Big Mac paced anxiously outside of the cellar. He was beginning to get worried, she had never been done there this long. The sun was almost completely gone on the horizon and he could see the moon starting to sore into the sky. He started to trot in pace as he looked between the cellar doors and his younger sister dozing off on a hay barrel, weighing his options. Then he stopped and sighed making his decision. He walked over to his little sister nudging her awake. She looked up her eyes dreary. Then realizing at that very moment she had dozed off she jumped up on all four hooves.
“Ah’m sorry big brother. Ah didn’t mean to doze off.” She hung her head when she felt her brother’s hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see him smiling at her.
“It’s alright lil’ sis. Why don’t chya go inside and get ready fer bed now. Granny Smith ‘ill tuck ya in.” A worried look then crossed her face.
“Are ya sure?” He nodded. At this she jumped off the hay barrel and began to the house looking back only once and shouting “Good nite! Love ya big bro!” Then she went into the house. He waved back and said “Luv ya too sis.” But he knew she couldn’t hear him. He then turned, opened the cellar doors and then began the trek down into the darkness.
The cellar had used to be used for making Sweet Apple Acre’s famous Apple Cider until half of it had collapsed killing three ponies. Big Mac remembered that day; he had never been back down her since then. He was too afraid. Everypony thought he was the big strong stallion who wasn’t afraid of anything type, but they were wrong. He was afraid of this cellar. He remembered his mother trying desperately to dig out their–
He suddenly stopped pulling back the hoof he was about to put down on the next step. That was the same day their father had died. Along with their grandfather and Cousin Apple Bloom who at the time was two weeks pregnant with Braeburns’ son. That’s why he had moved away. Left and never looked back with the settler ponies. His own little sister had been named in honor of Cousin Apple Bloom. She even sort of looked like her. Braeburn had heard about her but Big Mac knew he wouldn’t even look at her. He hadn’t even come to the Apple family reunion. There where a lot of sad memories in this cellar. Big Mac almost turned back right then but he had to get over this fear once and for all. He pushed himself on taking each step lightly until finally he came to the end. There was a single light on and it was hanging right above his sister. Making a circle around her. It lit up partly the pile of rocks that reached the top of the ceiling and that had fallen and crushed the three– no four ponies. He turned his attention away from the rocks and to his sister. She was sitting on her haunches and next to her was a rope with a dark brown leather handle attached to the end. It was their fathers. It had been coiled up with the handle pointing towards Apple Jack as if she may use it. She came down her every Monday, which he realized now, was the same day of the collapse. She asked to not be bothered and the family always agreed to her wishes. Lately she had been acting weird though. Crying during most of her daily work on the farm but not knowing she was crying. She had started to get angrier and angrier and didn’t even look or talk to Apple Bloom. They had always been very close but now. He remembered the day she was born and Apple Jack had suggested they name her Apple Bloom in honor of Cousin Apple Bloom. Apple Jack had always been protective of her. Now he could see why. She was scared like he was.
“Uh? Apple Jack?” She didn’t move. He took a step forward “AJ?”
“I told you never to bother me when I’m down here.” She spoke grimly and he was taken back. She never moved a muscle.
“AJ look I know what’s wrong. Ah’m scared of this place too but– ”
“Scared?” She scoffed turning her head so he could only see half of it. She was smiling but there were tears running down her face “Why? Because you know it was supposed to be you?” He was taken back. Shocked and confused at what she just said.
“W-what? AJ it was a accident that caused the collapse. What are ya’ll talking ‘bout it should’ve been me?” He saw her hoof move slightly but her hind leg was now blocking the place she moved it to.
“You’re the one who bucked the tree. I told ya not to but ya did. It fell and so did the rocks. IT WAS YOUR FAULT.” Her hoof tightened on the unknown item. He suddenly remembered the rope.
“AJ Ah – ” He didn’t finish as she brought up the rope and snapped it at him. He backed up till he was up against the wall as she stood the rope in her mouth. She looked angry but her composer was calm.
“It’s all your fault.” She muttered before bringing the rope upon his neck.
At the house…
Apple Bloom yawned as Granny tucked her in “Night night Gran-Gran.” Granny Smith smiled as she brushed a lock of hair out of Apple Blooms’ face.
“Good night Bloom.” Granny said before turning and leaving the room blowing out the candle as she went. Apple Bloom turned to her side as her eyes started getting heavy and finally fell when she heard a small scream then a sickening thud. She sat up in bed then jumped down from bed as quietly as possible and pressed her ear to the wooden floorboards. She heard the hoof steps of somepony as they walked across the floor then a slow sickening dragging of what she could only guess was the pony that scream, Granny Smith. Apple Bloom got up then went to her bedroom door opening it as quietly as possible but that just seemed to make the small creaks even louder. She half jumped over to Big Macs’ room, which was across from hers.
“Big brother?” She called out in a whisper as she opened the door to find the room untouched and completely empty. She felt her heart beat start to beat faster as she went next door to Big Macs’ room, her older sisters room. It was also empty. It started to beat faster as she moved down the hallway, then down the stairs and to the kitchen. As she seemed to exit the blackness and enter the light her heart still wouldn’t calm down. Then she saw sitting on the table was a head, a pony head. It was stained with it’s own blood but the coat itself was a moderate crimson red. Its mane had been partly pulled out at the top but she could still see it was ginger. Behind her next to the kitchen door two eyes opened out of the darkness. Apple Bloom opened her mouth in a scream when she felt a hoof over her open mouth muffling the sound and another across her chest. The pony, which she only got a quick glance of in the reflection of the hanging pan pulled her back into the darkness. She then heard the pony whisper in her ear and couldn’t believe who it was.
“Ah’m so sorry Bloom.”
“AJ?” she was able to muffle before her neck was snapped killing her instantly. AJ stood there still numb. They were all dead. Big Mac; strangled/beheaded, Granny Smith; heart attack, and now Apple Bloom; neck snapped. It had felt good to finally rid the world of her father’s murderer but it felt even better to snap her sister’s neck. She could already feel her mind forming a story as to how her family ended up dead. She felt a wicked smile form on her face as she bent down and pressed a hoof against her sisters’ limp, cold body. She loved the tingling feeling it gave her inside and wanted to do it again. To feel the warm, hot, sticky sweet blood on her fur and hooves. It was too late now but she could wait. She was always patient.
