AMONG THE TROTTING DEAD

The screaming of blue propane flame filled the air. Lotus who sat by the propane heater stared at the smoldering pile of ash that was across the street. She slowly blinked her puffy eyes to clear them of tears. She gritted her teeth and kept them closed to rid them of the burning. Opening them slowly, she felt her tears roll down her face as she stared at the skull within the pile of ash. Letting out a heavy sigh she looked down and stared at the boonie hat that sat in her lap.

Aloe who was staring at her sister, smacked her dry mouth and swallowed. She grimaced from the pain in her throat. “You loved him?” Her raspy sick voice filled the quite that lingered in the abandoned auto shop they were hunkered down in.

Lotus looked at her sister before looking at the hat once more. “Yeah…” Aloe smiled as she fought a cough. Lotus stared at her sister watching her adjust her blanket. A cold chill washed over her as she saw Willy sitting by the propane heater. His ghostly mist like appearance looked awe inspiring rather than haunting. Her eyes began to water when she noticed the bite mark on his neck.

'Stay strong.’ He’s deep voice echoed in her ears. His body slowly faded, but before he fully disappeared, he looked up and gave her a warm smile.

“Sis?” Aloe was put off by her sister’s wide-eyed expression.

Lotus closed her eyes as she wrapped her tail around herself. “I’m fine.” She stared at the floor, tracing the cracks in the concrete. Aloe let out a shallow cough as she turned her gaze from her sister back to the stove. Hearing thunder they looked out the opened garage door and watched the ground begin to wet from falling rain.

-Two Days Later-

Lotus tightened the strap of her saddlebag around her belly and chest. Feeling the warm sun on her back, she looked at the sky and watched the cloud that was blocking the sun float away to destinations unknown. Hearing a gut-wrenching cough, she looked back at the auto shop they called home for the past week and saw her sister leaning against the garage door’s doorframe.

“I’m sorry.” Aloe shivered. “Just leave me.” She rubbed her hoof across her sweat soaked forehead.

Lotus frowned as she walked up to her sister. “I am not doing that!” She placed a hoof under her chin. “We lost so much already.” Her mind drifted to Iron’s Ridge. “You’re all I have left.” Aloe nodded her head and rested it on her sister’s chest. Lotus patted her sister on her back. “We need to head further into town.”

“Why can’t I stay here until you get back?” Aloe looked up at her with tired eyes.

“I need to keep my eye on you.” She smiled. “Besides, you need to get up and moving.” She moved some of her sister’s mane from her eyes. “It will do you some good.” Aloe nodded and lifted herself off the doorframe. Lotus nodded and led the way as they made their way further into the small mining town.

The walk through the quite streets was some comfort for Lotus as she slowly scanned the few buildings that lined the main dirt road. To be honest, one could barely call this place a town. ‘Must’ve just barely started before everything fell apart?’ She wondered as she stared at the tiny saloon that looked like it could only hold ten patrons.

Hearing her sister cough, she looked back and saw her starting to dose off. “Hey,” She lifted her head. “That’s why you came with, you need to stay awake, you need to rebuild your strength.” Aloe slowly nodded. Lotus gave her a smirk as they walked further towards the end of the street.

Seeing nothing that looked like a pharmacy or a small local urgent care center, Lotus frowned as she stared at the small general store to her left. Walking up to the veranda she glared at the swing doors, glaring through their windows, seeing nothing but darkness. “Wait here.” She pointed at one of the pillars holding up the building’s awning. Aloe nodded in a drunken manner as she leaned against like her life depended on.

Grimacing at her sister’s deteriorating state, Lotus timidly opened the door and took out her pickaxe. Kicking the doorframe several times, she waited for anything or anypony to emerge from the darkness. Hearing a growl, she bit down on her weapon’s handle. Seeing glowing eyes, she stepped back as she felt the cold aura of its magic licking her neck.

