”My stuff is my stuff. Sometimes it's not as successful as some of the other stuff. But it's my stuff..”
— George A. Romero
So—
A bright yellow flower sat comfortably in its ceramic pot as it took in the sun beams that gently stroked soft petals. Its emerald spiky leaves drooped with gentle intention, giving the plant a majestic feel. Calm winds ever so slightly nudged the leaves. It swayed and returned to the sleepy state, awaiting the next chill to pass.
Though the flower's home had cracks in it due to wear, nothing seemed to bother it. And there it stayed, loyal to whoever placed it on a window seal.
Accompanied by the tweeting of birds, everything seemed blissful for the flower. Way up high in a house residing between the treetops, undisturbed by the outside world. However, tranquility was interrupted from the heavy steps from squeaky wood, drawing near to the lonely flower.
It bounced.
A small shake, causing it to take a step back.
Another bounce— a hop. The flower pot was still fine from where it sat. A fiercer bounce— it slid. The flower loomed over the lime green void below, accepting whatever happens next. Then finally, a door slam.
The flower continued to lie dormant on the window sill. A fern green hoof expertly angled around the pot, scooting it away from a welcoming ledge. Nervous laughter followed, and then the closing of small purple curtains.
Her snow white face smiled at the flower. The pony nuzzled the flower with a green tipped nose, sighing a breath of relief as she left it to clean. An orange poofy tail swept counters and furniture surfaces. Clouds of brown floated as she passed, until finally, a closet door opened. She struggled to pull out a large cauldron, moving any object aside with a free leg. The large black pot made a metallic scraping noise, brushing over past markings of etched wood.
Seconds later, the scraping ended abruptly. A new sound took its place, rummaging through cabinets and drawers, clanking and glass clinks resounded. A satisfied,
“Aha!”
Was the last sound before a ringing bell jingled away carelessly.
Her voice, now louder, made a faint echo as she stuck her head outside the front window, “Hey! Moss Mist— I'm ready!”
Rushing hoofsteps similar to earlier met up with the Kirin. Her friend had grey fur and a chestnut brown mane with dark green highlights. A worried expression and a subtle gulp made Autumn less enthusiastic.
“It's time to create some... tea...” Autumn awkwardly laughed, stepping aside as her friend searched cabinets and drawers, “but it looks like you're in a bit of a coffee mood. Ran out of grounds two days ago— sorry?”
“Autumn, where are your knives?” A cold, teeth gritting voice came from inside of a bottom cabinet.
“My knives? I don't have any after I was I told I'm a danger to myself, remember? I miss one hoof filet Sundays.” Autumn approached Moss Mist, noticing the grave look on her face. “What's going o—”
“This is no time for jokes, Blaze. It's Rain Shine... I think she's... dead. We need... something for extracting this strange substance.” Moss stood up, looking at the floor. “Came here— covered in this black liquid, urging us to get away from her.” Moss quivered her lips, “And then after some time, she— SHE!” Moss held her stomach as thoughts raced through eyes that wished to unsee something.
“Woah, hey, it's alright. The prettiest Kirin here is... well... here! Take your time.” Autumn Blaze got to her level, crouching down to meet her eyes.
“Everything happened so... quick... Rain Shine was dead. She just collapsed soon after and— but— we have healers trying to find out how or why she died.” Moss Mist started to perk up her ears, then slowly looked to the window.
“She just came here alone? I thought a huge group was sent out to find out why that purple flying doohickey thing crashed? Moss?” Autumn heard something too.
“Autumn, that's the danger alarm. I'm going to go find out what's going on... stay here, I'll come back and get you.” Moss hugged her goodbye, racing sounds creaked the steps to the treehouse.
The lone Kirin watched as her friend was hidden from the forest’s plant life. Before Autumn considered following behind in defiance, horrified screams of many rang through the woods. She slowly left the interior of her house, peeking a head from around the doorframe. The forest felt alive but something dead lurked beyond those trees. Once the danger alarm stopped— meaning— somepony quit pulling the bell, that's when she dropped the nonchalant act.
