GASP

Redheart woke up the next morning to her pager freaking out. It was still dark outside, but she was receiving message after message from Dr. Hang calling her in.

She pulled on her uniform and hurried over there to find Dr. Hang in a panic.

“Ah, Redheart, there you are, finally!”

“What wrong, Doctor?”

“We have a big problem here, nurse. You were at the festival yesterday, correct?”

“You sent me there yourself, yes. I was there when the accident happened, if that’s what you were wondering.”

“Good, I need you to come here and take a look at these two ponies. They were just admitted not two hours ago. Came straight from the festival because of some illness.” Dr. Hang led her to a room with two ponies, side by side in beds next to each other.

The first thing Redheart noticed was the ashen color of their lips. They were breathing steady, but they appeared listless. One of them was reaching out for the glass of water on the bedside table, but he didn’t seem interested in actually picking it up. He was tapping at it, but nothing else.

“What do you make of it, Redheart? I heard about the accident and I wanted your opinion. The description of the accident was nothing I had ever heard of before, and I was concerned. Are these two going to go the same way?”

Redheart looked at the two and shrugged. “I couldn’t say, Doctor. I wasn’t there when it happened. Dunkel and Wheeler, the two ponies I had been working with were the ones there. They should have come here, actually. Are they in one of the rooms?”

“They’re here, yes. Do you want me to bring them here?”

“Yes, please do, if they’re up to it. They saw it first-hoof.”

Dr. Hang sent for the two other ponies to come by the room and observe. They weren’t doing so well themselves, unfortunately. Dunkel frequently got distracted staring off into space, while Wheeler was constantly swaying where she stood. She was clearly still shaken up about the whole ordeal.

Redheart put a hoof around the mare. “Wheeler, are you doing okay?”

Wheeler shook her head. “I’ve seen a lot of blood, but I ain’t never seen a pony ‘splode like that.”

“I can only imagine,” Redheart said reassuringly. “But to prevent further incidents, I need you to tell me what you remember of the pony who exploded. Did he look like these two?”

Wheeler looked at the two ponies in bed and shook her head. “No, these guys aren’t like that guy. He was different. Much different.”

“Different how?”

“These guys aren’t happy or excited about anything. That stallion, he was talking like nobody’s business before he died. He was trying to sell something, or explain something, and he thought it was important, but before he could finish he just… just…” Wheeler blinked rapidly and retched.

“I know, I know. It’s fine, Wheeler. Thank you.”

“So it’s not the same thing,” Dr. Hang sighed in relief. “I was worried there would be some sort of pandemic coming out of it. Not having first-hoof experience of it, I feared the worst. Thank you, nurse.”

“Well, I think it’s too early to begin claiming there won’t be.”

“…you’re right!” Dr. Hang rushed off and came back with a medical mask on. “As medical professionals, we must take every precaution, nurse. I need you back at that festival as fast as you can and keep an eye out for anything strange! This is an emergency until proven otherwise, understood?”

Nurse Redheart nodded and went to get her own medical mask. Until she understood what was going on, Dr. Hang was right. She had to assume the worst was coming. She got herself a cup of coffee and filled a thermos with it, then headed back out to the festival. She would be ready!