Chapters I woke up from another nightmare. I was chased by something I couldn’t see, but I could feel its nasty presence right behind me. I ran even thought I knew I couldn’t get away. My ears were filled with scream and crying, and I could feel the monster getting closer and closer. Just when I was about to be caught, I heard a familiar barking, and then I jerked awake. Sweating and panting, I sat in the darkness for a while to calm my rapidly pumping heart.
Sam is the German shepherd that I have kept for more than three years now. In a world full of lies, pain and misery, he is my only true friend. He is usually quiet, but tonight he seems rather anxious. Maybe something had caught his attention, and he found it necessary to wake up his friend.
I put on a jacket and slippers. I grabbed my flashlight and went downstairs towards the front yard. The night was cold, and I shrugged as I open the door towards the front gate where Sam is. It was probably around 5 am, since the sky was still dark, but some faint light could be seen on the edge of the sky.
Sam stopped barking as soon as he saw me. He ran over and rubbed himself against my feet. I felt his warm breath against my ankle, so I bend down and gave him a pat on the head. He seems rather calm and happy. Maybe he found another dead cat ran over by a truck or something. I stood up again and walked towards the front gate. Sam circled around me and then walked right next to me.
I walked to where Sam was and looked down. There was indeed something on the ground. It looked like a small creature with gray and black fur. It’s about the size of a medium puppy. There were a few blood spots around it, but not enough to cause serious injury. It might have been an injured cat or puppy. It was too dark for me to see clearly, so I turned on my flashlight and pointed it at the strange creature.
For a second there, I thought I was dreaming. I rubbed my eyes and pinched myself on my forearm. My vision was clear and I felt pain. I looked down again. I could not believe my eyes.
It was a pony, just like the ones from that one show that I used to watch. I think it was called my tiny pony or something. That was long time ago, a few years maybe. I was in college back then, and everything was great. I can still remember people laughing, hugging, and there were love and friendship everywhere. But after the world economy broke down, everything fell apart. People became deceiving and selfish. Hunger, terrorism, racism… bad times like this brought out the worst in human nature. The government tried to establish a new system, but it never quite worked out. Sure people are still working, eating, and living, but all the positive things such as honesty, happiness, and love were nowhere to be found. Every day was the same dark gray mess. I could faintly recall the memories of myself laughing and actually enjoying life, and I often wondered what had happened to me, the past me who was able to laugh so hard that my stomach ache from too much joy.
I shook my head and cleared my mind. I sighed deeply. It was indeed cold outside. I could see a small fog forming right in front of my nose and mouth.
I pointed the flashlight at the creature again and looked closer. It was a small pony with gray fur. Her mane and tail were both black with strands of light gray hair. She looked unconscious, her tiny body shivering from the cold.
Sam walked over and sniffed the pony, and immediately he let out a groan and was about to start barking again. I grabbed muzzle and stroked his back, whispering, “Shhhh, it’s okay…” Sam eventually came down and looked at the tiny creature with curiosity.
Well, I can’t just leave her out like this in such cold. Even though she is probably from a completely different dimension, I’d hate to witness the death of another living creature right in front of my door step again. Besides, the house was a bit too big for just me and Sam any way.
But deep inside, I had other thoughts, other hopes. I knew it’s probably never going to come true, but I wished to find happiness again, to experience the same joy that I felt years ago. I see no hope of finding it in the human world, so maybe through this strange encounter I could feel joy from an extension of the pony world that I had dream about so many times.
I took off my jacket and wrapped it around the pony. She was a bit bigger than I imagined, about the weight of a five year old child perhaps. She moved and moaned a little when she felt the unfamiliar touch in her sleep, but as soon as my body heat reached her, she quickly quieted down. I sneezed as soon as I felt the cold air against the back of my neck, so I rushed into my house with the little gray pony in my arms.
I ran to the table and pushed all of the dirty dishes and empty beer cans out of the way. The pony was a bit too heavy for me to hold with one arm, so I quickly set her down on the table. She was lying down on her side, all four of her hooves on one side. I grabbed one of her front hooves and started checking for injuries. Unlike the real ponies from my world, her hooves are round and soft. Her fur covered her entire hoof, and I could feel her pulse through the tip of her hooves.
I finally found the wound. It was a cut underneath her armpit. It looked a scratch from a piece of sharp metal. The wound was a few inches long, but not very deep, so she should be all right. I took some cotton and cleaned the wound with some alcohol. She didn’t wake up from the pain, but she took a deep breath every time I touched the wound. She must be in great pain, but I had to prevent infection. After cleaning the wound, I covered the wound with a piece of clean cloth and wrapped it around with bandages.
“There.” I murmured to myself as I wiped the sweat off my forehead. She should be fine now. I would have never guessed that the first time I apply my knowledge of first aid will be on a creature from a completely different dimension.
I put my arms below her and lifted her up like carrying a baby. I took her upstairs and put her in the spare room that I had. I pulled the bed cover to the side, set her down, and put the cover over her tiny body. I could hear her breathing again, much easier and smoother now. It looked like she was no longer in pain, and her lips had curved upwards a bit to form a tiny smile. I looked at her face silently, the feeling of her fur and weight still lingering on my arms.
I rubbed my arms with my hands to get rid of the strange sensation. Feeling a bit tired, I decided to take a nap on the chair nearby. I turned off the light of the room, and soon I fell asleep to the sound of the wind and the little pony’s quiet, peaceful, and rhythmic breathing.
I was woken up by the sudden pain in my head. I opened my eyes and immediately closed them because it was too bright. I moaned from the pain and tried to reach where the pain was coming from with my hands out of instinct, but my hands could not move.
Then I heard a voice, the voice of a strange woman.
“Who are you?”
She asked. I was completely confused.
“Who are YOU?”
“Don’t play games with me, tricky human!”
Then I remembered. The reason why I was sleeping in a chair instead of a bed, the reason why I have a headache, the reason why I went out last night and caught cold. I opened my eyes and saw the pony over my head, her face filled with anger.
“Oh, you are awake.” I said.
“Tell me what you are up to!”
“What I am up to? What are you talking about?” I tried to stand up, but both of my hands were pinned to the ground. I turned my neck and looked. The pony had jumped on me, knocked me out of the chair onto the floor, and put all of her weight on her two front hooves, which are right on top of my wrist.Her solid hooves were hurting my waist, but she wasn’t that heavy. I will probably be able to escape and turn the situation around if I tried. But I didn’t. I stayed still and tried my best not to upset her.
“You mean the bandages? It was because you had a bleeding wound, so I wrapped it up.”
“Yeah, and?”
“And? And what?”
“Exactly, and what? What are you going to do to me once I am healthy again?”
“I dunno… ”
“You don’t know?”
“Yeah I just heard my dog barking, I went to see what was going on and found you. You were unconscious and injured, so I brought you into the house and cleaned up your wound.”
Her eyes flashed with surprise for a second, but soon it turned back cold, “I don't believe you.”
I sighed, “What do I have to do to make you believe me?”
She bit her lips and said, “Let me go.”
“Go where?”
“Out of this prison!!! I want to go!”
“But you are still injured…”
“LET ME OUT OF HERE!”
I thought about it for a second, and then I realized that I have no other choice. I can’t jail her here like an animal. She was a pony, but she was no different from any other human I had ever met. She could be hurt, she had emotions, and she could talk, which is amazing considering that we come from two completely different dimensions.
I gave in and said, “All right.”
I sat up. She was no heavier than a six year old, so it wasn’t that difficult. She looked extremely stunned, however. Maybe she thought she really pinned me to the ground.
She jumped off me and landed on my side, still alerted and ready to fight at any second. I tried to not make any sudden movements and slowly, slowly moved towards the door. I grabbed the knob and turned it clockwise, and the door opened with a quiet crack.
I paused for a second.
“What’s wrong?” She immediately asked, her body tensed up like a pressed spring.
“Nothing…” I lied. I was a bit disappointed. She was the most adorable creature I have ever seen, and I dreamed of living together with her. I wasn’t thinking about a romantic partner. I just want to have someone… some pony, to talk to. But I guess we aren’t the right one for each other, and keeping her here by force will only make things worse. I should just let go and forget about this.
