Shadows of the Caves
Day 1
I was minding my own business when suddenly I fell into a huge hole. Seems cliché for something like that to happen to somepony, but I did and nopony else was around to see me. I don’t even know if anypony knows I’m missing.
I fell into a large dirty cave, with a small pool of murky water. I dunno if I made it happen, but before I touched the pool it started bubbling so it was a somewhat soft landing. If the pool wasn’t there, my legs would have probably broken. I had fallen very deep underground but I could still see the bright sky through the large opening the hole made.
I was on my way home from picking up a few books at the library that purple unicorn lives in, one for helping my sister, Angelic with her cooking, one for my dad so he can learn how to do things without a horn (it broke off when he used a powerful spell a long time ago) and one for my mother, who was trying to figure out how she could make her wings bigger (my dad couldn’t help, because like I wrote earlier, his horn snapped off) so that I could help her with my magic, if I could figure out how to work the spells.
After waiting for forever, I decided to look around to see if this cave leads anywhere.
After circling the walls for the longest time, I came to the conclusion that there are indeed, no pathways to other caves.
The sky was turning black. I didn’t want to be in the dark, all cold and soaking wet so I tried to make a spark with magic... But it didn’t work. My body was still wet from landing in that puddle. With nothing else to do but wait until it becomes sunny again, I curled up and tried to sleep. It took so, so long, I was uncomfortable, cold and the dirty stone ground wasn’t helping.
Day 2
When I opened my eyes, the sunlight coming down from the hole in the ceiling was warm. It made me feel fuzzy inside to finally feel that wonderful glow again after being alone and freezing.
I looked up into the warm sunlight, still a little sleepy, but my body ached and my legs were stiff from sleeping on the hard stone ground. I shouted up, hoping somepony was walking nearby and could hear me, but alas, my hopes were too high. Until I remember how to send messages to other unicorns I’m stuck here. I skulked around the area hoping to find stones or some twigs, anything I could use to start a fire so I could be warm in the night-time. I found a stick, lots of twigs, 6 pebbles and 2 bigger rocks. I figured I could just clump together the twigs, break the stick into smaller pieces and make a spark with the rocks. I didn’t need the pebbles.
It’s a good thing I brought my notebook with me. I would have probably gone insane without it.
Shadows were starting to form in the far end of the cave; I could have sworn I saw something in them.
Something...
Day 3
I don’t remember falling asleep, but I woke up next to a charred mess that used to be the fire. I could possibly mix up some more dirt and make another fire, but then again I don’t understand how flames work. Is dirt flammable? Does a dragon have a fire in its stomach? Or can it just make fire on demand using magic?
I saw another thing move out the corner of my eye. I saw a hole in the wall, the wall where the shadow was last night. I walked up to it, it was just blackness. I couldn’t see a thing. I tried to use that emergency light spell that creates a small light at the tip of your horn, it took a second to work but I managed to create light. I never really used a spell like that before, it’s kind of exhausting. I don’t get how ponies can use magic so well, it just makes me tired.
The light revealed a huge chasm, with a bunch of different passages to what I’d assume to be different caves. This was a huge web of caves; I don’t know how long it goes on for. I have a hunch that one of these leads to the surface, however I have no idea where to start looking. All these caves look the same. I figure I’d have better luck waiting for somepony to find me.
I saw another shadow move towards me, it gave my heart a jump, the sudden shock made me jolt back, and I fell over on the hard ground. I bolted back to the wall opposite of the hole, and I waited. Nothing happened. Until I can make the light for a prolonged period of time, I won’t be exploring the maze.
day 4
i dont know if that thing is real or not. this creature, this entity, its terrifying me. i don't know if i can last much longer.
ive been practicing the light spell, i can keep it running for a good 5 minutes.
if only I can remember the message spell.
Day 5
Okay, I’ve calmed down a bit. I apologize to whoever may or may not be reading this, I was shaken up by what had happened and couldn’t be bothered to fix my spelling mistakes. Fortunately I haven’t seen the shadow for some time, and now I can hold the light spell for 10 minutes!
