Author's Note

I'm going to put you through absolute misery and hell in all chapters of this story.

I am so, so sorry for this...

All I can say is, have lots of Kleenex and some calming tea.

And do not read any of it at night....

Seriously, don't. I am giving myself nightmares with it...

Run for Your Life...

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you're about to die. For the trembling group facing their once completely sane and party loving friend, it was partly true. It took all of two seconds for each of them to recall regrets and unfinished goals and dreams that would likely never be met. Then they snapped out of it, focusing on one thing and one thing only: survival. And for the brave ones, protecting the weaker ones.

As Pinkie stepped a little closer, Dash and Applejack moved in front of Fluttershy, who was clinging to Twilight for dear life. Sunset moved in front of Rarity, who was, at the moment, looking positively ill and ready to faint.

"You're crazy." Dash snarled, eyes narrowing, hoping she looked and sounded braver than she felt.

Pinkie laughed...a shrill, giddy type laugh.

"Oh, Dashie, we're all crazy, in some form or another." She said, almost cheerfully, twirling her bloody knife. "My craziness? Well, I kill. That's all."

Dash blinked, wordless. Applejack took over for her.

"Pinkie Pie, how could ya do this?" She asked, bitterly. "How could ya kill people like ya do? That ain't the Pinkie we know."

"Oh, but I'm not Pinkie, Applejack." Pinkie's eyes flashed dangerously as she chortled. "I'm Pinkamena."

Applejack blinked, as wordless as Dash. Well, except that Dash suddenly found her voice.

"So you'd kill us?" She demanded, voice shaking in spite of her efforts to not let it.

"Yeppers!" Pinkie...Pinkamena, said cheerfully.

"But...but we're your friends." Dash said, somewhat dazed at the reply.

"Ah ah ah, Dashie!" Pinkamena smirked. "That won't save you! But, because you're my friends, I'll kill you a little faster than everyone else, ok? Like, in twenty minutes? They got thirty, most of them." She grinned wide.

"You're just sick..." Dash said.

With Dash and Applejack keeping Pinkamena distracted, Sunset took a look around the room for an escape route. Two windows, a balcony, and the door Pinkamena was blocking. Not much of a choice. But considering the alternative to escaping...

Sunset jerked her head back to look at their would be killer. A plan was forming. She looked over her shoulder at Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy, signaling to the escape routes with her eyes. They barely nodded.

"Okie dokie! Time to play!!" Pinkamena lunged for Dash, who shrieked as she leaped out of the way. Applejack dodged a slash of the knife, barely. Then suddenly, Sunset darted forward. As Pinkamena turned to glare at Dash, Sunset lunged, bringing a flower vase smashing down on the girl's head. It stunned her, and she staggered, dropping on her knees in the doorway. In one smooth motion, Sunset grabbed Dash and ran towards one window. Not stopping to open it, she slammed through, breaking the glass, both girls screaming as they fell. Applejack had already grabbed Fluttershy from Twilight, and now she smashed herself and the crying girl through the second window. Rarity and Twilight ran for the balcony and flung themselves over the railing.

Miraculously, the six of them survived it with only a few scapes and bruises, but they had little time to think on that as an enraged voice screamed at them from above.

"I WILL KILL YOU!!"Pinkamena screamed. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!!"

"Run!!!" Sunset yelled, leading the way.

The group ran for their lives, not daring to look back, only caring about getting out of harms way. They ran until Sunset led them into a small, dimly lit, abandoned hut, where they all collapsed to get their breath.

"Holy hell, I thought we were dead!" Dash puffed, wide eyed.

"We still could be if we aren't careful." Twilight said, holding Fluttershy. "Pinkie...I mean, Pinkamena, is very dangerous and literally out for blood. Right now its ours."

"Twilight's right,"Sunset said. "She wants us dead."

"How do we escape her?" Applejack asked. "She was able to find anyone she wanted to as Pinkie Pie, Ah don't wanna know what abilities Pinkamena has." She shuddered.

A faint scream of terror from somewhere in the distance caused all of them to tense as their eyes met.

"Oh no, she's coming!" Dash muttered.

"Nope!! I'm already heeeeere!!!"

A mighty crash followed those sing songed words as the front of the small hut caved in, and there stood the evilly grinning Pinkamena in all her bloody glory. Fresh blood dripped from her knife. Probably from whoever had screamed moments before.

"GAAAHHH!!"

