ENDGAME
(Part Two)

I kept myself to the sidewalk, clenching and letting go of the knife at random intervals. I was so angry, sad and lonely at the same time, I just wanted to cry. But I knew that I had to show as little weakness to whatever Pinkie was, even if she was my own head.

However, I'd been telling myself the same words over and over, trying to keep my mind away from the strange and horrifying surroundings.

The sky was black as the darkest midnight, the fog following suite. Though a moon was visible, it's faint glow did not permeate the dark, lonely night. The road seemed to be gone, the whole world splitting off after a few meters on the concrete. Every once in a while, I'd hear a scream of terror. It may have been someone I knew, I didn't want to think about it, but even if the voice was unfamiliar, it was familiar at the same time.

Perhaps Pinkie was effecting me in more ways then one?

The streets- what was left of them -sometimes had red blotches appear, trying to take form but ultimately disappearing, they seemed like paint but with an outline, but at the same time it looked like rust. Looking around at the trees, I saw that they had been dead for a long time, covered in layers off moss and sometimes I spotted blood. Whenever a rusty splotched appeared on the sidewalk, I had to step around it. Touching it in any way, even with my shoe, it burned. I felt a white hot pain course through my head, and it was hard to do it more than once.

Every now and then, a body hung from the treetops, but this was the strangest part. The bodies, when i blinked, would flicker between a human that i knew and a pony that I presumed Pinkie knew. From all of this observation, it seemed that Pinkie was finally making her final push to do...whatever it was.

However, Dash trying to converse with me over and over was giving me enough information on the matter. It was no longer a matter of trust, it was a matter of time. If I could be so-called-corrupted, could she be corruptible? It didn't seem to matter much anymore, all I wanted was for this to stop.

Before long, I realized the splotches of rust started appearing around, but no longer fading away. I felt my head begin to ache, and I walked faster. I needed to get to wherever this rode led. Then my mind fell to the letter that i was carrying. I reached into my jacket, hoping I didn't lose it. No, thankfully, I pulled out the same small rolled up scroll with three red seals on it.

Then, my head burned with tremendous pain. I quickly put the letter away to the best of my ability and looked down as I hopped forward. Behind me, the rust had taken up most of the street and sidewalk. I then felt the ever-growing choking feeling, as if I was being bled out. I knew these were just tricks. They had to be, right?

I began jogging towards the end of the road, seeing some familiar things in the distance. The school! I nearly exclaimed. As much as it was possible a death sentence, I needed sanctuary from the outside. I begin sprinting from the rust, not needing to look back, and simply knowing, no, feeling it catch up to me.

As soon as I pulled the door open and went inside, i turned around to see that the rust was gone. not only the rust, but the whole area outside!

I then wondered what would happen to my home town, Ponyville. It seemed that if I were to fail here, a lot of the po-people would die. I sighed, dejectedly and decided to keep walking. My only guide being the faint voice of Rainbow Dash.

"Alright...you need...forest...last chance." I sighed once more, running a hand through my messy and sweaty hair. I nodded in recognition, then began walking through the halls of the school.

As I walked, I realized that the walls had scribbles on them, mad writings in dark black ink. Every now and then however, there were red stains smeared, trying to form words. I steered away from the walls and kept walking.

It was as if this was real. I felt the air, the weight of the situation. It was too real. I, again, found myself doubting if I could make it to the bed and actually survive this.

"SAM!" yelled the doll, I quickly snapped back to reality, noticing that the lights of the school were flashing out. In my direction. It got closer and closer, and I turned and ran back down the stairs. I heard the lights flickering before being smashed behind me as I turned left to another hallway. I almost fell, slipping, then grabbed at a garbage can, pushing myself forward and letting it fall.

I kept dashing forward, still hearing the lights smash. I looked back for a moment, peering into a black abyss. I then turned once more, attempting to pick up my pace. However, it seemed it simply sped up as well. I assumed it was Pinkie, or some kind of lackey she sent after me.

I saw that ahead, the same thing was happening, it was going to sandwich me. I dived into the nearest door, ending up in the gym. However, the door had stairs, and I tumbled down, barely having time to shield my head and other parts of my body before hitting the hard wood floor. I slowly got up, holding my arm. It wasn't responding too well to my movements, so i assumed I had at least cracked the bone.

