Something Sweet To Bite: Candy Mare Goes to Hell

The farm pony's vision swam as her hooves clattered against the rain slicked cobbles. She shivered, the air around her suddenly cold and clammy against her skin. Where was she?

She couldn't remember, try though she might. There were just snatches of half remembered images, the fields at sunset and the last dying rays of the afternoon. It was certainly dark now, perhaps it was still night?

Steadying herself she looked around. The fields were nowhere to be found. Tall, unfamiliar thatch-roofed houses loomed on every side. Fog billowed up from grates in the road and drifted like smoke along the side streets.

Smoke... Of course!

The filly remembered now. The barn had caught fire and she had run. She must have run all the way to town to get help! Yes, that would explain why she felt so weak and out of breath. As her mind cleared somewhat, a heavy exhaustion settled in her limbs, giving credibility to the idea. Surely there would be some friendly Unicorn here in town who could help her.

Oh! What was that?

A nearby street lamp whooshed to life, its flame flickering up so suddenly it caused her to jump in surprise. As she watched, other lamps up and down the road came alive, lighting the cobblestone street with their sulfuric light. Save for their glow, the town seemed dark and empty.

Every last house stood black as pitch, as though abandoned, devoid of any indication they had ever been inhabited. It wouldn't have seemed out of place in the country for that to be the case given the apparent lateness of the hour, but the Unicorns of the village usually stayed up long into the night studying the stars and reading their thick tomes of magic. Was it perhaps so very late that even those famous night owls had all gone to bed? Or was there was something else at play here?

As the filly trotted down the empty streets, she couldn't help but notice banners and bunting strewn between the homes. The riotous colors were somewhat subdued under the glare of the street-lights, but she could pick out streamers in orange and black, as well as purple and green pennants.

Oh, of course, a festival! Everypony must be out of their homes, celebrating.

When she had been just a little filly she had dreamed about the parties that the Unicorn elite, the high lords and ladies, would attend. The simple farm pony secretly longed to join them in dancing the night away without a care in the world. The idea of celebrating without having to concern herself with rising before dawn to tend to the fields or breaking her back doing chores had been quite appealing. It seemed ever so glamorous to her mind. The memory lifted her spirits somewhat, despite the somewhat creepy atmosphere of the thoroughfare she was walking down.

Of course, the decorations she imagined for such revelries were nothing like the somewhat grotesque trappings hanging about the town. As the farm pony looked closer she could see gaping eyeballs staring out at her from multiple angles, and the cold silhouette of a wicked-looking mare leering from the slash of a crescent moon. Skulls and bones hung among the streamers and ghoulish bat winged effigies of ghosts and goblins seemed to dangle menacingly around every corner.

What sort of morbid festival has decorations such as these?

While pondering this, fairy lights lit up all around her as if by magic! The twinkling orange and purple lights seemed to be strung along a path that led to the center of town. Dazzled and amazed by the adorably tiny lights, she couldn't help but giggle and skip as she trotted down the street towards the town square. There were more lights strewn about here, hanging down from carts and stalls aplenty, each piled high with a wide variety of sweets and pastries the likes of which the young mare had never dreamed! Never before had she beheld so many different confections and baked goods all arrayed in one place! Seeing them here seemingly unguarded out in the street she couldn't help but be tempted to steal something sweet to bite, out of curiosities sake if nothing else.

As if the very idea was a some sort of trigger, the filly's gut gave a ferocious growl, reminding her that she had not yet had her supper. Surely no one would mind if she just had one or two little nibbles from the bounty spread before her?

"No!" she reprimanded herself as her hoof reached out to a delectable looking marshmallow treat.

No, I'm not a thief!

Earth Ponies were always suspected by the other tribes of stealing and hoarding food for themselves. The young mare wasn't about to give any truth to the lie by giving in to temptation when her home may well be awash in flames!

Yes of course, how could she have been distracted from her task? She was here to find help. Surely her loyalty to her hearth and home were stronger than her hunger! The filly's belly would just have to wait.

But where is everypony?

The fairy lights began to fade, their cheery illumination giving way to the lonesome darkness, as whatever powered them seemed to lose its power. The fog grew thicker and began to drift in closer all around the farm pony.

