Chapter one: the infection. Pend
It was cold, the stars shining down upon Pend; as she walked across the stony path of Ponyville. She was on her way back from the cannery, were she spend her days canning food. She lived at the Ponyville apartment complex. The only friend she had was Green Star. He was a young, handsome, pony that worked at the gun factory. Pend had liked him since the first day they went, his light green coat, and his dark green hair. She looked forward to seeing him after work every day.
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As Pend turned the corner to her room, she noticed a note on Green Stars door. Pend’s curiosity, made it hard to leave without reading the small, blue note. As she took it off the door with her magic she read it.
Dear Mr. Green Star. We, the congress of the guns academy have noticed that your weapon creating has gotten out of hand. We have here by banished you from creating any more fire arms. If you break this law, you will go to jail for risking life’s of Ponyville.
Thank you for your time.
Pend felt shock that someone would ban Green Star from making weapons, he isn’t hurting nopony! Creating weapons is Green Stars life! It’s what he does when he has time, plus what about his job. Hill have to quit, then he would have to move! Just the thought of him moving made Pend feel sick to her stomach. What will I do? I’ll have to hide the letter, but then hill got to jail. Pend was in a deep thought when she herd the clop of hooves. It was Green Star coming up the stars. Without thinking Pend stuffed the note in her saddle.
Green Star walked up to his door were Pend was standing. “Hey Green Star!” Pend said in an uneasy voice. “Hey,” Green Star Replied. He unlooked his door and stepped inside. He looked back at Pend and asked, “Are you feeling all right?” “Oh yes I’m fine.” Pend said trying to sound like she was fine. The truth is that Pend has a hard time keeping secrets. She hated keeping them; she had a bad experience in school, when the filly asked her to keep a secret about stealing the teacher’s new hat. Pend didn’t know that the filly would get in trouble if she told. The filly was expelled from school, and nopony wanted to talk to Pend. From that point on she has had the hardest time keeping secrets.
Green Star turned back around and took off his saddle, and hat. “See you tomorrow Green Star.” Pend said to him as she turned away. “See yah Pend,” Green Star replied closing his door.
Later that night Pend lay in bed with the note in one hoof. After an hour, she slide the note in her dresser and went out into her kitchen. She pulled out an apple out of her fringe and went to the couch. Pend clicked on the TV and turned it to Equestrian news. She took a bite of the apple; it was a ripe apple, from Sweet Apple Acers. As the news talked about life today, a warning came on the TV.
Warring killer on the loose, stay indoors till he is chaptered. Pony not found, just know that he was last seen in the back of the cannery. This pony has killed to fillys, their bodies were found at seven o’ clock.
Pend looked at the clock, it was eight thirty. Pend left work at eight. “God! I’m so glad I wasn’t there.” She said to herself as she took another bite of her apple. She looked back at the warning.
…The bodies were torn apart and left behind a pile of apple cider canes. If you come in contact with this pony, call the police.
The message repeated three times then the news came back on. Pend felt worried about Green Star. What if he is in danger! Pend dropped the apple, and ran to go get her saddle.
She went to Green Stars door and nocked, “hello, Green star it’s me Pend.” No one came to the door. She nocked harder. Again no one came. Pend started to panic! “Green star open this door!” the lights were off inside. “If you don’t open this door right know, I’ll break the lock!” using her magic she broke the lock on the door. She flicked on the light and entered the room. There was no blood, or body parts. Green Stars saddle was gone. “Dear Celestia, he went outside!”
In her panic of thinking that the killer could be cutting him up right then. She ran out of the door and onto the street. As Pend roamed the street she couldn’t find anypony, just an empty street. Pend looked behind every building and every cart. There was no evidence of any killer, or of Green Star. She was about to give out when she heard a moan behind her. She swung her head around to see a lone pony at the end of the street. Pend turned the rest of her body around and took a step forward. It wasn’t Green Star. It was a hooded figure, with blood on his hooves. It was the culprit! “Don’t get close to me!” The pony mooned ageing. “I warn you, I-I’ll kill you!” the figure started to walk forward.
