Staring up at the florescent bulb blinking out, I wondered what it would say about this room. It's normal light but it's shining down on the overturned bunk beds, pools of dried blood, food rotting and bags half-packed.

Would me and the bulb be friends if it was human? What would I say if I could speak to it. “I don't know how I got here?”

And the light would reply, “I know where you're going if you don't protect yourself, bud. I saw everything.”

I was afraid to move. But I had to glance around, careful to remain still, and saw that the windows and doors that I could see from my place on the bed were bricked up. With real bricks...

That can't be right. I'm seeing things. I have to clear my head.

There is just something unforgettable about the stench of blood and other body fluids blending together. A sickening odor strong enough to wake the dead. It's always so sour and I don't know how I knew that but I knew that at the very least, the people of this dorm room were alive, if injured and gave a good fight before they were dragged away.

That was a comfort. It meant I really wasn't on my own, right? Somebody will figure this out and call the cops. All I have to do is wait for them to show up. I needed to start checking my surroundings and make sure that I was in a safe place at the moment.

If I was in one of the employee dorms, I was more or less okay because of the many password-locked gates and doors that ponies could never open. They don't have the fingers for it and who would have let them in if everything went crazy?

Looking down, the bed I was on was freshly made and covered with white, crisp sheets. Different from the other company-standard prints on the rest of the beds. It was even ironed and scented with something familiar. Was this smell meant to jog my memory? It's so familiar. I think it was from a flower... A distinctive floral aroma that I... I used it? Someone wore it?  I knew? But what was the flower and what does it have to do with me?

Damn it! Why couldn't I just leave! Am I part of some sicko's revenge fantasy against Ponytopia?! The Management had it coming but why did that sicko have to involve the employees! I just qualified for the health coverage package two days ago! I'm supposed to be celebrating with everyone on getting back in the Management's good graces again. With Tom, Gina and Sherry, Ronald, Mikhail, Donna and that ass of a friend of mine, Spencer!

I struggled getting off the bed and walked into the community room of this particular dorm. In every dorm, there are two floors, one for bedding and things like that. The other floor for showering, eating and electronics. Of course, depending on how close a dorm is to the edge of the employee compound, the less likely the employees boarding there will actually follow the rules. I'm guessing with all the food I saw on the floor, this dorm is probably between Candy Avenue and Sugar Grove.

How do I know? Because there's only one place nearby that sells that brand of boxed cookies and I would know since I make most of those cookies everyday. And if these guys were able to sneak food upstairs without getting busted and made an example of on 'the daily ranking of employee incompetence and buffoonery' they had to be two or three blocks from the edge. The edge being where the end of the man-made island that the resort sat on.

I walked up to one of the bricked doors and rubbed my hand against it. I imagined that this one and the others were also dorm rooms and the mastermind... Yeah, that's what I'm going with for the time being... Decided to make it clear that I couldn't hide anywhere and I was at the mercy of him or her.

And checking around... The other rooms were firmly sealed with some kind of sticky, brown stuff in between the bricks... Smelled like peanut butter...  And the stairs leading down was full of furniture stacked to make a barricade... Also, I noticed that despite the barricade, there were little bite marks and hoof made holes in the walls all around this side of the barricade as if they broke through this...

“This side...”

I could hardly believe it. I said it without thinking and finally feeling the weight of what must of happened here. My mouth moved and moved but I still couldn't hear my own words. I squatted down and followed the drag marks... To the stairs and the blood that just happened to be in the right places if one was to drag a struggling human through. But the ponies were too big to have been able to squeeze through the barricade and the humans couldn't naturally be shoved through all those narrow holes and chair legs.

Not in one piece...

“They broke through this side.” I stuttered. “The people of the dorm blocked the stairs... Maybe, they even had the bricks to seal the other rooms but the ponies got in anyway... How?”

And that was the question... How did the ponies get in? And more importantly, how did I get here with the same ways in sealed or bricked? Spencer... Why didn't just tell me everything through the speakers? He has to know something?

Suddenly, a old, playful tune began to play, freaking the hell out of me. I jumped and flung myself to the wall before looking behind me. There was a white table and chair, the same shade as the sheets, and a meal laid out with a little tape recorder.

The sound played a little longer before I heard a grunt and the music clicked off. A man cleared his throat and laughed, it almost sounded like Tom, but there was something wrong... His voice was pitched a little higher, sounding almost off-key.

“Hey... Spencer... Are you still worried about Loomis? I know that he's been gone for like forever but he's suspended which was... As I recall... Your fault.” Tom chatted, easy-going. “Stop following him around like a puppy. He's a grown man now. He's not your side-kick.”

“I know that.” Spencer snorted. “But he called me last night.”

“Whoa, having cell phones during suspension is against the rules! Baaaadddd Loomis! I wonder where Loomis hid his phone! He certainly didn't hide it in his clothes!” A childish voice, so similar to the voice in the speakers when I was saved, shouted over Tom's reply. “Do you know how Loomis made a call? I couldn't figure it out until I asked Twilight!”

“He sounded like he was hurt. You should've heard him. I never heard him sound like that before and we were both on the track team in high school. He can wheeze like a cat... But... He was running from something. He said he needed me to pick him up before they caught up to him. Said something about a Harmmy and the Sunlight Parlor? Sun-lit Parlor? Testing A.I? I couldn't understand what he was saying.”