I merely picked Dash up with my good arm, nearly whining in pain at the sensation of my arm falling to my side. I held her up, then realized i had dropped something on my dive. The knife. I looked up and saw it on the top of the stairs, as it had been. I felt tempted to go after it, but I wasn't sure if that was the smartest move.

I took a step towards it and Dash said, "Sam...don't."

Another step. One more. I felt myself slowly get into a rhythm as Dash exclaimed, "You only have one good arm, you'll have to leave the knife or me!"

I stopped. Was the revenge worth it? It might be, but she said herself it isn't the answer. I was at an impasse with myself. Part of me, the more convincing, wished me to take the knife, and leave Dash. I mean, she wasn't trustworthy, right? For all I knew it was a trick.

Or she's just trying her best. I looked over to the doll, then to the knife.

I, however, was unable to make a decision, as then around me, the gym grew darker. Around me, the lamps began to smash. I almost dashed for another door, but it was cut off my the darkness. I backed up to the middle, feeling the throbbing pain in my arm. The darkness got closer, closer, and closer still.

I eventually was pressed into a tight circle, looking up one singular light was left. I heard a giggle, then it smashed.

I sat up, screaming. I wasn't in my bed, I was on a hard tiled floor. Looking around, I realized I was still in the school. In the boiler room, to be exact. I slowly stood, using the one hand I had. Dash was nowhere to be found and I cursed. Still, it was nearly pitch black in the room, except for the flashlight.

I picked it up, opening the door and walking into the hall. The walls had many mad scrawlings about something that i couldn't bring myself to understand. I started walking around, looking for Dash, but more importantly, a way out. I slowly made my way around, sometimes hearing a static sound and seeing flickering shapes of ponies and humans alike.

Then, I heard a crackling noise, somewhere near me. I hesitated, thinking if I should look for her or not. I decided to, and opened the door to my left. However I quickly closed it, seeing that the floor was coated with a thick layer of blood. Looking to my right, I walked over, cautiously opening it.

Inside, I saw that it was a normal classroom, only with Dash on one of the desks. The knife was plunged into her stuffed stomach. I walked over, set the light down and yanked the knife out, setting it aside. Dash responded with,"H...elp..."

I felt somehow responsible, but it seemed that Pinkie had hurt Dash somehow, and some oddly knowable red liquid dripped out of the hole. I babbled a bit before taking the knife, cutting off a piece of my shirt and wrapping it around the wound. How was the doll even injured? Was this the cause of its plea. or was it something else?

I picked Dash up and the flashlight too, squishing the two together in my hand, "It's...my head...hurts." I then realized that Pinkie must be doing something to hurt her mind, seeing as they were both in mine. I sighed, then said, "It's alright, I think this will be over soon."

I made my way slowly around a few corners and hallways, the school still pitch black. Then I heard a growl behind me. Turning, I saw, with the help of the flashlight, a strange creature. It seemed like a large lion with bat-like wings. I gasped, Dash yelled, "MANTICORE!"

It lunged at me, myself diving to the side to avoid impact. It skid to a stop, I was already taking off. I heard the pat of its pawed feet behind me, the thick nails scratching the ground.

I began to jump some of the sets of stairs, trying to move as quickly as possible, the Manticore hot on my tail. I then found myself running towards a dead end hallway. I looked behind me, seeing it was not stopping. I looked ahead towards the end of the hallway.

I kept running, making my feet move quicker as I threw the flashlight as hard as I could at the window. There was a definite crashing sound as I got near it. I jumped out.

However, as I did, I turned myself around and grabbed on for dear life to the window sill. The Manticore, seemingly not knowing better, jumped out after me, but twirled around, it's claws catching my leg. I quickly yanked my leg away, screaming in pain. The left over glass dug into my hand and I looked down, seeing the Manticore fall.

I began pulling myself up with my single hand, however, it was harder than I thought it would be. Blood dripped down the window as I grunted in agony. I eventually got to my elbow, dropping Dash into the window. I was able to get my chest up, using my legs, as painful as it was, to propel myself inside with the bottom of the window.

