Age of the Creatures

Chapter 5

My hoofs made eerie echos on the cold stone. The creatures in front of me didn't seem to mind but it sent shivers down my spine. I heard water dripping in the distance but I couldn't see anything. 

I had no night vision and that was the reason when Solstice stopped in front of me I ran into him. I heard the quickly shuffle of his hoofs as he tried to regain balance finally standing upright again.

"We're here," Justice hissed making me jump. They stepped forward and I was led into a beautiful cavern. There were crystals and gems pocking through the rock and sparkling in the faint light coming from glowing worms nestled in a small crescent shaped pool. The water was clear and I could see every rock along the bottom.

The sound of footsteps echoed drawing me out of my trance. The rest of the creatures had already reached the pool. As I raced to catch up I heard a splash and saw ripples form on top of the water. In one of Justice's great heads she clutched and glowworm. It was wriggling around and she made quick work of it. When she saw my  horrified face she smiled.

"The brightessst tassste the bessst," A head hissed. I tried to look away. 

The other creatures sat down close to the pool but when I tried Solstice stopped me.

"You aren't part of the council. You will stand." His tone was icy nothing like the kind unicorn that had addressed the others. "Tell us exactly what you saw."

"Well the man who always brings the children came..."  I told them my story in as much detail as I could. When I finished Vigilante and Solstice were leaning in as if to find away to save the creatures who were always slaughtered. Only Justice looked bored.

"When Vigilante firssst told usss about you we thought you were ssspecial, but it ssseemsss you are nothing out of the ordinary." Her heads accused me. "An ordinary creature."

I starred at my hooves.

"Justice..." Vigilante started, seeing her glare though, he was forced into silence.

"We are done here," I heard Solstice say in the same cold voice.

My hooves made louder echos as we began walking back up to the cave. I felt empty, I felt like a disappointment. I could here water dripping, and though I would never admit it some of those drops were tears.

When we stepped into the sunlight of the cave I squinted, allowing my eyes to adjust. None of the creatures were there, they had all dispersed when we walked down.

The speakers crackled, "All creatures return to your cages."

"I-I guess I'll see you in a week," I told Solstice.

"No, you won't. Don't even bother coming," He said sharply not even looking at me.

I began walking down the mountain tears threatening to spill out and my heart hanging lower than my head.

It was a long journey, but I was numb to the aching of my hooves. I reached my door, 293, the only things that mattered to the scientists who had ruined my life.

My door opened and I walked in quickly not wanting the door to hit me and make everything worse. I collapsed onto a soft pile of hay. I couldn't hold the tears back, they streamed down my face falling with small splashes into the puddle that was forming.

For the next week while I was pet and poked I barely cared, nothing was important to me anymore. Some nights I lay there wishing I had never been sent into that cruel world, into this world of torture. Others I would question Baine's last words, what Sapphire had meant. Then I would fall asleep and the nightmare would come.

I woke up to a bright light shinning in my eyes. Willow was standing  over me, her eyes blank. 

She whispered, "You're the reason he's dead," Again and again til I was begging her to stop. 

Then I was at the pool, Solstice, Justice, and Vigilante were staring into it. I walked over to them and a scream was ripped from my throat. Inside crawling around were all of the creatures who had gathered to mourn. They were glowing lighting up the whole cavern.

I watched unable to move as one of Justice's heads shot out snatching one, who to my horror was Baine. He was glowing brightly,struggling to escape her grasp. Instead of releasing him, in one swift motion Justice had swallowed him whole.

The water in the pool turned into blood and erupted drenching me in crimson. Tourchered cries filled my ears as a coppery taste filled my mouth.

That's when I would wake up panting and sweating. Every time I closed my eyes I would see it, this was a nightmare that wouldn't leave me in peace.

I grew weaker the more sleep deprived I became. I could barely stand after a few days, the whippings I got when I moved to slow didn't help either. I could feel each individual cut etched in my back and covering my shoulders. Tears would fall from my eyes and land in the grass. Later into the week I would fall to the ground surrounded in my own blood. It wasn't til the fifth day that I passed out.

It was the same as the rest of the week, I had nightmares and I was unable to sleep, kept up by the haunting screams of the dead. When day came I would shakily rise to my hooves. Then I heard the footsteps. The man and the children he brought, they were different everyday but there were always five. He called me over and I struggled to over come the wave of dizziness that came when I stepped forward.

I felt it before I saw it the sharp tang of blood hitting my nose. His whip was coated in blood, my blood. That was the last straw, my body couldn't take it. Dots danced in my vision and everything became blurry. The last thing I heard was shouting, then there was nothing.

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