I walked downstairs. She followed me carefully, looking around before she took a step forward. I waited at the bottom of the stairs for her to catch up.
“Geez, you are slower than my grandma.” I teased her.
She shot me a look that says shut up. She kept moving, and eventually she made it to the bottom of the stairs after what felt like an hour.
“Follow me, this way.” I said and walked towards the front gate. She followed with great cautious.
I reached the front door, turned the door knob and pulled it open. It was a beautiful day outside, sunny and warm. My door was facing a forest, a perfect routine for escape. I turned around and looked at her.
“Well?” I said.
She was hesitating. I could read it in her eyes.
“Is there… anything wrong?” I asked.
“No… nothing.” It looked like she made up her mind. She trotted pass me and stood at the doorsteps, facing the forest.
“I guess this is goodby… wait a second!” I said suddenly, she jumped in surprise and looked at me.
“Hold on, I will be right back.” I ran back to the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed a bag of sliced bread and ran back to the front door. Luckily she hadn’t run into the forest yet. She was still standing there, her body facing the forest but her head turned towards me.
I handed the bread to her, “It’s dangerous outside. Here, take this.”
“What is this?” She turned around and took a step back.
“It’s bread. Ponies eat bread… right?”
Her eyes scanned from my hair to my toes, and then her vision met mine. I knew it was not the right time, but I thought wow, her eyes are really pretty. They were huge and innocent. Her magenta iris was reflecting pretty colors. She had really long eyelashes, and they were just mind-blowing adorable.
She nodded slowly. I bend down on my knees and held out the bag. She grabbed the top of the bag with her teeth, and she looked down. I can’t see her expressions, and I couldn’t really guess what her emotion was like any more.
I held out my right hand. She stepped backwards a little bit to dodge it, but eventually she stayed still. My hand touched her mane. It was smooth and shiny like silk. I stroke her man with my fingers and grabbed her neck with my other hand. I gave her a small hug. She didn’t resist.
“Be careful out there, okay?” I said.
I felt her nodding. To be honest I don’t want to let go. The smell of rose and high class wine filled my nose, and I knew it was her scent. I don’t want to let go. I wished this moment could last forever, but I knew inside my heart that it won’t. I want to hug her for as long as I can, so I decided that I will move as soon as she makes any movements.
But she didn’t move for a very long time. I was a bit surprised… and worried.
I quickly let go and said, “Hey, you all right…?”
She didn’t answer. She seems unconscious, and I was just about to pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and rush her to a vet. But then suddenly, I felt something dropping on the top of my feet. It was cold and it flew down the surface of my foot. It was water.
Then another drop, and another, and another.
I heard her sniffing and sobbing. The bag of sliced bread fell out of her mouth and dropped between my feet. She lowered her head even more, her tiny shoulders shaking as if she couldn’t stand the coldness of this cruel world.
I threw my arms around her neck and pulled her towards me. She rested her head on my shoulder and put her hooves around my neck as well. She was sobbing, stream of tears flowing down my neck into my shirt. I stroked her mane, comforting her, “Shhh… it’s all right now, it’s all right… I promise I will never hurt you…”
Her sob turned into a cry as she grabbed me tighter with her hooves. I didn’t know what made her cry like this, but I didn’t need to. I am a human, and she is a pony; but deep down inside, we are both the same. We are both lonely.
After what felt like ages, she finally stopped sobbing. I felt her hooves moving away from my neck, so I straightened my arms to allow her to get off my shoulder. She looked up and our eyes met. For a moment, I could not breathe. Her eyes were beautiful bright purple, amazing as a flawless Amethyst. I could still see traces of tears from those pretty eyes down her cheeks, and somehow it made my heart ache.
There was a long silence, and eventually she cleared her throat and said, “Do you know… if it’s all right for you… if I stay here a bit longer?”
My heart bloomed with joy. I smiled and said.
“Of course. Please, come in.”
I gestured her to follow me back into the house. I picked up the bag of bread and went to the kitchen to make meal for both of us. It was a strange feeling, because I have never made food for anyone other than myself.
“So tell me, what do ponies eat?” I asked casually, trying to light up the mood a bit.
“Ehhh… any vegetable would be fine, thank you very much sir.”
“Haha, you don’t have to be so formal.”
“Well, I am the guest and proper manner is most necessary.” She replied with a serious tone in her voice.
I chuckled and moved on with my sandwich. I put two plates on the table and two slices of break on each plate. I looked through the fridge, and realized that the only fresh ingredient I had was ham and lettuce. I had no choice but to make her a sandwich with nothing but lettuce.
I left the kitchen and found her still standing in the doorway, looking as if she was too nervous to move.
I sighed a little. I put the plates down at the table and walked towards her. She raised her neck and looked at me. I couldn’t read much emotions on her face, but I knew she felt unsafe and nervous.
“It’s all right, it will be fine. Don’t worry about it. Here, I made some food.”
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but she closed her lips again and nodded in silence. She followed me into the living room and sat down on one of the chairs. She was sitting like a puppy would, her hind legs bent and placed under her body to support and balance, and her front hooves naturally bent at a beautiful angle. She was looking down at the ground. I guess she may be a bit embarrassed, so I put the sandwich in front of her and said.
“Sorry… I didn’t expect any herbivores to visit my house, so I didn’t have much vegetables prepared. This is all what I have. Don’t worry though, I will pay a visit to the grocery store and get some more fresh vegetables.”
“Th…thank you…” She said quietly, sniffing a little bit.
“It’s all right. Here, eat up. You must be hungry.”
“No one had ever treated me like THIS before… you are the first, human, to not treat me like a pet…”
I gasped in surprise, dropping my ham sandwich, “You mean, you have met other human besides me?”
She nodded.
“Oh my…” I lowered my head, “I am sorry, this is a really bad time. If only you came a few years ago… everything was so much better and brighter back then.
She sighed and took a bite of the sandwich. I imagined plain bread and lettuce would be hard to swallow, but she seems to enjoy it. Maybe ponies are more used to that kind of food. I thought as I started eating my sandwich.
I finished my meal before her. I decided to wait for her to finish, because there were so many questions I wanted to ask her, such as how did she get here, what happened after that… and her name. I still have no idea what she was called. But for some strange reason, I felt like I have known her for a long time. I couldn’t explain the feeling, and I had searched my memories over and over but found no result.
She noticed that I was staring right at her and immediately stopped eating, “I am sorry, is there anything wrong?”
“Huh?” I realized that I was being pretty rude and immediately blushed, “No… nothing.”
She gave a weak smile. “I apologize. I usually have much better table manner, but I haven’t eaten anything in three days… so please forgive my poor manner.”
“Three… days? What happened?” Questions escaped my mouth before I could think.
She looked troubled. Taking a final bite and finishing her sandwich, she wiped her hooves with a paper towel nearby, and then she stood there still, eyes fixed outside the window as if she was lost in her memories.
“If you don’t want to tell me it’s totally fine.” I insisted, regretting a bit about asking before using my brain.
“It’s not that… it’s just, I don’t know where to begin.”
I took the plate and dumped them in the kitchen sink. “It’s all right, take your time.”
After I sat back down on the table, it looked like she had finally thought it through. Her beautiful eyes turned to me, which almost took my breath away.
“It all began long time ago.”
“Equestria used to be a beautiful place with all kinds of mystical creatures. There were Cerberus, dragons and so. I could still picture those days. The sky was bright blue, the grass was emerald green, and everypony was happy.”
Her vision became blurry as she talked. I felt like part of my soul flew towards that magical place with her words. It was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The sun showered everything with its glorious golden light, and it was just gorgeous.
“But then slowly, things started changing. At first it was just minor things, but one day, things suddenly went downhill. We didn’t know what happened, it just… happened. Everything lost its color. The sky was no longer blue, the leaves were no longer green, and the entire nation was covered in despair. Even Princess Celestia didn’t know what happened.”
My heart ached.
