Tim

A normal day being relative, Twilight and I made our way through the warehouse towards Joe's shop. The air was thick with the smell of oil and metal, the distant hum of machinery a constant backdrop to our footsteps.

As we passed by the coordinator's office, Juan stepped out, a friendly smile on his face. “Hey, Twilight! I got something for you,” he said, fishing a carrot out of his pocket.

Twilight's eyes lit up. “Oh, how thoughtful! Thank you, Juan,” she said, using her magic to accept the offering.

I felt my jaw clench, a surge of anger rising in my chest. “Juan, a word?” I said, my voice tight.

Confusion flickered across Twilight's face as I pulled Juan aside. “What the hell, man?” I hissed. “She's not a pet.”

Juan's eyes widened. “I... I didn't mean anything by it. I thought she'd like it.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “Look, I know you meant well, but offering her carrots or apples like that... it's insulting. She's a person, not some animal you're trying to befriend.”

Turning back to Twilight, I saw her looking at us with concern. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

I sighed, realizing I needed to explain. “Twilight, I know Juan was trying to be nice, but... on Earth, offering carrots or apples to horses is something people do to treat them like pets. It's... well, it's not exactly polite to do that to a sentient being. I know you don’t understand why humans treat other differently based on skin tone, but the best example I could give would probably be the racial equivalent of giving fried chicken and watermelon to a black employee or bringing tacos for a Mexican employee. Some people might not mind, but it could be offensive to some people.”

Juan mumbled. “I’d love some free tacos, but that’s just me.”

Twilight's eyes widened in understanding as a blush crept across her cheeks. “Oh,” she said softly, looking at the carrot in her magical grasp. “I... I didn't realize.”

Juan sighed and quickly apologized. “I'm so sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to offend you.”

Twilight offered him a kind smile. "It's okay, Juan. Cultural misunderstandings happen. Thank you for trying to be welcoming."

As we continued on our way, I could feel the weight of Twilight's gaze on me. “Thank you for explaining,” she said quietly. “I guess there's still a lot for me to learn about how ponies are perceived here.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of protectiveness and affection welling up inside me. “I think I might have overacted. I know he was trying to be nice, but I also felt the need to clarify how it looked before it became a habit. We're all learning,” I replied. “Now, let's go see Joe. After Melvin's advice this morning, we should be ready for whatever he throws at us.”

We both knew to be ready for a few crude jokes directed towards both of us, and we weren't disappointed.

Joe greeted us with his usual over-the-top personality. "Good morning, pony fucker," he said to me with a smirk, then he turned to Twilight. "Ready to fix some trailers, magic mare?"

His greeting was cruder than I expected, and I tensed, ready to intervene, but Twilight surprised me. She replied sharply, “You're just jealous this flank isn't swishing your way, old timer.”

Joe's face went slack, and I chuckled at the unexpected comeback. “Careful, Twilight. You might give the old man a heart attack.”

Joe's roaring laughter echoed off the shop walls. “That was a good one! I think you're going to fit right in, little pony. Just wait 'til you really get comfortable with our brand of inappropriate humor.”

I wanted to interject something to derail his train of thought, but I was too late.

Joe wiped a tear from his eye, still laughing. “Oh, you're a feisty one! I was worried about your lack of reaction yesterday. Say, Tim, ever hear about the pony who worked in a glue factory?”

I groaned, knowing where this was going. “Joe, don't…”

“He always came to work feeling a little... horse!” Joe slapped his knee. “Get it? Because he was exhausted from all the…”

“We get it, Joe,” I cut him off, glancing at Twilight apologetically. To my surprise, she winked at me, seemingly enjoying the off-brand humor. I sighed deeply, conflicted. Her growing comfort with our banter was a good sign, but I couldn't help remembering her boldness from the last night. That towel drop was still fresh in my mind, and I wasn't sure I could handle her becoming even more... uninhibited.

Joe, oblivious to my internal struggle, cleared his throat and got back to business.

