An Old Friend From The Past - Part 1
‘Filth is all I see when gazing deep into my friends eyes. Do they not feel askew? Do they not see shapes swimming in their cornea? For I can. I can see all those fowls held within their flesh, it throbs with eager excitement of joining the fresh air, the very air we all hold so dear. I can feel it choke my lungs the more I ruminate over it.
Spores that will fill my lungs, slowly converting my pleura with scabs and secretions, rotting my flesh from the inside out.’
Were in my thoughts as I smiled longingly at a friend I have not seen in over a decade. His disheveled coat, mane and tail were indicating to me that he had not showered during his time away. Where did he go for all of that time? Was he exploring the wilds unknown to minds here? What was he doing, and what has he done?
‘Hey Microscope, how have you been? It has been quite a while since we last saw each other, huh?’ He asked, moving closer and closer to my clean surroundings.
‘Yeah, it has been quite a bit hasn't it… You look well traveled, Swamp Fever. What has it been? Ten years give or take?’ I faked comradery.
He nodded in agreement with that notion I made, his unkempt and diseased ridden fur swung lifelessly around his neck, as I saw whatever he was carrying fling itself into a pond next to where we stood.
‘Now it will infect our water supply, what a feral pony it is. It must be cleaned and sterile at the very least.’ I thought a fantastic Idea came to my lips.
‘Say, swamp, why don’t you come to my place. You can have a shower and we can catch up. Do you still drink hot coco?’ I forced a pleasantry to my tone of voice.
‘That sounds too good to be true, I still do yes. Hey, do you still have that Ponystation?’ He was thrilled at the idea of a shower.
‘Yes I do, but it is packed away… Ok, this is the plan then. While you go and have a much needed shower I will rummage through my boxes for it. It would just be like our college days huh?’ A smile crept across my lips.
‘Oh man, that would be fantastic!’ his eyes flashed open as a glint of childlike wonder reawakened in him. It was filthy, those pits of opal blue did not shine brightly, but they looked faded as if those eyes were not in control of his body. Could that mean viral infection? Or could it mean a parasitic take over? I need to study him, and hopefully find the bottom of this situation. I must do it, if not for my health but for the health of every pony here.
‘Hey, Scopy, yoohoo! You in there buddy?’ He waved a hoof in front of my face. The bacteria that were held within the crevices of his horse shoe were fowl to put it nicely.
I screamed silently and jolted back to my normal self, there was no way in tartarus I would let that, thing, touch me.
‘Sorry, I was just thinking.’ I tried to claim it calmly, but in the back of my mind, I was reeling.
‘You gave me a scare, are you sure you are ok?’ It asked me.
‘Yeah, I am now. Again sorry for that. Why don’t we get going, you looked parched and my house is only a block away.’ I could barely control my body movements as I struggled to keep a calm disposition.
It nodded in confirmation and I began to make my way home with it in tow beside me. ‘Why am I taking it home with me? Am I raving mad to have such a disgraceful thing trot next to me? I need to find out how you tick, how your alien overlord has taken you hostage. I need to save the trapped soul underneath that things control.’ I ran those questions over and over in my head as it continued to speak to me, its breath was putrid to breathe in. I will need to purge myself from its influence.
‘We are here, welcome to my humble abode," I said as I waved a hoof emphasizing my front door. The door was attached to a quaint little shack. Sure it was a little stark and sterile looking but I need to sleep in a very clean home… ‘it will need to be housed out here’ ran across my mind as I looked at it. Gaging how to tackle this situation.
‘Since my home is quite clean on the inside, you will need to take that shower out here. Don’t worry, it is shaded, and it is blocked in concrete over there by my bike. No pony will be able to see you. You will have complete privacy.’ I pointed to the blocked off area.
‘That is very fair, I don’t want to muddy up your home. Sasy, how will the hose get to me?’ It asked.
‘That is the cool thing, it is already attached to the far wall, where the bike is-.’
‘How do I reach it?’ it asked while cutting me off.
‘Well, there is a button on the same wall, it’s big and blue. You can not miss it. Also, there is an orange button as well. Press that while the shower is on and shampoo will dispense with the water as it falls from the middle of the ceiling.’ I said while trying to keep my temper at bay.
‘That is pretty swanky, huh? You must be quite up to date with our kinds technology.’ it said with a short whistle. What does it mean by Our Kinds technology? Must not linger, I have immense work to do.
‘Say, how do you like your hot coco again?’ I asked again.
‘Oh, without milk please.’ It responded. Milk? What is milk?
‘Fair enough. Do you still have it with sugar?’ I was confused.
‘Yeah, three please.’ Smiling, its teeth were rotten as its lips parted and showed all that could see, their horrifying visage.
'Ahh, very good. I shall fetch you some hot coco. Hurry up and get yourself cleaned up. It will never last hot for long.’
I chuckled light-heartedly before I headed into the front door, as I tried to reassure it that nothing suspicious was about to fall upon that thing… I had taken notice of the small glances here and there, those feral pools of light that held his vision squinted from time to time. Trying to peek through the veil that blocked their view from my secret plan.