Soothe—
It was crusted and no longer considered a flower. Grey specs and mold wilted over the pot, making room for cobwebs to form as well. As the pink clouds roll over the dark forest, they quietly ignited the yellow grass below to a baby shaded strawberry redness. This, unfortunately, didn't save the flower while it was still alive. If the sunlight could have comforted the dried remains of the plant alive, imagine how lost it felt when water... just suddenly... stopped coming. This flower used to be cared for long ago, but the inevitability of death rushed in to make its presence felt. Now, a spider claims the barren pot. Is it wrong to claim property of something seemingly so insignificant once life has left it? Eggs within webs upon webs contained in a blanket of hazy whiteness. Even in a world ruled by death... a world that is bitten by the grip of Them, tiny babies may sleep peacefully evermore.
The door was bolted and locked. Vines from the outside forces assisted in making the house inaccessible to anything that attempted to get in. There was only one entrance— the window with a rope. Fortunately, nothing roamed the dirt road leading to Autumn’s house. If somepony... or something... were to find the lonely tree house, trying the door would be obvious. Autumn knew this. And thusly, Autumn used the window to go hunting.
Branches shook lowly and violently but only for a brief second. Like a shadow, something hovered through the shades darkness. The shadow skipped across many trees and leaped from vines in a quick manner. Below it, a rabbit blindly dodged and weaved underneath ferns and huge flowers in a desperate bid to get away from the gaining figure.
Just when it found a tree burrow and that adrenalin pumped the tiny creature with extra nerves to speed up, a wooden spike ended its chance to get away. The shadow dropped down and off of a branch, avoiding the angled pikes scattered throughout the forest ground. Autumn Blaze took out a sharpened metal blade, extended by adhesive honey, jabbing it into the deceased creature.
“I'm sorry.” She whispered to herself. “They need something to eat.” After saying that, it was stuffed into her knapsack.
Soothe Them
Written by PacifistDoodl3r
Her friend snapped at her direction with a decayed jaw. Flesh around the kirin’s mouth had peeled and rotted. Its eye sockets were clear and visible, pushing out black muck that dried but always seemed to return, scarring over scabs of what little fur remained on its face.
She put a hoof to her temple, dirt scratched and blackened, “We've been over this, Moss, you're the dead one here— I get to choose your rations. And you'll never guess what I have in store. Surprise! You get a small bit of bun—”
It ignored her. The reanimated corpse of Moss Mist growled with a raging hunger. This caused Autumn to let out an annoyed huff.
“Rawrr, I'm angry too. I haven't slept in a hot minute and here you are, the lucky one. No eyes to turn against you, hmm? Must be fun.” Autumn stretched out her arms, compacted with more muscle than the before times. “So stop with the sass. You should be grateful you're nommin’ on bunny rabbit— I feel so bad for these critters...”
Whatever was left of what resembled Moss Mist before had died with her. Its fur had long since greened, sprouting residual tumours placed sparingly throughout its body, until reaching a vine riddled visage stemming from the tree in which she was tied to. It struggled against the thick ropes wrapped around so much, black scruffs and splotches lined the entire top of the ropes. The tree had skinned bark from the multiple rows of rope that gave life to tiny plants between the little gaps.
Autumn, clearly, wasn't happy with Moss’ tone. She took a piece of sliced meat out of the knapsack, then she placed it on a big wooden spoon. “See this?” Autumn teased her old friend with the raw meat, causing it to extend its jaw in preparation to eat. “That's your weekly source of calories right in front of you.”
The creature that vaguely resembled Moss Mist spewed up blood and quantities of black vile, growling at anything in front of it without any vision. And yet, it focused on the spoonful of rabbit meat.
“Maybe you are grateful? Well, I can't tell. You look as if I never feed you. Be considerate! I have to save some of the bunny, of course.”
She extended the spoon with a metal latch, revealing a rusted rod under the handle. The string of meat was quickly and aggressively swallowed by the deceased kirin in front of her. Gurgling noises lasted a bit as the piece of meat visibly chugged down its mauled throat. Autumn smiled, humming in sing song tune.
“Remember when you used to treat me as your little sister? How you fed me cooked mushrooms and salads with different recipes? This is sort of like that! With the added exception of... you being the one fed and I'd definitely be on the menu.” She nervously laughed, taking a few quick breaths after. “And, wow, do I know you're not afraid to eat friends... everypony besides me is a biter.”
As if to prove her point, the gnashing teeth of Moss Mist chomped air. Autumn retched once the hot stench of foulness blew her way.
“HUURKH— ah! I forgot I never really lost my sense of smell... Unfortunately.” She put the wooden spoon back inside of the bag. “I loathed the first two weeks of this sickness. Why did I stop putting on a leaf mask?”
