A Life of Shy

A parade of lights and sirens flooded the South Boston area. Multiple police cruisers, fire trucks, and EMTs arrived on the scene of a vehicular accident. A car spun out of control at the crossing near the homeless encampment. The driver apparently went too fast in the pouring down rain, hydroplaned, and took out some of the encampment.

First responders are working hard in the stormy weather. A couple of canopies were set up for Metro Boston investigators and first responders. Three tents have been struck by the vehicle, one tent containing a couple who got killed on impact, one containing a younger man who surprisingly escaped, and then there’s me and my tent.

Everything happened so quickly. I had no idea what all was happening. The only thing I recall before being put in the back of an ambulance was that something struck me. Unknown to my knowledge, my vision blurry, all I can see is a white-lit box with medical equipment and an oxygen bag on my face with an EMT pushing the large bubble of the bag every few seconds.

I attempted to look around to see what all is nearby. Looking at my right arm, an IV is inserted, providing fluids to stabilize me. On my left down at the bench next to the gurney is my suitcase. At least they were courteous enough to grab that. Somehow, my suitcase suffered little damage to the impact. By my left arm is my Fluttershy plush.

` I attempted to smile at the sight of her, wincing at the pain. I could only guess that I was still holding her after I was struck and the EMTs saw me holding her. Shortly after, the nearby EMT said what I guessed was ‘move faster’, which was followed by a sudden rush feeling from the accelerator of the ambulance, causing me to black out again.

Complete darkness is all I could see around me. There was nothing in front, below, above, or behind me. I could see my feet and my arms, almost clear as day, but everything around me was nothing but an endless void.

“Am I–dead?” I thought, yet the thought of being dead was too unsettling. Being a Christian, I expected something—different—rather than a dark void of nothingness. I expected to be standing in front of my lord and savior Jesus Christ, not stand in the middle of blackness.

“Mikeyyy,” a distant female voice called out. My guard went up immediately at the distant voice. I didn’t know what was around and what to expect. But there was nothing nearby. Was I hearing things? Is it possible that all my years of Christianity was a lie? Why did the voice sound so familiar and sincere?

“Mikeyyy,” said the same voice, but in a higher but still gentle pitch.

“Who’s that?!” I demanded.

The female voice let out a cute giggle. “You know who I am Mikey.”

“Stop fucking with me!” I said angrily. “Show yourself! I don’t know this place and I don’t know who you are!”

“Oh but you do know me, your heart just doesn’t know yet. Just trust me and follow my voice.”

“And how do I know that this isn’t some sort of trap?” I asked, keeping my guard up.

“Just believe me, okay?” the voice replied, somehow more sincere and less threatening, which wasn’t threatening to begin with. Something inside me told me to trust it. I have no idea why my instincts are telling me to trust a random distant voice, but here I am, walking in a void of nothingness in the direction of the voice. It sounds so welcoming and rather calming. Do I know the voice? It sounds familiar–like I heard it somewhere.

“There you go, you’re almost here. Just a little more,” the gentle voice said. I wanted to turn back, but I kept on trekking ahead towards the voice that’s calling for me. I couldn’t break the urge to go back, to ignore the voice, to try and run. My mind wasn’t letting me. I could be heading towards certain death, if I’m not dead already. I was taking a risk and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.

As I get closer, a familiar figure can be seen in the distance. Bright as the glow of a halo, the figure was floating in the air. I got closer to the figure.

“It can’t be,” I thought to myself. My eyes adjusted to the figure as I was just feet away from it. A bright-yellow Pegasus light directly at me. Its pink, curly mane and tail and cutie mark consisting of three pink butterflies showing its beauty. Its eyes, teal-colored, showing a sign of gentleness and can only be described as welcoming.

I cannot believe what I’m seeing right now, almost as it’s too good to be true. I rubbed my eyes to see if I’m seeing things, even pinching myself, but the Pegasus is still there!

“Fluttershy, y-you’re real?!” I asked, shocked at the sight of her.

She giggled. “Of course I’m real Mikey. I’ve always been real.” Tears flowed in my eyes. I felt happiness for the first time in years. I never thought that I would be in the presence of my favorite pony, who helped me through most of my life, but here I am.

She got down to my level, still hovering in place. She looked more beautiful up close. I wanted to embrace her in a hug, but I stood there shell-shocked. She landed in front of me, wrapped one of her wings around me, and brought me in for what felt like the warmest hug I ever received. I embraced her, feeling the warmth of her fur. I felt happiness on a scale I never felt before.

“Come with me,” she said. “Let’s go to my place.”