Before Joy there was Hope

Everything Stays

Ten Years Ago...

"L-Lets go in the garden~"

"You'll find something waiting~"

"Right th-there where you left it...Lying upside d-down~"

A voice echoed through the bloodied halls of the labs. A young pegasus limped around dead bodies singing one of the lullabies she used to sing to the kids. It helped distract her from all the death around her and the amount of blood that now stained the walls. Blood spilled from her back, legs, and arms, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Her remaining wing dragged behind as she continued her search for a place to hide, to rest.

Hopesong didn't know how long she was unconscious for, but when she woke up, all the screaming and panic had stopped, leaving behind a deafening silence. She struggled to stand at first she had landed on some bodies that saved her from death but not from further injury. It took a lot of crying and pushing, but she eventually got up and started her agonizing walk through this unfamiliar place.

"When...You finally f-find it, you'll see how it's f-faded~"

"The underside is l-lighter when you...Turn it...it around~"

Her song continued to echo through the hall as she looked for anything that could take care of her bleeding wounds. She felt so tired but knew better than to sleep now. Otherwise, it would truly be the end. She paused when she saw what looked to be a medicine room and went inside. There was a huge mess inside with blood and more bodies making her cringe, but she went inside to see if she could salvage anything.

She found a first aid kit, rubbing alcohol, and some bandages and gauze. With shakey hands, she used the rubbing alcohol to clean her wounds before dressing the bleeding wounds with gauze and bandages. She finished cleaning her right eye socket and bandaging it before sighing, having to do the worst part. Her back. She grabbed the bottle of rubbing alcohol and bit down on a towel.'This is gonna burn' was her last thought before pouring the bottle on her back. Hopesongs screams, and sobs were muffled by the towel in her mouth as a white burning pain pierced her body. She wanted her Papa.

●~<♡>~●

Hopesong finished up dressing her wounds before settling near a bed in the corner. She felt... Stuck. it felt like her mind was still catching up on what just happened. Uncle Catnap, someone she loved and cared, KILLED everyone. He killed her aunts, killed her uncles, and killed her papa all for the "prototype," a being he worshipped and killed for. Uncle Catnap TORE her eye out TORE her wing off and left her to die in this unfamiliar place. Her hands started to shake as she curled up into a ball she couldn't even gain comfort from wrapping her wings around herself since she now only had one.

Her thoughts spiraled into questions and sorrow, but they were interrupted when she felt a small hand tap her right wing. She pulled it back, revealing a Bobby Bearhug plush. "Hey, little one... What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the Playhouse. " The plush lowered its head, and she seemed to understand what happened."You fell down here too," she sighed and gently picked up the Bobby plush cradling it in her arms "well at least you aren't alone anymore," she whispered as it snuggled close to her "I'll call you BB that way if we lose eachother I'll be able to call out for you" she hummed gently stroking its head. Her small smile faded into a frown as tears filled her eyes. She lost everything, and now she was stuck in this hell.

"Everything stays... Right where you left it~"

"Everything stays...B-But it still changes~"

"Ever so slightly, daily and... and nightly in little ways... When everything stays... "

With her song finally done, she sobbed out her grief and sorrow wishing, praying this was all some nightmare. That everything was fine and she would see her papas face again, but this was reality, and she was carrying the burden alone with no one to hear her cries of despair and pain.

Hopesongs sobs continued until she had no more energy to cry letting out small sniffles as she slowly fell into slumber for once fate decided to allow her this rest, if only for a moment.

●~<◇>~●

Once she woke up, she continued her walk through the empty labs with BB resting on her shoulder, keeping a look out. There was blood splattering the walls and some dead bodies laying on the floor or against the wall. Hopesong had to look away from the carnage, unable to stand the sight. "So many people...Why kill them all..?" It was a mystery to her sure some of them were mean and rude, but no one deserved this.

She paused, hearing something close by "H-Hello...? Is someone here..?" She tentatively called out. When she stepped forward, she hit a flashlight, the light from it flickering as it rolled a bit. Hopesong picked it up and hit the flashlight, so it stopped flickering. She pointed it around in the dark hallway, and when she saw what was making the noise, she really wished she hadn't asked anything.

If you asked her what she thought this thing was, she couldn't tell you. It looked like a toy, but it was broken, and flesh and blood spilled from the cracks it looked like a puggapiller gone wrong. Hopesong started to back away as it ate a human body, trying not to get its attention, but she tripped over a body on the ground, letting out a yelp. The abomination snapped its body to look at Hopesong hunger swirling in its eyes.

Hopesong scrambled to her feet and ran, having the flashlight in a tight grip. The creature roared and went after her it was fast, but Hopesong was faster. BB held on tight as Hopesong ran for her life. Her right wing flapped urgently, trying to take off, but without her other wing, it was useless. The thing was gaining on her, but she saw a metal door leading to what looked like a couple of large conference rooms and ran to it.

She grabbed the remote that was on the floor and pressed the down button, sliding under the door before it slammed down. The creature screeched and banged on the metal but gave up once it couldn't get in. Hopesong breathed heavily, sitting on her knees while she tried to regain her barrings. BB adjusted itself back on Hopesongs' shoulder, giving a small clap. She chuckled and slowly got up "Well...Guess we'll be staying here for a while..." she said to BB before walking to the rooms.

She hoped that one day, she would get to see her aunts, uncles, and papa, not sure when or where, but she hoped it was some place sunny.

●~<♧>~●

Hopesong finished up making a makeshift bed for herself. It was a patients bed mattress with different kinds of blankets and pillows that she found "Well at least it looks pretty," she said and laid down BB laying against her side, wrapping some blanket around itself.

Hopesong smiled at the plush and curled up, resting her head on her pillow. She imagined her papa laying next to her stroking her hair and telling her many stories that filled her imagination. She wished she could be near him if only just one more time. She yawned and slowly fell asleep she would have to get used to calling this unfamiliar place home.

The young pegasus is unaware that she is not the last survivor of the Smiling Critters, but deep down, she knows that she isn't the last and she will find a way to reach home. Even if it kills her.