The creature stepped into the light, revealing it to be a unicorn trotter. Its horn was broken, but that didn’t stop it from trying to use what magic its rotting brain could muster. Magical discharge oozed out from its horn’s stump. Its eyes bulged from the strain of its magic.

Frowning, Lotus jerked her head to the side and swung her weapon with all her might, driving the pick side of her axe into the side of the trotter’s skull, through the ear. The monster growled and gurgled out blood, before going limp. She growled and yanked out her weapon. Hearing no more signs of the dead within the store, she flicked the brain matter off her pickaxe and holstered it as she stepped inside.

Scanning the bare shelves, the fur on the back of her neck stood up as an uneasy feeling nipped the back of her mind. Activating her flashlight, she glared at one of the shelves. Seeing perfect outlines of where items once sat, she touched the dust on the shelf and saw it was rather thick. Hearing a dull thud, she ran out of the store and found her sister laying on the ground, her breathing heavy and her eyes glazed over.

“NO!” She fell to the ground and shook her sister. “Come on! Wake up!” She felt how calmly she felt. “Don’t do this to me!” Tears began to pool around her eyes.

Hearing a distant roar of a diesel motor, her heart skipped a beat. With all her might she tried dragging her sister into the shop. Hearing it getting closer, she hissed through clenched teeth as she nearly got her sister in all the way.

“Hold it!” A voice shouted over the vehicle’s tires sliding across the muddy dirt road.

Lotus froze as she heard several pairs of hooves landing on mud. Timidly she lifted her head and saw four stallions and a mare standing in front of a grey-colored putter-wagon. “Zipper?” Her eyes went wide as she stared at one stallion in particular. Her eyes drifted to his right foreleg or what was left of it passed the knees, as it was replaced with a prosthetic with three saw like blades at the end.

The stallion smirked as he eyed her up and down. “Well shit, Lotus…” He saw her sister on the ground. “Aloe…” His face turned serious. “You all look like shit.” He put his cigarette to one side of his mouth.

Lotus kept her eye on her sister, who rested her head in her lap. The rocking of the putter-wagon slowly brought her back to reality. Feeling like she was being scolded by judging eyes she looked up at Zipper who was just staring at her as he fiddled with his prosthetic foreleg. “How did you survive?” She asked, hoping to break the tension that felt like a noose around her neck.

“I could ask you the same thing?” Zipper smirked, though his smile faded as he lifted up his stubby foreleg. “You do crazy things to escape the dead barreling down on you.” He tested his prosthetic limb. “Cut my own leg off with my knife.” He pointed at her. “Then stuck it in a burning building to stop the bleeding.”

“How did you end up here?” She looked at the other stallions who gave her a range of looks.

“Dumb luck after being alone for almost two months.” He looked at one of the stallions. “Usip over here saved my ass.” The stallion in question shook his head. Zipper smirked as he looked at Lotus. “Why isn’t my brother with you?”

“We were separated after you told us to leave you.” She sighed.

“How?” Zipper chewed on a wad of tobacco.

“He went back for you.” Lotus rubbed her hooves together. “He never came back.”

Zipper shook his head. “Typical…”

“I don’t know what happened to the others. It was only myself, my sister, and Willy who got out of Iron’s Ridge together.” Her throat tightened as she thought of the stallion.

Zipper eyed her. “Where’s he?”

“He was bit.” She combed her mane back with her hoof. “We cremated him three days ago.” Zipper nodded as he looked at Aloe. Lotus noticed the look he was giving her sister. “She’s not.” Lotus ran a hoof through her sister’s mane. “We barely made it through winter.” She placed a hoof to her forehead and felt her fever was still lingering. “She’s been struggling with a lung infection.”

Zipper huffed. “We got medicine where we’re going.”

“Where would that be?” Lotus eyed Zipper skeptically.

“You’ll see.” He smiled.