“That’s exactly what happened here as well. The stock market crashed, and the beautiful world was just gone in a blink of an eye.”
She looked at me and licked her lips. She looked down again and started talking. Her voice was quiet and dry, like that of a hurt children.
“I was a cellist. I played cello for the royal orchestra. But after the incident, I lost my job. The orchestra was disbanded because nopony had a heart light enough to enjoy music again. I had some saving, but… playing cello was all I knew. I couldn’t do anything else for a living. So I… I had no choice but to… numb myself.”
“What do you mean by that?”
She looked away. She had something similar to shame on her face.
“I drank. All day and all night.”
I looked to the side of the table and saw a shitload of empty beer bottles. Yeah, in times such like this, alcohol is the only antidote. It poisons your mind, and makes all the bad things go away.
“I know how you feel.” I said.
She gave another weak smile and continued, “One day I got quite drunk, and I was just on my way home. But you know, the alcohol had taken over my brain and I got lost in a dark alley. I kept moving along, but it was like a maze. I was really scared. I honestly thought that I was going to die.”
She paused as if she was trying to find the proper word. I waited patiently.
“Then, I saw something incredible. I can’t describe it, I still don’t understand why or how… but it felt like, I have reached the edge of my world.”
“The edge of your world?”
“Yes… it was like, gazing into an eternal darkness, but not quite. It was like a deep hole in the ground, but… it was more like a gap between space and time, like a piece of paper with a hole in the middle.”
She licked her lips again. I finally realized that she was probably thirsty.
“Hold on just a minute. I will be right back.”
I went to the kitchen and got two glasses of water. I put one in front of her and the other one in front of my seat. She shot me a thankful look and picked up the glass with both of her hooves. I find the fact that she can hold a smooth glass that steadily amazing, given the fact that she didn’t have any thumbs... or fingers.
She sighed in relief and put the glass down on the table. She continued.
“I was really scared of that thing, but unfortunately I blacked out and probably fell in. when I woke up, I am in a completely different realm. Everything was odd-looking and cold. I looked around, but I saw no way of returning to my world.”
“Did you fell on something sharp? Is that what caused the wound?” I asked.
“No… not exactly. You will see.” She took another sip of the water, “After hours of searching, I encountered a human.”
“He almost screamed as he saw me, but soon he asked me if I was a pony. He looked really happy when I said yes, and he said he could help me, so I followed him.”
I felt the table shaking. Looking down, I noticed that she was holding the glass in her hooves tightly. The transparent liquid inside the glass started shaking like the tides of an angry ocean. She grinded her teeth together tightly, and I half guessed what happened next.
She continued, “He locked me up in a tiny cage, barely big enough for me to fit inside. He fed me left overs that stinks, and water that taste funny. I couldn’t take it anymore, so one night I managed to open the door to the cage and sneak out before he caught me. I got the cut when I struggled to get out of the cage…”
“I am so sorry you had to go through all this…”
She shook her head and put the glass of water down on the table, “No… I am sorry for acting out of place before. I really thought I was kidnapped again.”
“I don’t blame you, really. I mean, I have never met you before, I don’t even know your name… but for some reason, I felt like we have known each other for a long time.”
“Yeah I feel the same way… oh shoot, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Octavia, you can call me Tavi for short.”
“That’s such a beautiful name. My name is Jerry. Very nice to meet you.”
“Indeed.” She held out her right hoof and I held out my right hand. We shook our hands/hooves together. Her hooves felt warm and soft.
She let go very quickly, still a bit nervous. She was abandoned by her world, and when she came to mine she was treated like a slave. She had been through a lot of pain, and it’s only normal for her to not trust any human. Maybe she had laid her head on my shoulder and cried, but that was just one time. Deep down, her instinct was still trying to tell her that human are dangerous and deceiving animals.
I reached forward and held out my hand. I patted her on the head and said, “So, Octavia, before you decide where to go, feel free to stay here. Make yourself at home. I know you don’t trust me, but I promise, from the bottom of my heart, that I will never hurt you. Ever.”
I must have sounded pretty damn serious, because suddenly I saw he eyes lit up with some hope, “R… really? You promise?”
“I promise.” I looked into her eyes, and sworn the words inside my heart.
She looked down quietly. Her mane and tail was flowing gently in the morning breeze. Her eyes lashes still had traces of tears on them, and they were reflecting the sunlight like diamonds. I raised my hand and wiped the tears off her face, “Come on now, you are so much prettier when you smile.”
For the first time, her lips curved upwards to reveal a smile. Her ears stood up straight on top of her head like two tiny tents, and suddenly everything became so much brighter. I could almost see my sky turning from gray to blue, the walls inside my heart slowly melting and disappearing, and everything around us was covered in warmth and joy.
"Well, it's getting kind of late. You should get some rest." I suggested after realizing that it was almost midnight. It was so strange. I’ve gotten used to go to bed at 2 am in the morning that I had never considered midnight to be “late” time for bed.
Octavia stretched her hooves and yawned. She seemed quite exhausted, but much more relaxed than when I first met her. I guess the sleep she got last night wasn’t enough, since she was still injured after all.
“Yeah you are right, I should probably go to bed now. Thanks for… everything, really.”
"Don't worry about it. This house is a bit too big and empty, so I really enjoy having some company once in a while."
Octavia smiled a bit, "Is that so? Well I’m glad to be not too much of a bother."
“Not at all. Oh and, you can sleep in the guest room like last night.”
“Thank you very much. Would it be all right if I take a shower?”
“Suit yourself.” I replied, and she left the table. I heard her tiny “thump thump thump” hoof steps going upstairs, and then along the hallway to the side of the bathroom.
I picked up the glasses and loaded them into the dish washer together with the dirty dishes. I turned it on and returned upstairs into my room, which was at the end of the hallway. I sat down in my chair and turned on my laptop. I haven’t used this thing for a very long time, partly because of my full time job, but also partly because there weren’t many things to do on there. I remember the days when the internet was full of wonders and joy, and I would spend hours enjoying myself in conversations and arguments with people from all over the world. But now? It is kind of a dead place. Sure the data are still there mostly, but without the people, it just wasn’t the same.
I started searching for my little pony episodes to watch. Since it’s a bit too early for bed, I figured that I should maybe try to find some information about Octavia’s world. I found a couple of links to the fourth or fifth episode, and I clicked one of them. It’s been a while since I’ve watched it and I have never gotten past the first episode, since it looked (and sounded) JUST like a cartoon show for little girls. So when I started the episode, I thought I would “learn” something about her world thru tea parties and what-not. However, it really surprised me. The storyline was actually kind of fun, and soon I found myself enjoying the show. When the episode was over, I thought to myself, “Wow, this is what I’ve been missing out on? Jesus.”
I started another episode but soon, but then a sudden question popped up in my head. Does Octavia know about this? Does she know that the life of people, or ponies rather, she know are being put on a show that airs on American television? She can’t, or she wouldn’t have formed her opinion about humanity based on the very first human she saw. In that case, how would she react to this?
I went on Google and typed Octavia’s name into the search bar. Google gave me some pictures of cars for some reason, so I added the keyword “pony” to the end of it. I hit the enter bar and suddenly Octavia was all over my screen, the same grey body, the same smooth black mane, and the same big purple eyes. All of them looked just like Octavia, obviously because they are her. These pictures must be from her world, and she looked just so… happy.
“Jerry? Are you occupied at the moment?” I almost fell out of my chair as I the sound of water running suddenly stopped and Octavia’s voice coming from the bathroom.
“No… not really, do you need something?”
“Yeah would it be all right if I borrow some shampoo?”
“Oh sure go ahead.”
And the sound of running water resumed. “whew” I said to myself as I returned to my laptop. I looked at my screen and realized that what I was doing was probably really creepy. What if Octavia finds out that I’ve been looking at picture of her secretly? I shuttered a bit. If I want to find out more maybe I should just ask her myself. I thought so as I turned off my laptop. Well, I am bored. Usually I would play some games, but I am not really in the mood for it. Maybe I should just go to bed.
