All I Had to do was Stop

Bleeding Heart and I had decided to pick up where we left off when he was originally assigned to be my therapist before Coal Hammer yanked us apart. Though we had a nice time catching up and better getting to know each other, one fact still remained that was still rather depressing. No, scratch that, two facts. One being that Bleeding Heart is now dead and his physical body is being placed into a refrigerated morgue as we speak and his wife and foals will never see him again. Secondly, come tomorrow morning, one of two things would happen.

The possibility of having my skull drilled open and parts of my brain cut out of me was very real. Clutzy somehow grabbing somepony's attention and ultimately alerting them to the situation I'm in and the horrible atrocities Coal Hammer and his goons were committing was all we could hope for at this point. Needless to say, I can't sleep to save my life, which ironically was in real danger of ending and unlike the reason I was here in the first place, I wanted to live. Clutzy is my only hope right now. Huh, funny. The pony who's life I accidentally ended is trying to save mine. Not like ha ha funny, just ironic I guess.

I've never been so stressed out and anxious in my life. When I was taken to court and sentenced, I knew what was coming to me but right now, it's anypony's guess. I'm either going to die and Coal Hammer will continue to hurt and kill ponies to his heart's content, or his operation will be exposed and he can be stopped. I was going to say that he would get what he deserves but I'm really mixed on what should happen to him. He's doing so many wicked, evil things to ponies, and on the other hoof, he's clearly ailing himself. He's sick and belongs here as a patient, not staff. What has he gone through that makes him despise his own species? I have a general idea but no details...I'm not so sure I even want them.

It took hours that seemed like years for Celestia's sun to start shining through the windows. Not long after, at around seven o'clock in the morning, the telltale clicking of a key being stuck into the lock on my door sounded the alarm in my head for my impending death. Sure enough, as Bleeding Heart held me close as best he could, two security guards stepped in, promptly grabbed me and shoved me on to the gurney they had brought before tightly strapping me down.

I feel like an inmate on death row. Everything was quiet on our way to the elevator and down the hall to the room in which I was to be lobotomized. Nopony said a word. In all honesty, I didn't want to talk to them. In a way, they are killing me too and helping Coal Hammer kill and torment others before me. As the two guards wheeled me through the door, my grim reaper in the form of Coal Hammer himself prepared his instruments as he waited for me. It was at this point that Bleeding Heart and I knew that Clutzy couldn't alert anypony in time. It was all over.

It's okay. We tried. If I'm lucky, Coal Hammer will just give me a sedative and make it quick. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay. I can depart this world with newly cleaned hooves and knowing that I'm at peace with those who I upset. My only regret is that I couldn't say goodbye to my friends and my parents. I just wish they wouldn't have to go through this, losing me and all. Everything has a silver lining through. Maybe some of my organs could be used to help somepony who needs them. It's okay. It's going to be okay.

"Sleep well?" Coal Hammer asked as he sharpened one of his whacky little tools. "I mean, it doesn't really matter now, you're going to sleep permanently in just a moment."

"I have nothing to say to you..." I sobbed quietly with my eyes shut tight. I don't even want to look at him.

"Mkay. Well, I'm just gonna go ahead and give you a little shot here and before you know it, you'll just start to drift off. Just try to relax while I administer the drug and there's a slight chance that it might not hurt like a motherfu-"

"Doc, we've got a problem!" A pony, one of the nurses who usually works at the reception desk said aloud as she burst through the door. "I tried to stop them but, they're on to us! They're not buying any more excuses!"

"Shit! Her parents again!? They've become a real thorn in my side!"

"Wha...Mom!? Dad!?" I cried out in hopes of getting their attention. "I'm in he-mff!"

Knowing that Coal Hammer wasn't going to do it as it would otherwise require him to touch me, the nurse quickly lept over and firmly placed a hoof over my mouth to silence me. Coal Hammer then quickly began rummaging around in a drawer and produced a roll of duct tape before tossing it over to his accomplis.

"Tape her fucking mouth shut and don't hesitate to knock her right out if she tries to scream." Coal Hammer commanded as he made his way to the door of the room in which I was being held. "I'll deal with her parents."