-Two Hours Later-

Hearing the putter-wagon’s horn blaring in her ears, Lotus awoken from her nap. Feeling the vehicle slow and make several turns, she braced herself against the wooden seat with one hoof and her sister with the other. Coming to a stop, Zipper let out a pleased sigh as he stood up. “Home sweet, home.” He held opened the flap to the putter-wagon, “Mare’s first.”

“Where are we?” Aloe slurred her words as she lifted her head from her sister’s lap.

“Getting you some help.” Lotus with the help of Usip, got her out of the putter-wagon.

“You need help walking her to the infirmary?” Usip asked.

“No, I got her…”

“You’ll do no such thing.” A soothing rich voice said.

Turning around, Lotus saw a bat pony stallion, with dark-indigo fur and a greyish mane and tail. His eyes were like diamonds with how sharp they looked. Their light sky-blue coloring was alluring to anypony who fell for their spell. The stallion gave as pleasant smirk as he walked up to Lotus and Aloe. “No guest of mine will lift a hoof, especially when they are in need.” He looked at Aloe and saw her struggling to keep herself awake. “Take her to see Doctor Mellow.” He pointed at a mare and a stallion who stood behind him. They nodded and gently guided her towards a two-story brick building.

“And as for you,” He stopped Lotus from following, “You’ll be seen by Doctor Quill.” He skimmed her over, “I need to make sure you’re healthy as well.”

“I’m fine!” Lotus snapped. “I need to be with her!”

The stallion placed a hoof on her shoulder. “You will.” He took a long breath. “But rules are rules.” He led her towards the same brick building her sister was taken to. “Can’t put my ponies at risk when bringing in new folk. Have to make sure you’re fit as a fiddle.”

Lotus eyed the stallion with a raised brow. “Your ponies?”

He let out a laugh, “Why, yes. I am the leader of this place.” He shook his head. “Not by choice, but I guess I had the natural talent, even though my cutiemark would say otherwise.” He pointed at an image of a quill and a notepad. “More of a writer than a leader.”

Lotus eyed the cutiemark before her gaze drifted to the buildings that lined the street they were on. The humble western styled homes looked more inviting that the ones in the mining town she had come from. “And what place would that be?” She tried looking for a sign of some sort.

The stallion let out a pleased hum. “That would be Mulberry, ma’am.” He held a hoof to his chest.

“Lotus.” She held out her hoof.

He took her hoof. “Axiom, but you can call me Governor.”

Aloe slowly awakened from her slumber. Her eyes were heavy and caked with discharge. She saw, she was in a room with birch walls and a ceiling fan made of ivory painted metal and black painted blades. Her mind became dumbfounded by how soft the bed she laid in was… Bed? Lifting her head, she saw her sister asleep in a chair beside the bed, her head in her hoof and her lips flapping about with each breath she took.

Sitting up she grimaced and coughed.

Her sister awoken from her slumber. “You’re awake?” Lotus smiled. “How are you felling?” She placed a hoof on her sister’s.

Aloe let out a heavy breath. “I’m fine. Just tired.” She felt a pain on her chest and looked down and saw that she had stitches at the base of her rib cage.

“They had to drain some fluid from your lungs.” Lotus smiled at her sister. “They said your lungs should be good in a few days.”

Aloe returned the smile. “That’s good to hear.” She looked out the window and eyed the street below. She saw a group of children running around. Looking past the children and past the buildings they played in front of, she saw a vast forest that surrounded the town.

Lotus looked out the window as well, before turning her gaze to the well decorated room. “This place is…”

“Too good to be true?” Zipper laughed from the door.

Aloe tilted her head. “Zipper?” Her eyes went wide. “You’re alive?”

He shook his head. “Damn, you were out of it.” He walked up to them. “Glad I ran into you when I did.” He eyed the sisters. “How are you feeling?”

“Better…” Aloe fought back a cough that was agitating her stitches.