The water stopped running and I heard the noise of many water droplets hitting the shower curtain. I remembered that Sam would do the same thing when you get water on him, spinning his whole body back n’ forth to get the water off him. Imaging Octavia doing the same thing, I can’t help but chuckled a bit, and that’s when I realized I haven’t smiled or laughed for a long, long while before I met Octavia, and such thought brought a slim of warmth to my heart.
I lied down on my bed and picked up a random book. I opened it up to where the bookmark was and started reading it, and then I realized that I don’t even recognize the book at all. It’s been a while and I wasn’t completely paying attention when I was reading. It was mostly just to kill time, like reading the warning labels on a windows when you are taking a really long and boring bus ride. I decided to start over from page one, since this book should be a pretty good one given that I did put in the effort to buy it from the store.
I heard the door of the bathroom opening and one little “thump”, which I imagine is the sound of Octavia’s hooves hitting the floor or the walls. After a little delay, there was another, and then another. I leaned over, and I saw Octavia standing there with a big frown on her face. She was poking the wall with her hooves, making the “thump” noise each time it made contact.
“What’s the matter?” I got up and walked towards her.
“Oh, so very sorry, but I can’t… get this thing to work.” Octavia backed off. Her cheeks were a bit red, and for some reason I feel like she was trying to avoid eye contact. I was a bit confused but I decided to not press further. I looked at the wall and finally realized that Octavia was trying to turn off the light, but the touch-sensor of didn’t react to her hooves at all, so despite her efforts the lights remained on.
I placed my finger on the touch pad and the light went off immediately. “There you go.”
“Ah, thanks so much.”
“Sorry, I guess these things are still compatible with ponies yet.”
“Haha, I suppose they weren’t expecting a hooved animal to be one of their customers.” Octavia chuckled and said.
“Well… it’s pretty late. I am going to head to bed now.” I yawned a bit and said.
“Certainly… good night, and thanks for everything that you’ve done for me.”
“You are too formal Octavia, make yourself at home. Relax a bit and just focus on getting better, all right?” I leaned over and placed my palm on top of her forehead.
Octavia closed her eyes and nodded.
“Good night Jerry.”
“Good night Octavia.”
I heard the door to the guest room closing and sighed. I sat down on my couch and picked up a book, but my mind had slipped away. Today was just simply magnificent comparing to my usual boring days. Heck, I haven't made a proper conversation with another living creature for perhaps months.
"But Octavia, she was quite... something, isn't she?" I thought to myself and smiled. She calmed down a lot sooner than I thought. Imagine a girl being thrown out of the world she used to know into a completely strange one, and the first living creature she saw took captive of her and attempted to sell her as some kind of... item for display, she must have been through a rough time. But everything should be fine now. She should be quite safe here, since no one ever visit this neighborhood anyway. If I don't spend too much money I should be able to keep both of us fed, but other than that i can't really afford any thing else.
I shook my head and decided to give it a rest at the moment. I am sure stuff will work itself out. I stood up and started walking towards the stairs to go to bed. If I can fall asleep within the next hour I should be able to get about six hours of sleep.
But then just when I was about to ascend the stairs to my living room, I heard what sounds like glass breaking. At first I thought something was wrong with the dish washer, but soon I realized that the sound wasn't coming from the kitchen. It was coming from the guest room, where Octavia is sleeping.
And then I heard Octavia's scream.
SOMEONE HAD BROKEN INTO OCTAVIA'S ROOM! I panicked as soon as the idea struct me. I tried to run up the stairs to get to her room, but unfortunately I was not very athletic and my feet missed the step. I tripped and fell down the stairs like a bouncing ball. I reached out my arms desperately, trying to grab onto something to stop myself from falling further. Luckily the carpet on the stairs provided quite a bit of friction, and I was able to stop after falling a couple of stairs. I quickly grabbed onto the handle and pulled myself upwards to a standing position, and then I ran like hell.
I turned the door handle and pushed the door as hard as I can, which caused it to slam right into the wall behind it making a huge noise. The room was much darker and my eyes were not used to the lighting. I reached out for the light switch and turned it on.
I almost collapsed from the relief. Octavia was sitting on the bed with her eyes wide open. She seemed terrified, but she didn't seem to be injured. I looked to the side and saw that one of the windows had been broken. There were broken glass all over the floor, and not too far from the windows there was a piece of rock.
I remember not too long ago there will be some kids, perhaps around their 18's, hanging out near this area. Teens were probably the ones with the most energy. I overheard them talking about adventuring in the abandoned houses with tales of haunted bathrooms and what not. Truth to be told I kind of liked them, since they did bring some life into this place. But when I saw them throwing rocks at the windows as a dare, I felt like maybe they have went a bit too far. Still I don't hate them, after all they were only trying to have fun in this wasteland.
"Octavia... are you okay?"
Octavia had recovered from the initial shock as she lack back down on the bed. She took a deep breath and said, "Yeah... yeah I am fine. What was that all about?"
"Probably just some kids. Don't worry too much about it."
Octavia quietly nodded and suddenly smiled. I didn't quite understand. Sure it's nice that no one tried to break in the house and murder us both, but is that really worth smiling about?
My curiosity must have been pretty obvious, since Octavia quickly noticed it and said, "Oh... sorry, it... this whole thing just reminded me of something that happened to me before. I was at Canterlot during the Grand Galloping Gala as the first royal cellist. Everything was nice and quiet, but then sudden these bunch of INSANE teenage ponies broke into the room and... well, we had to get about twenty ponies to clean up the floor which was filled with cake and herd all the animals back to where they belong."
"Yeah... kids. They can be really crazy sometimes."
"Yeah. At first I was really quite upset, since such behavior was absolutely rude and disrespectful, but then I felt like... it was actually kind of fun."
"Yeah..."
I couldn't really say anything because first of all I didn't really know what to say, and second of all I realized when I accidentally tripped down the stairs, I somehow got a four-inch long cut on the inside of my am. It was bleeding a bit, but nothing serious. My mind was completely focused on Octavia's safety that I didn't even notice the cut, but now that I am relaxed, the pain started to come back. The more I try not to think about it, the more it hurts,
"Are you all right?" Octavia noticed my awkwardness and asked.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine... hold on, I'll clean this up." I got out of the room as quickly as possible, trying to not let Octavia see the wounds. I don't want her to get worried and think that it's her fault somehow.
I walked downstairs and got some band-aid to put on my arm, and then I went to the garage to get some duct tape to temporary fix the window with. It's gonna cost a small fortune to replace it, but I did the math quickly and thought that it should be fine if i just sell that TV in the garage which I never used.
I picked up all the broken pieces of glasses carefully and placed them in a plastic box. Then I picked up the rock in charge of breaking the window to throw it back outside where it belongs. But then suddenly, I realized that there was something stuck to the back of the rock. I turned the rock over and realized that there was a note attached to it with blue duct tape.
My mind immediately froze as soon as I saw the text.
"Hand over the pony or else"
Who could have done this? It must have been the first person who found Octavia, the one who held her captive. He must have noticed that she had escaped, and somehow tracked her to my house. What should I do? Obviously giving up Octavia is not an option, I have promised to never hurt her. But what would happen if I don’t?
“Is… is anything the matter?”
Octavia’s voice brought me back to reality. I turned my head and saw Octavia’s face. She seemed puzzled, but the longer I stared, the more worries I could read from her face.
“It’s… nothing, I was trying to remember the number of a friend who may be able to help replace that window.” I said as I quickly put the rock into my pocket. I didn’t want to lie to her, but right now she needs rest and this awful news is best kept away from her. I will find a time for that later.
I took a peak at Octavia without her noticing. Luckily she had believed my lie and lain back down. Then I saw that the bandages on her body was getting slightly loose, and some blood spot had begun to soak through.
“Oh shit, I almost forg…”
Octaiva shuttered at my words. She turned to me and narrowed her eyes, “Excuse me?”
It took me a while to realize that I should probably not swear in front of her. I blushed a bit and said, “Sorry… I mean, I should probably change the bandages... if you don’t mind.”