His expression turned serious, reminding me of the gravity of our task. “Now… I stayed late yesterday to rearrange some trailers. I've grouped them so that the worst six trailers can be scrapped to fix the remaining 37 that need complete overhauls, plus the one that was only partially repaired yesterday. By not trying to fix the worst six and using them for parts instead, I'm hoping we can fix all of them.”

I nodded, impressed by Joe's initiative but wary of the workload this implied. “That's a lot of trailers, Joe. Twilight can't handle that much work in one go…”

Joe wiped his brow, his expression a mix of anticipation and concern. “Nah, it won't be in one go. The idea is to recycle one trailer per day and hopefully fix six trailers or more with each recycled trailer, and have all 38 fixed by the time the six recycled trailers are used up.”

Twilight nodded, seeming unfazed by the quick shift from outrageous teasing to serious business. Her calm demeanor both impressed and worried me.

“You seem to know what you're doing,” she said to Joe. “Assuming that the remaining 38 trailers that need work aren't that bad, six trailers recycled should fix all of them. But Tim is right - I can only recycle one trailer per day to avoid what happened yesterday.”

Joe wiped his brow as a flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I get it. But just so you know, Allen is arranging to bring more trailers here from Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Dallas to do more of these recycling and repair tricks. We have a lot of out-of-service trailers at other locations. Enough to keep you busy for a while.”

Twilight grinned, a hint of pride in her voice. “Keep paying me and I'll keep fixing them.”

Her enthusiasm made me uneasy. I turned to Joe, voicing my concerns. “Are we going to be able to use these fixed trailers to avoid having to empty as many for outgoing orders? Or is Allen going to cancel the rentals once our fleet is up and running again?”

Joe's face tightened, clearly not happy about the question. But true to form, he didn't mince words. “Allen is planning to cancel some of the rentals, but it depends on how many trailers magic mare over here can fix versus how many are being scrapped. I hope the goal is to keep some for shipping and not just keep dropping them for drum rotation. But you know corporate logic - we can't sell what we don't have in inventory, so they want as many drums as they can get.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of corporate expectations. “Figures. What makes more sense then? Should Twilight fix the worst trailers you want to keep, even though there will be fewer of them? Or should she fix the ones that don't need as much work? We always need at least six empties and sometimes up to eight.”

Joe shrugged, his casual gesture at odds with the gravity of the situation. “Not my call. Your girlfriend can do what she's comfortable with, and I'll work on fixing the other trailers that need normal repairs. The more trailers she fixes, the fewer you'll have to empty today.” He paused, his next words hitting me like a punch to the gut. “Melvin fired all the remaining temps, so it's just the core 10 employees plus Twilight now. It'll be a lot of drums to roll if you don't get at least 8 empties out of this. On a good day, I can't fix more than 3 in a day, and that's assuming I have all the parts for them. On a bad day, I can’t completely repair even one, either waiting for parts or needing help from one of the other guys. Man, I wish they’d give me one shop helper. It’s hard to call myself a manager without a crew.”

I glanced at Twilight, worry gnawing at my insides. The pressure was mounting, and I could see the determination in her eyes. I just hoped her eagerness to prove herself wouldn't push her too far.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. “I knew that this was going to happen. Well Twilight, I guess it's your pony show. What do you think we should do?”

She considered the question, her ears shining slightly as she thought. “The mass being recycled will be largely the same each time, but despite the same amount of material being used in the recycling, the more trailers I fix, the more magic it will require.”

I frowned, trying to understand the mechanics of her magic. “I don't get that. How could doing more trailers require more magic if it's the same mass being transmuted?”

Twilight's eyes lit up, clearly excited to explain. “Well, remember how I told you about my special talent being magic itself? That allows me to perform complex spells like this, but it doesn't make them effortless.”

She paused, making sure I was following. “Now, not all the repairs I did yesterday were purely conjuration and transmutation. The cosmetic repairs like removing rust and repainting the trailers to add the company color scheme and decals to all the company-owned trailers doesn't necessarily use the mass from the recycled trailer, but it does require more magic by me adding in extra spells. It's like... imagine if you had to not only move heavy objects, but also paint and decorate them at the same time. Each additional task requires more energy.”

