(FR) A Darker Home - Part 6 (Prequel)

Prose: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/307552/a-darker-home

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>The words weighed on you like a ton of bricks.
>Your world came crashing around you with a simple sentence.
>Was there anything else to aim for?
>What would Oak think?
>Would he still stay with a mare that was...
>"Hey... are you alright?"
"I... I think so... I think I misunderstood what you just said. What did you say?"
>"You aren't able to have foals. You are infertile."
>Your face finds comfort in your hooves as tears fall onto the floor in sheets.
>"I-I'm sorry. There isn't anything that can be done... maybe you can consider adoption. There are dozens of li-"
"What is my husband going to say? We've been trying so hard for years!"
>The doctor remains quiet.
"We wanted to have a little one so bad... SO BAD! Now we will never have our own little one to cherish."
>"Well... like I was saying..."
"There has to be another way. Some way to have our own little child. Some way... Any way."
>The doctor shifts in his seat uncomfortably.
>"Have you considered having another mare carry your child?"
>The thought of Oak being with another mare sent you into another fit of sobs.
>The doctor doesn't need to know the suspicions that you've had lately... but if you suggest that to him... aren't you encouraging what you fear the most?
"Is it our only option?"
>"There is always adoption... but it may be the only way."
>Drying your tears and trying to stay strong, you sit up straight.
"I'll talk to him."
>The doctor quietly escorts you out of the building.
>"I'm sorry."
>The walk home feels like walking through broken glass.
>The cold wind blows past your ears and chills you to the bone.

>You sit at home, waiting for Oak to return.
>The box of tissues ran out a long time ago so you've resorted to a dishrag.
>It sat in your lap; a shadow of it's former self.
>He's late coming home from work today.
>Again.
>It's already dark out.
>Dinner has been sitting on the table for an hour.
>You didn't even bother turning on any of the lights.
>Right now, you didn't even want to move from where you sat, let alone turn the lights on.
>You were too worried about what he was going to say.
>Too worried about where he may be.
>What he may be doing.
>Who-
>Stop it.
>You bury your face in the rag again.
>He said he would be home today.
>He wanted to hear what the doctor said.
>Didn't he care?
>That's when you hear soft hoofsteps trotting up to your front door.
>You hear the door open and close.
>"Are you here honey?"
"Yeah... In here," you manage to choke out.
>He walks in, turning on lights as he enters.
>"Oh honey, you look like a mess."
>He trots over and holds you in his hooves.
>"What happened today? Still no luck with jobs in Ponyville?"
>You remain silent in his arms as he strokes your mane.
"I wasn't looking for jobs today."
>"Oh... yeah... I knew that. It was... the doctor!"
"Yeah."
>"Well? What did he say?"
"I..."
>You begin to lose your composure in his hooves.
>"Shhhhh. It's okay... It's okay."
>Oak continues to stroke your mane.
>For now, his hooves were your fortress... your castle.
>The perfect place to hide away from the world and just cry.
>He begins to hum a little song.
>A song that you've heard him hum your entire marriage, but brings a little bit of warmth to your soul.
>You can tell him about having the foal with another mare later.
>All that matters right now is being in his arms.
>Being with the only person left who you truly feel loves you.
>That little bit of warmth inside that shields you from the cold, dark world of reality.
>That's all that matters.