“Even when his friend didn't find him, Loomis wasn't scared. He was very B-R-A-V-E.” The childish voice said very slowly, pronouncing every word in a solemn, dramatic tone. “He got very scary but he didn't see me. I pushed him right in. Right in. Loomis was brave but he needed a little help. I didn't actually push him in, in. He did that himself. He didn't see me. He only saw the gears.”

“I hope he's alright.” Spencer sighed. “It's annoying to be without my best bud.”

“Aren't I your best bud?” Tom said, pretending to be hurt. “You have other friends and Loomis probably won't even come back after the suspension. It's the loophole in the contract. Everybody always quits during suspension and then Management deletes their record of ever working here... It's their way of making sure no one can use them on their resumes for other jobs. I'm glad I've never been suspended. I got a better job in mind once I'm done with my time here.”

“Man, that makes me want to get suspended before Loomis gets out or decides to quits.” Spencer whined. “I got to talk to him.” Spencer paused, hesitating on his words before continuing. “You know, Loomis has always been a quitter. He always has these great ideas but he never follows through. That how we work out. Loomis is the brains and I'm the beauty.”

“Hey, it's true!” Tom must of made one of his faces. Probably the one where he flares his nostrils, his eyes becomes big and his pupils look like they're shrinking. It's hilarious but it always creeped Spencer out.“You're just mad because you're the brawn. Being such a meat-head... What would you do if-”

“Even if I am just a meat-head to you.” Tom interrupted and the noise shifted. “I'm a meat-head with a six-pack! Check it out, son! I could probably bench two of those damn ponies with no sweat. Hell yeah!”

Tom snickered and I felt a smile spread across my face. Spencer always said stuff like that but Tom would always shut him down when things got too serious. He was that type of friend.

“Fuck you, Tom.” The message ended.

I approached the table, relaxed after hearing a normal-ish conversation. And... Maybe, it was stupid of me but I sat down. There were two notes on the table, “Eat me. I'm your favorite!” in Spencer's handwriting and “How about switching to side B?!” in scribbling, bright pink handwriting.

I lifted up the metal tray and saw a large double cheeseburger with purple onions and a side of potato wedges. This was my favorite to order around here, I'm surprised Spencer remembered something unrelated to him. I waved a hand over it. The burger was still warm despite my wandering around. Weird. It should've cooled. I picked it up and smelled it. Poked it. Squeezed it. Of course, this food could have been poisoned...

My stomach growled and I took a bite. It was good. I stuffed down the rest of my meal, cramming everything in my mouth and swallowing. My only regret was that I didn't have more ketchup.

With half the burger down, I messily took out the tape and flipped it to the other side. I hit play and sat back, chomping on some wedges. Feeling kind of dizzy.

“.......” The static screeched before I heard someone tap something. It caused a little echo. Probably a microphone. “Donna, this Mikhail. There are still some survivors holed in Dorm K. I've tried to tell them that we have a safer place in the staff hall. They won't listen to me. They say they have enough food and they don't need any help. I don't want to leave them out here but we still have other dorms to check before it gets dark.”

“I'm going to circle back.” Mikhail coughed. There were sounds of somebody patting his back? “Jerith once said that there are some old tunnels and I've found proof that he's right. We might have to move ourselves. The ponies are beginning to backtrack and they could learn how use those tunnel switches if we can't turn back on the electric locks. I think...”

The static reared up again and I found myself gripping the table.

“If we could find him... Spencer says he knows where the ponies like to sleep. He might have gone back there.”

Suddenly, the tape recorder roared alive with jaunty show tunes and applause. “Here's to all the listeners of Ponytopia's Punk Pop Radio!” Some DJ said, her voice sounded somewhat familiar. Gina? Gina-ish? Sherry? I knew this voice. Red eyes... I can't put my tongue on who I'm hearing.

“Pop quiz time! If you get this right, I have a very special surprise to give you! If you get this wrong, I'll have to tell you-” The DJ played random sound effects of cars and quacks. I couldn't hear what she said but it sounded like she repeated it couple of times. “ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _! Remember those numbers! Today's date is...”

“August 12th or 13th” I shot out. I have three weeks left on my contract so I would know the calender like the back of my hand.  

“November 11th! Congratulations, winners!” The DJ played a drum roll. “You've won another chance, to finally... end the job. Wow, that was weird to say but it's written on the cue card. I have to follow the rules like everypony else, you know! Special congratulations goes to a Mr. Jerith Loomis. Thank your friend, Spencer for putting your name in the lottery! It was the best thing he should have never done for you!”

What? I flinched in my seat and dropped the rest of my burger. I got up my seat and picked up the chair while backing into the wall. What do I do? Are the ponies coming for me?

“Huh?” The DJ made a few apologies and sighed. “My bad. Can you read your hoof-writing because I sure can't! Corrections!” She cleared her throat. “It was the best thing he could ever do for you!” There was silence and then... “What do you mean you didn't write that! Bon-Bon, you had one job!”

I felt a sharp pain in my gut. Please, don't let be the burger. Dang it. I slid down the wall and held the chair like a shield. I don't feel bad for about the burger. Yeah... I don't... What else was I going to eat? The moldy food? It's not my fault. It's not my fault. I...

The tape recorder was still on and I heard, “Nightmare Moon spotting! Everypony should lock your doors, she's coming! They say she hasn't been the same since she lost her horn. Is that scary, everypony! I wouldn't want to lose my horn and-”  

The room shuddered as the vents strangely came on and I saw that familiar white smoke filling the place. I pulled my shirt up to block the gas but it was no use.

The world was getting blurry...  

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