“So,” she continued, “I'll be more tired from fixing 10 trailers than I will from fixing 6 trailers, even if it's done with the same 1 recycled trailer. It's not just about the mass being moved, but the complexity and number of magical operations being performed. Call it a value-added service.”

I grumbled, still concerned. “A value-added service should cost them more. You're doing too much for the bare minimum, but I guess I do the same.”

She shrugged, her mane bouncing slightly. “You worry too much. The worst case is that we tell Melvin that I have to go home early. He already agreed to conditions of pay for both of us on how to handle me over-using magic.”

I wasn't happy with her reasoning. “Yeah, well. He might expect you to have to pass out like you did yesterday to prove that you need to go home early.”

She stuck out her tongue at me, a playful glint in her eye. “I guess you'll just have to nurse me back to health, then.”

I snorted, trying to hide my amusement. “Don't worry, you'll be doing plenty of nursing.”

She blushed fiercely and Joe laughed at her reaction. The glare she shot at me was more cute than fierce, though I didn't want to tease her about it.

She cleared her throat with force, her horn glowing slightly as she composed herself.

“ANYWAYS, let's get started. We know I can handle one trailer, but multiple trailers in a day will be pushing my limits. I would love to try to recycle two trailers today… I won't be able to do drums afterwards, but it'll be interesting to see how far I can go.”

I felt my stomach drop at her words. “Twilight, are you sure that's wise? We don't know how your magic will react to that kind of strain, especially in this environment.”

Joe, who had been quietly observing our exchange, chimed in. “Two trailers would certainly help us get ahead of schedule. But Tim's right, we don't want you hurting yourself.”

Determination gleamed in Twilight's eyes. “I appreciate the concern, but I need to know my limits. Like I said, we'll just leave early after I'm done if we have to.”

I sighed, recognizing the stubborn set of her jaw. “Man… you really wanna leave early, huh. Alright, but we will stick to the plan. You do one trailer now, we rest and eat lunch, and then you can do a second trailer this afternoon if you think you can handle it, okay?”

She nodded, but I could see the excitement in her eyes. As she prepared to begin the spell, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were about to venture into dangerous territory. Her eagerness to prove herself, while admirable, could lead her to push too far.

I exchanged a worried glance with Joe before turning my attention back to Twilight. As her horn began to glow with magical energy, I steeled myself for whatever might come next.

* * *

Twilight

As I prepared to cast the spell, I could feel Tim's worried gaze on me. But I knew what I was doing. Or at least, I thought I did.

I decided to go for the trailers that needed lighter repairs. Given how this process worked, I knew we needed 8 empty trailers and potentially up to 15 trailers, if some got dropped, to avoid having to roll drums. I couldn't do that many in one day, but I wanted to get as many done as I could. This would reduce the workload for everyone, especially Tim. I also wanted to finish quickly so we could have that lunch date he had suggested during our drive to work.

Tim needed a few light days to fully recover. One good night's sleep wasn't enough to overcome months of overwork and grief. I would do this for him, even over his objections. As the Element of Magic, I trusted my abilities. Having used almost no magic so far today, I felt confident I could handle this.

I wouldn’t say that I lied to Tim, but I had simplified my explanation of the magic process to put Tim's mind at rest. In reality, every trailer would receive the same thorough treatment - fixing damage, removing rust, repainting, and adding logos. I couldn't omit any part of the process once it began. Trailers that needed less work would require less magic, that much was true, but I had omitted one critical detail… A transmutation spell was a magical loop that fed itself until its source was depleted. For better or worse, once I cast the spell, I would be committed to its completion.

Walking to the end of the line with the trailers needing the least work, I focused on the one Joe had marked 'Recycle this one.' I started the transmutation process, but immediately my magic felt off balance. The trailer being recycled felt magically heavier, which didn't make sense. My brow furrowed with the increased focus I needed, and a cold dread washed over me as I remembered I couldn't stop the spell even if I wanted to. I was committed now, for better or worse, and could only hope to discover the cause of this unexpected strain before it overwhelmed me.

I watched as the trailers I targeted underwent their makeovers, one by one. But once the fourth trailer had been completed, the recycled trailer dissolved enough to reveal its contents - 360 rusted out tight-head drums, also meant for recycling. My heart sank. In that moment, I knew I had made a terrible mistake.