She preened her head towards the writhing decayed body of Moss Mist as if to get an answer, but all Autumn got were groans from a half bitten throat.
“Hmm? That's not why— at least— I don't think it is! Ohh! I thought this strange plague was airborne and... Everything wreaked of death.” She circled the tree Moss Mist was tied to, choosing to ignore the spear contraption above the ropes, then emphatically waved a hoof around while she talked. “I enjoy our chats! Remember you used to tell me, ‘Autumn, pipe down! You need to learn how to make this ceremonial tea!’ And I never really listened?”
“Now, I’m the one who only asks for silence as I tell you what's going on. I know I've explained many times why I have you so close to my house while the others are... Not... But to reiterate,” she gave a weak smile to her struggling undead friend who had a bout of rage and hunger, “you were sort of the first one who wanted nothing more than to just sink their teeth into me. That was so rude! How you stumbled and shambled your way over to my house despite the distance. I am still a little upset over that.”
Locks of grey hair fell from Moss Mist’s head. Well, what little hair even remained on its scalp which pulsed black veins through rotting skin. Its eyeless sockets seemingly stared straight at Autumn. Moss Mist gurgled, then began to point a mostly black horn towards Autumn.
She let out an annoyed snort, “Not again! Can everykirin stop doing this!?” Autumn erupted into a flame of blue and dark pink fire, allowing herself to become a niriK.
Moss Mist’s horn glowed black, as it quickly shot out a wave of unknown dark magic. Its head leaned forward and faced the ground. It no longer hungered.
Autumn was coated in all black with white illuminated eyes. Black and white smoke trailed off of her, causing the niriK to smell like dried charcoal. Brows furrowed, stretching small forehead wrinkles towards eyes that glared with fury. Her horn emitted a bright light as it chimed out an ethereal sounding tune.
”Are you done yet?” She bit her lip in anticipation, then watched as the undead horn of darkness lose its spark. ”I'm taking your horn next time you try that, friend. It'll make a pretty neat night light— I am not kidding you.” She sighed, bursting into a blinding array of colourful light.
Moss Mist was back to the familiar ravenous tone that Autumn seemed to like better. She smiled, comfortably leaning against the tree. It almost fully bit off its moldy tongue, snarling at Autumn like a starved wolf.
“Remember the stream of silence?” She gave another smile, this one was from the scenes playing out in her head. “Rain Shine hated me for giving that thing a makeover. You know— the dam! Nearly flooded the town.” Autumn stared at her friend, laughing with a wholehearted bundle of unknown emotion. “All that violence and mayhem convinced Rain Shine to keep an open mind about our niriK forms. ’This black and white mentality will be the end of us. I see that now.’ She told all of us in such a serious tone— it almost made me cry. ’Those who take this foal’s breath will promise to spread positivity. The same applies to me.’ And then we soon ran out.”
“I'm sorry your real sister changed her mind on being quiet after we did. Although, the fifty-fifty chatter boxes and silent Kirin split made for an interesting environment, don't you think?” She playfully jabbed her squirming friend with the tip of her hoof. “Imagine how things would've turned out if I haven't found a field of those flowers?”
Still fighting to escape, the undead corpse of Moss Mist groaned and gagged on the old familiar curdled black substance. A putrid stench drifted around the two, causing Autumn to take a small hop away from the tree.
“I'm going to go. Yeah, I can tell you're out of conversation topics for today. I'll go check on my old place while I make a trip to the village.” She shook her head once Moss Mist gave her a malicious look. “What!? It's on the way! I know that's where a lot of... Things... Went down after it happened but I left some ingredients there that I need.” Her eyes lit up as a glint of excitement flickered. “Which reminds me! Moss, earlier as I walked here with the rabbit— still in my bag— I wondered if I can take the lives of less animals. The plan is a bit of a work in progress but you'll be told what it is once I figure it out! Until tomorrow, friend!”
Autumn waved a hoof at Moss Mist despite the sounds of growling and unruly noises coming from behind her. She left like the blackness that came off of Moss’ maw, melting off of a decaying snout that fell apart by the days. Kicking and the wiggling of legs would have been an option... If the dead kirin had any to began with.
