The sun began setting over the Starswirled Festival, the last beacons of its light shining through the trees of the dense forest. The festival-goers began filing out of the front gates and headed back to their campsites to call it a day. Others began getting into their cars to start their trip home. The bands and artists began to head back to their buses to rest up for the next day. One of the bands, the Dazzlings, began to pull out of the backstage parking lot onto the main road. They had just finished their show and were making their way to the next leg of their tour.
"For realsies, that was our best show ever!" Sonata Dusk exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"I know," Aria Blaze answered.
"I told you, the vocal tracks were my idea," said Adagio Dazzle. "We'll be bigger than ever thanks to my brilliant ideas. In fact, when we get to our next venue, I've got something that'll be even better than Starswirled."
"Everything is always your idea, Adagio," Aria said sarcastically as she made a right turn at a stop sign. "Just like it was your idea to manipulate Canterlot High."
Adagio shot the purple-haired girl an icy glare.
"It WAS my idea!" she shouted.
"Well, it wasn't a very successful plan, you know," Sonata said, putting her hand on her mouth as she tried not to laugh.
"Says the one who was dumb enough to stick tacos in the toaster AND almost burn the van down," Aria shot back, glaring at Sonata in the rear-view mirror. "You're lucky we didn't have to buy a new one."
"Like I'm the one who's gonna pay for a new van when we need one," Sonata replied.
"Girls!" Adagio yelled. "Knock it off! I swear, if I were back in Equestria, I'd ditch you two idiots!"
"Whatever," Aria said, rolling her eyes.
"Speaking of tacos, can we stop for some on the way?" Sonata asked, smiling to herself.
"Sonata, if you don't shut up, I'm gonna jump back there and smack you upside the head!" Aria said.
"Oh, yeah?" Sonata said, smirking. "I'd like to see you try it."
"Both of you shut up!" Adagio shouted. "Sonata, we're not stopping for tacos! And Aria, keep your eyes on the road! I'd like to get there in one piece!"
"Come on, Adagio! Can we pleeeeeease get tacos? I'm really hungry!" the blue haired girl said, giving Adagio puppy eyes.
"If you stop pestering me and wipe that stupid look off your face, then yes."
Sonata smiled widely, shaking her fists in delight.
"Wow," Aria said, smirking. "You actually gave into her puppy eyes? She's rubbing off on you."
"Shut up, Aria," the orange haired girl shot back, turning away from her.
Looking out the window, the trees of the forest rushed past the windows like cars during a race. The sun had finally disappeared behind the horizon as the moon began casting its soft glow over the land, welcoming the night. Sonata let out a sigh of boredom.
"When are we gonna be out of this forest?" she said to herself.
"Who cares?" Adagio said. "It's not gonna take forever."
"Well," Sonata began, her voice sounding a bit shaky. "Being in a forest makes me nervous."
"Why?" Aria asked.
"Well, I'm sure you've seen those stories about people dying in forests," Sonata replied. "You know, like some person just goes on a nice walk just to admire the scenery and disappears without a trace?"
"I wish that was you," Aria said, trying not to laugh.
"Hey!" Sonata exclaimed, her voice getting heated. "How would you feel if you disappeared in the woods and then someone stumbles across your mutilated, dead body a few weeks later?!"
Adagio looked back at Sonata, a look of disbelief on her face.
"Where did that come from? I've never heard you talk like that!"
"It's true, though!" the blue haired girl continued. "You've seen those news headlines, right? Those ones that say, like, 'Body found torn apart in the woods.'"
"Well, yeah," Aria replied. "We read the news."
Sonata took a deep breath to calm herself down before continuing.
"And the first conclusion they come to is that the person was mauled by a wild animal."
"What's your point?" Adagio asked.
"My point is..." Sonata said, her voice slightly trembling. "What if... it wasn't really a w-wild animal? What if it was some... kind of monster?"
"Yeah, right," Aria said, rolling her eyes. "And what kind of monster would do that?"
"Well, one could do that."
"Oh, really?" Adagio asked sarcastically. "Which one?"
Sonata was about to answer but was cut off by Aria who was laughing her head off.
"Sonata," she started. "I thought you couldn't get any dumber, but I guess I was wrong."
"Shut up!" Sonata yelled.
"Hey!" Adagio hollered. "Both of you stop it!"
"She started it!" Sonata said.
"I don't care! Just stop acting like a bunch of three-year-olds! I'm gonna close my eyes for a bit. But I swear, if either one of you wakes me up, I'll smack you into the next century! Got it?!"
The other two girls nodded.
"Still, don't believe everything you read, Sonata," Aria said, pleased with herself.
Sonata rolled her eyes.
"I honestly hope we get to the hotel soon," Aria mumbled. "I'm getting kind of tired."
"Want me to drive?" Adagio said, her eyes still closed.
"No, I'm fine. Name one time I've fallen asleep at the wheel."
"You did almost do it once," Sonata said.
"That was one time, Sonata." Aria replied.
"It's still the truth, though," Sonata said.
"I'd like to see you attempt to drive for nearly 10-"
*BAM! BAM!*
Suddenly, the van slowed to a crawl and eventually stopped. Adagio shot up in her seat.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I don't know!" Aria answered. She turned the key in the ignition hoping to start the engine again. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing. She tried a third time, but the engine would not start.
"Are you serious?!" she shouted, pounding her fist on the steering wheel. "Of all the times to break down, why now?!"
"Are we out of gas?" Sonata asked.
"No," Aria answered. "We've got half a tank. Maybe it's the spark plugs."
"What does it matter?" Adagio said, facepalming. "We're stuck here. We're gonna have to sleep here."
"Fantastic," Aria complained, smacking the steering wheel again. "Not only is the car not starting, we're lost in the forest nowhere close to civilization!"
"And at night, too," Sonata added.
"I'll call a tow truck in the morning," Adagio said.
"Why can’t you just call one now?" Sonata asked.
"Because it's almost midnight. Let's just figure out what to do for right n-"
Suddenly, a low, distant yet piercing sound met the trio's ears. Sonata frantically looked out the window.
"What was that?!"
"Calm down, fraidy-cat," Adagio said. "It's just a siren."
"But I thought they didn't test those this late at night," Aria added.
"Well, every place is different," Adagio said. "Anyway, we have to eat something. Let's see what we have."
Author's Note
Looks like the sirens are stuck between a rock and a hard place. But was that siren real? Or something else? Find out next time!