As the spell continued its relentless progress, I felt my magical reserves draining faster than I had ever experienced. I started to sweat, and my legs were shaking. I was biting my lip to avoid whimpering. I desperately hoped I could maintain control until the process was complete, but a creeping sense of dread told me this might be beyond even my considerable abilities.

* * *

Tim

My jaw dropped when I saw a tight head drum fall out of the collapsing trailer.

“The trailer was full of drums?”

Joe rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, drums that also needed to be recycled. The heat and humidity can cause these drums to rust if they sit out here too long, completely separate from drums that were in trailers with a roof that had leaks. I don’t understand why corporate wants us to keep buying and storing more drums when they know that the ones with too much rust can’t be sold, if they sit out here too long. Allen decided that if we had to recycle them anyways, we might as well use the metal to fix trailers, if Twilight’s magic could do it.”

I started to sweat despite the temperature only being 85 in the early Texas morning. “Even at the average weight of 40 pounds per drum, that’s like her doing two trailers at the same time! The thick wall drums are 65 pounds each, so I really hope it’s not 12 tons! First, I sure hope you plan to pay her for the extra 7 to 12 tons of drum recycling and second, I hope this doesn’t kill her!”

Joe looked at me with a hint of worry. “I know nothing about her magic, but you clearly know something. Explain it to me like I’m an idiot so I’ll understand faster.”

I ran a hand through my hair, my eyes darting between Joe and Twilight, who was visibly straining now, her coat glistening with sweat. I explained my theory as rapidly as possible.

“You heard the same explanation that I did. Math is my weakest subject, but I'll try to make this make sense. Twilight rolled 1,000 drums yesterday before she ate lunch, some drums being lighter and others being heavier. You could say that the average weight was 50 pounds per drum, so she rolled and palletized about 25 tons worth of drums.”

I took in a deep breath and continued. “And then, even with over an hour of rest and eating lunch in between finishing the drums and fixing the trailers, she passed out from the conjuration and transmutation spell that recycled 1 trailer to fix the other 6 trailers. But the transmutation of the trailer was only basically 7 or 8 tons.”

I sighed as I remembered a key detail. “By her own admission, doing this transmutation requires more magic than simply levitating drums to put onto pallets. We are having her recycle roughly 15 to 19 tons of steel between the trailer and the drums. So, the real question would be this: Does transmuting 15 to 19 tons of steel require more magic than transmuting 7 tons of steel after simply physically moving 25 tons of steel. Think long and hard about that, Joe…”

Joe's brow furrowed, a look of dawning realization crossing his face. “Shit, if transmuting steel takes more magic than just moving it around, she's in trouble, isn't she?”

I nodded grimly, my eyes never leaving Twilight's straining form. “Yeah, she might be. And there's nothing we can do to stop it now. You need to call Melvin. He's going to hate this, but he should be out here if something happens, especially since you and Allen made this call.”

Joe started to get defensive. “Hey now, I didn't force her to use her magic. I just made the offer with the extra pay the company authorized.”

While I rarely lost my temper, I couldn't hold back this time. “You failed to disclose that the trailer was loaded with drums!” I shouted, my fists clenching at my sides. “She might have agreed to recycle the drums eventually, but not at the same time as a trailer. A lie of omission is still a lie, Joe. If she gets hurt, the company's liable, and that's on you and Allen.”

Joe cursed as he pulled out his phone to call Melvin while I closed the distance and stood as close to Twilight as I could without getting into her magical backwash. The conversation I had been having with Joe didn’t take that long but Twilight was already almost done with the sixth trailer now. The next one in the line was one of the worst 6 trailers that were marked to be scrapped.

I called out to Twilight. “Don’t skip the next trailer, fix it too.”

She looked puzzled and managed to reply while her spell continued to run, “Isn’t that the next one supposed to be on the scrap list?”

I nodded. “Yes, but it’s too late now. We need the transmutation to end before you drain all your magic. That trailer was deemed to need too much work to be worth fixing but I’m worried about what would happen if you fixed more than 10 trailers. We need to find a short cut to end the spell unless you have a better idea?”