If the grass from earlier had a golden fairness to it; then this ground was a churned mixture of brown and dark yellow. The trees were not without effort to create a resistance from one’s neck to look up, blocking out the sunset sky. Clouds cut through the air as if it were stuffing bleeding out of a warm coloured tie dye blanket.
Walking towards the village made her feel uneasy. This had been her routine for a while now but it never got easier. Memories of having a good time with friends within the forest attacked her. One in particular caused Autumn to stop walking. Whatever was replaying in her head took a while to digest. The Kirin stared out into the abyss.
“Well— at least I have you, Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Land to keep me company! I am fine. Just us... It’s just me.” She smiled. Birdies and cute squirrels made noise. The sight of them keeping one another company was good enough. Unfortunately, that smile wouldn't last once the fond memory began to fade.
Soon but slowly, she began to walk some more until her old house appeared behind a boulder and some trees. It was right next to a cliff. The ground was a dark red terracotta-esque material, and this colour stretched beyond the endless land. A dried lake complimented the scenery, as if life had abandoned the world out of reach. Just when Autumn was about to quit observing the beyond, she spotted a tiny moving figure, slowly walking into the horizon. It was so far away and yet... Details seemed so easily readable. She squinted for about thirty seconds, failing to check off this figure as alive or not. Maybe this didn't matter. Something inside of her eyes wanted to leak, burning her vision as of this is something to get sad over.
Autumn got closer to the ledge, allowing the breeze to tug on her floof and mane. The wind reminded her how unkempt hair and fur feels like frozen butter on a floating cloth. It howled and blew. One would assume the wind collected leaves and sprinkled water for its own amusement.
Yes, it was pretty cold but she didn't care. Some shivers stabbed matted hair as it chilled whatever stood in the way of frost. For the wind didn't obey anyone's feelings or thoughts. It just... Was. Autumn Blaze looked up at the sky, having nothing else to do but rest her dark and heavy eyelids. This made her relax tense shoulders, taking patient breaths with every wave of air plume.
Screams.
Blood curdling screams filled with fear that quickly turned off from an unknown terror made its way into her mind. The sound of wind turned into wails. Painful and awful cries were painted over using a deadly thinner by bloodthirsty raspy growls.
Autumn remembered swinging branches and THRACKS, gasping for air from exhaustion. Kirins called out to her right before meeting a grisly end. Clanking of teeth. The quick yanking of fur. Autumn had no idea if anyone ran away by the time more of Them got up after being bit. There were about three who actually fled the village. She presumed they died soon after. Some managed to hide inside their tree homes. But hours turned into to days, then, it was like a game of who can wait out the shambling corpses of loved ones the longest.
She remembered sneaking around inside of the bushes and foliage, hoping to find any means of escape for those who didn't pass. The time Autumn had to survey the area wasn't enough. A horde of Them formed. It wasn't until the Kirins who hid inevitably succumbed to the masses when Autumn finally thought of a plan.
Eyes were peeled open from this but no tears came.
After a long sigh, she chuckled after the dark figure in the distance disappeared. “You know... I could really go for some tea. No? Why not? There's plenty of leaves to go around!” She gave out lofty laugher, taking a few paces away from the edge.
Walls gathered vines and clearly aged, crumbling off chips of clay and tan stone. The small watchtower had fallen to the ground behind of her old house. Tarps and sun blockers were repurposed into rain catchers back at the other location. Since there wasn't any door to the place, Autumn simply strolled inside.
She tried her hardest to ignore it on the wall. Even a window lit it up as if to taunt Autumn further. Underneath it, a splatter of that blackness mixed with blood. Furniture was broken with yellow fungus growing from random appliances. Despite it smelling like sweet rotting fruit and strong mold, she opened a few cabinets to search for something. It already was picked clean but who knows? Maybe something new would magically appear out of nowhere.
Only a few things such as cracked bowls and... She quickly took one of the bowls— it was perfect! She flipped it over to make sure there were no holes or anything. Nope, all good.
“This was a short and easy trip! What do you say we... Enter and exit the village? Hmm?” Autumn said, winking at the floor.
Hooves made their way across the ground with a bloody body trail that met the doorframe. She swallowed a lump in her throat, desperately thinking of cute critters and rainbows. Once she had cradled the bowl and left, the red wording awaited another visit no matter how long an inevitable return may take.
NO LONGER SILENT
She could already hear the groans and undead singing from where she was at. Around 60 metres away, the first barricade stuck out of a tree. These were a failed attempt from Autumn to fend off against anymore dead friends. By the time a few were finished being put up, the decomposing remnants of the reanimated were either put down for good... Or...