I hesitantly moved towards the hole to explore a bit. There were 6 different passageways going off in different directions. I started with the closest to my left. Oh, and to make sure I didn’t get lost; I started the fire in the cave I sleep in before I left. There were many sharp rocks in the passageway, and if I wasn’t careful I’d step on one, and... I’d rather not think of it.
I wish I had the strength to pull off a teleportation spell. I could have been out of this dark cave so long ago... But sadly, only Princess Celestia and I think maybe Luna can actually perform those. I wonder if anypony else has done those, if they have, how much focus does it take?
I was timing how much time had passed, and 5 minutes was almost up. I was still in the middle of a stone passageway, but I had to turn back or I’d be too tired to make light... Not to mention that shadow might jump me again. Despite it possibly not existing, I still didn’t rule out the possibility that it has a hostile intent.
The fire I had started was out when I got back.
day 6
it is here i know it is
why is this happening to me
i never asked for this
LEAVE ME ALONE
Day 7
(There are random pencil marks, as if the writer was thinking of something to write)
Day 8
Yesterday was unproductive; I didn’t go to search for a way out because I have an irrational fear of the night-time now. I keep on thinking that damn shadow is behind me, merely inches, no, millimetres away from the back of my head, it’s like it’s trying to reach out and strangle me but it just can’t reach.
Suddenly, a chill went down my spine.
I looked behind me, nothing. Nothing but (Random pencil marks)
Day 9
Where did they come from? How are they moving? I can’t comprehend how the shadows are alive.
The shadows, the shadows seem to be getting bigger, despite the sun shining brightly through the hole.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
Day 10
I need to make a fire. Ignite all the dirt if I can. I crawled around scavenging all the dirt and bits of wood, twigs/whatever I could find. I banged some rocks together to make a spark, but the dirt didn’t catch on fire. I tried again, this time using magic; it was a different kind of flame that ignited so it will never go out. That and it made the dirt catch on fire, too.
I curled up near the fire, and tried to go to sleep.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that (word seems to be scribbled out) shadow again.
But then I remember I’m safe, I have a fire beside me, a magic fire that can’t be put out easily. It’s a source of light, so it can’t come close to me.
Day 11
I think the shadow is waiting for the fire to go out. It’s just waiting there, doing nothing, watching me with those small red-dot-eyes.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
(There are some missing pages)
day 21
i need food
i don’t understand anything
i drank all the murky water
i cant think straight
i feel bad
im cold
i am scared
help me
day 22
there isnt just one shadow there are many shadows
these thing haunt me
theres red dots everywhere
im too terrified to sleep
i (Ineligible writing)dows
these stupid stupid things
i dont know if i can last much longer
i hope i can see this through
i want to go home and sleep in my soft comfy bed
i need to take a bath
i smell horrible
i hate this cave
day 23
my own shadow moved. i was completely still
but it moved
im trapped
i cant live like this
day 24
the fire is still keeping them away
but the thought of it going out is
horrible
i cant sleep
i cant move
i cant eat
i cant drink
i dont know what these things are
i dont understand why these things even exist
i still see red dots everywhere
theyre watching my every move
im going to die here
(Missing pages)
Day ??
I’ve lost count of how many days I’ve been down here, I ended up not writing anything down for maybe, like, 3 or 4 days? I don’t even know. I haven’t seen any shadows for a while though, so at least something good happened.
I’ve succumbed to eating rats, dead, rotten rats, and ponies don’t even eat meat!
It wasn’t a good idea to have drunk all the water in the crater. It was dirty and full of other gross things, it made me feel sick. I’m so thirsty, my throat is so dry and I can’t speak. I’ve tried screaming, but it’s no good. Nopony seems to be nearby.
But it’s strange, I remember walking through Ponyville, the town square even, and suddenly, out of the blue I fell down here. Surely somepony must have noticed, or even seen me fall.
Why didn’t I think of this before? I can write a message to somepony, wrap it around a rock and throw it up to the surface!
(Paper is torn in half here)
But something is amiss to me.