I watched Coal Hammer leap out the door with my mouth taped shut and the nurse standing over me as she quietly threatened me with a rather sizable hammer. If I make any sound, she'll bash my skull in with it. If I don't, my skull will get drilled and cut open. Which fate is worse? What if my parents don't leave and Coal Hammer hurts them? I've already seen what he's capable of and he wouldn't bat an eye at shooting my parents with the big ass pistol of his. Well, those possibilities are pretty damn real at this point because Coal Hammer slid to an abrupt halt as the door swung shut. Somepony is blocking his path and he doesn't appear to much care for it.

"Start talking! Where is she!?" None other than my mother demanded as she and my Dad happened to be right outside the door.

"Ah, Mister and Missus Lime..." Coal Hammer said nervously as he tried to diffuse the situation. "Look, now is just not the time to visit Creampuff, she's undergoing very intense ther-"

"Ohhh no you don't!" My father snapped, cutting him off. "There's something going on here and I don't fucking like it!"

"Look, if you two would just calm down and think logical-"

"For the past three fucking weeks, we've been trying to see our girl! The first time, we were blocked! The week after, blocked! The second time that week, blocked! Last week, blocked! Yesterday...fucking blocked!"

"We smell fish..." My mother hissed as she lowered her voice and probably her head as well. "We are very stressed out, pissed off and desperate parents...and you don't fuck with desperate parents..."

"So you're going to show us where our daughter is..." My dad continued as he took a similar tone as my mother. "Or we'll just shove you aside and find her ourselves. And if you try to get in our way..."

"Then What!?" Coal Hammer yelled as his own temper began to flare. I hate to think of what he's about to do. I don't care if he splits my head open while I'm fully awake, please just find it in your heart to spare my Mom and Dad. "What do you plan on doing, huh!? What if I don't budge!? Then what are you gonna do!?"

"You know what?" My Dad spat. "I'm done with you. Get out of my wa-"

"Don't fucking touch meee!!!"

POW! POW! POW! POW! POW! POW! POW! POW!

I couldn't help it. I went absolutely berserk and begun flailing around on the gurney I was strapped to as Bleeding Heart's spirit dashed through the door without opening it to assess the damage. If I'm not mistaken, that was eight shots which is consistent with the type of pistol that Coal Hammer packs in his lab coat. There's no way my parents could survive that from such a powerful weapon. If my life was ever truly over, it certainly was now. Yeah, on second thought, go right ahead and drill a hole in my head. At least I'll see my parents in the afterlife.

As the nurse tightened the straps in effort to further confine me, I could hear the hooves of several ponies, most likely security guards galloping down the hall towards the comotion. Suddenly, Bleeding Heart came shooting back in and over to me to bear some news. I don't even want to know how bad it is.

"He missed!!" Bleeding Heart beamed. "He missed the shots!! You're parents are okay!!"

Bleeding Heart wouldn't bullshit me. Somehow, Coal Hammer had missed all eight shots at point blank range and my parents were okay. I mean, they weren't full of holes right now but they are surrounded by guards who are only here to do Coal Hammer's bidding for some quick cash. Now that I'm somewhat calmed down though, I can hear the same clicking sound I heard before Bleeding Heart was murdered which could only mean that Coal Hammer was simply reloading his weapon. He might still kill them yet. There's a long pause. I couldn't get myself to scream even if my mouth wasn't taped shut.

"W-what are you..." What sounded like my Dad whimpered. "What are you ponies doing?..."

"Shit...how the hell do you miss eight shots at point blank range, doc?" One of the corrupt security guards asked with a chuckle.

"Shut up!" Coal Hammer snapped. "You try being that stressed out and see how much of a crack shot you are! Alright, you two wanna see your daughter!? Get in there!"

Suddenly, the door swung open but instead of seeing my parents rushing in to place me in their warm embrace, they were shuffling backwards, my Mom behind my Dad followed by Coal Hammer, the cold steel barrel held to the latter's face. My parents stared down the barrel of the mini cannon firmly clutched in Coal Hammer's wing as he and his goons forced them into the room where we could finally see each other after several weeks, albeit not under the most pleasant of circumstances. At least the nurse was doing me the courtesy of ripping the duct tape off my face.

"Mom!! Dad!!" I screamed the second my face was free of the tape, bearing no mind to the sudden pain of it ripping some of my fur off.

"Puffpuff!!" My parents both screamed in unison as they dashed over and hugged me tight as best they could in my immobilized state.

As wonderful as it was to see and be held by my parents again, we certainly weren't out of the woods yet. I'm still worried that Coal Hammer is going to kill them too. Where are you, Clutzy? We can only stall the inevitable for so long. We need a savior right now.