Every single tree inside and around the village had been wrapped around in white rope from houses or thatch and vines. All secured and tightly contained those who remained. Autumn lost count on how many she managed to capture like this. She imagined the rotting chorus around her to be an uplifting greeting from angels. As she approached a small hut, quickly entering and leaving it, Autumn rolled out a metal cauldron on tiny wheels, using the earned upper body strength to smoothly align it over a campfire. The Kirin swept away some sweat, facing those in front of her.
She shared a laugh with her friends, “No need to thank me for putting on another show. And for those in the back facing away— I apologize!” Her head leaned to the side, struggling to put on a happy face. “What? I am sorry. You're probably interrupting my brewing with boos and cries because I took the liberty of removing some of your horns.”
Many of Them were indeed missing their horns. Some were chopped clean off while others kept their horns still intact. A small portion of them had sloppily cut horns as well.
“Fern Flare! Hello! Remember last week? Sorry for using you as an example— you always hated that... But if blasting the darkness while I was in the middle of feeding somekirin was your idea of a joke, then I am sad to announce you didn't have the last laugh.” She motioned a hoof over at Fern’s chopped off horn.
It wasn't as mauled as Moss Mist had been. In fact, Fern had no visible bites. It looked very skinny and fatigued, though, having light brown fur pull away from its neck and lower jaw.
“And you, over there! The dashing cute one with the dark orange fur— I didn't even mean to tie you up on a tree. I saw you help Blossom Burst during the panic even though one of you couldn't speak... I hope she made it far and away from here... Probably...” Autumn winced, turning her head away as if to end the conversation. “Probably not.”
It was one of the few male kirins. Badly beaten and scarred from fire, still keeping one eye. It paid no attention to Autumn as it remained a little ways past some houses.
By this point, the village lost all of the wonderful charm it used to have. No more colourful runes. Instead, a streak of bloody hoofprints on doors were the decor. No more animals to run up trees and merrily run up to Kirins who wanted to feed them. The ground was permanently black with hints of rotten meat spread all over.
Autumn took out the rabbit inside of her knapsack with a knife. Then she watched as it was claimed to the orange broth inside of the cauldron.
The dead cried out, reminding the Kirin of who to visit. It's weird how something such as her decaying friends so ear-splitting reminded her of the juxtaposed... Somekirin. Autumn placed the wooden spoon next to the cauldron.
“Please, excuse this sudden— err— exit? I just thought about our co-host here! Not here, here, but... Uh... here! You know what I mean?” Autumn waved a hoof at the tied up kirins that growled nonstop, either at her or to something inside of the woods.
The look on Autumn’s face as she passed by trees with rope was one of worry. Memories surged once more. There was a time this village was a thriving, fun, and joyous place to live. To her, that felt like a lifetime ago. The past is far gone. It left her like everyone she knew. Or maybe... it left with everyone she knew.
These thoughts were persistent, especially while visiting the village. And most especially while checking up on... Her. Inside of a regular sized hut, the dry smell of death greeted her again. Autumn quickly opened and shut the door behind her.
Nothing could properly describe the horrific scene like that of a massacre, settling inside of the building. It made Autumn turn off her brain, unable to process the blanks needed to fill a scene to play out whatever went down inside of this decrepit, blood bath of a place.
“Heyyy, Rain Shine!” Autumn gulped, pushing back vomit with her tensed throat. “I saved a little bit of rabbit for you! Of course, you always loved rabbits but under a little different circumstances.”
Nobody should be described how visceral and grim Rain Shine appeared.
“I'll just toss this over to you! H-h-here!” Autumn trembled, flinging the slice of meat over to Rain Shine.
Not a second sooner, she nervously left the darkly lit house, and then attempted to wipe the pink stinging from her eyes. It was then she realized how alarmed her heart has been, a pump here and there with the trauma and thoughts that shot down any positive memory.
Autumn returned to the cauldron, surrounded by the company of dead. With a trembling hoof, she took the spoon and began to stir. The soup was light orange with pink flowers and ointments inside of it, with some of the rabbit bobbing for air.
After she watched the meat fuse into the concoction for some time, the sleepy Kirin took the bowl and scooped some.
