Macro/Micro Flash Fic Collection Vol 2

Version: 1

"Come on, we've got to hurry!" Tai shouted through the trees and underbrush.

"What's the rush?" Bob groaned, shoving a branch out of his face and snapping it off the tree it came from.

The two boys were fairly deep in the forest and it had just started to rain. The ground was slowly turning to mud beneath their feet as Tai repeatedly scrambled ahead only to have to stop and wait for his lazy partner-in-crime to catch up.

"I told you that it's really far and we need to hurry if we're going to get there with enough time left to do anything before we have to go back."

Tai had found something amazing deep in the woods and was desperately dragging his best friend Bob off to see it. But Tai refused to tell Bob what it was. An abandoned building, a cool tree, maybe even a lost logging truck left to rust long ago. The overwhelming curiosity was about the only reason Bob was still going. He could have been at home right now playing video games, but instead he was wandering around in the forest in the rain with his crazy friend. Such was the life of a child.

Bob caught up with Tai only for the manic boy to dash ahead yet again. Even with the wet leaves and uneven ground, he flew between the trees like he'd been doing it his whole life. Though to some degree he had. However, what caught Bob's attention this time was the wall of light piercing through the trees ahead. They had crossed the entire forest? That couldn't be! Bob found himself speeding up for the first time, suddenly sure that their long journey must be over. Maybe this was what Tai wanted to show him. The edge of the woods. It was a pretty cool thought. Like those ancient explorers who dared to venture beyond the end of the map.

That wasn't quite what it was.

A line three kilometers (two miles) wide cut through the forest. A field of grass, mud, and a handful of young saplings that couldn't be more than two or three years old scattered in groups across the space. And there were huge circular depressions all over the place, particularly where the budding trees weren't. There was no fence. There was no sign. There was no explanation, but the two of them knew immediately what this was.

A pony crossing.

Bob gulped. "Tai? Is this what you wanted to show me?"

Tai shook his head. "Nah. This is pretty cool though, right?" He glanced at Bob with a toothy grin. "But we've got to go further."

Bob choked. "W-what? How? There's no way through?"

Tai blinked at him. "Sure there is." The boy glanced both ways like he was supposed to do before crossing the street, then casually stepped past the treeline and headed for the other side.

Bob raised a hand and lunged forward to grab his shoulder, but stopped a single step beyond the trees. "What are you doing?!" he hissed after his friend.

Tai paused and glanced back. "I'm headed for the other side. Come on!" he explained simply and waved Bob after him.

Bob stared. "Are you crazy?! What if a pony comes through?"

Tai raised a brow that clearly asked if Bob was joking. Then he pointedly looked both ways. "Nothing's coming. Let's go now so we don't have to wait." The kid then started walking away again.

Bob felt his heart beating heavily. He didn't want to look like a coward, but this was super dangerous. Yet Tai looked completely chill. Bob glanced both ways too. He didn't see anything but fog in the distance. He gulped. His legs were shaking and his fingers were getting sweaty. The rain beat down on his head as he became painfully aware of how alone he was. He whined in frustration and charged forward, eager to catch up to his friend and prove he wasn't a coward.

Several minutes passed and they were almost to the other side. Nothing bad happened. Tai had not only been brave, but right. Bob was embarrassed. There was nothing scary about the pony crossing. He wondered how long he would have to endure teasing for this.

The ground vibrated.

It was incredibly subtle. Neither of them would have noticed if it wasn't for the puddle that was forming in one of the many shallow craters. Instead of the numerous little ripples of rain drops, one big wave brushed across the surface. The boys froze. Bob could see his breath. It was cold. He was cold. He glanced at Tai. Their eyes didn't meet. Tai was completely focused on the puddle.

The water splashed and the ground shook. One. Two. Three.

"Tai?"

They both looked up and saw it. A pony that loomed much higher than any tree. There was no skyscraper that could compare either. It was some pale shade of purple, but that might just have been the fog. It was still some distance away, but ponies were fast. Another hoof lifted. Then it dropped. The two felt the land shift under them and even heard a muffled rumble.

They ran.