“I just can’t believe this place.” Lotus shoulders slumped. “How?”

“How?” Zipper gave her a raised brow. “Just look where you’re at, missy.”

“But, how?” She huffed out her frustrations. “There is no way they could’ve lasted this long!”

“But we did.”

The sisters and Zipper looked at the door to their room and saw the Governor standing under the door frame. He gave them a smile, his right fang sticking out as he did so. Aloe’s heart skipped a beat as she eyed the stallion. His stature was alluring to her, his sky-blue cat-like eyes intoxicating. Lotus noticed her sister’s gawking expression, and let out a cough, causing Aloe to realize she was staring. “How did you achieve this?” She saw her sister’s cheeks blushing.

The Governor let out a hum as he walked up to one of the windows on his left. “Started small. Mulberry is a large town, so, I made sure we only fortified two streets and only six blocks of it.” He looked at the sisters. “Fill in the gaps between the buildings and block off both ends of the streets, and you have a fortified Mulberry.” He smiled. “Soon to be expanded in the next coming years if things go smoothly.”

Lotus looked down at her lap. She thought back to Iron’s Ridge and how its roads where so wide and the buildings spread out to the point that walls would’ve been counterproductive.

“Zipper told me about your settlement.” The Governor stood on the other side of the bed. “Iron’s Ridge, am I correct?”

Aloe nodded. “Yes.” Louts spoke up. “What did he tell you?”

“That it was a shit location.” Zipper grumbled, but a look from the Governor caused him to sulk and step back from the bed.

“As I was saying,” He looked at the sisters and noticed Aloe’s gawking expression. “He said it wasn’t the best,” He gave Aloe a playful smirk, which caused her to blush. “But I want to hear what you thought of it.” His face turned serious. “How it fell?”

Lotus bit her lip. She found his flirty charm a little too on the snout for her liking, but he was very welcoming, even gave her sister medical aid. Medical aid she desperately needed. “It wasn’t a terrible place.” She fixed her sister’s blanket. “Zipper just has an angry outlook on life.”

“I got that impression when he first arrived.” The Governor sighed as he looked at Zipper who just shook his head.

“It was a nice town, just to spread out, nothing like this.” She looked out the window and saw several ponies mulling about. “It just had too much ground to cover.”

“That’s why it was overran by the bitters?”

“Yes…” Lotus looked at him with a raised brow. “Bitters?”

“It's what we call them.” His wings twitched. “What do you call them?”

“Trotters.” Aloe spoke up.

The Governor smiled at her. Her voice was like music to his sensitive ears. “Interesting name.” He stood up, his wings stretching out. “Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better?”

“Aloe.” She replied as she timidly crossed her forelegs.

“Aloe…” He looked at Lotus. “I’m glad Zipper found you. Fate has brought us together for a reason.” He held out his hoof for her. “You’re welcomed to stay and be a part of our community.”

“What’s the catch?” Lotus asked. Aloe gave her sister a confused glare, which caught Lotus off guard.

“There's no catch, just that we ask you help contribute where you can.” He smiled.

“Thank you.” Aloe smiled. “Um?”

“Axiom,” He held out a hoof. “But everypony calls me Governor.” She took his hoof and shook it. “I’ll leave you to it.” He waved for Zipper to follow. Confidant that they were far enough from their room, he looked at Zipper. “What do you think?” He gave him a serous glare. “You think your friends will stay?”

Zipper didn’t look at him. “Not sure, I rarely talked to them when we were all together.” He frowned as his mind drifted to Rarity. He wondered if she was alive… Alive and whispering sweet nothings into his brother’s ears… ‘If he’s alive.’

“Thinking of your brother?” The Governor asked.

“Yeah.” He looked at the bat pony. “Hoping he’s alive.”

The Governor kept silent as they stepped out of the infirmary. Seeing the last bit of clouds departing, he stretched out his wings and allowed the sun to warm them. “Keep an eye on those two. Make them feel welcomed.” He placed a hoof on Zipper’s shoulder. “I’ll have somepony else take patrol duty for you.”