Twilight shook her head. “I could teleport to the far end and direct the repairs to the trailers that needed the most work without fixing the ones that they want to scrap. That would repair more trailers and end the spell faster without wasting resources.”

Before I could tell her not to, she teleported from view and reappeared 30 trailers down the line at the opposite end of the line of trailers waiting for repairs or scrapping. Lucky to still be in great military shape, I ran down the line and rejoined her at the far end. Once I could see her face clearly, I winced. It was obvious that teleporting 250 feet used more magic than she had to spare under the onslaught of a spell she apparently no longer had control over.

Her apparent lack of self-preservation was upsetting me a lot. “You’re worried about wasting resources? This could kill you!”

She shook her head as the eighth trailer started repairs. “It won’t kill me. I will probably end up being unable to use magic for a few days after this though and I’ll probably pass out for longer than I did last time. I’m touched that you’re worried, but this is going to be okay, I promise.”

I was on the verge of tears, my voice cracking as I pleaded, “Please end the spell. This wasn't supposed to happen like this.”

Twilight sighed, her horn glowing brighter. Her coat was damp with sweat, and I could see her legs trembling with effort. As the spell continued, Twilight's coat began to lose its luster, her mane becoming limp and dull. The air around her horn seemed to shimmer with barely contained energy.

“It won't stop until it's done. There is nothing I can do. This is one of the many dangers of magic. You're not supposed to use a spell unless you know exactly what is going to happen.”

She paused, a look of realization crossing her face. “Given that these trailers aren't being used, I never thought to ask if it had drums in it. I guess we'll know for next time.”

I wanted to kick myself. “I should have known though. It’s not uncommon for a trailer already earmarked to be scrapped to be loaded with scrap drums so it’s two loads in one trip, scrapping the trailer and the drums. I should have known to check. This is all my fault!”

Twilight's eyes softened despite her obvious strain. She managed a weak smile, her voice gentle but firm. “Tim, this isn't your fault. You're not responsible for my magic or my decisions. As Princess Celestia always said, ‘We must each bear the consequences of our choices.’ I chose to cast this spell without fully understanding the situation. That’s on me.”

She winced as another wave of magical exertion hit her, but continued, “In Equestria, I’m known for my checklists and over-preparation. I got overconfident here, thinking I understood enough about your world. This is a harsh reminder that I need to be more thorough, to ask more questions. We’re both learning, Tim. Let’s focus on getting through this, and then we can work together to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

I stayed by her side, walking the row of trailers as the spell continued to run its course. There was nothing I could do but stay close and offer comfort, hoping that maybe at least my presence might help in even the smallest way.

Melvin drove out to the yard in his personal truck, since we had the golf cart, after Joe had called him and Joe brought Melvin up to speed. I couldn’t see Melvin’s face at this distance, but I’d bet good money that he was scowling. Neither Melvin nor Joe seemed interested in trying to talk to me and Twilight, as they both kept their distance out of earshot. That was both good and bad given that it gave me and Twilight some privacy to speak, but they’d also be too far away to help if something happened.

As the count reached 12 trailers, my worry intensified. While I couldn't see the actual transmutation process of the scrapped trailer, the sheer number seemed excessive. Recalling yesterday's results, 5 fully repaired trailers and 1 partial, made today's progress seem almost miraculous. True, the first 6 only needed a handful of previously unobtainable parts to be road-worthy, but it was still impressive. Now, we were approaching the trailer that had been partially fixed yesterday, and I couldn't help but wonder how much further Twilight could push her magic.

Concern tinged with a bit of mirth and colored my tone. “Lucky 13, eh?”

She coughed, sounding hoarse. “I don't understand the reference.”

I sighed, realizing this wasn't the best time for a history lesson. “It's an Earth superstition. The number 13 is considered unlucky, especially Friday the 13th. It comes from an event in the year 1307 involving the Knights Templar. Even today, some people avoid the 13th floors in buildings. I'm just worried this 13th trailer might be pushing our luck.”