“Who wants some of this delicious cooking of mine first!?” Autumn raised the bowl over her head, presenting it to the starving kirins in front of her. “You all look so unhappy with how it turned out. All that time I spent running from and luring you to campfires meant nothing? C’mon! Show a little respect for your favourite talking... Potential meal!” She brushed her dark auburn mane as a tight feeling in her chest squeezed and squeezed. “That's really all I am to you guys now, right? Food?” The Kirin chose a random undead to give a little bit of the soup.
Emerald eyes interlocked with the bloody lifeless sockets in front of her. They both felt nothing. It was a daily routine. She lifted the bowl like she had always done, preparing her free arm to hold back the head of the deceased Kirin. After doing this multiple time to those without horns, she stopped.
Autumn psyched herself up when it came to feeding one without a chopped off horn. After refilling the bowl, she shut her eyes and held a heavy stomach. Autumn made her way to another one of her fallen friends, setting down the bowl.
“We can do this the easy way or the niriK way! You're... Dead with a horn... so the niriK way it is!” Autumn laughed before she erupted into a blinding light of blue and dark pink flame. The niriK picked up the bowl, repeating the short process of feeding it. “Oh, if only I can use magic, that would make things sooo much... Easier!” She stepped back and smiled. “Can I use magic right now? I mean— imagine if I accidentally get infected because I decided to test this? That would be so... So... Hilarious! Making it this far on my own then...”
Autumn eyed her shadow. It had no eyes to stare back but it would of it could. Thoughts about doing something rash snapped at her like the undead. Imagery of the snarling kirins raced through her mind as the horde inside of the village groaned. Autumn was crying under the moonlight of the burning village. A few of her friends tripped over their own hooves, shifting the growing crowd of walking corpses towards her.
The tree branch clenched in her hooves was a dark red and black kiss of death. Her body shuddered and wheezed out agonized breaths. Autumn shook her head, spat out blood, and finally closed her eyes to meditate. At the moment, she didn't care if they caught up. Her survival depended on thinking of something funny.
She looked away from her shadow, turning back into her usual form, “Yeah, you're right. It's not really worth the risk but I must know eventually. Nokirin here is in a state of control or the basic concept of not biting anybody.” Autumn headed towards the cauldron, a snicker escaped from her mouth. “What if I prank myself and randomly decided to use magic near Them? Just— randomly? Those thoughts be thoughting!”
“But, no! I told Moss I had a plan to avoid harming any critter for my friends... Yeah... I have an idea, Silhouette! They don't seem interested in me when I'm a niriK. And they don't mind being fed soup as long as meat or grinded bone is inside of it.” She paused as if to wait for her shadow to say something back. “Is there a way to feed them something to permanently make them like that?”
“Why can't I be a niriK forever? Have you not been with me all this time? I can feel myself feeling... Lost. In emotion? I'm not angry anymore but it also kind of hurts to turn into one now. Mentally. It's very mentally straining! I keep on thinking back to seeing all of Them— and I— I'm not angry anymore. I'm sad but not sad to a point I want to bawl my eyes out... I've forgotten how to do that.” Autumn sat on the ground, sighing.
“No, it's not that I don't care about my friends anymore... I don't care enough, you know? They're gone. And my body moved on before I did. But if I were to take a step back and acknowledge they are no longer my friends, I'd be admitting to myself I am— that I...” a heavy breath, a sniffle, “No. I have you. It's ok. That's ok!”
As the sun and sky painted the area a gentle purple, her shadow grew larger. It spoke coldly, walking to the left of Autumn with a hunched back. “What is our plan then? To somehow feed every single one of them your magical potion so they would stop seeing you as a meal? Ha! We're so delusional, I am a delusion!” Two hollow whites and a grinning mouth could be made out from her shadow.
“Yes! That is exactly my plan no matter how bizarre it sounds. You thought capturing whatever was left of my friends one by one to be an impossible task... Now look!” Autumn almost backed into a tree with an undead kirin but caught herself. “Look at them! All here in the village like old times!”
“If you truly believe this little science experiment of yours will work... Go right on ahead. I see that we're so nutty, even our conscience gave up!” Her shadow shrunk in size, returning to its regular appearance.
“Nice chat, me. I am a great decision maker!” Only the wind and growling kirins could be heard after she said this. Autumn referred to her shadow one last time, “What? I am! Although dead, my pals here deserve a little peace. In a way, I'll be helping them! And I must admit it's not because I have a good heart... I can't really feel anymore... I think there's nothing else to do other than to just— indulge myself in this fruitless effort.” She gave a half smile, looking up at the rotting corpse that titled its head to bite her.
