A glimmer in a world of zombies [act 1][earth chapter]

Chapter 0: meeting sam

Starlight Glimmer had been in the middle of an ordinary—well, relatively ordinary—experiment with dimensional magic when everything went wrong. A surge of arcane energy crackled around her, tearing open a rift in space before she could react. A strong force yanked her forward, and in an instant, Equestria vanished.

When she came to, she found herself lying on cold asphalt beneath a gray, overcast sky. The air smelled rancid—decay and rot mixed with the distant scent of smoke. Starlight’s ears flattened as she took in her surroundings. This was nothing like Equestria. The buildings were lifeless, abandoned cars littered the streets, and an eerie silence blanketed everything.

Then came the moans.

Starlight turned sharply, her heart pounding as figures emerged from the shadows. At first, she thought they were ponies—no, creatures of this world—but something was wrong. Their eyes were lifeless, their skin was rotting, and their movements were unnatural. A horrifying realization struck her. These beings were undead.

Panic surged through her. She charged her horn, firing a bolt of magic at the closest zombie, sending it sprawling back. But more were coming. Dozens. No—hundreds.

"Okay, okay! Stay calm, Starlight! Think!" she muttered, stepping backward as the horde closed in. She prepared another spell, but before she could unleash it—

BANG!

A loud crack rang through the air, and one of the zombies’ heads snapped backward as a bullet tore through it. Another shot followed, then another. The creatures fell, but there were too many.

"Hey! Over here!"

A voice. A real, living voice.

Starlight turned toward the sound and saw a human—tall, clad in dark tactical gear, a rifle in his hands. His face was partially concealed beneath a helmet and visor, but his determined eyes were locked on her.

"Move!" he shouted, sprinting toward her while firing at the approaching undead.

Starlight didn’t need to be told twice. She bolted toward him, blasting away a few zombies along the way. The stranger’s bullets tore through the horde with precision, but even with his skill, the sheer numbers were overwhelming.

"This way!" he ordered, grabbing her hoof in a firm but careful grip.

He led her through the ruined streets, dodging grasping hands and decayed jaws. They reached a house—a seemingly ordinary suburban home, albeit with boarded-up windows and reinforced walls. The man shoved the door open, pulling Starlight inside before slamming it shut behind them.

Both of them panted, catching their breath.

"That was close," he muttered before turning to her. "You okay?"

Starlight nodded, still processing what just happened. "Y-Yeah. Thanks to you."

The man removed his helmet, revealing short black hair, a sharp but youthful face, and eyes that held a mixture of exhaustion and determination. He extended a gloved hand.

"Name's Sam Blackthorn. S.W.A.T officer—well, was a S.W.A.T officer before the world went to hell."

Starlight hesitated before shaking his hand with her hoof. "Starlight Glimmer. I'm… not from around here."

Sam smirked, clearly having already figured that out. "Yeah, I kinda noticed. But we can talk about that later. First, let me show you where we’ll be safe."

He led her deeper into the house, past furniture pushed against windows and makeshift barricades. In the center of the living room was a large, well-secured metal hatch. He knelt down and yanked it open, revealing a ladder leading into darkness.

"Welcome to my little slice of survival," he said, gesturing for her to go first. "It ain't much, but it keeps the zombies out."

Starlight peered down, swallowing her nerves. She had no idea how she ended up in this world, but one thing was certain—if she was going to survive, she needed an ally. And for now, Sam Blackthorn was the best chance she had.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the ladder and descended into the unknown.

To Be Continued…