Violent Thoughts

They got another train car yesterday. That's the third time this month. If this keeps up, all of the next town's supplies will be gone. The passengers are scared, I am scared too. This whole nightmare has been scary. I wish it was back like normal where there wasn't death lying peeking at the corner of our eyes.

I and a few other conductors were tasked at keeping Equestria country safe and running. Making huge trips all around cities to cover huge tracts of land faster than the carriages of mercenaries. I personally don't trust mercenaries. Tartarus, I believe the mercs tip off the things we're trying to flee from.

What we're running from is unnerving. Nopony has a scientific name for it so we call them Void. They're... there but not there. We can see them move around on the ground and in the air but none of us can get a reading on them. They're magic-proof, weapon proof... chaos proof. The reformed Lord of Chaos cannot compete against this growing entity. We, pony folk, are relying on the combined forces of all Princesses and the Chaos Lord and until then, we must survive in these harsh conditions.

The once green grass had turned into dirt. Void taking all life in the grass and making it into barely nothing. There are rarely any clouds up in the sky and not even animals were spared from Void. We would have been screwed over if it weren't for the Void's inability to consume non-living things such as the metal and the wood placed underneath them to create train tracks.

A short but loud noise put me back in the real world. An eagle landed on the train window carrying a scrolled piece of paper. It was a message from the far north by the current train assigned in charge of The Crystal Empire and Vanhoover. The train was tasked to deliver cut wood to the citizens in the cold landscape. Did something happen? Nopony really sent letters to train conductors unless it was absolutely important. My mind instantly became worried at the prospect of the train being derailed and this was an S.O.S. message.

I thanked the eagle and took the letter. The bird turned around and flew off. What was once an animal with so many species now reduced to a few as the Void consumed flocks and their habitats. I unfurled the rolled letter and assumed the worst.

For the Canterlot Bird-Messengers,

Please send this letter to Conductor P-A-D the soonest using another bird. My snow bunting won't be able to reach farther down south.

Conductor P-A-D,

Before you worry, as of writing this, my train and I are in good condition. The wind is not blowing too harshly and my cargo has been untouched for the duration of the trip. I am only sending this message because I am most dreadfully bored and in need of some form of interaction.

I know it is wholly unprofessional of me to send a message to another conductor unless it was important. However, it kind of is to me. The tracks leading to The Crystal Empire is a long one. I have gotten bored of my crosswords and my snowflake is in need of good flight.

If it is not much, please reply.
I...
I'm just so lonely transporting goods from city to empire and vice-versa.

With much hope,
Conductor CE-V

It's not what I was suspecting. Should I reply or not?

There was a protocol for when train conductors would receive letters not containing any news, whereabouts, anything not related to the Void and city issue. Our response would be either to burn or keep it with us until we dropped off. We cannot throw it away as mercenaries and bandits may roam near the train to pick up dropped goodies and whether or not the letter was important, it could contain information in cities and where its weak spots are.

...

Hmm...

I called for my mockingbird to send the letter back to the CBM to relay it with Conductor CE-V. Before I did so, I wrote a quick and formal letter regarding my condition and expressed myself with some constraint. In other words, I replied to their letter.

I tied it tightly and gave it to my bird companion. She chirped and took off, flapping her wings against the wind. I looked on at the horizon. It won't be soon until I reached Appleloosa. The place where I became a certified conductor. The mayor won't be happy with a quarter of the goods gone but they will have to ration it until the next season.

...

The train arrived to Appleloosa at dusk. I remembered when this city was bustling with activity in the past. Now it felt like a ghost town. I stopped the train and jumped onto the station. I looked for any pony in the stalls but was confused to see nopony. The first few passengers dropped off and checked their belongings.

I waited for anypony to show up behind the window. After a few minutes, I went to knock on the employees door. My hoof came in contact with the door but instead of hearing a firm knock, the door opened.

Cautiously, I peered in the station's staff rooms. They wouldn't have left this place alone without a notice. There was no blood, meaning bandits didn't raid the place. I looked at the papers and shuffled them to look for any clues. Was there a retreat? Did something terrible happen?

I looked out the window in worry. The train was still in front of me. Good, I pulled the brakes. I recalled moments where I was a mere rookie and forgot to pull the brakes in my training. My train was about to run into an unfinished railway and into some apple trees. It ended up being a buffer stop since those same apple trees were in the way. Heh, good times.

...

Where have all the trees gone?

I stood still at the realization of what had happened to this town. No bodies, no blood, no trees. I stumbled out of the station rooms and yelled out to the top of my lungs.

All of the passengers immediately got the message and began hurrying back into the train. I jumped onto the locomotive and began heating up the coal. All the passengers were back into their cars safely and hoped for the train to start moving again. A few were even praying to the Princesses for our safety.

The train inched its way backwards out of the town. Just as we thought we were safe, I saw it.

The floating Void was coming towards us. It'll catch up if the train isn't in top speed yet. I backed out of the locomotive to buy myself time and into the coal car. With a huff, I climbed on top of the coal and slid back down to the passenger car. The ponies there were surprised at my sudden appearance which made them more worried for their lives.

I gently told them to usher back into the caboose to buy some time for ourselves. Straight to the point. Lying won't do any good for us. Foals were led to the caboose followed by mares then stallions. I made sure that everypony was coming with us.

We passed by the rations that was once for the citizens of Appleloosa and entered the rear car. A silent prayer or two. The hushing of a mare to her foal. We all sat in silence inside the caboose. I stared out the open door, looking at the empty train cars all the way back to front through the door's windows.

I don't want to end like this. Consumed by the Void and letting these ponies be consumed as well. It's not fair. I have so many things to do. So many days to live on.

What of Conductor CE-V? What will happen to him? What of my friends back in Appleloosa? Did they escape via another train? I have so many questions that are unanswered and yet, I'm staring at the face of death. Staring at the Void.

To my relief, the train began picking up speed and there was no sign of the unnerving entity nearby. I carefully stood up and travelled through the empty cars.

Rations untouched. Seats warm. Coal on fire and going a couple miles an hour. A sighed deeply. All of us gets to live another day.

Clink!

The train rode on for the night. Hearing the clickety-clack of the wheels going through the rails. It's soothing.

Clack!

It's a shame to lose another town. The apples there were one of the best things in the world and now it's gone. Nothing lasts forever I suppose and we'll only have the good and bad memories of the place.

Crack!

Wait... what's that noise?

KRA-KOOM