“La-di-daa da dum, cause rainbows don't light up the sky unless you let it rain...” She hummed to herself, extinguishing the fire that cooked the soup. “It's getting late. I'll take a power nap and work on this non-critter-killing-food for you guys, does that sound good?”
A cacophony of groans was their response. Seeing how they're not going to say much other than that, Autumn left in a hurry. She found racing the sun home before night fell a little fun. In the early days of the dead roaming, she found it both terrifying and a little exciting to make it home before the sun disappeared. Lights used to attract Them. It appears the adrenaline went away but memories of testing fate resonated with Autumn.
She began to slow her gait, watching the sun melt. “I miss it.” Autumn closed her eyes, imagining her dead friends slowly chasing her. “I miss trying extra hard to survive.”
THRACK,
THRACK,
CRSSSSHH—KURKK
Then, the ever present sound of gurgling and groaning retuned. She remembered herself covered in red as she attempted to breathe with a few bruised ribs. A chunk of hair was missing from her tail.
“Y-you almost made me go to sleep permanently, Sun Feather! This will take some time to grow back... NO! STAY OVER THERE! I— I don't want to... To put you down!” Autumn whimpered. She struggled to get away from her crawling friend, hugging her upper barrel and widening her mouth to breathe.
Dirt got pushed with a mangled hoof, crushing leaves and dripping black ooze, making a trail. It snarled at Autumn, chomping teeth that had started to fall off of it. A bite was taken out of its cheek. Swollen dark eyelids with cloudy white eyes stared at Autumn.
Her attention was now elsewhere, fidgeting and shuddering as distance was made between the two. They were now a little ways away from the village without any other erratically shambling figures in sight. Autumn rested against a tree behind her, still awake from the burning pain inside of her. The undead Kirin pulled itself towards her, using what was left of its teeth to assist the movement. As it drew nearer, Autumn reached up on a tree branch, grabbing a rope with a pre-made loop tied around it. She used the opening to stop its mouth from biting. After she dragged it to the tree, no other option other than restraining it was appropriate.
The Kirin opened her eyes, contemplating something once a tired face softened like fresh bread dough. Memories of a much better time had left. They were replaced by watching her friends get eaten and reanimating to eat others. They were gone. The undead only imitated what once. Denial can only help you cope for so long.
“I... I think I should go home.” She said at last, soon followed by the placement of one hoof in front of the other until it carried her cold body to the tree house.
A rope hung from the window. She yawned, tugging on the rope to test it. Of course it was secure, however, doing this every single day out of habit. Once in her messy home, a big blue mushroom had been pressed to make everything glow in a dark blue tint.
Crawling to her bed which consisted of ten pillows thrown in a pile on the floor, she curled up in a ball and gladly drifted into slumber. Daydreams were nothing but reoccurring memories of her friends trying to feast like feral beasts. Her dreams when sleeping, weren't anything like that. In a scarred busy head lies hopeful dreams of one day reuniting with those who had fallen. Unfortunately, right when things were getting good, her body ached and quickly jabbed a few flesh tissues.
She woke up as if this was expected.
A light blue sky with an overcast darkened the forest around her. Something brought her attention to the cauldron inside of her home, already brewing a dark purple substance inside of it.
“Wait— When did I make this?” She asked herself, studying the bubbles and floating petals inside.
A note was on the door held up by rose thorns. The door was no longer blocking the original entrance. At first she laughed, admiring the mystery to this. “Ooh, it looks like I have somekirin or somepony messing with me! Finally, someone! And it's...” she read the first sentence, stunting any other thoughts of meeting another, “It's ME!?” Confusion set in as she read the letter.
So, I have good news and bad news to whomever reads this. I prefer the bad news out of the way first so I'm just going to tell you the fungus I used inside of this will cause memory loss but most importantly, I may sleep through... It. Well, I didn't sleep last night. I shut my eyes and woke up, beginning the work on this fun little tea potion.