I landed with a thud on the inside of the school, writhing in pain. Dash seemed to try and comfort me, telling me that we need to cover up my leg. I could barely pay attention, I was in too much pain. I coughed, sat up a bit and examined my leg. It was torn up a bit below my knee, the claws had gotten a bit deep, but not enough to warrant worry. I slowly stood on my good leg, picking Dash up with my bloodied hand.

I began limping forwards. I wouldn't be able to run much longer.

Then I heard scratching behind me. I turned, seeing the Manticore's claws dig at the window's hole. I turned and began running to the best of my ability, feeling myself grow weaker by the second. The Manticore found its way inside, thanks to Pinkie more than likely.

I stuck to the walls ever so slightly, hearing it quickly catch up to me. As I rounded a corner, I saw the Manticore skid after me, and then lunge. I quickly pulled the office door open, slamming it's face into the hard steel. It stumbled back, which gave me enough of a chance to begin running again. Adrenaline slowly pumped through my veins.

I stumbled ever so slightly, but I eventually found the gym again. I swung the door open, setting Dash down. I picked the knife from the stairwell. It's large blade and semi-big handle were somewhat heavy for my weakened body, but I didn't have time to worry.

The doors blew almost off their hinges, the angered Manticore breaking through them. It's large paw grabbed me by my leg, pulling me down with it. I fell, on the Manticore thankfully, onto the hard gym floor. I raised the knife, delivering a swift slit to it's furred face. It roared, shoving me off. I landed about ten feet away from the beast. I meekly stood onto my two feet, staring to the Manticore.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins, somewhat numbing the pain, and my focus was on the Manticore at any rate. I still stood unsteadily on my feet.

It growled loudly, blood leaking from the long slice across it's face, nearly cutting across the whole face. I coughed up a bit of blood, feeling myself smirk a bit. It charged again, flapping its bat wings to fly into the air, diving at me. I jumped a bit, ducking and raising the knife. I sunk it into the beast's stomach, then ducked and fell forward, doing a roll onto my back. I sat up, realizing where I had lodged the knife.

The Manticore, growled and roared loudly in anger, blood leaking from under and on it's face. It ran at me again, this time swiping. I ran towards it as well, but fell to my stomach, going under the giant beast and ripping out my knife. I rolled a bit, then it flung me away with it's lion tail.

I landed, coughing out another bit of blood. I shakily stood to my feet. I then ran to the bleachers, knowing it would follow. It hopped onto the bleachers, tearing them apart to get to me.

Around the top of the bleachers, I put my good foot onto the top one, then pushed off and raised the knife into the air. I plunged the knife into it's back as it reared, trying to get me off. I gripped with my nearly broken arm, cursing in pain as I took the knife with my good arm, plunging it into it's throat.

The Manticore fell backwards, myself falling with it. It landed on it's stomach after flipping around once, and I yanked the knife out, plunging it into the creature again and again.

I eventually finished, limping off the thing and falling to the hard wood. I then stood up again, dropping the knife. I walked up the stairs slowly, retrieving Dash.

I made my way to the bathroom, having found the flashlight near the window. I left it shining, setting Dash down and turning the water on. It was water, thankfully. I scooped some up, splashing a generous amount on my face. It spilled down my body, and I looked up at the mirror.

I saw a girl, tangled and messy hair, eyes half lidded and tired but awake and ready at the same time. She had a torn up T-shirt on, her left arm hanging limply, her right bloodied up to the elbow, the hand dripping with blood as well. The girl also had blood smeared across her chest, legs and arms. The girl looked scared.

I gingerly picked Dash up after running water on my leg and hand, walking towards the back exit of the school, the nearest one. I saw there was a path, separate from the world. I opened the door, walking out and onto the path. I knew that this was the end. But I know what I am now. I knew what I was, and what I will be.

I may be a coward, I may be a scaredy cat. But I'm a survivor. And I'll be damned if this pink fucker is going to take me down.

TO BE CONCLUDED

Author's Note

The last chapter will take some time, there's several things that go along with it!