To Find the Light

Chapter 4

At the Opera

It's Saturday night and I`m standing in front of the mirror twisting this way and that, making sure that the new dress I have just bought suits me just right. It's a dress the same color as the hat Cleo gave me which is adorned upon my head. It's a silk, see through dress with diamond sequins at the bottom of the skirt.

The doorbell rings and I head for the front door. I open it and a very handsome looking stallion is standing on my doorstep.

"Miss Wallflower, it would be my absolute honor to be your escort for this evening."

I laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of Cleo's voice. He never talks like that. Behind him is a open-top pony drawn carriage. It's design is elegant and intricate, with the wheels and frame made of steel and painted black. It's base is red as rose and is decorated with roses.

"Cleo I had no idea you would actually hire a carriage for this evening."

"Well, I wanted tonight to be special."

He takes a hoof as we walk down my steps.

He opens the carriage door and I step in and take a seat on the plush seat. Cleo climbs in and closes the door behind him as the two stallions pulling the carriage take off at trotting pace.

My attention turns to the sky above. Every star in the sky is shining down upon us, the moon is full and lights up Canterlot's quiet streets. I am breathless looking at this sky. It's beauty is breathtaking. A wind arrives and carries my mane as cool wind blows down my neck.

Canterlot is quiet at this hour and the street I live on is even more so. We pass several houses and make turns onto all kinds of streets. With only the moon and a few streetlights lighting up the road, I relax.

I turn and look at Cleo.

"The sky sure is beautiful, isn't it?" I ask.

"Not as beautiful as you."

My cheeks turn pink at Cleo's compliment. Nopony, especially not a stallion has ever said something as nice at that before.

"Cleo."

"Yes?"

"Thank you. You didn't have to go to great lengths to impress me."

"And you didn't have to go to great lengths to impress me."

"I didn't?"

"No of course not. You impressed me the moment you walked into the classroom with a copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' levitated in front of you. And when you sat down and looked at me, you gave me the most beautiful smile. I knew at the moment that you would someday be mine."

My cheeks burn bright red as Cleo wraps a hoof around me and I let my right cheek rest against his shoulder. The sound of hooves on cobblestone beneath us, Luna's night sky above and a romantic atmosphere in between. We sit in silence as the carriage takes us to our destination.

"Cleo?"

"Yes Wallflower?"

"Where are we going?"

"I`m glad you asked. We are going to the most prestigious and oldest opera house in Canterlot. We are going to the Wilsnoff Opera House."

"The Wilsnoff Opera House? But it's impossible to get tickets for a show there."

"Well...I quite simply pulled a few strings with the manager and got us some tickets."

"Oh Cleo, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to have a special night on the town with you. That's all."

"But still...I can't believe you actually got tickets to the famous Wilsnoff."

"I did and trust me. You're going to love opera."

Canterlot's streets passing us by as the carriage turns onto the next street. It seems we are almost at the Wilsnoff Opera House. The carriage soon comes to a halt and I turn and look at the majesty that is the Wilsnoff Opera House. It's one of Canterlot's oldest buildings and is known for its age which is well over a hundred years.

Cleo steps out of the carriage as he offers me a hoof in climbing out of the vehicle. He pays the ponies at the front before they take off into the night.

"Well, shall we?"

Side by side we enter the Wilsnoff Opera House.

Once inside I look around and notice how grand and magnificent both the architecture and interior is. Everything is either gold, red or both. The entire roof is supported by wooden beams which don't look all that sturdy. The curtains on the balconies are of red velvet along with the seats. Hanging above are gold chandeliers which look spectacular.

Cleo shows the old stallion at the counter our tickets and he quickly shows us our seats. They aren't the best seats in the house but been in the dead center does have its advantages.

As the rest of the audience sits down in their seats the curtains are withdrawn and the music begins. Two ponies enter the stage and start to sing. I can tell by their expressions that the plot for the opera is both dramatic and complex.

The audience applauds with the arrival of every new scene. Although I can  hear the sound of wood cracking, or is it sawing?

I can't be sure.

All of a sudden tiny bits of wood starts falling from above. The performers keep singing but bigger bits of wood is starting to fall. I knew the wooden beams weren't all that sturdy but I didn't think that they would actually start falling. Oh no. Massive beams are beginning to fall. Ponies in the audience are running towards the entrance.

Even larger beams are beginning to fall. Cleo grabs one of my forelegs as we start heading for the entrance. Ponies everywhere are screaming, yelling some have been hit by the beams and are stuck underneath. I want to help them, but I can't. As we continue to make our way to the entrance the chandelier in the foyer falls and diamond, gold and glass goes everywhere. Wooden Beams are falling behind us and the roof is starting to collapse. I`m scared as my heart rate continues to rise with passing every second. My breath quickens and I let out a loud scream as the lights go out.