Octavia looked down at her sides and immediately frowned, “Yes that would be… very much appreciated. Thank you.”
I quickly rushed out of the room and returned to my own. I took the rock out of my pocket and shove it into the drawer of my desk. I then went downstairs to get the medical bin and went back to Octavia’s room.
“Here… can you lie down on your side?”
Octavia obliged. She turned over and lay down with all of her legs on one side and her face turned away from me. I used the pair of scissors to cut the bandage loose, exposing the wound. It looked bigger than I remembered. The cut lies underneath her grey furry coat, and some blood is leaking out of it, painting some of the grey fur crimson red. Luckily the wound still looked clean, and the fur was not too long to get in the way. I used my fingers to separate the fur and skin to expose the wound more to examine further, but then suddenly I heard Octavia drawing a sharp breath. I felt her muscles tensing up as the fur on her body stood up slightly again her skin.
I placed my left palm on her head, “Sorry, did that hurt?”
“Yes… just a bit.”
“Sorry, I will try to be gentle. It will be over soon, so just hold on.”
Octavia nodded in silence and relaxed a bit. I looked closer at the wound. Luckily it was clean, and was not too deep. She must have gotten caught on the sharp tip of the metal bars and drag it across her body. I cringed from only imaging the pain she had gone through. She must had been desperate to get out of that place, which only fortified my decision to keep her away from the kidnapper.
I gently brushed her fur to the side so they don’t get near the wound. I then used some clean water and wet towels to wash the wound. I could hear Octavia drawing in breaths each time I touched the wound, but she tried to stay as still as possible. I then got some patches and dipped some medicine on them to help heal the wounds. I held it in my hands and said to Octaiva: “Sorry this might hurt a bit, just hold on, okay?”
“Okay…” Octavia replied, her voice slightly shaky.
I took a deep breath and held the patch against her wound. Octavia’s body tensed up for a couple of seconds. Her tail shot out besides me like a stiff broom. And then slowly she calmed down, her muscles relaxed and her tail went back to their original position.
I tried to not get distracted by her tail and grabbed the bandages. I put it tightly over her body and wrapped it around her.
“There, can you sit up slowly?”
She took a deep breath and sat up as slowly as possible. I put both ends of the bandage in my right hand so I can help her up with my left hand.
“There. Now, can you lift your han… I mean hooves?”
She lifted both of her front hooves. I held the bandages and wrapped them tightly around Octavia’s body, passing it from one hand to another. I made the bandages wrap around Octavia's waist about four times, and then I tied a little knot with the two ends and cut it off.
“There you go. That should last another two days. Try to not move around too much or it may come loose.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate your help.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m glad these skills I learnt years ago can be actually useful.”
Then, just without a warning, I felt something warm against my chest. I looked down in surprise, only to find Octavia leaning herself against me. The right side of her face was pushed against my chest, and her muzzle was buried inside my jacket.
My brain went completely blank. I mean I did give her a hug before, but this was completely different. I couldn’t think of anything except how warm she was, how lovely that furry grey coat and how smooth her black mane is. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were curving upwards to reveal the smile of an angel. We were right next to each other, so close that I could feel her drawing each breath, her each heartbeat, so slow and rhythmic and peaceful.
That moment, time seemed to have frozen as well as my heart, which soon started melting down into pieces. I have never felt anything like this before. It was like taking a peak of a whole new world, full of happiness and wonder, things that I thought had left me a long time ago.
Oh how I wished from the depth of my heart that this moment will last forever.
“Thank you.” Octavia whispered.
“No, thank you…” I whispered even more quietly.
“Huh?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
It's strange. Just a few days ago, I was living all by my self. But now, I can barely remember how I was able to deal with the loneliness. Things that seemed perfectly normal like making my own coffee, cooking my own meal, and staring blankly at the TV screen while waiting for the day to come to an end seem strange to me now.
Since when did I become used to this kind of life? I lied down on my bed and shut my eyes. It never occurred to me that living by yourself in a house full of nothing is not the best way of life, but I never questioned it. In this world, I have learnt to accept and ignore.
I thought to myself as I fell asleep.
The following day was uneventful, or so I thought. It was a Saturday, so I didn't have to go to work. I got up around 10 am, and dressed myself to go grocery shopping. The amount of food left in my fridge is no where near enough to last the both of us another week.
"You going... somewhere?" Octavia asked as she saw me putting on my jacket.
"Yeah just shopping for groceries. We are almost out of food."
"I see..."
"Don't worry, it won't take long. The market is right down the street. I will probably be back in an hour."
"Can I come along and help?"
I gave it some thought, but I felt like right now, the best idea is to let her stay home. I can't risk her walking around and be found by whoever was after her.
"Sorry, but I don't think that would be wise... I mean, I'd love to, but if someone sees you..."
Octavia sighed. "Yes... I understand."
She looked somewhat disappointed. I can understand why she felt this way. My house isn't the exactly the biggest, and I'm sure she didn't want to spend all her time being inside doing nothing. But there is nothing I could do. I would love to let her go outside... no, I would love to see her going outside and show her our world, but it's simply too dangerous. However, I still wanted to cheer her up, so I said: "Is there anything you want? Like, vegetables, or snacks? Candy perhaps? I can maybe get you some at the market."
"That would be too much to ask for. You are already giving me food, medication and a place to stay... It would be extremely inappropriate of me to ask for anything else... so..."
I was slightly surprised by this. I remembered last night when we hugged and kind of snuggled and I became a bit confused. Maybe hugging and snuggling is normal in the pony world, like shaking hands in mine. Maybe we weren't as close to each other as I thought. This made me a bit depressed.
I wanted to say something but no words came out. She was right, having her as a roommate did bring some weight onto my shoulders. I have to take some cash out of my already-underpaid check to keep the both of us, alive. But not everything can be measured physically. Octavia had brought joy into my life, a shimmering light of hope and dreams that I had given up long ago. She was more than just someone whom I am staying with. She was my friend. It may be too soon to call it love, but I definitely want to spend time with her, and I honestly wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life living with her.
"Octavia, no." I walked over and sat down on my knees, putting myself on the same level as her, "You have no idea how much happiness you have brought into my life. I didn't even know my life had a purpose. Everyday the same boring routine... but with you, it's different. You are very special to me."
I can't help but blush as these words come out of my lips. Damn it, It almost felt like I was confessing my feelings for her. However, I can't just stop here. I drew a deep breath and continued. I have to let her know how important she was, to me at the very least.
"You are someone who I can trust, who I know I can talk you. You are my first friend. So please don't think that you are a burden. I would hate to go back to the days when I am alone."
Octavia turned her head, her ears dropping down to the side of her head. She blushed and nodded her head.
"Okay..."
"There there. Well, I'm going to the market. I will try to make it quick. Be careful when I'm not here. I have the keys so if anyone knocks on the door, pretend that no one is home, okay?"
Octavia nodded in silence.
I stood up and walked towards the door. I put on my shoes and walked towards the door.
"Well, see ya."
I walked out and pull the door close. But just before the door was closed, I thought I saw Octavia looking up with a shy smile on her face.
Or maybe it was just an illusion.
I thought to myself as I made my way towards the market.
But her smile is so awfully cute.
The market had less vegetables than I remembered. It's probably under the influence of the depression as well. The groceries didn't look too fresh either, but I guess I have no other choice but to deal with what I have.
I picked some apples that were not yet rotten or filled with worm holes and put them inside a plastic bag, which was tied at the opening and placed into my shopping cart. I counted the items in my cart, planning the meals for the upcoming week. Since I have to keep three creatures (Including Sam) alive, I need to pick the cheapest stuff possible. However, I still need to keep some nutrients in them since Octavia is still injured. I have to squeeze in some vitamins here and there to keep us healthy. Maybe I should get a gun and try hunting. Rumors says that with the lack of population, wild animals were starting to come back near the sub-urban. If I can manage to hunt some it could be a huge help. It will also be a great defensive tool if someone decided to try and rob my house. But when I thought about the price, I immediately realized that right now it's quite far out of reach.