"Put them in straight jackets and bring them all back upstairs!" Coal Hammer commanded as he shivered out of frustration before taking a long drag from a cigarette.

Immediately, what had to have been nearly a dozen of the hospital's staff rushed my parents, easily overpowering them before placing them both in straight jackets as they were told. Unlike Coal Hammer, I genuinely believe that there are more good ponies in the world than bad but these guys certainly aren't among the former as they seem to value the quick cash they're pocketing over anything else.

They wheel me and drag my parents down the hall back to the elevator while they both kick and scream the whole way, desperately trying to free themselves as to ultimately bust me out of here. I genuinely believe that they would both take a bullet for me, quite literally. It looks like not all is lost, as their interference has stalled it to a point where we're being taken back to my room for the time being. Maybe Clutzy can still make it!

"What the fuck were you about to do to our baby!?!?" My Mom shrieked in pure rage as she and my Dad were both tossed into the room.

"I swear, I'm gonna make you regret the day you were born when we get out of here..." My dad hissed through his teeth.

"I already do." Coal Hammer retorted. "Now you all wait here while we try to figure out what we're gonna do with you two. We'll be right back."

With that, Coal Hammer slammed the door shut, leaving my parents and I to wait and hope to Faust that we would be saved somehow. If this isn't something coming down to the wire, I don't know what is. We need Clutzy to alert somepony and we need him to now. Whoever he could find still had to get here and would also need some reinforcements as there are multiple criminals in on all this. After a grueling half hour wait however, we were about to find out as my dear friend Bleeding Heart shot right through the door to bear news.

"Creampuff! I think we've done it!" Bleeding Heart beamed. Good news is very welcome and definitely overdue at this point.

"What!? What's going on!?" I asked, still strapped down to that damn gurney.

"The staff is in a frenzy! I hear some ponies talking about an information leak! They're all running around shredding files and hiding evidence! Clutzy must have found a spell to catch somepony's attention and tipped them off!"

"What...are they...oh my Faust, he's done it!"

"Sweetie, who are you...talking to?" My Mom whimpered, probably thinking that I'm seeing somepony who isn't there.

"Mom, Dad, I...I know you can't see him..." I begin to sob as I turn my head over to look my Mom and Dad square in the eyes. "...but please, just trust me. Coal Hammer murdered the only doctor here who cared about ponies and...I can see him just like Clutzy..."

"Puffpuff, baby, there's no way that..." My Dad whimpered.

"You just have to trust me!! Please!! I swear, I'm really seeing them and we're about to be saved!! You're just gonna have to trust me!!"

My mom and Dad both stared up at me in their incapacitated state with watery eyes before looking at each other for a moment and then up at me again. It looks like it's finally clicking in their heads and they both give me a loving smile before the break the silence.

"We...we trust you, sweetie." My Dad sobbed.

"Creampuff, we believe you...there have been a...small hoofful of ponies in the world with that ability. We just never thought our little girl would be that less than one in a billion."

"Sorry to spoil the moment, you guys but he's coming back and he looks pissed." Bleeding Heart said as he could only be speaking of one certain pony.

Once more, a key was shoved into the lock on my door and quickly turned before the door burst open and none other that Coal Hammer galloped in. He was clearly very nervous about something as he grabbed the handle on the stretcher I was strapped to and began to push me out the door much to my parents' dismay.

"If you lay one hoof on her..." My Dad hissed.

"Oh, you certainly don't need to worry about that." Coal Hammer replied nervously. "I haven't willingly touched a pony before in my life. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to get out of here pronto!"

"Bring her back, you bastard!!" My Dad screamed.

"I'll get you, you fucker!!" My Mom screamed as well.

Well, Bleeding Heart was right, something is indeed happening that might be helpful to us but Coal Hammer never ceases to stand in our way. He's trying to escape the facility and he's not too keen on losing his chance to cut a slice of my brain just yet. Just as Bleeding Heart had told me, hospital staff were busily and frantically, darting about with various folders, file boxes, and the like. As we passed by offices and restrooms within the halls, I could even see ponies dumping bins of shredded papers in the toilets before flushing them. Something's up. Bleeding heart unfortunately couldn't keep up as still being a brand new ghost still hasn't quite gotten movement down just yet so for now, it's just me and this crazy bastard.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked as Coal Hammer pushed my stretcher into the elevator.