Then she heard it... There was music on the air! It seemed to be coming from from up ahead. She could pick out a few voices too! Laughter and... screams? Screams of delight, perhaps? From this distance, she couldn't tell.

Without pausing to consider what it all might mean, she galloped after the distant sounds. Her hooves took her away from the town square and towards what seemed to be some sort of merchants district. Tall buildings with wide windows for displaying their wares towered on every side. The music seemed to be drifting from one building in particular, a tiered edifice shaped like a circus carousel, complete with intricately carved wooden ponies. It was a strange design, but the filly could see light spilling from its closed windows and from beneath the front door.

Surely that must mean somepony is home?

As she came to the door the young mare didn't hesitate in knocking. Although, after her tiny hoof thundered at the door a moment, she began to wonder what it was that she would say to the pony who lived here. 'Help, I don't know where I am or how I got here, but I'm terribly hungry and scared. Oh, also, my home might be on fire!' It was truthful but as she thought it through she realized it might also sound like something a crazy pony might say. Or worse, some kind of grifter out to prey on another pony's sympathies.

While she was aware some fillies and colts might go a-guising around harvest time to take advantage of the generosity and bounty of their betters, the simple farm filly had never engaged in the practice herself. Her father likened it to begging, and it would have hurt his pride if a daughter of his had gone door to door demanding what he could not provide. The earth pony didn't know much about what the high minded city-folk thought of the practice, but she imagined that the Unicorns wouldn't be terribly forthcoming with aid if they thought she was just some lowly urchin looking for charity.

"Please excuse me, I'm sorry to disturb you." she called through the wooden door, hoping politeness would get her a more favorable response. "I know the hour is late, but there's an emergency! A fire! Can you please help me!?"

She reached to knock again, but froze as she realized that the sounds of music and laughter had faded away to silence.

Off in the distance it was replaced by the tinkling of broken glass. The wary mare turned, not knowing what to expect as she peered down the street into the fog shrouded distance. The harsh yellow glow of the street lamps appeared dimmer than she remembered. As she watched, the sound of breaking glass came again, and this time she could see one of the not too distant lamps had been suddenly snuffed out! That wasn't all, as now there was a sound of hooves in the fog, skipping merrily along to a tuneless whistle.

"Hello?" she called. "Is somepony there?"

The only reply was more tinkling glass as another lamp burst, its light extinguished! From the slowly encroaching darkness a giggle sent a thrill of fear down the filly's spine.

It was all too familiar, and the childish laughter sent memories flooding back in her mind. The barn that was somehow familiar yet so strange at the same time, the caramel 'apples' that were not apples at all, and, of course, that high hideous giggle and the horrific face that it belonged to! These memories were like ghastly visions one might dismiss as nothing more than nightmares, yet they were so crystal clear in her mind she couldn't possibly deny that they had been real!

Panic thrummed through the little pony's body, causing her knees to shake and her lip to quiver as fresh tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

No! This can't be happening! Not again!

The murky fog drew nearer and nearer, one shattered street lamp at a time, as the sound of skipping hooves and girlish giggling came ever closer with each passing moment. A sense of dreadful inevitability opened a yawning pit deep in her stomach. The earth pony turned and frantically pounded on the door behind her. She desperately sought to get inside and away from the madness that marched ever close. Was there no one inside? Could they somehow not hear her? Should she give up? Should she just run?

As her eyes whirled towards the opposite end of the street, they bulged with terror as she realized that the lamps were going out in both directions. Indeed, the encroaching fog was even a bit closer on the opposite side, and she could hear the same giggling and clip-clopping of joyously skipping hooves echoing through the dark. The sound was coming in stereo! Whatever was stalking the night, there were two of them, and they were almost right on top of her!

There was nowhere to run!

She beat on the door even more frantically, until with an unexpected click, the portal swung open and she sprawled across the threshold and on to the carpeted floor. Scrambling to her hooves, she didn't pause to thank her savior for their kindness, but slammed the door shut behind her as the last lamp outside broke with a loud pop and a shower of falling sparks.