I feel welcome in this cave. This cave IS my new home. I’ve survived many days here. I don’t know what’s happened on the surface, hell, I don’t even know if Luna made her grand public appearance yet. I don’t know if I can go back to the life I lived before this happened. I’ve trained myself, I can perform magic way better than I used to be able to, I’m stronger, and much tougher than I used to be and I am used to sleeping on the hard rocky floor. Just a while ago I was wishing that I was home and that I could sleep in my soft bed. I’m used to this now. I’m not sure if I want to go home anymore.
As I wrote that, chocolate milk rained down from the hole in the ceiling.
I sat in the rain and drank. I drank until I felt sick. As I forced the chocolate milk down my throat, I almost choked, some spilled out of my mouth. It was delicious, so tasty, so sweet. The chocolate milk stopped raining down after a while, however. Luckily enough, it also filled the empty crater with chocolate milk.
It’s dark now. I should get to sleep, and for future reference, I’m going to start counting days from the beginning.
As soon as I wrote that, it turned back into day again. I have no idea what’s going on up on the surface. It sounds like everything is going crazy up there. Screams, yelling and other things I can’t describe. One thing that happened was some soap, yes, soap, dripped down and splashed in the chocolate milk I was saving. Great, now I can’t drink it or I’ll get sick again.
I’m so glad I haven’t seen those shadows for a while. I think they’ve given up.
Day 1
Really strange things are happening. The small pebbles I’ve had for a while, they just started changing into really strange things. One turned into a rabbit (That I am now cooking with the fire) one into a mirror, and the others just skewed in shape and size. One even swelled up to the size of the opening leading to the other caves, so now I can’t get out even if I wanted to.
After a while, I could barely see a rainbow shoot out across the sky from the hole. It seemed to split into 2, and with that everything changed.
The rabbit I had cooked and was eating changed back into a small pebble, and I’m guessing the same happened to the parts I had eaten and were being digested, too. The passage to the cave system was opened again. The mirror didn’t change for some reason.
Hopefully I won’t see those shadows anymore.
Day 2
It must have rained a bit during the night-time; the pool that was emptied of the chocolate milk was full of water again.
I think I heard somepony’s voice, it sounded like she was talking to somepony in a slow, calm voice. She was saying something about “Now don’t fall down that hole, who knows what kinds of creatures are down there.”
If this had happened a few days sooner, I’d have yelled up and asked for help. But, like I said earlier, this cave is my new home. I never want to leave it, I feel safe here and I don’t think I can go back to living with other ponies.
The mirror let me look at myself once again, but I barely recognized the pony I saw in it. My mane was so long and dishevelled, I had huge bags under my eyes, my coat was almost stained with all the dirt I had been sleeping on, and one more thing caught my eye. I had blood on my coat. Blood. I don’t know how I could have started bleeding; I haven’t cut myself in the long period of time I have been down here.
I looked back at my reflection, and I saw something horrifying.
Shadows were coming out of my eyes.
My pupils dilated, and changed in hue from a bright blue to a bright red.
My eyes were becoming bigger, the shadows absorbed them. Blood started to trickle out, my face had transformed into something I never thought I’d even read about in a horror book, my eyes looked like huge, sunken holes with a small red dot acting as a pupil. I was paralysed, I couldn’t move or speak. I was experiencing absolute terror. I changed my mind, this cave is NOT my home, how could I have been so stupid!?
I heard a splash behind me; something must have fallen from the surface. It got me out of that horrible trance. I kicked the mirror with my hind legs, shattering it. Some shards got stuck in my legs, but I didn’t care. It hurt, sure, but the pain was better than what was happening to my reflection.
I saw a little white bunny paddling out of the pool.
Somepony shouted down, what I’m guessing was the name of the bunny, “Angel”. It was the same voice as earlier, telling somepony to watch where they were going. She flew down, landed and looked around. She had a bright yellow coat and a pink mane that covered half her face so I could only see one of her cyan eyes. When she saw me, her expression changed from worried to frightened and she let out a small yelp, snatched the bunny away in her mouth and flew back up to the surface. I screamed and shouted, telling her to wait, but I don’t think she listened. Does my face look like what had happened in the mirror? I hope to Celestia it still looks normal.
(There are scribbles and a sketch of a pony’s face.)
If only I could remember that message sending spell.