>It's been one year since that bastard left you for the mare that was carrying your child.
>You were sent to a therapist to try and get a hold of yourself.
>Life is harder and harder every single day.
>A shadow of your former self sits on a park bench on the edge of Ponyville.
>The orange and yellow leaves fall slowly from the trees in the frigid air.
>The grass begins to yellow and the playing children talk about their excitement for Nightmare Night.
>Your therapist advised that you shouldn't watch the children play.
>It's one of the few things you have left that makes you smile.
>You usually brought a first-aid kit with you, just in case one of them gets hurt.
>Eventually you began to pick up on their names.
>The colt that sat alone on the swings was Chase.
>The two fillies that played in the sandbox were Lorelei and Azure.
>Parents at first thought it was odd that you would go to watch the children everyday, but eventually they thought of you as a silent guardian.
>Free babysitting, some of them whispered.
>You just enjoyed imagining, just for a moment, that one would trot up and ask you to play.
>Just for a moment, that one would call you mommy.
>You dab your eyes with a handkerchief.
>A new filly trots over and begins to play with Lorelei and Azure.
>Your squint your eyes to get a better look.
>She looks to have a beautiful dark-brown mane and soft blue eyes.
>Her light brown fur blended in with the beautiful fall colors surrounding her.
>If it were up to you, her name would have been 'Autumn'.
>"Here Fall! You play with this one."
>A sigh escapes your lips.
>You could always dream.
>Your eyes trace their way to your lap and you examine your hooves.
"Where did I go wrong," you whisper to yourself.
>You turn your hooves and examine how unkempt they are.
"Did I love him too much? Did I trust him too much?"
>Sighing deeply, you bury your face into your hooves.
>A light and innocent feminine voice cuts through the cold air.
>"Excuse me lady."
>You look up to see who it is.
>It's the new filly. Fall.
>How long were you hiding your face from the world?
"Y-yes little one? Is everything okay?"
>Her smile warms you in a way that you haven't felt in a year.
>She nods her head.
>"Yeah, but you don't look very okay... you've been sitting like that for a while... Was somepony being a meaniepants to you?"
>Your face begins to hurt around your mouth a little.
>It's not quite so hard to recompose your sadness around her.
"No. I think... I'm okay."
>Her smile grows even wider and reveals her pearly whites.
>"My name is Fall! Do you wanna play with me and my friends?"
>Your heart stops a little bit.
>Tears of joy begin to form in your eyes.
>You open your mouth, but such a simple innocent act of kindness has rendered you speechless.
>A nod is the best you can do to answer the filly's question.
>"Okay! Follow me!"
>With a giggle, she trots off towards the girls.
>Slowly, you rise to your hooves and step onto the crisp grass.
>Is this a dream?
>Your legs move forward, but you feel completely weightless.
>The smile on your face hurts, but your feel too warm to notice the chilly air filling your lungs.
>Just as Fall is about to enter the sandbox, her attention is torn away from her friends.
>Who is she waving at?
>You look where she is waving.
>It's... him.
>You freeze in place.
>The voices of all the other laughing children is filtered away by your ears.
>"Daddy!"
>"Hey there baby girl! Did you have fun?"
>"Yeah! I made friends with that lady over there."
>"Oh? Who is-"
>You would never believe that a conversation could happen with a single instant of eye-contact, but you are now.
>His eyes tell you everything.
>Disgust.
>Spite.
>Disappointment.
>Regret.
>"You don't want to be friends with her Fall."
>"Why daddy?"
>"She is very sick. We will find a new playground for you to go to tomorrow. I don't want you to ever be around her. Understand?"
>"But daddy, I thought we wanted to be nice to sick people!"
>"Not this one sweetheart. Let's go."
>He pushes her away from the playground, but she turns her face to you.
>Her beautiful blue eyes that once looked at you with hopes of a friend now stare you down as if you were terminally ill.
>That was your baby girl.
>The children that day would swear that it was a beautiful sunny day.
>Yet all you see is rain.
>That had to be why the ground was so wet.
>He took this moment away from you.
>You don't notice it, but your legs begin to shake.
>He took her away from you.
>You grind your teeth.
>He took away everything in your life that held meaning.
>You stop.
>The answer is clear.
>It was sitting in front of you the entire time and you never even noticed it.
>Like a present on Hearth's Warming Eve.
>All you had to do was take her back.
>It would be so simple.
>All you had to do was take away from him everything that he held dear.

>The plan was set.
>Everything was ready.
>Listening to her friends every day at the playground told you when your baby would sleepover at Azure's house.
>Which means they would be all alone.
>You stand outside the home where you used to live with him.
>Your home.
>The one that you paid for until you were fired.
>It never belonged to him.
>No. Not him.
>Not that monster.
>A pony would never destroy your life the same way he did to you.
>It.
>It doesn't deserve to be acknowledged as a stallion.
>You walk up to the door slowly, savoring every step.
>This was an once-in-a-lifetime event.
>It's your duty to enjoy every second.
>Calmly, you knock on the door three times.
>The whore answers the door.
>"Hello?"
>She gasps when she recognizes you.
>Instantly you jam the knife in her ribs and cover her mouth with a hoof.
>She tries to scream, but you bring your knife over her throat.
>Blood slowly spills out onto the tiled entryway to your home.
>You close the door and lock it.
>Leaning down to her, you look her directly in the eyes.
>She begins to try to breathe, but only gurgling sounds come from her throat.
"Shhhhh. Shhhh. Don't worry... I'll take good care of my baby..."
>You reclaim your blood-soaked knife.
>It's voice rings out from the kitchen.
>"Who is it sweetie? Dinner is almost done! It's your favorite!"
>You step over the crying pony, who is quickly becoming pale, and make your way towards the kitchen.
>As you enter, it hums the same song that it hummed to you so very long ago.
>A foul taste lingers in the back of your throat.
>Slowly, you walk behind it with a smile pasted on your face.
>It picks up the boiling pot and turns to face you.
>The cooking pot that you inherited from your grandmother.
>The pot hits the ground so hard that the floor tiles break, and food covers the pristine floor.
>The floor who's tiles that you chose.
>For a single moment, all you feel is pure hatred.
>You quickly lunge at him and your vision goes red.
>Your face feels extremely hot and then everything goes fuzzy.
>The next thing you remember is showering in your apartment.
>Taking a shower to get the blood out of your fur.
>There were no witnesses.
>They never connected you as a suspect.
>Vengeance... tasted sweet.

