ENDGAME
(Conclusion)

I walked down the path, looking behind me only showing the small blood as I walked on. It was either mine, or it was the Manticore's. In either case, I felt somewhat numbed to the sensation, the only sound that I could really hear was the firm and hard beating of my heart in my chest, the silence draining all sound except the occasional drip from my leg of my arm and hand. Dash didn't say anything, I didn't think, anyways.

I felt my body shake, not out of fear, but adrenaline was still being pumped throughout my body. I kept on walking, and Pinkie made no noise. She was either waiting, or she was afraid. She knew I wasn't ready to give up yet. I know I will win this. I'll kill her first.

"Sam..." Said the barely audible voice. I slowly lifted the only arm that functioned properly, not to my face, but enough so I could see without turning my head.

"You...need to cover your leg. It's...bad." I shook my head in response.

"No time. I need to...finish this." I didn't know what was in my voice, but it didn't sound right. It was...strange. It didn't sound like what I remembered. But then again, I don't think I even remember my home town anymore. I can't...every time I try to think about it, it nearly brings me to tears. I can't weaken myself like that, I need to keep going.

It was the people who tried to protect me, to help me, that brought me into the most danger, as I did for them. As much as it didn't matter now, I couldn't think of or for them anymore. I'm my own person, I need to survive. If I was to, I needed to push them back. If I did, I wouldn't be as worried. I'd be the only risk for those who I care for. Then again...do I really care for myself, or was it just the mindset of living things to survive?

"You need to...please...?"

I kept moving however, "I'm sorry. No."

It wasn't long before I began to notice we were walking into a forest. It looked oddly familiar. Just like before. However, it seemed that Pinkie had stopped making it so dead. The wind blew through my hair like a dead man's breath, the air stale and smelling of unknown things.

Leaves blew around, some of them catching my attention with a crunching sound, but I never looked. It seemed like it was one of the last few weaknesses that I had at the moment. I was too afraid. Afraid of the pain, the horrible outcomes, and not to mention the paranoia.

I, with some effort, kept my head facing forward, eyes narrowed. Eventually, the cement path I was on had changed to more of a grass. I felt the change in terrain just barely, on the back of my mind, the final dim light in what I presumed was what Pinkie hadn't tried to eradicate. With a shuddering sigh, I continued forward.

When had I even stopped? I wasn't sure. It felt like I'd been walking for years, like I've just been walking down an endless journey, as if it was nothing but words on a page. Like it wouldn't end, even if I wanted it to. Even if I wanted to rewind all this madness, and just restart.

I then remembered. The past. Good times, mostly...while yes, it was sad most of the time, I still had fun. I had friends that I didn't have to shrug aside. Bullies, just a part of life, I had all sorts of things that could have happened to me. But even if I wanted to now, it was apparent to anyone that I had lost all that back then.

Listen to me, talking like some old woman. I felt a sensation of laughter build up, and I couldn't help but burst out laughing to the skies. I quickly stopped, a small smile on my face. Dash asked in a confused and- somewhat wary - manner, "Are you...okay?"

I nodded in reply, "Yeah, I'm...fine. I guess. Well....I hope."

I continued my journey into the forest, which I both knew and did not. It was in memories I had, but in other ways it wasn't. I didn't know anymore, all I knew is that if I was able to deal with Pinkie, I'd be...fine? Who knew. From how long she sounds like she's known me, it might be that she's been in my head for years, just biding her time. Maybe this was the last time I know what I'm doing, or at least with a say in it.

I didn't know what was happening at the moment, but for a second, I felt...at peace. I felt nice to know that I at least somewhat knew what might happen to me, to be assured something. Even if it was rather grim. Emotions are funny like that, aren't they? They can sometimes tell you something that you'd never think yourself.

There's still the possibility that this is all just in my head, that Pinkie is a figment of my own insanity, Dash is my sanity...then what am I? The bridge? The door? The final stopping block, so to speak? If so, Pinkie intends on burning me away and stomping the fire in my heart.

Then, I heard something. Cracking. Was it my bones? No, I would have felt it, and probably wouldn't be standing then. I quickly spun to the left, seeing nothing, then the right. There was a large tree which had somehow been broken, and was falling straight at me.

I quickly ducked and moved forward, narrowly escaping the tree. I sighed, the looked at the stump. Nothing. I was about to keep walking, when I realized I heard crackling, and cracking. It wasn't the doll, and I slowly turned towards the sound, my fear and paranoia ruling over myself again.

My eyes found one of the last trials that I could think of. Dash began to speak, trying to stay calm, "Sam...run..."

Fire. It began advancing, catching other trees on quickly and consistently, itself spreading like it was scooped up from hell. I took a step back, looking around me as the fire spread around me, the trees that had first been caught falling over, causing an ash shock wave to go in my direction.

"...RUN!"

My mind was a jumbled pile of trash, and once more, I found myself running. The heat of the hell fire behind me, yet so close, I could feel it on my skin, nearly burning me away. My injured body moved surprisingly quickly, my left leg still limping and sometimes nearly tripping me due to it's cuts, but I knew I must not give up yet.

My fractured arm swung idly, even as I tried to hold it. The grass wasn't on fire, but the distinct technicolor dark green was lit up by the yellow and orange flames. Ash bellowed out and around me at times, catching my off guard, nearly filling my lungs before I clamped my mouth down.