Day 3
I woke up to the sounds of ponies shouting. I think that mare who saw me yesterday told everypony that I’m down here. Oh Celestia, I hope I’m right. I want out of this stupid, dirty, horrible cave. 2 male pegasus ponies flew down and saw me. They walked towards me, saying I’ll be alright.
(There are some tears in this page, as well as some scribbles and other pencil marks.)
Day 4 (?)
I’m writing this from the hospital. Apparently I had attacked the pegasus ponies that tried to help me. I don’t remember doing that, but it would explain why my head hurts, one of them had to knock me out in order to get me out of the cave. Nurse Redheart, or Nurse Tenderheart, whoever is the nurse, she said that I was suffering from PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. I think it was because of either what I saw in that damn mirror, or the shadows stalking me for days on end. Either way, I don’t feel safe here in the hospital. I know it’s locked at night but that what scares me. At night, there will be shadows, living or not, everywhere. I’ll be in shadows; the only possible light will be Luna’s moon. Maybe I should ask the nurse if I can have a drug or something that will help me sleep.
They said they won’t do it. They said I’ll be fine. What the hell!? They said I have PTSD, so why not help me cope with it? I won’t last a night if those things are still after me. With my legs all torn up from the glass, I don’t think I can make any quick getaways, either.
The time I’m staying here will be total hell.
(Some of this writing is very hastily scribbled down, so it’s hard to tell what was written.)
i woke up in a cold sweat my bed was soaked and im so alone
i need to tell somepony about this
Day 5 (?)
I woke up with my notebook on my bed, open to a page with some writing on it. It just looks like scribbles to me, though. I wanted to talk to somepony about my condition. I’m too paranoid that the shadows have followed me here.
The nurse brought in an older looking pony; she had her mane in a bun and wore reading glasses. Her cutie mark was 3 rocks. She introduced herself as Sue, and we started talking about my fears.
Not much longer, a pink pony with a fluffy pink mane burst in the room and almost knocked Sue over, screaming and hollering, something about being so happy to see her again.
In a sudden blaze, the pink earth pony morphed and twisted into a shadow. Her continence was horrible; it looked like my own in the mirror. I was screaming, trying to get out of my bed and crawl far away from it, the shadow was shooed out by Sue, she said that she’d talk to her later and that she’s scaring her patient.
She apologized for her daughter to have come in like that. She said that it was alright, there aren’t any shadows here.
We talked more about what had happened since I disappeared. I had apparently been missing for 49 days. Horse apples, I’ve been in the cave for that long? How didn’t I starve to death down there? I had only eaten some rats, the bunny that turned into pebbles (that was a fun journey) and some dirt. Something must have been keeping me alive...
Then she started talking about the weird things her daughter did, like when she threw a party for her family when she was younger, how her body started to do odd twitches or ticks that predicted things that would happen in the near future. I laughed for the first time in forever; she was a pretty funny pony, despite looking old and stiff. It felt great; I had spent so much time alone, it was nice to speak with another pony.
Day 6 (?)
My legs were healing up pretty nice, there were some light scars, but nothing too bad. I got a mane cut, and I got some good sleep. I look as if nothing even happened to me. What was wrong with me in the first place? I don’t even remember what I was so scared of but I’m not gonna look back through my notebook, I’ll probably read about it.
It’s time for me to go home. I wonder what’s changed in my life, if my dad ever found a way to cope without magic, if my mom got somepony to help with her wings or if Angelic ever managed to cook something successfully.
Well, I’m back in my own room now, everypony was so happy to see me. My dad actually managed to grow his horn back somehow, I never thought it was possible, to be honest. Mom still has her small wings, but dad agreed to help her with that after I came home. He’s working on it now, I think. Angelic didn’t get help with her cooking, so she’s behind in her cooking class. If only I didn’t fall in that cave. If only I remembered that message sending spell.
I wonder if I’ll ever see that pegasus pony again, she seemed really shy, and I’m fairly certain she had a bond with the bunny that had fallen into the cave.
I’m gonna go to sleep now, it’s gonna be weird to sleep in a soft, warm, clean bed when I’ve been sleeping on the hard, cold, dirty ground for so long, It’ll be strange to talk about it with my friends.
My shadow moved.
(The rest of the notebook is blank)