Chest heaving, her pulse thundering in her ears, the farm pony locked and barred the door, leaning into it for good measure. After a few anxious moments, when nothing more seemed to happen, she at last allowed herself a few shallow breaths to thank the pony who had let her in.

"Thank you so much!" she practically sobbed, so relieved was the terrified pony to have avoided whatever it was that roamed the streets outside. "I thought they were going to get me for sure! You don't know how much I-"

But her words died on her lips. Nopony was there.

She was all alone.

The shop she found herself in was well lit by several decorative candles in sconces along the walls and in small dishes spread throughout the store. Mirrors lined the walls as well, reflecting the candlelight around the shop, illuminating more intricately carved wooden ponies that stood in various artistic poses around the room. They seemed to be used for displaying dresses and other apparel in various stages of construction.

Given the curtained off area in one corner and the sewing supplies strewn over a low table, it seemed that the shop belonged to a seamstress or tailor, perhaps even a dressmaker of some sort given that the cloths the mannequins displayed. The room was shockingly pink where it was not accented with golden filigree and finery, but there was a somewhat shabby and neglected air to everything she laid her eyes upon. Cobwebs festooned the walls and ceiling and a thick coat of dust rested on the carpet. Despite the evidence of the candles to the contrary, it seemed like no pony had been inside the shop for some time.

Before she could think about what this could possibly mean, a short, sharp knock shook the shops front door. The farm pony leapt into the air in fright and quickly hid behind one of the wooden mannequins. She tentatively peeked from behind the half finished skirt that adorned the dressmaker's doll, her eyes locked on the door.

"Wh-Who's there?" she stammered tremulously.

There was no response, except for another few knocks that sounded more impatient than the first. The cowering filly shivered, thinking it might be whatever was breaking the street lamps trying to trick her into opening the door.

But what if there was some other pony out there that needed her help? Could there possibly be somepony else stuck out there in the fog in urgent need of her aid?

Unbidden, as if she were in a dream and had no control of her actions, the mare's hooves began to move towards the door. Her heart pounding and knees shaking, she undid the lock and unbarred the door. Her hoof trembled, not with any effort to move the handle that would open the door, but rather with every muscle in her body straining to resist that motion. The filly desperately struggled internally against the irresistible urge to open the door.

Unfortunately, her will was no match for whatever force was propelling her body. With a low moan of despair, she closed her eyes tights, and threw open the door!

The quiet that followed was deafening. No giggles, nor screams followed. Only an unsettling stillness as the wall of fog beyond the door sent a few questing tendrils snaking into the building.

As the candle-light spilled out onto the front stoop of the shop and partially illuminated the dense fog, it shone upon a single beautifully wrapped piece of candy that shimmered on the door step. Somehow, the tiny treat was even more frightening than if some monster or boogie-mare had been standing there waiting to grab her. The carefully wrapped confection sat innocuous and seemingly harmless, yet it radiated cold waves of dread, like a frigid mist.

Instinctively the farm pony knew there was something unnatural and dangerous about it.

Yet, again, the young mare felt her body move of its own accord. She reached down and picked up the tiny candy and slowly started to unwrap it. As the foil crinkled open it revealed a delightfully swirled sweetie that practically begged to be gobbled up. The shivering young pony felt her stomach tie itself in knots of desire and apprehension as her fear warred with her appetite inside her famished frame.

Before she quite realized what she was doing, she had popped the sweetmeat into her mouth, and chewed it up with gnoisy relish. As she swallowed, a strange chill spread inside her. The frosty numbness coursed through her body, dripping through her veins like ice water. She began to feel fainter and fainter. The entire experience was somehow hauntingly familiar, and the vague dread from before solidified into a pure sense of undeniable impending doom.

She knew in her heart of hearts, she was about to die.

As her body felt more and more insubstantial, the farm pony couldn't help but call out weakly. "Da... Daddy. Where are you? Why can't I see? Why can't I hear?"

Of course, her father wasn't here. He never had been. She wanted him so bad at that moment, even though there was a part of her that knew there was no way he could hear her.

The world faded to nothingness around her and she knew no more.