Lies In The Shadows
By Moonlight Song
It was an ordinary day. The sun shining over the rolling hills. On the top of one of those hills was a large house. It sat alone on one of the higher hills overlooking the small town. In that house lived two sisters, Tia, the oldest and Lola being the youngest. The house sat alone on the top a smaller hill. On the outside it looked like a plain wood cabin. But the interior was beautiful with furniture and décor. They were by far the most known people in their town. The town is called Hoofington; a small town off the coast of the ocean. Both sisters, despite their house, were very simple and were kind to their town.
“Lola?” called a mare dressed in a simple skirt and top.
“Yes, Tia” replied a voice a little higher than the former.
“Dinner is ready” Tia replied.
Footsteps followed soon after. A figure appeared on the steps. She looked similar to her sister, but instead of Blue hair and a braid she had wavy brown hair.
“Here I am” Lola said as she walked down the steps.
Tia turned around and placed salad on a plate. Lola grabbed it and sat down. Tia followed shortly after with her own plate.
“So how was your day?” asked Tia taking a bite of her meal.
“It was good. The visit with Bright was a little weird, but still good.” Lola replied.
“That’s good.”
They sat down and talked for a while before heading off to bed.
“Tia! Tia! Tia, where are you?” Lola called throughout the town. She was asking all around and at this point ponies were thinking she had become insane. Yet no one had seen her sister. Ponies started to gossip about their ideas, claiming they were true. Many seemed impossible, some plausible, but unlikely. Lola had been looking high and low for hours trying to find Tia. Finally she walked home to figure out what to do. She put on a pair of sneakers and grabbed a flashlight. She left to go find her sister, wherever she may be.
It was about noon when she went off into the mountains. She began to walk across town one last time. When she got through, she followed the gravel path to the mountains. As she climbed the mountains, it became darker. She didn’t know why so she ignored it. He legs became sore and the journey got hard after a while.
Suddenly it became so dark Lola could hardly see. She then felt a gust of wind blow. Then she felt someone grab her. “Ahhh! Let go of me!” she cried. The creature did not listen.
Soon all she felt was a cold breeze on her neck. She finally opened her eyes to see a dimly lit dungeon with a large window with bars higher than she could reach. Along the brick walls were torches and a large wooden door. She immediately charged it, making a loud slam. She backed up and tried again and again. She tried this as hard as she could many times before she gave up. She looked up to see how much the door had actually gotten damaged. There was nothing. No dents, no scratches. All it did was leave a big bruise on her shoulder.
“It’s no use!” She slumped down on the floor against the wall and started to cry.
“Tia, where are you?” she said whimpering between each word. Eventually she fell asleep on the hard and cold floor.
Creek…the door opened startling her. Lola gasped. “Ha…Hello?” She opened her eyes only to remember where she was.
She jumped up and slowly started walking back. Her eyes were still blurry seeing that she just woke up. From what she could see, it was a female figure with ribbons both in her hair and around her outfit.
“Who are you?!” Lola cried out. Fear was clearly in her voice.
Only a deep but still feminine voice said “My, my, Loli, you have grown since we last met”.
She began treading towards her prey, Lola.
“Go! Leave me and let me go!” Lola yelled, swatting the air in the process.
“Oh, Loli. I thought you’d remember.”
Lola finally regained her vision and saw in front her a mare with bright red eyes. She had dark green ribbons woven in her bright red hair along with a thicker ribbon tied around her waist.
“Where is Tia and who are you?” Lola couldn’t handle it. First her sister,, and now her.
“Oh, Tia, of course!” The mare walked out with a smug smile, but Lola didn’t notice.
A few minutes later, the door opened once more and two ponies walked in. One was in chains the other smiled with a small hidden smirk.
“Tia!” Lola yelled, running over to her sister.
“Oh! No, no, no, no, no! Loli, you can’t!” The mysterious mare struck out her hand so it hit Lola’s chest as she ran over.
“Let me see her! And stop calling me Loli!”
She just kept running in place with her front hooves extended in front her of her, just trying to get past.
“Wait, Loli.”
“Ugh!” Lola finally pulled away, gasping with air.
“Tia is coming in here for 5 minutes. Then you are coming with me. Oh, and I’m Anna.” She said firmly offering a hoofshake at the end, but Lola just ignored it.
Anna then walked outside to get Tia and put her chains on locks on the walls.
Lola immediately ran over and gave her sister a hug. “Are you ok? Did she hurt you?” Lola asked, afraid of the answer.
“I’m fi…” Tia stared before getting cut off.
“No! You’re not alright! What happened?” Lola asked, moving Tia around like a worried Mother.
“Calm down. She wouldn’t hurt us…rather you, at least.” Tia said, sighing.
“Who is she anyway? H-H-How does she know us?” Lola asked, finally calming down a little. But before Tia could answer, Anna interrupted.
“Lola, times up! Come here.”
“Bye, Tia”
“Bye, Lola” they said to each other, sorrow filling their voices.
“Ok, Anna” said Lola. They both stole one more hug before she left through the wooden door with Anna. But there Tia sat alone in the darkness.
“Where are we going?” Lola asked as they walked past several doors down a long hallway.
“To dinner. Have you eaten?” Anna replied holding a torch as they continued to walk.
“Why can’t Tia come?” Lola turned her head and Anna did the same a second after.
“While you are a special guest, Tia came uninvited.” Anna said in an all too calm tone. “Here we are.” Anna said opening two large doors that lead to a dining room and a kitchen. They took a seat and began to talk.
“Um, I have a question” Lola began, being very cautious of her words.
“Yes, Loli?”
“How do you know me? Did I upset you?” Lola asked sincerely.
“Well I think Tia would like it better if I told you, so I am your older sister. Tia made me leave when you were very young, even though I am older than she was.” Anna replied, calmly at first, but getting angrier at the end.
Lola was stunned. Her mouth opened wide and curiosity filled her eyes. Soon she realized she had been lied to for years.
“W-W-What? H-H-How? Why did Tia lie?” Lola yelled, shaking her head with her hands and then getting up. She struggled to regain her composure. All the memories and good times she could have had with two sisters instead of just one.
“It’s Ok, Loli. Tia is just selfish and that’s why I brought you here where it is safe.” Anna just smiled calmly like nothing had happened.
“Ok, but why are you here?” Lola asked, putting emphasis on “you”.
“Tia wasn’t very kind to me. In fact, she kicked me out! She was mad at me for no reason.” Anna banged on the table and mumbled some inaudible words.
“But why would Tia lie? She always said it was just us.” Lola looked at the floor and then back up at Anna awaiting the answer.
A few seconds passed before Anna stood up and walked with seemingly with a heavy heart towards her sister. “Oh Loli, Loli. She just wanted to seem good, therefore she didn’t tell you to retain her perfect image. Uh! But, Loli. How do you feel about what she’s done? Do you feel betrayed?” Anna’s tone sounded dangerous, but also calm and safe sounding.
“Yes, but also lost. I don’t know what to think.” Lola put her hands on her head and looked down.
“Should we see her?” Anna asked, a smirk now forming on her face.
“Ok but let’s eat first. I am really hungry.” Lola looked up a little to see an empty table in front of her.
“Of course, Loli” Anna walked into the kitchen and grabbed two sandwiches.
“What time is it?” Lola asked.
Anna looked up to find a clock. “6:46. You only took a nap.”
“Oh, ok. Thank you.”
Shortly after, Anna came with two sandwiches and they ate in complete silence.
“Are you done?” Anna asked as she put down her cup.
“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m done.”