I looked down on my almost-full cart. It was filled with cheap sauce and discount bread, but it should be enough for the next week. I couldn't help but feel uneasy at the thought of leaving Octavia home alone with Sam, so I turned my cart and walked towards the counters to check out. Doing the math in my head, I frown at the cost. Sure I wasn't broke yet, but I was dangerously on edge, so dangerous that I almost wanted to grab the groceries and run out the door which was only a couple feet away to my right. But I couldn't do that. I couldn't sink that low. Besides, Octavia would sure get upset if she found out these food she'd been eating was stolen.
I stood there silently as I watched the cashier scanning each item, one after another. She seemed tired but mostly bored, her stony face not showing a slimmer of happiness or interest in what she was doing. It made me feel like if I just grab the goods and ran, she probably wouldn't even had bothered to try and stop me. People say that you should be dedicated to your job, but I can understand her because In fact, I was just the same, doing a job I don't care about for some cash that I desperately need.
"That would be 56.72. Cash or Debit?" Her voice sounded dry and hollow, like a rusted Christmas bell laying in this depressing city, her life washed away in the flow of time.
"Cash." I replied shortly and pulled out my wallet. I gave her three twenty dollar bills and she gave me the change. I dropped a quarter in the tip jar. She merely nodded at me to show appreciation and turned her attention to the next customer.
I walked out of the shop with my hands full of grocery bags. With some trouble I pulled out my phone and looked down at the time. It had been only about 40 minutes since I left the house. However it was autumn, and it was getting slightly dark. I didn't want to wander around the streets after dark and risk losing these food I had just bought, so I quickly started to pace towards home. Robbery had been reported around here, and I dare not lure around after dark.
Unfortunately, the odds didn't seem to be in my favor that day. Without walking more than five feet, my right hand suddenly flew upwards. Surprised, I looked at my right hand in, only to find a broken plastic handle clenched in my fist.
The plastic bag's handle had broken off, and all it's content had spilled onto the side walk. For a second I just stood there, watching my food rolling around like an idiot, and then suddenly I realized that I was really in some deep trouble. I quickly put the other bags down and took of my jacket. Using it like a bag, I started picking up everything and stuff them into the pockets. However, the street was built on a hill. Though it's not that deep, some apples had started to roll down the road.
This is bad. I kept thinking to myself as I constantly looked back at the other groceries bags. I was completely vulnerable, and anyone could grab my groceries and disappear down the alley and I wouldn't be able to do a single thing about it. I secretly prayed for that to not happen and picked up as much as I can. Worst case is that I have to give up part of the fruit that was already half way down the block and get the other bags home safe.
However, just when I had almost finished scavenging whatever was around me, I heard food steps approaching me from behind. All kinds of predictions exploded in my head, mostly about a shady man with a knife. The next second he would tell me to stand where I was and keep my hands where he can see them, or maybe he would go straight for the kill and stab me in the back. Strangely, I didn't panic much, which surprised even myself. In fact, I was considering raising my hand and surrender immediately, giving up the food. It would be hard to squeeze out more money to get another week worth of food, but at lease I would be still alive, able to look after Octavia and Sam.
But before I could make up my mind, the footsteps had stopped. I froze in place as I felt his gaze upon my back. There was nothing but dead silence. I could feel the blood in my eardrum pumping with each pulse, and my finger tips shaking slightly with fear. I stood there motionless, trying my best not to do anything rash. "Take my food, take my money, just let me go." I thought cowardly as I heard the person behind breathing in air, waiting patiently for their demand.
"Are... are you all right?"
To my great surprise, he didn't spout dead threat or nasty demands. My neck unfroze and I turned to look at the stranger.
Stand behind me was a boy around my age, perhaps younger. He was wearing a long, thick cotton jacket with a red scarf around his neck, the end hanging from the side. His eyes were fixed on me, his emotions neither threatening nor scared. He looked at me as if I was an old friend of his, warm and welcoming.
"Urg... yeah, yeah I am fine. I just dropped my groceries by accident."
"That sucks." His eyes narrowed as he looked down the slope, watching some of the apples still rolling. "Well, those are goners now."
It wasn't until then had I noticed how amusing that must had been. I was standing in the cold autumn wind with nothing but a thin shirt on, my hands full of difference groceries. There were egg plants on the ground, there were broken eggs on the side, and a couple apples were rolling down the hill like snow balls.
He chuckled and so did I. He was certainly not holding a knife or trying to take my food, he was simply another normal everyday person who just happened to pass by.
However quickly I realized that he wasn't like other people. Before I can say anything, he walked towards and bent down, starting to pick up everything else that was left on the street.
I stood there, mostly because my brain couldn't really understand what was going on. He certainly wasn't trying to rob me, my other pile of goods were just sitting there inches away, it would have been way easier to just take those and run instead of picking up what was left on the ground.
He grabbed the last couple cabbages and walk towards me, putting them gently into my jacket. He then walked towards my other pile of grocery bags and lifted them up. He then walked back to me and held out his arm, waiting.
I nudged over a bit, finally managing to stretch out my left hand without spilling what was inside my jacket. He smiled and handed over those bags over to my left hand.
"All right, you are all set!" He smiled and waved. Just like that, he turned and started walking in the opposite direction.
I stood there numb for a second, and then the very basic manners finally came back to me. I couldn't wave back to him, but I nodded and smiled as well, "Thanks so much! I really, really appreciate it."
He simply turned and waved again without another word, like it was just something that he had been doing all along. It was hard for me to imagine that such kindness still exists in the world, and meeting this... guy certainly brought some warmth into my heart, some faith back in society.
And then I realized that I didn't even know his name yet. Looking at the shadow of his back, I yelled, "Sorry, but what is your name?"
He turned around, looking a bit surprised, but quickly he grinned and yelled back, "It's Kevin Foster. You can call me Kevin."
"Very nice to meet you Kevin. You are a nice person."
He laughed, "I get that a lot. Well, I guess I will see you!" With that, he turned around the corner and was gone from sight.
I started walking home again with my hands full of food. I got the strong feeling that I will see him again, and suddenly I realized that for the first time in my life, I was smiling.
Soon I was at the front yard. Sam had already heard my foot steps from far away. He had stood up to greet me, his tail wagging behind him with excitement. Suddenly, I wonder if ponies do the same thing too, wagging their tail when they are happy. I tried to picture Octavia wagging her tail to come greet me, and I almost burst out in laughter.
I have been in such a good mood for such a long time, it felt strange to arrange my facial muscles into a smile. Sam must have felt it too. He bounced around enthusiastically and ran over to sniff me. I wanted to bend down to pat his head, but then I realized that my hands were a bit full at the moment. I smiled and said, "In a second, Sam." and walked towards the door. I couldn't reach for my keys without dropping something, so I knocked on the door gently.
Knock knock knock.
I waited for a little, but there was no reply. I waited for a little and knocked again, but it didn't look like Octavia was home.
I was confused. The market trip didn't take that long, so she had no reason to be worried about me. I looked around the house. The windows were still intact, the doors locked. There was no sign of a break-in. So why wasn't she answering the door?
Suddenly I realized the reason and I laughed at my own stupidity. Of course. Octavia is a smart girl, and she knew better than opening the door without knowing who was really behind it. I looked up at the window of the master bedroom, the only place in the house where you were able to see the front door. And sure enough, I saw a gray shadow peeking behind the curtains, watching me from above.
"It's all right, it's just me." I gave the biggest wave I could manage without dropping everything I was holding and said. The shadow disappeared behind the curtains. Moments later I heard the door unlock and Octavia appeared behind it blushing slightly.
"Sorry... I was afraid to opened the door... I didn't know it was you."
"Actually, keep that up. Don't let people know that you are here."
She smiled with relief, and her attention turned to what I was carrying,"Here, I can help." She leaned forward and opened her mouth. I was confused about what she was trying to do at first, but quickly I realized, right, no hands.
I held out one of my grocery bags and she bit down on the handle of the plastic bag, holding it gently between her teeth. Then she turned and we walked towards the kitchen together to put the food in the fridge.