Screaming in terror, the six girls scattered in pairs: Dash and Rarity one way, Applejack and Fluttershy another, and Sunset and Twilight in yet another. Divide and conquer. Or in this case, divide and pray you live.

"I'm coooming after youuuu!" Pinkamena sang out happily. "You can't get away for loooong!!" She bounded after the last pair to have fled: Applejack and Fluttershy. She caught up to the somewhat slower Fluttershy and made a lunge, capturing her by the shirt.

"APPLEJAAAAAAAACKKK!!!!!" Fluttershy screamed as she went down. Her friend spun, doubling back, kicking Pinkamena off a split second before her knife could sink into the panicked victim. She grabbed Fluttershy and ran, vanishing around a corner before Pinkamena could even stand.
*********************************
Meantime, Dash and Rarity had dived behind a dumpster and lay motionless, hearts pounding furiously.

"We have to be quiet." Dash whispered.

"I'm trying!" Rarity whined, eyes closed.

Dash peeked out, looking for signs they had been followed. She saw nothing. Then from next to her, she heard Rarity.

"Dash, darling...stop patting me!" The fashionista hissed.

"I'm not!" Dash hissed back.

And then it clicked. Both girls froze, breaking into a cold sweat. If Rarity was being touched, and it wasn't Dash...

"Tag! Now lets play my game!!" Pinkamena was grinning down at them.

A scream left Rarity's lips as she rolled clear a split second before the knife came down. Dash lunged boldly at Pinkamena, knocking her into the wall. The knife slashed at her, and it nicked her arm, leaving a small gash. Pinkamena howled with delight. Then she lunged.

Dash barely had time to register what was going on before the deranged girl was on top of her, knife at her throat.

"Ready for fun, Dashie?" Pinkamena asked, eagerly. "Ooh, you'll love this pa.."

Thud!!

Pinkamena dropped to the side stunned and dazed from the kick to the head. Rarity pulled Dash up.

"Thanks." Dash panted.

"Run now! Talk later!" Rarity yelled, as Pinkamena began to rise.

The two girls fled the alley they were in, desperate to escape the maniacal murderer behind them. They ran around a corner and dove into another alley, ran down it, and ran around another corner. A glance behind confirmed that Pinkamena was not pursuing them. For now.
*******************************
Twilight and Sunset pounded down the street, sweat pouring down and mixing with tears. This was so frightening, running from a serial killer. It was only compounded by not knowing if their friends had escaped.

The two quickly burst into an open, abandoned store and pressed themselves flat against one wall.

"I hope the others are ok." Twilight whispered.

"They'll be fine." Sunset said, hoping she sounded convincing.

For a moment they stood in silence. Then...

"Hiding from someone?" The voice was slightly high pitched.

"Yes!" Both girls answered together. "A person who wants to-" They both stopped talking instantly, a deep and sickening horror settling over them.

That voice. It was very familiar. Too familiar.

They turned their heads to find their worst nightmare in front of them with a maniacal grin.

"Hi, Twi and Sunny! Ready to play?" The grin widened. "I am!"

The knife was descending towards them. With a scream, the two girls leaped apart, and the knife missed them both.

"Aww, no fun!" Pinkamena pouted. She lunged, succeeding in knocking Twilight down and sending Sunset toppling into a clothing rack. Before Twilight could react, she was pinned to the floor by a smirking Pinkamena, and she felt the touch of cold steel on her neck.

"I'm gonna like this." Pinkamena saud happily. "And so will you, Twilight!" The knife blade was superbly sharp, as Twilight discovered when Pinkamena drew it lightly across her throat, piercing the layer of skin and drawing blood, but not enough to actually harm or kill her. Twilight gasped, eyes widening at the sting. Pinkamena laughed.

"That was just a little taste." She said. "Now for the real fun!" The knife bore down harder on Twilight's neck, ready to cut, and cut deep.

Sunset had recovered, and now dove headfirst into Pinkamena's side, knocking her off sideways. The fight that ensued was brief, and ended with Pinkamena being knocked senseless. Sunset helped Twilight up.

"We need to go...now!" She said urgently. Twilight was only too glad to agree. With one last look at the very stunned Pinkamena, the two girls ran out the door and shot off down the street on foot, desperately trying to reach safety before the nutty killer recovered.

Safety. Funny word. They weren't safe anywhere, really. But they headed to the one place they might be safe for now: a basement of sorts underneath Fluttershy's house. With any luck, the others would be there too.

Sunset swallowed hard. She and Twilight shared a look that said they were thinking the same thing.

Please let them be ok!