She smiled weakly. “I love how knowledgeable you are about your people's history. You're far more than just blue-collar in my eyes. Your intelligence is... incredibly attractive to me.”

I winced. “My wife was a historian, and I've always loved history. But Twilight, I'm more concerned about you pushing yourself to unconsciousness again. Taking care of you yesterday was... difficult. Emotionally, I mean. You’re already cute… if you throw in vulnerable and helpless, that will be far worse for me than any accidental or intentional glimpse of your flank without a towel. I try to be moral but there are some situations that are just oddly arousing. I don’t want to lose control while you can’t consent.”

Twilight's smile turned mischievous, though her exhaustion was evident. “I know I'm close to passing out. It's inevitable at this point but don't worry too much. I trust you completely, Tim. Even if I'm not... awake... for a while.”

My jaw dropped. “Twilight! That's... We can't... That's not how this works!”

She tiredly stuck out her tongue. “I'm just saying, you have my permission. For anything. I want you to know that.”

Her statement was playful enough that I couldn't tell if she was trying to ease my worry with an outrageous offer. Although, it was possible that this was a genuine, if misguided and poorly timed, attempt to follow up on our conversation from this morning. The fact that her implied consent appealed to me also disturbed me. I should be focused on her safety, not her mare bits, which was hard to do after she showed me them while toweling off after her bath yesterday. God, was that less than 12 hours ago? It feels like that happened a lifetime ago… Either way, it left me more concerned than ever.

I sighed, not wanting to distract her further but needing to respond. “I appreciate your trust, Twilight, but that's not how consent works. Let's focus on getting you through this safely.”

The 13th trailer was a quick fix since it was already half done from yesterday and that brought was up to the next trailer that was earmarked to be scrapped. I turned back to Twilight.

“This transmutation has repaired far more trailers than I thought it would, largely because I think we messed up by trying to fix the ones that needed the smallest number of repairs first. I really think you should target the next trailer that is marked to be scrapped just to bleed off the rest of the spell. You can still scrap it later if the company wants it to be scrapped but this is already too much. Scrapping one trailer yesterday fixed less than 6 and you’re about to be on 14. The next one must be the last one.”

To my disappointment, she bypassed the scrap trailer and went to the next normal trailer that needed repairs. A single tear rolled down my cheek though a person wouldn’t have been able to see the tear with the steady stream of sweat also rolling down my face.

I asked the only question that I could, “Why?”

Her eyes were watery with tears from the exertion. She was drenched in sweat and veins were popping out of her forehead. I could tell that her magic was now causing her pain, and it broke my heart to see her in pain.

Twilight’s voice was so raw that it was hard to understand her. “I... I have to finish this. The company needs these trailers. The others... they shouldn't have to suffer, or work harder, because I failed. I’ve seen what it’s done to you!”

I saw something in her eyes then - a desperation that went beyond just doing a good job. It was as if she was trying to prove something, not just to the company, but to me. The realization hit me like a punch in the gut. Was she pushing herself this hard because of our conversation this morning? Did she think she needed to prove her worth to stay? To be... loved?

“Twilight,” I said, my voice softer now, “you don't have to do this. Not for the company, not for me. You're already worth…”

But she had already turned back to the next trailer, her horn glowing even brighter as she poured more of herself into the spell. I wanted to physically shake her to snap her out of this.

“Twilight, you're pushing yourself too far. Your health is more important than any job!”

She just grunted and kept working. I knew she couldn’t end the spell early, but I also didn’t like the feeling that she was ignoring me, not when I cared for her.

I shook my head as anger threatened to overtake me. “To hell with them!” I threw my hands up into the air and paced in a small circle just to come back to her, face to muzzle. “What good is it to have a strong work ethic if it kills you!”

Her magic enveloped the next trailer, and she tried to ground out her words, her magic straining her so badly that she could barely speak.

“For the last time… it’s… not… going… to… kill… me…”

The trailer, completely restored and ready for use, seemed to mock me. It wasn’t worth the pain that Twilight was putting herself through. To my joy, the light faded from Twilight’s horn as the spell finally wore off, having fixed exactly 14 trailers.

