Fear Equestria: The Enemy

Some of the older ponies, they've told me before that you're only truly alive at that point when danger threatens to overwhelm you. The point where the fear fills you. I hope they were right, because that means they had the time of their lives... right before the disease ended it.

It's hard to know what happened to them, only that they are gone, they've all gone. I'm lucky and I know it. I manged to find someplace safe to hide out and I was the right age. Thirteen and a half. It seemed that the illness only affected those over the age of fourteen. My brother wasn't so lucky

He was born the year before me, to the day. We thought it would be alright, after all he was close enough to the age. We didn't reckon right. The poor bastard got ill soon after we left home.

At that point I had never been so afraid, and I wished it was me that was ill, me that was doomed to death. I knew that the older ponies were wrong just then, no way did the fear make me feel alive. All it did was paralyze me. The couple of days after that were a blur, a mixture of both of us weeping and me trying to do anything I could to save him, to cure him. Those days were dark, man I couldn't tell you how bad it felt. It got so bad that I even prayed out to whatever powers could possibly be out there, and I don't even believe in the "Titans" or whatever some ponies called them.

Then after a couple of days, as the sickness was it's height, I made a decision. I was not letting some Celestia dammed disease take my brother! I had seen what happened to some of the healthier victims, the younger ones. They came back after the disease ran it's course. I was not about to let that happen!

In the end, even with the motivation, I fell at the final hurdle. I just couldn't bring myself to end it. Part of me must still of had hope, even when faced with the facts. It was him that convinced me, he took an old blade from out hiding spot and held it to his throat. He yelled at me. Well, croaked, the disease had done a number on his body by that point. He made me grab the blade, and then, he slowly drew it across his throat.

I know he did it for me, to make it easy, but it didn't help much. On that day, I think we both died.

As the blood poured out of the wound, my hoof felt cold, I couldn't believe what I had done. Staring into my brothers eyes, I could see the light go out. What were once orbs of light in his face were now dead pools, almost a reflection of my soul.

That night was the last night I spent there, after what had happened, I just needed to get away. No matter how safe it was, what had happened couldn't be forgotten and I couldn't stay around my brothers body.

Some might say that was foolish of me, that I was an idiot for giving up the safety and not getting rid of the body. But I couldn't do that, I couldn't chuck him out to be feasted on. I wasn't that cold, not yet.

The morning after was bleak, the weather fitting my mood perfectly. I gathered what remained of my possessions, the the old blade that my brother found taking the place as the only item on my belt, and prepared to depart. My final act was to dump what remained of the fuel we had and give my brother a proper send off. The fire was fierce, but I made sure I was out safely. I could only hope it didn't spread, I would hate for the fire to of caused harm to any other survivors.

I finished and walked away from that place, the fire illuminating the sky behind me and ash blinding my eyes. I turned back for one final look back and a tear ran down my face. There was no going back.

Walking away from my past, I was a changed pony. I had no hope and no plan, but I kept walking. The only thing I had was a knife, some basic supplies and the fear. I knew then I would always have the fear.