>Fall was sent to Sunny Homes Orphanage that was just on the outside of Ponyville.
>It was a little out in the country, so the children had wide open spaces to play in the summer.
>The facility was one of the best that Equestria had to offer.
>She only deserved the best.
>Thats why you stood outside it today, in the best clothing you had.
>You see her playing outside with some of the other fillies.
>There was a sadness that was seated deep within Fall and you could see it.
>Even if nopony else could.
>Mothers always can.
>Under your breath, you mutter to yourself.
"Don't worry baby... Mommy's here."
>Equestria mandated that to adopt a child you either had to be a blood relative or have a spouse.
>That's why you held the help wanted ad in your hooves and you walked through the play yard without looking at your little girl.
>It one of the hardest things you ever had to do.
>Calmly, you knock three times.
>An older pony opens the door and invites you inside for your interview.
>The poor mare needed to retire and pass on the orphanage to somepony else.
>With so many references to parents of the children at the playground, your credentials were too good not to admire.
>She reads over your resume carefully.
>"It looks like you have a lot of experience with children... and experience in first aid. You are also very highly recommended throughout Ponyville."
>You nod to her.
>"Then just answer me one question then. Why do you want the job?"
>You smile.
>The answer comes out just like you practiced.
"Well. Sadly, I am not meant to have any of my own foals. I want to work here in the orphanage so that I can take care of all of these poor young souls. Then they would have a new mother that would love and cherish them until it's time to let them go."
>The old mare smiles at you and looks through the papers one last time.
>Nailed it.
>"Well... It looks like everything here is in order. You are hired. Sunny Homes is yours... Miss..."
"Gertrude. Just call me Gertrude."

>Winter came.
>Spring followed.
>Summer after spring.
>Yet for you, Fall would never leave.
>The other children knew that you played favorites with her, but you didn't care.
>You had your baby and that's all that mattered.
>When parents would come to adopt, you kept Fall in the back to study or clean.
>Except for today.
>The couple lived in Trottingham and came to visit due to the Orphanage's high reputation.
>You lined up the children just like you would any other day.
>They began to survey the children and ask them questions.
>Some would show off talents and tell them their favorite games.
>A few of the orphans would give the visitors arts and crafts as a way to try and warm their heart.
>That was when Fall curiously peeked herself out of the classroom and the couple saw her beautiful blue eyes.
>"Who is that little girl," the husband questions curiously.
>The wife gets down on the little filly's level.
>"What's your name sweetie?"
>She slowly walks down the hallway, trying not to look at the stare of disappointment and worry written across your face.
>"F-fall."
>"That's a beautiful name." replies the mare with a smile.
>The filly looks to the ground and searches her head for the words that the other orphans taught her.
>Fall had been waiting so long for a moment like this.
>Remembering what to say, she gazed her blue eyes deep into the mare.
>>Recommended Listening: http://youtu.be/EPHw5sbjr38
>"Will you be my new mommy?"
>In that room, the will of two grown mares broke into two.
>The hours passed like seconds.
>Like some form of movie that you couldn't control.
>The adoption process felt like some terrible nightmare.
>You knew that you would just wake up at any second.
>Any second now, it would be morning.
>You would wake up to your little girl sleeping next to you again.
>It didn't sink in that she was gone until their carriage was beyond the horizon, and the dust was beginning to settle.
>They took her away from you.
>She was gone.
>Again.
>Why does everypony keep taking away the things you love most?
>It's not fair.
>Losing your composure, it begins to rain again.
>You look to all of the poor orphaned foals and the building that stood before you.
>Trottingham was only a few days away.
>You could try again.
>Maybe you could have her back.
>Yeah.
>She would be yours again.
>As you walk to the gate, guilt overcomes you.
>You can't abandon the children.
>They needed you.
>They needed a mother.
>You re-entered the house with tears staining your face and locked yourself in the master bedroom.
>You couldn't be their mother and Fall was gone.
>Without a fortress to hide behind and without a reason to keep going, you wept.
>What was the point anymore?

>On that day, Sunny Homes began to change.
>It no longer was a place where children would play outside and laugh.
>Gone was the place where children would receive filling meals or help to cope with the loss of their parents.
>Sunny Homes was gone.
>Instead it was replaced with a darker home.