger objects in my way. The creature looks like some kind of wolf, but, well, there's a pretty noticeable difference between this one and the ones I've seen in zoos and on TV. This one has a body made entirely out of wood, and is larger than any wolf I've ever seen. That's not even the worst part though. It has these glowing green eyes that just pierce your soul like a sharpened blade. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but hey, I'm running for my life here!

Wait, duh, gun. I still have a good four or five shots in this thing, not to mention the stash of ammo I collected from the lab which now sits in the side pouch of my bag. Thank you dead military guys, you will always be remembered as the ones who saved my ass by dying next to my frozen body, providing future me with ammo! So cheers to you, you deserve it!

I reach behind me, firing the gun blindly, hoping to God that it'll do some kind of damage. I hear the cracking of wood, but I can't tell if I actually hit the thing, or if I just so happened to hit an innocent tree, and frankly, I'm too scared to turn around to check.

I think I just ran straight from hell, and into heaven. I break through the edge of the forest, and I spot a small cottage just a few hundred feet away. That right there, is what heaven looks like. Honestly, I would have settled for anything more than a wet cardboard box, so this is definitely a luxury!

The wolf is still a good hundred or so feet behind me, giving me just enough time to make it to the door on the cottage. Without even bothering to knock, I force the door open with my shoulder. I have no idea if it was locked, nor do I necessarily care right now. I find myself in a living room filled with multiple animals, all of which run and hide at the sight of me.

"What was tha-" A yellow pony, pegasus like Daring, walks down the stairs, and freezes as we make eye contact. I slam the door closed behind me, and quickly rush as the pony. She yelps as I grab her and hold her against my chest, my hand covering her mouth. She struggles, but she isn't all that strong, and I'm able to keep her restrained. She mumbles something into my hand, but I only hold her tighter as I stare at the window next to the door.

"Shut up, or we're both dead!" I hiss at her. Poor thing probably thinks I'm going to eat her or something, though in reality, I'm just protecting her. Honestly, you break into someone's home and hold them against their will and can't even get a thank you? Gees, what has this world come to?

She stops struggling after that, though I don't know if it was because she actually listened to me, or the fact the the wolf was now pacing around outside, probably looking for your's truly.

Oh great, now she's crying. And now my hand is getting soaked by pony tears. Never thought I'd say, or, well, think that. Well, to be fair I never thought I'd be doing any of this crazy shit.

I bring up the gun, my hand shaking, and aim it with one hand at the wolf through the window. Maybe it heard it rattling, or maybe it somehow saw me, but as soon as it's head turns towards us, I fire.

Well, it's dead now, but we lost a good man today. Rest in peace window, rest in peace.

"You okay? Sorry about the whole grabbing you thing." I say as I let the pony go, who quickly rushes to the other side of the room, hiding behind a couch. "Hey, c'mon, I'm not trying to hurt you! And hey, I made you some firewood outside. Consider it an apology gift. I'm Zack." I say as I hold out my hand towards the couch, knowing all too well that there is a yellow pegasus hiding behind it.

Slowly but surely, a bit of yellow pops out, along with some pink, and I'm looking into two huge eyes.

"I said I'm not trying to hurt you. Hell, I just saved you... though of course you wouldn't need saving if I hadn't lured that thing here, but that's besides the point." I say with my hand still extended towards the pony.

To my shock, she actually steps out from behind the couch, and looks me up and down. I get down on my knees so I look more like her size, and hopefully less intimidating.

"Y-You're big..." She whispers.

"Heh, no, I'm Zack." I say with an awkward chuckle. Damn, I'm becoming my dad! "Could you uh, shake my hand now? Maybe introduce yourself? Or do introductions not work like that here?"

"O-Oh... sorry." She mumbles under her breath before placing a hoof in my hand. I shake it, and she quickly pulls away, staring at me while trying to hide behind her hair. "I'm... Fluttershy..."

"Well Mrs. Shy, gotta say I'm sorry for the whole intrusion and everything. Oh, and the window of course. If you couldn't tell I was kind of running for my life."

"I-I understand... What are you, exactly? I-If you don't mind me asking."

"I'm a human." I say as I sigh and bury my face into my hands, remembering just what kind of situation I'm currently in. Kinda forgot I was the last human on Earth. That happens when you're distracted by trying to not die. I might be depressed, but I'm not to the point that I want that to happen. Besides, when I go, I don't exactly wanna go by being slowly torn apart and eaten alive.

"Human? I haven't heard about those before. Did you come from the Everfree Forest?"

"I don't think so, if that forest I just came out of is the Everfree. I crossed some huge plain earlier, and entered that forest from the other side. I started out in another one somewhere northwest of here."

"Do you live there?" She asks.

"Well... yeah, kinda." I say as I rub the back of my head. Not sure how I'd be treated if anyone found out I was from the distant past, as well as being the last survivor of my race. I'd either be incredibly famous, or taken by whoever rules this place and studied or something, and quite frankly, I'd rather not have either one.

"Kinda? What do you-"

*CRACK*

The door breaks down, and a wooden figure storms in. God, I thought I killed this thing! I shot it right in the neck! I reach down to grab my gun, only to remember I left it on the stairs. I practically fly across the room, but by the time I have the gun in my hands, I hear a scream, a horrible, blood curdling scream.

I shoot blindly, firing four shots until the gun only clicks as I pull the trigger. The wooden wolf falls, and I rush over to the body. I push it away, revealed a yellow pegasus on the floor, a bloody gash on her side.

"Oh shit, shit shit shit!" I yell as I just stare at her, my hands flailing around looking for some unseen object. I settle for picking her up, and sprinting out the door. What is it with ponies getting hurt when I'm around!? I've met three, and so far one is injured, one is dead, and now one is probably on the verge of death!

I sprint out into the open area outside, my body burning from overuse. I'm running on completely pure adrenaline at this point. If I run out of that, I'm going to drop like a rock.

I follow a dirt path, passing a park and a lake along the way. That town has to be around here somewhere...

"There! Hang in there, I can see the hospital." I say to the pony who may or may not be conscious right now, can't really tell. My arms are already covered in blood, but because of the position in which I'm holding her, my white t-shirt is still relatively clean. Why am I even worrying about this?

"Don't worry, almost there." I whisper as I approach the town, and large white building with a red cross on it near the edge.

"Hey, you!" A voice yells at me from above. I look up to see another pegasus, one who would probably blend into the afternoon sky if it didn't have what looked like a bag of skittles on it's head. I ignore whoever she is, and continue running towards the hospital.

"Put her down you bucking monster!" She yells. That's the last thing I head before I'm knocked off my feet by a blue blur. I maneuver myself in the air so that I don't land on Fluttershy, and end up instead landing on my back, all the air escaping my lungs.

"Trying... save..." I cough out as I slowly get up, only to get punched in the face by a hoof. Pain shoots through my face, and I fall again, this time landing on my side.

"Don't lie to me!" She yells as another hoof hits me in the back. I let out a grunt, and my vision goes black around the edges.

"Rainbow, he's..." Is the last thing I hear before I give up, and pass out.

Author's Note

http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/605652/ask-me

Check this thingy out ^

Also, let me know what you thought of the chapter! I tried a little comedy, which probably sucked, but uh, whatcha think 'bout it?