My Second Chance

        Where do we go after we die? Does it all just end? Is there a ‘heaven’ or a ‘hell?’ The only people who can truly answer those questions aren't around for us to ask. Those very questions have always plagued me. What I didn't know however, is that I would be getting the answer to some of them sooner than I ever thought possible. This is the story of my life after I died. My life in Equestria. My second chance.

        Life. Some never truly appreciate it for what it is. Others squander it and live as though nothing could ever go wrong. I was sadly in the same category. I didn't care. Well, more accurately, I was always more interested in the ‘afterlife’ so to speak.

        First off, let me explain a little bit about myself. I’m a seventeen year old brony, not to even mention the fact that I'm bi, and I have always been a shy person. That in itself isn't too bad, but I ended up being a bit of a shut-in because of it. For nearly my entire life I was depressed, slightly caused by my forced seclusion, and also by being teased. Teased for what you may ask? Anything from my name, to the fact that I’m bi. After years of living with that, I came to the fact that I no longer cared what anyone else did, or said. I was ‘happy’ again. But I was alone. That would change soon though, whether I liked it or not.

        Yawning loudly, I rolled over stretching my arms, hearing several satisfying pops from my joints. "Ugh... What to do today?" I muttered to myself quietly. Turning slightly I looked back at the clock. What I saw made me cry out as though in pain. "What in the hell am I doing up at six in the morning?!" I whined to no one in particular.

        Flopping back on my, oh so spacious, twin bed, I reached over and grabbed my pack of cigarettes, lighter and ashtray. "Might as well start the day off right. Killing my lungs, one cancer stick at a time," I jokingly said to myself. I started to look around my room only to realize something wrong. "Damn. I always forget I'm as blind as a bat," I thought out loud. "Now where did those glasses run off to?" Turning on the totally manly crayon light on my nightstand, I squinted back at my headboard and was rewarded by finding the elusive eyepieces.

        Slipping them on my face, and only managing to stab myself in one eye, I took a second glance around my room. Finally deciding I probably wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon, I figured I might as well get up.

        After showering and quickly getting dressed, I snatched my keys and cigarettes before heading out the door. Making sure to lock it tightly behind me. Lighting a cigarette, I started walking down the street, no real goal in mind. While walking I couldn't stop myself from looking around; admiring both the mild day, and the amazing crimson leaves. Relishing in the view, I didn't notice the car until it was too late.

        Crying out in pain as it collided with me, I had one last conscious thought before everything went black. 'Huh. That didn't hurt too bad.' After that, I slowly fell down through an everlasting black pit.

        I've always heard that regaining consciousness is supposed to be a disorienting, and confusing experience. My expectations were met, and very greatly surpassed. One moment it was just the empty blackness that I had been falling through, and the next, pain. There was no thought. There was no wondering what had happened. I hurt everywhere. Not one part of me was without at least some pain.

        I could hear voices, well, more accurately, I could hear several words of conversation. With the state I was in, I didn't much care, even though what I heard scared me almost as much as the pain.

        "... several broken..."

        "Doctor!!... both legs.."

        "Just give... shot!!"

        "... losing pulse!!"

        All at once the pain started fading into a numbness that was growing throughout my body. The voices I could hear before were fading even more. It was then that I realized that I was actually dying. 'Please let me go somewhere better. Any place, just not where I was.'

        Emptiness. I could feel my body. But it felt, wrong. I tried opening my eyes, but was met with nothing. I wasn't sure if I actually had died, or if I was dreaming, because all I could see when I looked around, was black. I tried to rub my eyes, and was confused when I couldn't feel my fingers. And my face, it wasn't right, it was... furry.

        "This has got to be a dream." I muttered into the empty void. "There is no way."

        I looked around again, trying to see something, anything. Getting unsteadily to my feet, er... hooves. I tried to get a better idea of what, if anything was around me. Wait! In the distance! I saw what looked like a white dot. Peering harder, I realized it was growing steadily larger, and it seemed like it was getting closer.

        'Its getting a bit warm.' I thought as sweat started to bead on my brow.

        The white dot soon grew to an enormous size, bringing with it even more heat. I tried to back away, but not being used to my now, four legs, I fell back on my haunches. It started getting unbearably hot, and it was too bright to look at any longer. I scrambled to get my footing, and tried to run. Looking over my shoulder, I saw only white. Right when I thought I would either be crushed by it, or burned to a crisp, I forcibly awoke.

        "AHHH! HELP!" I screamed, while my eyes flew open. The same blinding white light as in my 'dream' was blinding me still! I could feel several people trying to hold me down, and someone was saying something, but I was too scared to listen. Struggling with all my might, I finally managed to kick them off of me. Only to roll off the bed and land face first on the floor with a resounding, "Oof." That stole my breath.

        My eyes finally started to adjust to the light as I tried to catch my breath. The first thing I saw were hooves. My own, and several other pairs, that seemed to be trying to get me back on the bed. "It can't be. There's no way I could be here," was all I managed to gasp out before I felt a prick, and the blackness overtook me once again.

        Waking up this time was a much more calm affair for two reasons: One, I didn't have any giant white suns chasing me through my dreams. The other reason being that I woke up much slower, and I was still slightly dazed by whatever I was injected with. Slowly cracking my eyes open, I thought for a second that I had dreamt it all. Reaching up to rub my eyes I squeed in absolute joy. I still had hooves! I didn't dream it all! I'm actually in Equestria! I just squeed! And it sounded cute, just like the show! I started to slowly look around the room, noticing a window with the most beautiful view of a grassy meadow to my right. I could hear birds chirping, and someone had opened it just enough that I could feel a warm summer breeze floating in.

        Before I could really inspect anything else in my room, I heard someone... Somepony clop into the room before saying in a happy tone, "Oh good, you're finally awake! We were worried about you, especially with how you reacted yesterday." I immediately swiveled my head to look at her. Her brilliant blue eyes showed the worry that she had voiced a moment ago. Smiling politely, she said in the same happy tone as before, "I'm Nurse Redheart, and you're in the Ponyville General Hospital. Are you feeling alright?" While she was talking she walked over and began taking my vitals.

        Smiling back, while trying to understand how I got to Equestria, much less the hospital, I replied just as happily, "I feel okay. I'm still a bit dizzy from whatever was given to me, but other than that no complaints. Oh! Could I please have a glass of water?"

        After she finished going over my vitals, she reached over to a tray that I had missed, and poured me a glass, before hoofing it to me. Not even stopping to question how I was able to hold it, I drank almost the whole glass before setting it back down. "Thank you, I needed that."

        "Oh it's no problem, dear. But, I need to ask you a few questions, if you are feeling up to it," Nurse Redheart stated more than questioned. By the look in her eyes, I knew this was going to be important.

        I gulped, trying to swallow the lump that had begun to form in my throat. "Uh. Sure, t-that shouldn't be a p-problem," I stuttered, suddenly extremely nervous.

        Redheart gave me what I assume she thought was a reassuring smile, but seemed more like a pained grimace. "Alright dear, first; what's your name?"

        'Should I use my real name? Should I tell her where I'm actually from? Will she even believe me? Should I make something up so she doesn't think I'm crazy?' Those thoughts, and about a hundred others flew through my head all in the blink of an eye. 'Shit. I have to say something. Might as well stick to the truth as long as possible.' I finally cleared my throat, and answered simply, "I'm Colton."

        "Where are you from," Redheart asked with the same look in her eyes.

        'Buck me.'