“So, you want them to come to the dinner tonight?” Zipper raised his brow.

“Of course.” The Governor smirked as he looked up at the window to Lotus’s and Aloe’s room. “It would be quite rude, not to.”

“We’re leaving once you’re fully healed.” Lotus grumbled as she rummaged through her saddlebag. “We don’t even know these ponies!”

“But they help us!” Aloe shot back. “They help me!” She threw open her forelegs. “I wouldn’t’ve made it out there and you know it!”

Lotus slumped her shoulders and closed her eyes as she tried to calm her nerves. “We would’ve been fine…” She shot back.

Aloe timidly tapped her hooves together. “Sorry…”

Louts looked at her sister. Who was she kidding, Aloe was on death’s doorstep. Any longer out there on their own and she would’ve had too burry her. “I know…” She looked out the window and watched the trees swaying with the breeze. “We needed this break.” She placed a hoof on her sister’s. “But we need to keep our guard up.”

Aloe accepted her sister’s hoof. “I know, at least Zipper is here…” She too looked out the window. “And Axiom seems rather nice.”

“True.” Lotus shook her head. “I have a feeling that he would rather be called Governor.”

“Well, he is the leader of this settlement.” Aloe said in a silly tone. She slowly scanned their room. “It is amazing they were able to keep this place for this long.”

“Yeah…” Lotus looked down at her lap. ‘Still seems too good to be true.’

“Hello?” A mare poked her head into the room. “Sorry to disturb you, but I have a message from the Governor.” Lotus gave her sister a knowing smirk. Aloe blushed as she rolled her eyes.

“What’s the message?” Lotus looked at the mare with dull eyes.

The mare smiled. “You’re invited to the community dinner we’re having at the old theater in the center of town between the two main streets we call home.”

“What time?” Aloe asked with a smile. Lotus understood her excitement, it would be nice to have a proper meal.

“At eighteen-hundred.” The mare pointed at the clock on the wall.

Lotus hadn’t noticed it until now. ‘A working clock?’ She watched the second-hand tick away, slowly moving the hour-hand away from the thirteen-hour mark. ‘What don’t they have?’

“Thank you… Um” Aloe tilted her head.

“Mrs. Tyme.” The mare smiled.

Alone the sisters looked at one another, both silently acknowledging one another’s thoughts.

-Five Hours Later-

Lotus stared at the ponies that sat around the tables laid out in a ‘U’-shape pattern. There was a wide verity of ponies, from young to old and of all races. All seeming happy and joyful. “So many ponies.” Aloe whispered as she saw Mrs. Tyme sitting with her family. She smiled and waved at her. Mrs. Tyme saw her and returned the wave.

“Yes, there is.” Lotus replied with a sigh. She counted fifty-two, not counting the ones keeping watched along the walls. More than what they had at Iron’s Ridge, about twenty more. Her lips went flat as she remembered the hoard roaming through the frozen streets.

“You alright?” Aloe asked.

“Yes…” Lotus saw the Governor talking to a couple of stallions that seemed to be the town’s security forces. “Just still can’t believe that we’re here.” She saw a mare walk over to them with a cart full of food.

“Here’s your bowls.” The mare hummed a giddy tune as gave them their meals.

Lotus and Aloe looked at their meals. The savory aroma of cabbage stew filled their nostrils. Aloe felt her stomach growl as she licked her lips. Looking up from her meal she saw the Governor raising a cup at her. She smiled as she raised her glass of cider. Lotus noticed her sister’s wide smile, looking to her right she saw she was smiling at the Governor. Reluctantly she raised her own glass. “Let’s not get too friendly,” She whispered in her sister’s ears.

“Why?” Aloe rolled her eyes. “I thought we agreed to give them a chance.”