"Well, dear, the jig is up and somepony narced on us." Coal Hammer replied. "We're just gonna head to a more secretive place. A laboratory of mine where you aid in the advancement of science in relative peace."

"Has it ever occured to you that maybe you yourself need many, many years of very intense therapy?"

"Of course it has. I may be crazy but I'm not stupid. Oh! I almost forgot! I'm just gonna make a quick little stop through the shitbag ward and try something I've always wanted to do."

Okay, I'm really worried about what he plans on doing in the sex offender ward as he has made it plain as day that he completely loathes pedofoals. I mean, nopony really likes them but his hatred goes so much deeper. Aside for my own life, I'm really scared what he's about to do to many others. We quickly leave the elevator and after a couple quick turns, we approach the double doors to the ward and Coal Hammer fished a ring full of keys and his instrument of destruction out of the pockets of his lab coat. There's about to be a bloodbath.

"Pardon me for a moment." Coal Hammer said as he racked the slide of his pistol and retreated through the double doors.

I couldn't believe it, I really, truly couldn't. I'm in total shock as I can hear plain as day the first lock being undone and the door to a patient's room being swung open, followed by a terrified scream of the stallion inside and then...

POW!

A gunshot. The screaming of the stallion in the room stops and I could hear the faint ping of a spent brass shell bounce across the floor. No. This isn't happening. there's just no way that's what he's doing in there. Another lock is clicked open. A door opens and then another scream.

POW!

My eyes shrink to pinpricks with each shot as I lay on that stretcher and listen to life after life being snuffed out one by one.

"No!! No, please!! I don't wanna d-" A stallion screamed.

POW!

More and more ponies in the rooms are screaming in utter horror as they peak from their little windows and witness other patients being senselessly executed before their eyes and knowing within seconds, they were next.

"W-wait...please don't..." A mare begged and pleaded as I could hear her door being opened. "I swear, I'm so sorry for what I did...I've learned my les-"

POW!

I so badly don't want to listen to any of this but I have no way to cover my ears. After several more shots, I hear the sound of a metal object larger than the empty shells hit the floor followed by the same clicking I heard before Bleeding Heart was murdered and when Coal Hammer fired at my parents. He was far from finished and was loading another magazine into his pistol.

A door unlocks and opens. A pony screams and begs for their own life...

POW!

A shot rings out...A series of six or seven more...The magazine drops out...another one takes its place...The crazed gunpony racks the slide...rinse and repeat. I Lost count on how many ponies Coal Hammer just slaughtered but I think he burnt through about four or five magazine holding seven rounds, save for the extra one tucked away in the chamber before the massacre started. I just listened to what had to have been a few dozen ponies die mere feet from where I lay confined.

I get it. Pedofoals are sick ponies who have done terrible things to innocent young kids and rightfully so should be kept from reoffending by whatever humane means necessary. Some can be rehabilitated, others can't. Some are truly sorry for what they did and try to make a genuine effort to give back to society once given the chance. Others aren't quite there. In my own humble opinion, neither of them deserve to be shot execution style. They need to learn their lesson, but not like this they don't.

"Okay, now that I got that out of my system..." Coal Hammer said calmly as he trotted out the double doors to retrieve me, his formerly white lab coat now covered in blood spatters. "...off we go."

"You didn't need to do that." I sobbed as I looked up at the madstallion as he pushed my stretcher down the hall to which he responded by rolling his eyes. "You didn't need to kill all those ponies."

"Huh, you know, you're right. I killed them too quickly. Unfortunately, we don't have time to toy around with them while they slowly bleed out so if anything, they're lucky."

"You're a monster..."

"We all are. You, me, everypony in this world is no better than one another. My hatred of the scum back there is just personal, as you're probably already aware. Some of us are just smart enough to actually do something about it. Wiping out all of equinity will be the best thing that's ever happened to this world. You're lucky enough to soon bear witness to my means of achieving that goal soon enough.

"But you said...you...you're talking like you think you're saving the world!! You're going to destroy it!!"

"Now you're starting to get the picture!"

That's when it hit me. We're dealing with an even bigger threat than I could have ever comprehended. Just when I thought his ideas, his goal couldn't be any worse. We're not just dealing with a mad scientist who experiments on ponies, we're not even up against a mass murderer who creates death and destruction with his pistol. I'm being wheeled down the hallways of a psychiatric hospital by a terrorist who wants to exterminate our own kind.