I tried. I tried to help Them but I couldn't and gave up. And with a little manic episode— I GAVE UP! I— released them all because it's hopeless. I'm hoping one of Them enters our house and... ends me in my sleep. If I wake up as it happens, I'll wait until I turn. That's the plan. At least this plan shouldn't fail. Whoever is out there, know that mixing niriK blood and a foal’s breath flower will not suppress the disease as I have hoped. Only turning into a niriK seemed to confuse my dead friends. They wouldn't attempt to bite me but I could only protect myself as one for a small amount of time. Now for the good news. If you find me walking through the beautiful forest with everykirin else, please try to leave us be.
In an attempt to soothe them, I have finally found peace and soothed myself.
“No... No! I don't want this!” Autumn yelled, backing away from the note. “And why did I write so small!?” Her mind raced, thinking of anything to disprove this. “No way.There's no way I could've released all of Them last night without— dying or... Or!” A memory flashed of her setting up pointy wooden sticks above every single binding for the undead.
“Have I rigged them all to set them free? No! That makes no sense... Why would I do that? Why can't I remember doing this for whatever reason!” Autumn was about to look outside of her window but noticed the broken door frame.
A low growl was heard.
And another.
Then... the many different groans of the dead made her ears twitch. Some were higher pitched while others stuggled to be audible. They were coming.
“Why... why would I do this to myself.” She was no longer asking for an answer. Autumn took hold of a small knife with her mouth, “Ehyy— ‘uess I ‘ave ta’ get out ouf ‘ere.” She left her house through the damaged doorframe, almost immediately getting pounced on by one of Them!
It went for her exposed neck, nipping at her flesh and tearing a little bit off. She pushed it against the steps, angling her head to stab, accidentally leaving the knife lodged inside. After dealing with the rotting undead Kirin, she felt the burning area on her neck with a hoof.
“No... NO! This isn't what I want! I don't want to join my friends! I— I'LL BE OK! I can just... close my eyes and wake up, yeah? PLEASE!” She knew this wasn't a nightmare but the hope still persisted. “I forgot how to fend them off!”
An icky feeling ran through Autumn, coursing through her blood. Then, a grumble from an angry stomach. Whether or not it was due to the low supply of fresh berries or... Something else... Was uncertain.
Although sightless, they all came as a village sized pack, quickly shambling towards her. The entirety of the forest appeared as if it was nothing but Them. She was lost on whether or not to submit or run to find some place to... Die.
“I'm sorry, b-but it appears I have made the decision for you. After all, you were heading down this path in the first place!” Her shadow came back, emerging from her. Now it was outlined like a clay model that fell apart. Its neck was unnaturally twisted and her voice was forming a growl to it. “I feed them for you. And it did not work!”
“What was the alternative? Wait around until the dark thoughts came back?” Autumn balanced herself— well, she tried to— coughing up red and brown drool.
“This is the alternative! Either starve, get some sickness without treating it, get bored and recklessly use your magic, or get bitten. They all end with us turning... We have nobody here to comfort us. With this, we'll be with our friends again!” Her shadow, although a hallucination of some sort, seemingly shifted right next to her and glided against the trees.
“I have you, Silhouette Gloom.” She gave her shadow a worried look, before she realized how unrecognizable it had gotten. “I also have myself.”
They have made more distance to her house than she had made distance away from it. Autumn struggled to back away from an especially close one as empty thoughts allowed it to bite her foreleg. She gave a weak push, smiling at the sky as the sound of it getting up met her lowered ears.
Tears dripped from her tired eyes, scanning the beautiful formation of clouds above. Groans were restless, forming a huge wave of noise in front. Autumn laughed at a hilarious joke she thought of. It was the exact same joke that made her laugh the first time a huge group of her friends wanted to eat her.
She pretended to have a cup of tea in a hoof, swirling and invisible spoon. “Welcome back to the cooking show! Today's dish... Me? Yes. Fortunately enough, I'll be joining you all very shortly!”
After saying this, Autumn smiled softly. She thought about that super hilarious joke again. But there was no laughter. The Kirin closed her eyes, and took a step forward.
Author's Note
I've written this in two weeks, somehow exceeding the word limit I wanted. Originally, this was only supposed to be around 6,000 words but I got a little carried away. Please forgive the rushed ending for I didn't want to make this any longer.
So, yeah, that was Soothe Them. I regard this as the black sheep of the series for the sole purpose of it being written by me who uses the exact same words to describe things over and over.
Special thanks to RainbowBob, PaulAsaran, Dash The Stampede, & The Sleepless Beholder.
They've made this series amazing.