Pend tried to make out his face, but the hood and the darkness from the night made it impossible! Pend started to back up. Then the pony started to run! “Dear Celestia! Some pony help me!” Pend turned around getting ready to run, when she tripped over a stone. The pony jumped on Pend. She turned around and gave a kick with all her might! The killer flu into the air and landed by a food cart. “Green Star help me!” Pend yelled at the top of her lungs! At that point the hood fell off of the killer. What Pend saw chilled her to her bone. In was a colt, but it didn’t look like is has living. Half if its face was gone just bone. Its teeth were sharp, and its eyes were white.
“Police! Help me!” she made a finely attempted at getting help. The thing jumped onto Pend. He was about to sink its teeth into Pend’s neck when it was kicked off of her. Pend looked up to see Green Star. “Get up!” Green Star yelled to Pend. Pend jumped up and ran behind Green Star. As the thing got up it looked hungry in its eyes. “It’s trying to eat us!” pend shouted. The colt ran at Green Star. Green Star kicked its leg. The pony snapped at Green Stars hooves. “Not today!” Green Star yelled as he put his entire Wight into crushing the pony’s skull.
Pend was shacking all over, blood stained her light blue coat. Green Star nudged his head into her main and said in a calming voice. “It’s ok, it’s over.” Tears ran down her face as she thought what would have happened if Green Star wouldn’t have made it. “What was that thing?” She asked. “I don’t know, but whatever it was, we need to call the police.” “What if there is more?” Pend asked still shivering. “Don’t worry, there isn’t, were safe.”
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Pend and Green Star when to their apartment once the police arrived. Green Star opened his door, and walked in. “wait, don’t leave me.” Pend said in a panic voice. “It’s ok, he’s dead, and there are no more.” Green Star said trying to calm her down. “But what if there are more! And they kill me in the night!” “They won’t.” “But what if they do!” there was a long silence, and then Green Star asked. “Why don’t you sleep at my place, for the night, or until you feel safe.” Pend just stood there, thinking of the attack. Green Star walked up to her and put a hoof around her. “Come, you’ll feel safe.” Green Star led her into the house, and locked the door.
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The police took the colt’s body to Canter Lot to by studied. “Doctor, what are we looking at?” Private Apple asked. Doctor hooves looked over the body. “It doesn’t make any since!” “What?” “The results came in; it says this body has been dead for two years.” “That’s impossible!” Marriott said. “Well, this body has been dead for a long time, and you say it just died?” Doctor hooves said. “Well, yes. It killed two ponies at eight thirty, and then attacked another around nine.” Marriott said. “Well take a look.” They all looked at the body. “We cut it open and found the organs rotting.” “A body can only be that rotten when its ben dead a long time.” “What about the stomach, is there flesh in it?” “Yes, that’s the incredible thing! It has fresh pony flesh in it.” “So you’re saying, this thing ate the ponies.” Doctor hooves walked around the table. “I don’t have a clue! It doesn’t make any since!” Doctor hooves said going to his computer. “But until we figure this out, I want solders in every city.” “Yes sir, I’ll put solders every were.” The police left Dr. Hooves to study, as they followed out his orders.
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Pend woke up in the morning with surprise. Green Star was lying next to her. “Ummm…. Green Star, what are you doing?” Green Star flipped over and said. “You were freaking out in the night, I think a bad dream? So I came out to calm you down.” Pend thought about if she had dreams last night. “I do remember a little bit of a dream. I was being chased by ponies, and they were trying to eat me.” Then she remembered what happened last night. “It’s ok, your safe, remember?” “Oh yah…” Pend said feeling scared. “Here, let me get you something to eat.” Green Star stood up, and went to the kitchen. Pend slept in a gest bed room in the back of the apartment. She looked out of the window and saw ponies, doing what they do every day. Pend looked over to the cannery, it was closed. Police were all around it. Well I guess I’m not going to work today. Pend thought to herself.