We started placing food into the fridge. I can't help but admire how agile Octavia was. She was able to take things out of the plastic bags with just a nudge of her muzzle, and with a little flick she would pick them up with her teeth and carry them over to the open fridge. Then she would stretched out her neck and let go of the food, letting it fall gently into place. I stood there watching her, amazed at how experienced she was at this.
She noticed my gaze, "Is... is there something wrong?"
"Oh nothing, it's just... you are really good at that."
"At what?" She seemed confused.
"At... moving around without using your hand... hooves... well, fingers. I mean, I can not imagine myself living through a day with my hands tied into a fist."
"Fingers?"
I lifted up my hand and wiggled it in front of her, "These little stick things. We human use them to pick up things and stuff."
"Like a claw?"
"Sorta... but it's not sharp or anything."
She started at my hand for a while, looking interested, "So... kind of like a monkey's paw?"
"Yeah."
Her face lit up with curiosity, which confused me. Hadn't she seen plenty of hands since she'd been around? I mean, even thought this town was sorta deserted, there were still plenty of people with hands walking around. Or had whoever locked her up kept her THAT well shut in? Not even a glimpse of this world or even himself?
"So do you still remember what your kidnapper looks like?"
I regretted my words as soon as they slipped from my lips. How dumb was I to ask her about things she didn't want to tell me? Those were obviously painful memories that she avoided to mention, and asking her about it? I looked up and our eyes meet. She seemed stunned. Of course.
"I... I am so sorry, I didn't mean to... just forget it. You don't have to tell me. I was just thinking maybe if I know what he looked like, I could... find out who he is and avoid him."
"Oh. Sorry but the only time I saw his face was when he picked me up, and I was too disoriented to remember anything. After that as soon as he got me home he locked me up in a dark cage and I never caught a glimpse. Sorry I couldn't help."
"It's all right, never mind about that then."
I gazed outside the window, it was quite a sunny day. Suddenly, an idea struck me that might make up for my sudden and rude question.
"Hey, wanna go outside for a bit?"
Her face lit up with excitement, but it disappeared almost immediately, "We can't, I would get you in so much trouble if anyone sees me."
She had a good point, but I wasn't planning on just strolling down the main street with her running by my side. I was thinking letting her have some fun in the backyard. I have never taken care of it, and naturally it's filled with weed and wild flowers, but at least it's directly under the sun. Sure if anyone got into the neighbor's house they would have a clear view of my backyard, but it had been vacant for so long it's barely a problem comparing to the temptation to see Octavia smile. It was not really against the law to break into abandoned houses, and through years of scavenging those house are mere empty shells that no one would bother entering again.
I waved at Octavia to signal her to follow me. I reached the slide door that leads to the backyard and pulled it open to the side.
"It isn't much but at least it's outside." I said with a smile and walked outside. Octavia followed me right afterwards.
The sun was big and bright in the sky, so bright that I had to block some of the light with my hand and narrow my eyes to not get blinded. I looked around. It was still all messy and untidy, but it had a nature feeling to it. The neighboring houses were quiet and dark as usual. Looks like the coast is clear.
"There. I'll be right back." I went inside and grabbed two chairs. With some effort I moved through the slide door and placed them down on an open spot to the side, facing the sun. Then I went across the house to the other side where the front door was located. I turned the door handle and whistle at Sam, who sprung up with excitement and sprinted towards me.
"Here boy! Come, let's have some fun."
Sam barked happily and sprinted to the corner of the lawn where his toys were hidden. He picked up an old, dirty tennis ball and held it between his teeth. It reminded me of Octavia earlier and I can't help but imagine her playing fetch with me, and I chuckled at the idea of her sprinting after a ball and bring it back to me with her mouth.
Sometimes when I was feeling alone, I would play with Sam. He was a good friend, always enthusiastic and joyful. Playing fetch with him was one of my favorite things to do. He seemed especially found of this ball, and would bounce in excitement when I held it in my hand to beg me to throw it. We played outside as well as in the backyard, and it would take my mind off whatever was troubling me for at least an hour.
Knowing the routine, Sam walked straight towards the backyard. He stopped at the sight of Octavia, eyes fixed right on her. And then he turned to me as if he was asking for permission. I smiled and nodded.
He immediately sprinted at Octavia who had already settled down on one of the chairs. Her hind legs were folded neatly under her and her body was leaned against the back of the chair. She was startled by the sight of Sam charging at her first, but soon she smiled and held out a hoof to pat his head.
Sam raised his neck high to accept the patting, closing his eyes and enjoying every time her hoof ran across his head. I have read about the fact that Octavia used to play Cello in the royal orchestra, which I imagined must be a very delicate and high position. At first I was slightly worried if she had any trouble with animals, but it seemed like she was fine with them.
Sam seemed to have had enough petting. He jumped forward and rubbed himself against Octavia's chair, and then he stood up on two legs, placing one of his front paw on the chair and dropped the tennis ball in Octavia's lap.
"Urg...Jerry? What do I do...?" Octavia turned to me and said, her voiced mixed with confusion and a slice of panic.
All right I guess Octavia was not too familiar with animals, at least not dogs. I leaned against the door frame and smiled, "Just throw it, he wants to play fetch. Oh, make sure don't get it over the fence though. He really likes that ball."
Octavia looked down at the ball. She seemed troubled. I wanted to ask what's wrong, but after the last incident I learned my lessons and decided to think before I spit out words, and quickly I realized why. Of course, it's not quite sanitary for her to hold something in her mouth that were in a dog's moments before. She didn't have hands like mine and there is no other way for her to throw the ball. I once again felt the urge to punch myself for my stupidity.
"Ah sorry, here, I got it."
I walked over and picked up the tennis ball with my hand, trying my best to ignore the fact that I was reach towards Octavia's warm, soft belly. Sam lolled out his tongue and bounced in excitement, spinning in circles. Eventually I threw the ball forward after a couple fake ones, and Sam jumped and went after it. The ball flew in an nice arc before it landed on the grass in the far corner of the backyard. It bounced once and before it landed the second time, Sam had caught up to it and with one quick swoop of his jaw, caught the ball firmly in his mouth. He turned and sprinted towards me, tail wagging and head raised high up in the air as if he was asking for praises, which I gave generously.
"Good boy!"
I sat down in the empty chair next to Octavia, who was looking at me, amused. Sam reached me and placed his front paws on my knees, dropping the ball in my lap. He then quickly got off the chair and started bouncing around, eager for next round.
I threw the ball again and Sam went after it. Octavia gazed at his fluffy tail wagging around, and then she looked up at the sky.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it had been a while since.. SAM! HERE BOY!"
Sam had stopped dead in his track, the tennis ball fell right in front of him. His ears were perked up like small tents on the top of his head, and his vision was fixed on something. Perhaps it was another squirrel or something. The last thing I need right now is for Sam to show hostility towards some nature life right in front of Octavia.
Sam ignored me and kept still, so I called again. He still didn't move, but one of his left ear turned towards me, which was a sign that his attention had shifted towards me somewhat. I sighed and got up from my chair. The only thing to take his mind of whatever caught his attention was to play his other favorite game, which was wrestling. I sprinted towards him. My footsteps made him turn his head, and before he could do anything, I had grabbed his body and brought him down. Not hard of course, I simply shoved him off his feet, all four of them, and he landed on the soft grass.
He immediately got up and tried to bite me. I dodged it and started running away, and he barked and started chasing me. I started circling around the small backyard with Sam right on my non-existing tail. I was definitely out of shape, because in seconds Sam had caught up to me. He jumped and knocked me to the side, which made me lose my balance and rolled into the tall grass facing up. He then proceed to jump on top of me, his front paws landed on my chest, pinning me on the ground with his weight. His groaned and snared as if he was really attacking me, but we both knew that it's just a game. Octavia however, seemed to be quite concerned. I looked to the side and saw her at the edge of her seat, her eyes fixed on both of us.
I laughed heartily as Sam nibbled at one of my fingers, assuring her that there is no real danger. I haven't been this relaxed for a long time. The sun was really warm, and the smell of dirt and grass filled my nostril. I laid there panting from the sprinting and tackling with Sam next to me, who was pretty tired as well. I can tell by the way his chest was moving up and down as he pants, and soon he laid down on the grass to my right, his head resting on my stomach.
