The C̸̞̙̭̽̌̀̈́̽̕̕ȗ̵̧̨̢̻̩̞̘͙̉̋̊͂͘ŕ̷͖̦̍͝s̵̫̪̋̍͂̆̆͆̄é̶̡̧̺͖d̸͎͒̒̿̈̀ Apocalypse

We were slowing now, and the swarm behind us were little dots. Spike had insisted that we should stop to pick up Rarity's body. Twi, after intense thought, agreed to stop in front of the tunnel to pick up both Rarity and AJ.

"We still have to hurry. That swarm will be on us before we know it," Twi reminded. They were rather fast, for zombies. Seeing them gallop back there showed me how dangerous they could really be.

"There's the tunnel." Spike pointed. "Can Dash pull the brakes yet?"

"Just a little further. We're not going miss her. I just don't want all of us turned into brain food."

"Alright. Sorry Twi. I'm just a little stressed."

I didn't blame him. So much had happened in such little time. It was hard to catch up on everything. Twi knew about Blaze and Drift being alive since I told her, but had no time to meet them before Spike suggested this idea.

We began approaching the tunnel. Twi went through the engine doors and squealing sounded seconds later. This was it.

We'd discussed a plan quickly after Spike suggested we stop, so we readied up. Me, Twi, Abby, Jen, Spike and Trixie were in the open car behind the engine. At the sound of the squeals, we kicked open the side doors. All of us put our legs over the edge, readying to jump. We were assigned by Twi to jump off when she did, and move quickly. Abby, Twi, and I were going to run through the tunnel to grab AJ while Jen, Spike and Trixie were going to get Rarity.

We all had rifles and pistols cocked and ready to kill if we needed them too. The annoying squeal went on a few moments longer. We all waited for Twi to jump, which was the signal for us to.

The trees flying by slowed. I looked around the engine to see that we were getting close. The train needed to stop a few feet away from the narrow tunnel so that we'd be able to get in. The squeal continued. Now we could probably outrun it if we sprinted fast enough.

Twi jumped off. We did the same. We broke off into our groups of three and bolted for the two. Thankfully, they were very close to each other.

Me, Twi, and Abby continued ahead of the train's engine. It stopped a few feet away as we entered the tunnel. We followed Twi, as she knew where they'd placed AJ. I flipped on a flashlight and shined it on an orange body alongside the tracks. That was definitely her.

"Ouch," Abby said.

We worked together to lift her. I put the flashlight in my mouth as we picked her up and carried her to the train.

We slipped through the opening between the tunnel and train. Then we got her to the open car, where Dash was waiting.

Dash and us lifted her to the open car. We hopped on board with them, and shut the left doors. The others would come through the right ones.

"You guys," Twi said, "take AJ to Snow while I help get Rarity."

We quickly accepted, and she lept off the car. Dash latched the left gate shut as we lifted AJ. "I'm going to stay here, so I can start up the train again."

"Alright," I replied.

I took AJ's leg while Abby took her arms. Together, we carried her through two cars, where we met Snow. She pointed to a bed opposite of Celestia. "Set her down there."

We did. Blaze and Drift were in the room too, as well as Luna. Snow would be busy for a while. Abby and I ran through the last two cars to reach the caboose, where we'd be able to keep watch on the swarm. Twi had told us beforehand to empty clips if they got too close.

The swarm looked far away, but they weren't dots anymore. If you looked through a pair of old binoculars, you could probably figure out who was attacking. We could also see the tree we were attacked at before. The dead zombie pony corpses still surrounded it. We watched as Twi and the others went around the tree. A few seconds later, they stumbled back.

"What are they doing?" Abby asked.

"I don't know." I squinted to see them pulling their guns at something - most likely a zombie pony - around the tree. But they hesitated.

Twi shouted something to the others. They backed away. Spike flailed forcefully his hands and shook Twi's legs, saying something to her that we couldn't distinguish.

"They'd better hurry up, or that swarm will be on us," Abby said.

"I know."

Twi turned to Trixie, and she hesitantly warmed up a spell. Her horn glowed cyan.

"What's she doing?"

"I don't know."

Twi shoved Spike back as Trixie let the spell go. Just before she did, I could see Rarity leap out from behind the tree. She was hit by Trixie's spell, and fell.

"She turned!" I yelled.

"Oh no ..."

We looked on to see them pick up Rarity's body. The swarm was advancing. They were coming disturbingly close to Twi and the others.

"Let's even out the playing field."

We both simultaneously fired rounds into the massive herd. Our M-16s drained the clips quickly. We could see a bunch of the galloping front line attackers fall, but the pack behind them pushed forwards. We reloaded and mowed down more. Despite our fire, they began advancing towards the others, who were coming as fast as they could with Rarity on their backs.

Now our shots were dangerous. We had to be careful not to hit Twi and the others. Another clip done. We were managing pretty well.

As we reloaded, I saw Twi trip. This caused Rarity to tilt, and the others dropped her. They fell as well, like dominoes.

We emptied another clip into the nearest attackers, but it only seemed to slow the swarm. There were too many to count. Nervous, we both ran out of shells at the same time.

"They aren't going to make it!" Abby yelled.

"Just reload!"

Trixie warmed up another spell as they struggled to lift Rarity again. The attackers were only feet away when she released it, blowing up in a bright white light explosion. The blast emitted bright light into our visions for a split second before dimming. Wind lashed at us forcefully, throwing us back against the caboose.

Now I couldn't see a thing. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust, to see Trixie and the others in a bright blue force field that was just big enough to fit them all. They didn't seem to have the need of adjusting their eyes to the bright blast as they lifted Rarity and continued forwards. The nearest zombie ponies to them now were train cars away, thrown back on their backs.

We met with them at the edge of the train car, where Trixie took away her shield so we could help. As soon as we lifted her over the edge, Twi said, "Jen ... hurry to Dash and tell her to get moving." Without replying, she gave her the M16 and gunned it through the door of the caboose.

"Trixie, Abby, and Spike ... take Rarity to Snow for now. We're going to stay here."

They accepted, and carried her through the door. Twi stared at me for a second before looking out to the swarm. Most of them were still trying to figure out where we'd gone. Trixie's explosion had literally saved them, and even gave us extra time before having to worry about them again.

"Should we fire at them now, or save ammo?" I asked.

"It'd probably be best to hold off. If we fired, they'd come after the sound."

"Oh ... yeah. Good thinking."

The train shook to life moments later, starting to move slowly. A few of the zombies noticed, but none of them were runners. The darkness from the tunnel swept over us as it accelerated. I looked to Twi. "That was a close one."