Green star walked into the room with apples and blue berry muffins. “Here is some food for you.” Green star said putting the trey on the bed. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to get me muffins.” Pane told him as she sat up. “It’s no problem. I’ll stay home from work with you.” Pane would have said something about him going to work, but then she remembered the note, and it would be better for him to stay home. “Thanks, I’m thinking about going down to Candy Cane corner to see how Mr. and Ms. Cake are doing. “Ok once you finished breakfast, can have you starving yourself.” Pend giggled slightly at the saying of that. “Just remember your safe with others.”
After eating breakfast Pend headed down to Candy Cane corner. “Hello Ms. Cake.” “Hello dear.” Ms. Cake said pulling out a trey of hot cupcakes. “I was just stopping by to see how business was.” “Oh, it’s fine.” Ms. Cake walked up to Pend and whispered in her ear. “I heard what happened last night, are you ok?” Pend was shocked that she knew. “How do you know what happened?” “It was on the news this morning, and they have solders outside of town, at least a dozen.” “Oh! They have it on the news.” Pend said kind of embarrassed. “Well yah! Dude they haven’t had a pony get attacked since July! This is big news!” “Yah, I was almost food.” “Food?” Ms. Cake looked confused. “The news didn’t say anything about you getting eaten.” “Really! We told the police right after it happen, they knew!” Pend said feeling anguish in side of her. “Yah, they told us you were being raped.” “What!” Pend shouted. “They can’t say that! That’s not what happened!” “Calm down honey, maybe there trying to keep it secret.” Ms. Cake said going back to frost a cake. “b-but ponies need to know the truth!” “Shhhhh! Here comes some pony, will talk later.” “Ok, I’ll see you later.” Pend said with anger inside of her. As she walked down the road she saw three solders chatting outside of the cannery. Pend stopped to listen. “Did you hear what happened last night?” one with a combat shotgun asked. “Yah, I did that poor pony, it’s a good thing the Green Star came.” I know, right? If he didn’t come then, what would have happened?” a short fat one asked. “Well what would you think numskull!” the combat shot gun guy said hitting him on the side of the head. “Well I know what would have happened, but I just wanted to ask.” The short fat one asked rubbing his head. Pend walked away thinking to herself. Do they think I was raped, or almost eaten? Still full of anger she trotted over to the apartment when she heard a gunshot.
She heard a total of five gunshots, she turned around and say smoke coming from the end of the street. Pend ran over to see who was firing gunshots. It was a solder, and a body lay still in the road. It was a earth pony, her stomach torn apart and flesh peeled from her right, hind leg. Pend panicked, it looked just like the one last night, except this was a female. “What is it!” a solder yelled. “I know what it is!” Pend yelled from the back of the crowd gathering. Everyone looked back at her. “It’s like the same thing that tried to eat me last night.” There was some gasping in the crowed. “You’re crazy.” A colt said in the crowd. “I’m not crazy! We need to get the princess down here!” The solder with he’s gun drawn, the one that killed the thing said to Pend. “She isn’t crazy, this thing attacked me like it wanted to kill me, I say we get Princess Celestia down here right now.” He pointed to Private Apple get Princess Celestia down here right now.” He used his magic power to pick up a phone and gave it to the Private. “And tell her to send more solders, we might need more.” Pend said feeling bold of what she has done.
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“Green Star, please you have to give me a gun.” Pend begged. “No I don’t, you have no training what’s so ever. I can’t let you.” Green Star said putting away a revolver. “Yes you can! I’m not going to shoot it with my thong like some of the solders who don’t have horns.” Pend said leaning closer to him. “Magic or not, it’s too dangerous.” “Just one gun, you can train me in Sweet Apple Acers!” Green Star thought for a minute. “Fine ill teach you, if!” “if what?” if you promos you won’t go out looking for trouble with the things.” “Ok, I promos.” Pend said “ok, we start first thing in the morning.
