Sympathy For The Devil

3/16/2058

South Palomino Desert…

12:15pm…

I hadn’t mentioned the stranger to anypony, but yet somehow they all knew about him. I figured I wasn't the only one who saw him, but I wasn't expecting many others to have seen him. But the way everypony was acting today, it was as if everypony had seen him. Since Faith is a small town, word gets around faster than it should. Ponies were scared, beyond scared, for the first time in a long time. Today after morning roll call, I saw the church full of ponies, even guards. The High Elder looked as if he haddn’t slept in days, as did everypony else in their. They recited their scriptures and hymns as if the more they worshiped, the more it would make them think that what they saw was a mistake, a false sign. But it wasn't. He was there, and they knew it, they were just all in denial. Our time was coming, you could feel it in the air, you could sense it even. Impending doom.

I walked up town today towards the farm, just to change up my routine. But on my way their a pair of guards in silver painted armor came out from behind an alleyway and started walking the same way I was. They were just a little ways in front of me, and were talking to each other. I decided, being a little bit curious as to why they hadn’t joined their brothers at the church, to pick up my pace and get behind them, as if to hear them better. Luckily they didn’t hear coming up behind them, which made listening, easier.

“So, this whole stranger thing, it’s got everypony tied up in a knot,” Came the guard on the left. The guard on the right shook his head lightly,

“Yeah, it sucks. Everypony terrified of what tomorrow will bring, and to be honest I think I’m in that boat,” He said regretfully. The left guard snickered.

“Seriously? You believe the end is near? Grow a backbone, we’ll be fine,” The guard said bumping the right guard with his hoof.

“Look I’m serious we’ve had it good for a long time, we're overdue for a disaster,” He said back in defence. The left guard turned to him, clearly upset.

“Jesus, you’re such a bucking worry wort. Trust me, ain’t nothing gonna happen to us, I’ll bet you your next week's ration i'm right,” He said his face changing from anger to a sly smile. The guard on the right now looked at him, with a face of surprised discontent.

“Oh, shut up. There is no way I’m taking that bet, I have a family too you know?” He said back in anger, and a little bit louder than before. The guard on the left shook his head, and rolled his eyes.

“Whatever worry wort,” At that point I had heard enough and back off, and headed back towards home.

2:34pm…

The wind blew softly across the desert sands as the sun crashed down onto me with blinding dry heat. I sat on the roof of our home, looking out over the vast, endless dessert of the South Palomino. I squinted my eyes, looking through my binoculars out towards the horizon, yet all I saw was heat waves and sand. It was as if it went on forever, no water, no plants, no life. The only place I knew was Faith, and you would be right to assume this place was abandoned from the lack of life it gives off. Yet, somehow we survive out here, alone and isolated.

I turn around, and sit again looking over the rooftops of the shanty town, the church steeple like a pin stick up over the other roofs. I look off towards the Red Rock Mountains in the far distance, there plain and mundane structures, looking like works of art compared the desert. It was like a picture painted on a wall, it seemed so close yet so far away. I would never go there, not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t need to. Also because my mother would never let me. In reality, being stuck here my whole life, underneath my mother's, well, “wings,” made me wish I could see it all. Maybe just one day when I get older, I could leave Faith behind and explore those mountains, and see the wonders which it held beyond.

But, considering my mother, I’m not sure she’d come along. Life has been hard on her and like she said, family needs to learn when to say goodbye. Though I kind of wish she would lighten up a little, or find something else to obsess over instead of me. I mean, if I were leave tomorrow, there wouldn’t be anything left in this world for her to turn to. I’m afraid she may just, take her life. She’s lost her husband, she lives in the middle of the desert, and she’s constantly worried that tomorrow, any tommorow, a Griffon Party will come over the hills to the north west of town and end it all. So I guess I can see why she'd want me leave, and, never come for her. I guess she’ll hold herself responsible if I die under her supervision. Then I’ll be one of two ponies she’s seen die that she's cared about. She loves me so much, more than I could ask for. She shelters me, yet, tells me to leave and never come back.

I don’t get it…

Of course I may never get it. Her way of life works in mysterious ways. Ways that’ll I’ll never understand, and maybe it’s best that way. Let her live how she wants, it’s the least I could do for her after all she’s done for me. Of course if that day comes, when I half to part ways with her, I’m not sure I could If I’m being honest with myself. I’ve been with her since forever. I’ve never really thought about leaving since, well just the past few days. It’s gonna be hard for me and for her when we must go our separate ways. But Lily Gaura, will go down in my mind and heart, as more than just my mother. She’ll go down as my sun, and my moon, the reason I get up in the morning, till I rest my head at night. There is nothing I wouldn’t do, to see her face when I wake up. Because, she is my everything, and I am her everything…

And god help anypony that gets in between me and her...