“I know, but.” She watched the Governor walk to the center of the ‘U’ the tables created. “If things go south, I want to be able to leave with no attachments.”

“And go where?” Aloe felt light and fuzzy as she kept watching the Governor with awe-stricken eyes.

“I don’t know.” Lotus took a bite of her food. Her throat tightened up, not out of disgust but of shock by how delicious it tasted. “Maybe…” Her mind drifted to her friend Rarity. “Maybe find our friends…” Hearing no reply, she looked at her sister and saw the enamored expression on her face. Seeing her staring at the Governor, she rolled her eyes. “Were you listening?”

Aloe shivered as her daydreaming mind came back to reality. “Y-Yes…” She looked at her sister, staring, unsure what to say. Before Lotus could reply, they heard a spoon tapping on glass.

“Everypony!” The Governor shouted with a happy twang. “I have an important announcement!” The crowd of ponies silenced as they gave him their full attention. He nodded at their obedience and looked over at Lotus and Aloe. “We have guest within our humble settlement!” He pointed at them. Lotus felt uneasy at being the center of attention, while Aloe waved at the ponies looking at them.

The Governor smiled as he cleared his throat. “Let’s make them feel welcomed and like they’re at home.” He didn’t realize how infectious Aloe’s smile was. “And who knows, maybe one day they’ll join our little town.”

The ponies cheered.

Aloe let out a little giggle as she clapped. Lotus really wanted to go under the radar so they could have an easy out. But the Governor made that a lot more difficult, and so was her sister. Her sister’s happiness was very infectious. A part of her wanted her to stop and play it coy, but the other half really loved seeing her so joyful. ‘It had been so long since I saw you smile like that…’ Her lips timidly smiled as she turned to the crowd and gave them a small wave.

“Thank you for everything.” Lotus shook the Governor’s hoof. “I don’t know how to repay you?”

He smiled. “If you see any of my ponies in need, lend them a hoof.” He looked at the crowd mulling around the tables. “That’s all I ask.”

“We will.” Aloe smiled with a blush.

He noticed and gave them a small bow. “I need to take care of something, so you mares enjoy yourselves tonight.” He gave them a shit eating grin. “I’m sure you need it.”

Lotus’s mind drifted to the fall of Iron’s Ridge and the months wandering through the trotter infected wastes. “Yeah, we do.”

“Don’t drink too much cider.” His joked and laughed causing Lotus to roll her eyes and Aloe let off a little giggle. Aloe’s squeaky giggles were pleasant to his ears as he walked towards his home.

The Governor watched his ponies from his home’s second story window, which was resident flat over what was once the bank. Seeing Lotus and Aloe conversing with Zipper and several others. He smiled as he stepped away from the window and walked over to a closet. Stopping, he looked to his right and saw a picture on the fireplace’s mantel. The picture was of him, with his hoof around a pegasus, and if front of them was a little bat pony filly no more than seven years old.

Letting out a sigh, he unlocked the closet and opened the door. “Hello sweetie.” Sounds of metallic chains echoed from the darkness. The pace of the sounds increased, until the light revealed the chains were around a totter’s neck as it appeared from the darkened closet. The Governor stood resolute as he stared at the trotter with dull eyes. The trotter was a bat pony filly the same one in the picture. Her wings were chopped off at the base. Her mane and tail a tattered mess.

The Governor stared into her milky eyes and let out a sigh. “I have some good news.” The filly growled as she snapped her teeth. The Governor ignored her angry growls and walked over to another closet and opened its door. He stepped in and opened a cage and pulled out a rabbit. “We have two new ponies that joined us.” He felt the rabbit starting to panic as he neared her. “I think you’ll like them.” He threw the rabbit into the closet. The filly threw her head back and let out a moan as she sauntered back into the closet. Closing the door, he sat on the floor, and leaned against it, resting his head back as he listened to the rabbit’s screams as his daughter tore into its flesh.