I heard the sound of grass shuffling. I could tell that it was Octavia walking towards us from the way the grass was being stepped on. Within seconds, her head appeared in my vision, blocking the sun in my face. She was leaning over me, looked down at my face.
"You all right?"
"Yeah..." I smiled, panting, "Just need to catch my breath. I am way out of shape."
She smiled and laid down to my left, her front hooves folded under her chest. A gentle breeze started the blow through this warm sunny day, bringing some chill and refreshing air. She inhaled deeply and raised her head high, enjoying the smell of fresh grass and flowers. Her mane was flowing in the wind, rising and falling like the waves of a river. It took some effort to try to stop myself from running my finger through those beautiful silky hair.
"You've got quite a nice backyard." She said with a smile.
"Really? I honestly did nothing to it and just let nature do its job." I was being honest. I never see the difference between weed and grass. To me, anything green is natural, and natural is good.
There was a long pause when neither of us spoke, but it didn't feel awkward. In fact, I was afraid that by speaking, I would break this beautiful moment of complete peace and quiet.
"I was a cellist back then." Finally, Octavia spoke slowly as if there were something on her mind. I knew she needed someone to talk to, so I simply used my elbow to push myself upwards to show that I am listening. Sam moved his head toward my right arm. He turned around and laid on his back. He nudged my side with his muzzled, clearly begging for some rubbing. I placed my palm on the soft fur of his chest and scratched. He closed his eyes and wagged his tail, enjoying it.
"I started playing Cello when I was just a filly. It was everything I cared about. I didn't have any friends. Or rather, I never bothered to make any, since I didn't see how the number of friends could help me with my music. My only friend was called Vinyl Scratch. Believe it or not, She is actually a DJ." She smiled, her face blushing, "Must be weird, right? I mean, I play classical music and she loves electronic music. We are so different. But somehow, we were as close as friends can get. To be honest, I wasn't a very likable pony. I was not very social like the others, and I knew little to nothing besides music theory and how to work a bow on a Cello." She smiled, but even I could hear the bitterness in her voice. But I didn't interrupt.
She paused, collecting her thoughts, and then she continued. "Then I've had a chance to move from Ponyville to Canterlot, where all the upper-class ponies lived. It was one of the biggest decisions of my life, and being young and arrogant, I decided to leave everything behind and went after it. My parents, my home, my only friend... everything, just to grasp my own dream of becoming the best Cellist in the world. But I was foolish. I have gained money, fame, and career success, but I felt like my insides are getting emptier each day."
"I was terrified, thinking that my talent had faded away. You see..." She turned towards me and pointed towards the purple soprano clef mark on her side with her hoof, "From where I come from, each pony have a cutie mark that defines who they are. They appear on you once you have found your talent, and almost always it's something that you will be devoted to for the rest of your life. My cutie mark appeared rather early, and I knew I was destined to be a musician. But after that, I wasn't so sure anymore. I would have trouble going to sleep night after night as nightmares haunted me. I would dream about suddenly losing my grip on my bow and drop it in front of the audience, forgetting to tune my cello and every note was off tune, or turned around and suddenly my cutie mark had disappeared. I was falling apart, and it was obvious. It shows in my music, in the notes that I perform. No pony wanted to listen to broken music. Eventually, I couldn't take it any more. I resigned from my position and decided to go back to Ponyville, where all my friends and family are, and that's when I found out that Vinyl... had already passed away."
She shuttered as she said that name. I can't even begin to imagine how painful it must had been for her. It must have been a huge blow, losing her only friend. I tried to think of something to say to comfort her, but nothing seems to be appropriate. She had been through so much that anything I say would seem pale and fake. Comparing myself to her, all my problems seemed so tiny and irrelevant.
The only thing I could manage is, "I am so sorry."
She shook her head, "It was my own fault for not seeing what was right in front of me. I had everything I could have ever wanted in Ponyville, but I gave it all up and went after my own dreams. Only that it was simply a beautiful bubble that popped as soon as I thought I had it in my grasp, and I was left with nothing."
"My parents had always loved me. They had tried to persuade me to stay, but I was so naive and rebellious, I packed my things over night and left without even saying goodbye. I couldn't bring myself to even talk to them after I went back, especially mother. I could see the sorrow in her eyes, and it broke my heart. I saw them around the corner once, and I could not believe how much older they had gotten during the time I was gone. It was all my fault, and I was such a coward that I couldn't even work up the courage to face them and tell them how sorry I was."
"And then things started to go downhill. No pony knew when, where, or how it happened, it was just like everything started falling apart. The Mayor took some measures, such as rationalizing the food and supplies to make sure everypony can stay alive and healthy, but even then things were going out of control. Equestria, the once beautiful and peaceful country, was breaking apart under the tension. Before I knew it, I was buying shots after shots of whiskey with the little gold I earned at Canterlot, and drinking every single drop of it. The rest... well, you know it already,"
I felt something brushing against my right hand. Turning my head, I saw Sam withdrawing his head from underneath my palm. He walked over to Octavia and lied down next to her in the exact same post, and rested his head next to Octavia's left hoof.
That smooth bastard. I hate to admit that I was for a moment, jealous of how simple he made it out to be, comforting her without even using words.
Octavia smiled a little and ran her left hoof through Sam's coat, who narrowed his eyes in pleasure. "Sorry that you had to hear me ranting like this. I was just getting a bit... sentimental. Please don't mind. I just... needed to get something off my chest."
Something deep inside me triggered. I realized I might be the first living creature she had really talked to for a while, and that along made me feel special in a... special way. I patted her head like how I would pat Sam when he is feeling down, and I said as joyful as I could manage: "Well, you shouldn't worry too much. We will find you a way home, and everything will be fine. I knew it."
She bit her lips and turned her head. "It will never be the same ever again. Vinyl cannot come back from the dead. I have... messed up bad. I am not even sure if I wanted to go back."
"Of course you do. They are your family. I bet they have forgiven you already and will be glad that you went back to them."
"I doubt that. I was never the good daughter they wanted me to be. I was just so stubborn and selfish."
"No you are not. Sure you have made a mistake, but you can't just run away from it forever." Again, words slipped from my lips before I gave it some serious consideration. What the hell was I doing, talking so harsh on her? She had her reasons, and who was I to tell HER what to do?
"I'm sorry." It's got to be at least fifty times today I had to say that phrase because of my own idiocy.
Octavia shook her head. "I know that, but what use is there talking about this now? Besides, I like it here, staying with you."
This caught me completely off guard and there was no way I could stop the blood from rushing to my face. Of course I knew she can't possible mean it that way, that she was happy to be with me. She was just glad that she was found by someone decent and not locked up and treated like some rare object; but that still doesn't stop me from feeling glad about being accepted as a friend. Gladly Octavia's attention had shifted to Sam who had rolled over and begged for a belly rub like he usually do when getting petted. Octavia buried her hoof in Sam's soft fur and rubbed hard on Sam's belly, who wagged his tail with enough force to start a tornado.
I looked to the side and saw that the sun was almost setting. I pushed myself into a sitting position and tapped Octavia on her shoulder to get her attention. "Well it's getting dark. I am gonna get inside and make dinner."
"Can I help?"
I gave it consideration and shrugged. "Sure. Come on in."
She seemed happy with my response, and I was happy too. It would take her mind off her past for a while.
She stood up and Sam rolled back onto his belly, looking at us as we walked back into the house. I waved at him to come inside, but it seemed like he preferred to spend the night in the backyard.
"Jerry." Octavia called my name.
"What is it?"
"Thank you for listening to me. You are a really nice guy."
I turned around and found her facing me with the most heart-warming smile I have ever seen in my entire life. I stood in place as I felt her gaze upon me with her amethyst eyes. I have to turn and avoid her gaze to stop myself from blushing again.
"Come on, let's get started on the dinner. I am starving."
The things I would give to just make her smile like that again.