Chapter2: Ponyvilles grave yard
As Green Star set up bottle to shoot at, Pend picked out a weapon to use. Green Star had tons of weapons. He had pistols, rifles, sniper rifles, assault guns, and even a rocket launcher. Pend wanted to use the rocket launcher, but Green Star said she wouldn’t learn to shoot with that. She ended up picking a small black revolver that held six shots. “Ok, aim at the green bottle.” Green Star commanded. Pend took aim and shot, the kick on the gun shocked Pend but she held it strongly with her magic. She fired again hitting the bottle. “Good.” Green Star said. Pend shot three shots hitting two bottles. “Great job Pend, know you have one shot left, hit that apple in that tree.” Pend took aim and fired, she hit the branch sending apples every were. “Not what I had in mind, but ok.” Green star said looking at the broken branch. “Ok, know reload your gun, remember what I said?” “Yah, reload fast but not too fast.” “Good!”
They shot for a few hours, and then one of the workers at Sweet Apple Acers named Apple Jack, came and told us we had to go. Pend thanked her for the use of their farm, and then left.
When they got back to Ponyville, Princess Luna was there. She was saying something to the new gourds that came to protect the city from more attacks. Pend went closer to hear what they were saying. “I want you guys to go to the grave yard; we might have a lead to were the things are coming from.” Princess Luna said to the gourds and solders. “Yes princess.” A solder said there was a long silence then one solder asked. “Where is this grave yard?” “Ask a local.” Luna said “hey, you, you with the blue coat.” The general said pointing at Pend. “Y-yes?” Pend asked feeling nerves that Luna was now looking at her. “Where is the grave yard?” he asked “it’s over the river, and down the left path.” Pend said stepping forward. “I’ll take you there.” Pend said boldly. “What are you doing?” Green Star whispered into Pend’s ear. “Helping out are government.” Pend replied. “Could you do that for us?” Luna asked. “Yes I could just give me an hour and I’ll meet you on the out skirts of town.” “Ok I’ll see you there….” Luna said Luna walked away with her army of twenty ponys.
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“What was that?” Green Star shouted with anger. “What was what?” Pend asked. “You know what I’m talking about Pend!” “I want to fight.” Pend said packing her saddle with ammo and her revolver. Green Star sighed. “What if you die?” He said sadly. Pend never thought about that, she stopped packing and looked over. “Then I die.” She said turning back around stuffing more bullets into her saddle. “But, what if you turn into one of them!” this time she stopped packing and turned her whole body. A single tear ran down her face. “It’s ok.” Green star said hugging her. “No its not!” Pend said pushing Green star away. “I don’t want to live in a world of fear. Knowing that any day, those things will attack, and kill everything!” tears ran down her face as she remembered the attack on her and the attack yesterday. “You don’t have to do this.” Green Star said. “Yes I do, I want to see that there died. I’ve seen the government lie. What if they say there died when there still out there?” Green Star looked at her gun as she slid it into her saddle. “Then I’ll come with you.” “No, I want you here in case the things attack Ponyville.” “Ok, I will stay, as long as you come back.” They hugged for a long time, then Pend wiped the tears from her eyes, and said good bye.
It felt like a long time to walk to the meeting place, but really it only took ten minutes. “Hey there’s the kid!” a solder shouted. Pend walked up to the small army of solders, most armed with assault rifles. Some of the land ponys and Pegasus had the guns strapped to their sides, others carried them in there moths. “Are you ready for this?” the general asked Pend. “Yes I am ready.” “Good, let’s get ready to head out.”
They traveled passed the river, and started down the road when there was one of the things. There it stood eating a dead cow in the middle of the road. Every one stopped. “What is that thing!” one man shouted. Pend pulled out her gun and shot it dead center in the head. “It was one of them.” Pend said. “One of what?” and man cried from the army. “The things were going to kill.” “In the grave yard?” a man asked. “Yep, and were going to kill every last one.” Pend started to walk ahead, when two more of the things ran out.” BANG! BANG!
The gun of a soldier killed the things. “How many are there?” the pony that shot the things asked. “I don’t know, but I didn’t think there would be more in the same place.” Pend felt panicked, she looked all around her just to make shire there wasn’t any more. “Keep going ponys, we got to make it by sun down.” The general yelled to his men.
They traveled ten miles till they found another thing; another five and they found six. They traveled hours the men picked a name for the things, since they looked dead, and smelled dead, and could possibly be dead. They called them re-deads. Because they were re-dead after they killed them.