Just as the spell finished, she smiled at me, and I started to smile back when Twilight’s eyes widened in panic. All the veins in her forehead bulged and it looked like even her horn might crack. I had never seen her eyes look so dull and colorless…

She whispered, “Magic… stroke…” before her eyes rolled back and she started to fall.

I swooped down and caught her again, just like yesterday. Only this time, when I looked at her, her tongue was hanging out of her mouth like a dead animal on the Wild Africa nature documentary we had watched together last night while I held her.

My eyes widened in shock. “Twilight? Twilight! TWILIGHT!!!”

I placed her on the ground and placed my ear to her chest. For better or worse, my outburst got the manager’s attention, and they finally came over.

Melvin called out first. “What’s wrong with her?”

Panic couldn’t describe my tone of voice when I shouted back. “She’s not breathing!”

Military focus took over with tunnel vision of staying in the moment. Staying in the mission. The best part of having been an Army medic was knowing CPR. Staying certified was one of things I had maintained over the years as a civilian, though I had never had to use it on a pony. I prayed to whatever God there was that it would work the same.

100 to 120 chest compressions per minute plus opening her mouth to provide 2 or 3 breaths of air every few compressions. Her tongue was only briefly in the way as I got it positioned into a more natural place within her mouth. As I gave her the first life-saving breaths, I couldn't help but to reflect that her month tasted like the strawberry oatmeal she had eaten that morning.

Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air. Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air.

“Twilight, please... Sara needs you. I need you. Fight!”

Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air. Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air.

I didn’t care that I was crying in front of my boss. I keep going. I couldn’t stop. With each compression, memories of Twilight flashed through my mind - her smile, her giggle, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about magic. I couldn't lose her. Not like this. Not when we were just starting to really bond. It seemed so strange to be so attached to her already, but in depths of my soul, I knew that losing her would feel as bad as losing my wife had been. I might never recover.

Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air. Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump, Pump. Air, Air, Air…

On the last breath she spasmed, coughed, and sucked in a breath and shuddered. She opened her eyes and looked deeply into mine.

Her voice was barely a whisper. “Tim... cold. Stay... with me.”

I looked into her eyes and nodded, my voice thick with emotion. “I won't leave you. I've got you. You're safe now.”

With that, she passed out again, but at least this time when I checked, she was still alive. I held her closely to my chest, focusing on the feeling of her breathing, while I was rocking back and forth like I was holding a sleeping baby.

“She’s breathing. She's okay. Thank God, she’s okay,” I murmured, my voice trembling with relief and residual fear.

Joe looked down at me with newfound respect. “That’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever seen. You saved her, good job hero.”

My voice was flat with how exhausted I was from the exertion to save her. “Before she passed out earlier, she said she probably wouldn’t be able to work the rest of the week. Narrowly escaping death, I don’t think I’m out of line to request the rest of the week off for both of us.”

Melvin nodded. “I’ll fill out the paperwork. You will both get your full 40 hours, just no overtime. Joe will make sure she gets paid for the scrap.”

I couldn’t give a shit about that right now, but I had to play nice. “Yeah. Next time, trailers and drums get recycled separately, and that’s assuming she consents to transmute more trailers. I know I wouldn’t do something that literally killed me a second time.”

Joe sighed. “Damn, Tim. You really came through for her. She owes you big time.”

I sighed and looked back down at her, holding her gently. What caught my attention was the smile on her face. I knew that she was unconscious but her last thought, knowing she was safe with me, left a smile on her face…

“This isn’t the time to settle debts or to fulfil promises.”

Melvin’s gruff voice snapped me out of my growing melancholy. “Well, this heat can’t be good for her. Let’s her on the golf cart and we’ll drive you as close to your car as we can get so you can take her home.”

I nodded and picked up Twilight, carrying her effortlessly and sitting down on the rear facing back seat, still holding her and not letting her out of my arms.

I whispered out loud to no one in particular… “It’s going to be okay…”

* * *

Author's Note

I write commissions!.

At 5 dollars per 1,000 words, I'm one of the cheaper writers on the site. If you have a story idea, E, T or M, please DM me and we'll work something out.