Darkness shrouds the room as ponies are running towards the entrance. The roof is still collapsing around me. Cleo wraps his hooves around me as he tries to protect me. We fall onto the floor and the sound of hooves running across the carpet fills my ears. Loud screams pierce my ears and all of a sudden it seems that my worst nightmare has come true.

My eyes slowly flutter open and I look upon Cleo's determined face. His forelegs are wrapped underneath me as smoke flies everywhere. I can see the entrance nearing and find myself starting to cough. Ponies are still running towards the entrance and I can hear cries for help.

He carries me through the front entrance as he collapses sending me falling onto the ground. As he starts to cough heavily I find whatever strength I have in myself and I run to his side.

"Cleo! Look at me! Can you hear me?" I call out.

He coughs some more, there must be a lot of smoke in his lungs. Unsure of what to do I look around, there are ponies lying on the ground, some are standing, some are crying. Some of the ponies didn't make it out. I turn and look at the opera house which is on fire and is now burning to the ground. In the distance I can hear the sounds of a fire engine coming this way, along with several ambulance and police carriages. As they arrive ponies jump out of their vehicles and fire ponies are attending to the fire.

An ambulance pony comes over to where I am kneeling. He has a worried look on his face and his carrying a box with a red cross on it.

"Miss, would you kindly explain to me what happened to your friend here."

"Well, we were sitting in our seats when small but wood began to fall. Large beams were soon falling from the roof and...we only just made it of their as the whole place was set on fire. The smoke got into his lungs and I`m not sure what to do."

"No need to worry miss. I assure you we will take good care of him. He needs to be rushed the hospital immediately. Now, do you have any way of getting home this evening?"

"No sir. I don't."

"Well Ill tell you what. Ill put your friend here into the ambulance carriage and then I`ll go and ask if one of the police ponies can get you home. Alright?"

"Alright."

"Good. I won't be a moment."

I silently watch as the ambulance pony picks up Cleo and puts him into the back of the carriage. I hope with all my heart that he`ll be okay. The ambulance pony then rushes back over to me.

"Alright, come with me."

He escorts me over to where some police ponies are standing. They all look a  bit puzzled by the sight of the opera house.

"Excuse me sirs, but this young lady here needs a ride home. You see, her friend is been transported to the hospital and she has no way of getting home. Would be so kind as to give her a ride home?"

"Well of course we will. Hop in."

I get into the police ponies carriage and he shuts the door. He climbs into the front and steers the carriage in the direction of my street.

"Where do you live?"

"16 Parkland Avenue."

He obviously knows where to go because before I know it we are on my street. I hope Cleo is alright. Maybe I can visit him at the hospital tomorrow.

The carriage stops just outside my house and I get out of the carriage before I make my way to the front door. It's been an awfully long night and I never expected any of the horrible things that have happened to night to happen.

I unlock my front and go inside. The moment I step one hoof through the door the phone rings and I run over to answer it.

"Hello, Wallflower speaking..." No answer comes from the phone. "H-hello?" I ask again, hesitantly.

"Wallflower...  sweetheart, it's Steam Gear," a deep and somewhat familiar voice finally answers

"F-father? Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me, Wallflower."

"Oh father... I can't believe it's really yo—"

He cuts me off, his voice quiet but assertive, "Wallflower. I would love to talk right now but I need your help. Listen closely, what I'm about to say is very important. I am being kept in a old warehouse in North East, Manehatten. You need to get here as soon as possible. Please Wallflower, hurry!"

I hear the click of the phone disconnecting and I place my own back on it's base. Tears start to well up in my eyes. I have never spoken to my father before...well..except when I was I foal and now he's in trouble. I slide down onto the floor. How am I  supposed to get to Manehatten? Who knows how much it might cost to get a ticket on that new train? What do I do?

I cry even more as I start to think about Cleo and how he's in hospital. I hope he's okay. I`ve never had a friend or a special somepony like him before and if anything were to happen to him...I don't know what I would do.

"Cleo, please be safe."

I can feel my heart cry out in pain as I lay on my tile floor, tears rolling down my face. I pull my legs into my chest as I cry. I can't imagine a worse night. All I wanted in life was to be happy and to grow old with somepony. Now I have nopony.

Oh why did I have get myself into this mess?

The sound of thunder meets my ears as I let out a loud scream. Rain starts falling as I can hear it. I continue to cry. I have never cried this much before.

Somehow I feel as though this might be the end. I have nothing left. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. I don't know if I`m able to go on. My thoughts turn to Cleo in the hospital and this new feeling occurs deep inside of me.

A feeling that is yet to be fully described by pony kind. A feeling not even the most talented of poets and writers and can properly describe. I have never felt this feeling before. It's warm and comforting.

A feeling that I never knew even existed. If I knew what it was which I don't I would...I would...

call this new feeling...love.