It was twenty minutes till sun down, Pend looked ahead to see a sign.
Ponyville grave yard one mile.
They were close, but it was almost sundown. They stopped at the sign. “You two!” the general said pointing at two solders. “Scout ahead; tell us if you see anything.” “Yes sir!” the two said as they levitated there rifles.
Pend walked back to the general, how had a cigar in his mouth. “It’s been fifteen minutes, and they aren’t back, we need to go see if there all right.” The general stood up from his bolder and walked over to Pend. “There just fine. They will come back any second know.” Pend felt angry that no one was lessening to her. After all she knew they should be back by known, and the sun was all most sun down.
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Green Star looked down at his weapons thinking about Pend. If she was alive, or being eaten. Then a knock came from his door. “Come in!” Green Star shouted from the back room. “Green Star, it’s me Wood Joe.” Wood Joe was a brown coated pony that worked at the lumber mill. His job was to cut wood that the other ponys brought in. “yes, what is it?” Green Star asked loading a revolver. “It’s Fire Horn! She’s been attacked!” Green Star stood up from his work bench and ran out to the hall. “By what?” “O-one, of them things!” “Where is she?” Green Star asked putting his gun is his holster. “At the clinic! She’s getting medical help.” another attack! Green Star told himself. “Can you take me?” Green Star asked grabbing his saddle.
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Pend watched the road for any sign of the solders. There was no sign. Pend figured that they were probably goofing off. After all there were no gun shots, so they probably didn’t see anything. Pend walked over to a stone and sat down. She pulled out a can of mints called big city mints, and plopped on in her moth. Pend loved a good mint, she didn’t eat them all the time, but she still loved them. As she chewed the mint she saw something down the road. It looked like the solders. She shot up from the stone and took a better look. It was hard to tell who they were. The sun was down, and the only light was from the moon. Pend walked closer. “Hey guys there back!” I solder shouted lying in the grass. Then the pony’s stopped walking. It chilled Pend to the bone. They just stared. “Ummmmm, Guys?” A solder said walking to Pend’s side. Pend pulled out her revolver. “I’ll go see what’s up with them.” Pend volunteered. “Take this, it’s a flash light.” The solder said beside her. He handed her a small blue flash light. “Thanks.” Pend said levitating the flash light above her gun.
As Pend walked towards the solders standing in the road she clicked on her flash light. “Hello?” Pend said shaking a little. She aimed the light at their faces. It was them!
But something wasn’t right. They stood there, staring into nothing. “Guys, snap out of it!” they slowly looked at Pend. “What’s going on?” Pend said taking a few steps. The solders smiled, it was the creepiest smile Pend had ever seen. “Something is up with you guys, you need medical help.” The solders started walking forward. Then they started to run. “Guys? Oh shit!” the solders leaped for Pend. Pend shot of all six shots killing one. The other one landed on Pend. Pend kicked the solder off realizing he was a re-dead. “Guys, he is a re-dead!” once she yelled that, BLAM! A shot came from the general. Hitting the re-dead, right on the head.
“Are you ok!” A solder yelled helping Pend up. “Y-yah, I’m ok!” Pend said shaking all over. “What happened to them?” Pend said levitating her gun to her side. “Look! Bite marks!” a solder pointed to a gash in one solders leg. “And there is one on the other one to!” he pointed to the other pony sneak. “Danm! They were bitten!” A younger looking solder said. “One bite and it turned them into a re-dead.” Pend looked at the bite marks. “How fast do you think it took?” Pend asked “maybe an hour to two hours.” “Look one has blood on its moth!” a solder yelled in shock. “It looks to me, one was bit, and when the other was carrying him back. He turned.” “We need to get back and tell the others!” Pend said putting her flash light away. “What about are mission to clear out the grave yard!” a solder said razing an assault rifle. “He has a point Pend; we have to clear out the grave yard.” “What!” Pend said in shock. “You want us to go in there after we know this happens if bitten!” “I’m sorry Pend, but Princess Luna gave us orders.” The general said flicking his cigar onto the ground. “Let’s get moving!” a pony said with a sniper rifle. “Sniper team stays back here in case we need a quick escape. Assault team and Pend fallow me!”
