“Bye Mom! Bye Dad!” Caramel Peel waved from the window. Her parents waved back.

“Remember not to let anyone in, sweetie!” her mother called out as she headed to the train station with Caramel Peel’s father. They were going out today for an important conference that they needed to attend. Caramel Peel nodded.

“Yes Mom!” Caramel Peel replied. As she watched her parents turn the corner, she leapt down from the window,and quickly headed for the kitchen.The sun was right in the middle of the sky, and her stomach growled. She wanted to eat her lunch that her parents had prepared for her, daisy sandwiches with butter! She licked her lips in anticipation.

The day passed by quickly. Caramel Peel occupied herself with drawing and reading some of her books. Mom and Dad said that they would be back by the next day, and Caramel was determined not to let them down by doing anything wrong. They said not to touch the knives in the kitchen. She dutifully ignored them, and pushed away the temptation to try and cook herself something. There would be time for that later after her parents got home. The clock in the main room of the house rang eight times. Eight O’ Clock! Bedtime!

Caramel Peel placed her book back into the bookshelf, and went upstairs to her bedroom. It was dark outside. Caramel tried not to notice how dark it was, and the fact that her parents weren’t there to protect her from the monsters. Normally she would trot slowly upstairs,but it was very dark and she was afraid. She wanted to get into her bright room quickly so she could be away from the dark. She shook her head. She was a grown foal! She was eight! She could handle a night alone...right? Caramel switched off the light, tucked herself into the bed, and closed her eyes. The wind whispered outside, seemingly trying to scare her. The trees rustled in the wind, and the curtains flapped. The wind today seemed to be stronger. Caramel tried to fall asleep. She couldn’t.

The scary darkness outside the house seemed to loom towards her, and it looked like a monster would jump out of it and come for her suddenly. Caramel switched on the lamp. She was scared of the dark. Caramel had refused to accept it, but it was the truth. Without her parents around, she was afraid of the dark. Alone, she was an easy target for the monsters in the stories that she had heard. Tirek, wasn’t it? Her parents had scared her with the story a few months back that if she misbehaved, Tirek would come for her. That was why she had been on her best behaviour when she was alone at home all day.

Caramel Peel remembered the stories that her mother had told her sometimes. There was Tirek, a creature named Discord, and something called Chrysalis. Her mother had scared her with those stories during before bedtime, but always laughed and told her that if she stayed on her best behaviour and didn’t disobey her parents, the monsters would leave her alone. Caramel had believed the stories. She had also heard of those names when she went out with her parents. Some adults had been discussing something and two of those names had come up, Tirek and Discord. If the adults were talking about them, they had to be real. Caramel was afraid that they would come for her when her parents wasn’t home. It was hours before she could fall asleep.

A sound of breaking glass came from outside Caramel’s room. Caramel woke with a start. She had fallen asleep a few hours ago, and she had been awoken by the sound of something breaking. Caramel was afraid. Was it the monsters? Caramel didn’t want the monsters to take her away. She could hear the hoofsteps of something downstairs. How did Mom and Dad fight the monsters? She remembered the small baseball bat in the corner of the room. Dad had meant to take her out next week to play baseball. She hefted it up, and clambered up onto the cupboard next to the bedroom door.

Caramel quivered with fright. The heavy hoofsteps had continued, and it seemed as if it was heading for her room. She tried to be brave, and lifted the baseball bat up. She would not allow the monster to take her away. The hoofsteps stopped outside her room. Caramel prepared herself. She would do this for her family, and make sure the monster never disturbed them again. The door opened slowly. Caramel brought the bat down.

The house was ablaze with lights, and Caramel Peel sat next to her mother, looking ashamedly at her father lying unconscious on the couch. Her parents had arrived home early, worried for her. Caramel’s mother sighed.

“Young lady, whatever possessed you to hit your father with a bat?” Caramel looked down at her hoofs.

“It was dark, and I was afraid a monster was trying to take me away, Mom. I don’t wanna be taken away by a monster,” Caramel whined. Her mother shook her head.

“Monsters don’t exist, Caramel.” Caramel’s jaw dropped.

“What about Tirek? About Discord? You told me about them!” she cried out.

Caramel’s mother laughed. “Tirek is real, but he was defeated by Princess Twilight and her friends a few months ago. He won’t come for you. As for Discord, Princess Celestia assures us that he’s reformed and he’s a friend now.” Caramel’s mother’s expression grew serious. “And now for your punishment for hitting your father on the head with a metal bat.” Caramel looked away.

“You will do the chores in the house for the next week, and I will expect you to write a long apology letter to your father, is that understood?” Caramel nodded despondently. Her father groaned from the sofa.

“What...hit me?” he mumbled. Caramel’s mother laughed.

“You can ask your daughter for the answer later. Now you rest, and make sure you don’t let that ice pack off the bruise.” Caramel’s father nodded, and looked questioningly towards Caramel. Caramel suddenly found the floor interesting. She was not looking forward to explaining what happened to her father.

Author's Notes:

Did you enjoy the twist?