A tree fell in my path, and fearing what might happen if I tried to move over it, I skid to a stop for a moment before launching off to go right. I dashed into the inferno of woods, covering my mouth with my good arm's sleeve, thankful for the water that was on it from the sink. It might have been blood, but it cooled my face, so I didn't care.

I felt the intense heat beat down on my body, and as I ran, I hacked and coughed into the sleeve. A few exposed roots burst into flames as I ran on them and I quickly stomped my feet as hard as possible into the dirt, trying to make sure that they wouldn't be a problem.

Throughout the affair of running into the forest, I'd been making sure to turn myself slowly so that I would make it back to the path. However, it was gone. I couldn't take a moment to investigate, and simply ran down what I assumed was it, as there were no trees.

The inferno continued, still ahead of me, but there was no longer flaming pyres next to my every step. I felt myself hack and wheeze, my body growing weary of the flames.

As I saw the end of the fire, I panted, trying to catch my breath. I coughed hard, blood spilling out of my mouth, my throat aching with need of water. I slowly turned to look behind me. There, another inferno raged. However, it was more of a large ball of fire. And it was enveloping the entire forest. I gasped, looking ahead, seeing a small house. There were other buildings as well.

I dashed into the home, and just as I was about to lock the door, the flamed enveloped the area, the glass panes in the windows smashing loudly.

Glass flung everywhere as I ran up the stairs, and shut the door up there. Another window shattered, a few pieces scratching my face and hand as I shielded myself. Some fire buried itself into the house, but it moved on, seemingly uninterested in me.

After a minute, I picked up Dash, whom I didn't realize I had dropped. I slowly stood, a small trickle of blood leaking from my mouth. I made my way down the stairs, avoiding all the fires I could, eventually finding myself walking out what I assumed was the actual front door. Looking out, I realized where I was.

Ponyville.

The technicolor houses, the grass and such. It was all burnt, but I knew what it was. And for a moment, I felt at home.

My feet began moving slowly, shuffling into the town. Was this where I was before, in the first dream? Maybe this is what I was running from. The end.

The houses looked old and run down, beaten and burned. Everything had a splotch of blood on it. I prayed to whatever god was listening to my plea anymore that the ponies didn't suffer...if they were real. A light trail of blood followed my step, I didn't have to look to know.

As I followed the path I assumed that many had walked on before, I made out a few distinct locations. There was the Carousel Boutique. It's windows were smashed, the fabrics, from what I could see, were replaced by some kind of fur...I assumed pony skin. The blood stained floors told the story of some kind of fight. It didn't end well.

I turned my head, and in the distance, I saw Sweet Apple Acres. The sign had long since been dismantled, for what I didn't know. The barn and farm were nothing but ashes, a few empty nooses hanging from the ash-looking timbers of the barn showing that the Apple family were hung...or hung each other.

Sound was there, the wind. There was breathing air, it was pure, but tinged with agony, blood and soils. The few trees still around were small and dead, as grey and nearly as black as midnight.

As I felt myself go deeper into town, I saw that the path I was on led to somewhere. A place I wouldn't go, but now, I had no choice. It seemed Pinkie had stopped fighting me at this point, and simply let me roam in what I hoped wasn't her memories.

Sugar Cube Corner. It's door hang on it's lower hinge, the colors faded and dark. The only tale I could wind out of this one was that it had fallen from grace, lost it's mind, and become nothing more but another asylum. I felt I could relate.

My hand pushed the door open slowly, gently, as if it could shatter like glass. I walked into the place, the floor boards squeaking under my weight. I looked about, it was bigger than I thought it would be. There were stairs leading upwards, so I took them. Maybe if I kept going up, I'd be rid of this curse that had befallen me, but I knew this was a foolish thought.

As I walked upstairs, I saw a door. I remembered it faintly, and it reminded me of something. A dream. A dream I had, merely weeks ago. The knob slowly turned as I twisted it, pushing it open, and like the other, ever so gently. I walked into the room, a bloodstain on the carpet.

Looking to the left, I saw a closet, obviously a walk in closet. I looked up, brought my hand to my face and slowly ran it down, smearing my facial features for a moment. Then, when I opened my eyes again, everything was black. I blinked, then turned.

Pinkie stood before me on her hooves, watching me intently, a small smile on her face, "So, you finally stopped running huh?"

Her happy and bubbly voice almost made me crack a smile, but I shrugged, "I stopped denying that you weren't a problem, even if you're just in my head."

She giggled, sighed, then said, "You know, you don't have to be in such a bad mood about the inevitable, Sammy. If you just give up, I'll make it as least painful as possible. Pinkie promise."

As much as her words disgusted me, I...I knew they were the truth. She would try, because I tried. And she commended that. She found it commendable I finally pushed through what she threw at me instead of failing.

When I looked to Dash, I saw she wasn't there. Where ever she had gone, I didn't know. But...Pinkie may have done something. Or perhaps she was just a ploy all along. Looking behind Pinkie, I could see my bed. It sat, undisturbed in the silence of the situation.

I stood alone, facing an impossible enemy with an impossible challenge, an ally who could have been a lie, and sanity which might not even be alive.

It was time to choose my ultimate fate.

MAKE YOUR CHOICE

Do I give in?

Do I run, just like always?

Do I go look for the potential traitor?

Author's Note

The links didn't work at first, sorry!!