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Green Star walked into the clinic where the pony’s body laid. “Is she going to be all right?” Wood Joe asked. “I’m not Shure, She is freaking out.” Red hart replied. “Have you tried calming her down?” Green Star asked walking up to the bed. “Yes, we all have! She’s in a lot of pain.” Red hart said putting a wet towel on Fire Horns head. “Is her wound bad?” Wood Joe asked. “Yes, the flesh was ripped off to the bone on her leg.” Red Hart pulled back the sheet to show them the bandages on her leg. “We haven’t seen something like this for ever.” She said pulling the sheets back up. “Did you take care of the thing?” Green Star asked pushing hair out of Fire Horn’s face. “Yes we did, a solder saw it happen, and he blow its head right off.” Red hart said grabbing a cup of water. “I’m pretty Shure she will make it.” Red Hart said sipping the water.
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This was it. The fight. Pend made Shure her gun was loaded, and walked with the solders. Some of the soldiers were nervous, and some were keeping their heads up high; as they walked into the grave yard. What they saw sis not agree with their stomachs. It was a horrifying site. There were re-dead’s everywhere! Belly’s torn, skin peeling from their bones. Pony’s vomited on the dirt. There were hundreds, possibly thousands. Pend stood there staring at the dead roaming around the grave yard. “Fire!” someone from the crowd shouted. At that moment the world filled with gun fire. Hot copper bullets filled the air. The sound of impacting bullets made Pend kind of sick to her stomach. Pend went into her own world for a moment or two. Until she remembered that she was in the battle field. The ponys were throwing grenades. Dirt and blood flew onto Pends coat. Then Pend started to panic. The dead were getting close. The gun fire kept them back, but they were slowly getting closer. Pend took a few steps back, knowing that the dead would over run the troops. “Guys!” Pend shouted over the gun fire. No one herd her.
She tried shouting several times. Her voice was too soft. Over the gun fire, and explosions, she could still hear the moans of the dead. She watched as body aster body fell of the dead. This went on for at least ten minutes. “I’m out of rounds!” a colt yelled. “Me to!” another yelled. Pend backed out of the main fence of the grave yard. Shit! This is it, were all going to die! Pend thought to herself as she rounded a tree. Maybe I can make a run for it? Wait, I can’t just leave them like this. Can I? Thoughts filled her mind as the ponys ran out of ammo. “Shit!” a young colt yelled as the swarm of the un-dead ran into them.
The shouts of the ponys filled Pend with fear. They were being eaten. “Help!” the general yelled to Pend, as a re-dead bit into his neck. Dozens of re-dead pilled to get to the meat. Pend looked over to a crawling solder. His legs had been ripped off. “Help me danm it!” the pony said. Pend didn’t know what to do. Pend took a step forward to try to save him when five re-deads jumped onto him. Pend felt like passing out of the pools of blood. Pend gave a small shout for help when two re-deads found her. She turned around and ran.
Pend was running out of strength as she ran down the road. Five re-deads chased her. She turned a corner to see the sniping team. “Help! Help!” Pend yelled as she ran. BANG! BANG!
The snipers shout bullets at the dead behind Pend. Pend ran past the team and fell to the ground. Tears filled her eyes. She had never seen pools of blood like that before. Shure sometimes ponys cut them self at work, but she had never seen guts pulled out of ponys before. Just the cries of help brought her to tears. She remembered the legless pony; and how he cried for help, and Pend didn’t come. Pend didn’t save him. The colt needed her help, and she just stood there. She didn’t know if she could live with her self.
“What happened?” a filly said dropping her sniper. “The… The re-deads…. They got to the solders. They ripped them apart!” Pend said in a low voice. The filly laid down next to Pend. “We need to get out of here.” She said pulling Pend to her hooves. “You don’t understand!” pend said. “There are thousands!” “It’s ok, were going to get you home.”
