Now smelling faintly of candy I placed Gumdrop down in the saferoom. A moment later I returned with a bowl of kibble softened with milk.
“Tank yu fow nummies!” she said as she began to eat.
“Whewe am Seafoam?” Spike asked.
Gumdrop huffed, “Nu cawe 'bout dat dummeh.”
I cut in, “They played that game I talked about and they lost. She’s just upset at the moment.”
Spike watched me intently, “Can Spike see Seafoam?”
“Uh,” not the response I was expecting. “He’s still down in the playroom so I need to get him cleaned up like I did for Gumdrop here.”
That elicited a coo and a “smeww pwetty” from Gumdrop.
Spike looked between me and Gumdrop with a concerned expression, “…Otay.”
“Do you want breakfast Spike?”
He shook his head, “Nu, aweady had kibbwe nummies.”
I liked the proactive ones, they saved me time.
“Ok well, I need to go do a few things and soon I”ll return with Seafoam. Ok?”
I didn’t wait for an answer and left. There was a lot to do before tonight.
I turned the lights on as I walked down into the basement. It was quiet. I guess Seafoam tired himself out with his crying. I walked over to the box and pulled the lid off, “Ok Seafoam it’s time-”
Oh shit. Oh SHIT. Seafoam had tried to get to the button and was now covered in thumbtacks.
“Nee…sabe…” he croaked. God damn it, NO! I wasn’t done with him yet and he went and did this?! “You stupid fuck…”
Now I’d have to improvise. I pulled him out of the box. He was barely alive it seemed but fluffies were resilient if anything. I’d have to get him upstairs without either of the fluffies seeing him. Grabbing a trashbag I put Seafoam into it and carried him upstairs and into the bathroom. Dumping him into the sink I began to pluck out the thumbtacks. Most of them were in his side, I guess he collapsed once the pain in his hooves became too much. Pulling the last of the thumbtacks out of his hooves I gave him a once over to make sure I didn’t miss any and then began to bathe him in the sink. The blood matting his fur washed down the drain and soon the water dripping off of him was clear. I grabbed the same shampoo I’d used on Gumdrop and rubbed it into his fur.
“Nu wan’ buwnie huwties huuhuu…” he mumbled.
It may hurt but he needed to be clean for when he returned to the saferoom.
Giving him a pat dry I pulled a bottle out from under the sink. He’d handled the sedative well last night so I put a few drops of it into his mouth and closed it until he swallowed. He’d soon be asleep and the others none the wiser.
Cradling Seafoam I brought him back into the saferoom. Spike was waiting for me to return and stood up when I walked in. “Fwend am otay?” One track mind with this one.
“Yes, he’s fine. He’s just tired from playing. He needs a good nap and then he’ll be good as new.” I placed Seafoam down on a bed. Spike walked over and gave him a sniff.
“He nu smell otay…”
I’m positive I got all the blood out of his fur…
“He’ll be fine Spike. Let him sleep.”
Spike sat close to Seafoam’s bed and watched him. Gumdrop, however, was watching FluffTV and payed her brother no mind.
“Gumdwop, Seafoam am back.”
She ignored him and kept watching TV.
There was work to be done downstairs so I’d let them do whatever they want while I get Spike’s game set up.
Downstairs I looked at the inside of the box and sighed. There was blood and feces to be cleaned and then I had to set up the immobilizer again. Doing my best to breathe through my mouth I set about cleaning up the mess. Thirty minutes of scrubbing and the box was nearly clean. The smell of cleaning product mixed with feces was never pleasent but I only had a few areas left to clean. Having run out of paper towels to clean with I headed back upstairs. I could hear a faint conversation from the saferoom so I crept up so they wouldn’t hear me.
“Gumdwop wha’ game did 'ou pway wif daddeh and Seafoam?”
“Dummeh Seafoam had to sabe Gumdwop bu’ he nu can.” she said with a huff.
“Wha’ he need sabe Gumdwop fwom?”
“Wowstest huwties bu’ he nu push button. Nu wan’ to cwoss pointy-huwtie circwe”
Spike sat there processing this information. Eventually he asked, “Who put button in da huwtie-circwe?”
Her face scrunched up like she was thinking harder than she ever had in her life, “Gumdwop nu kno’…mebbe daddeh kno’?” Spike looked back at Seafoam, “Spike nu fink he teww twuth…”
She gasped, “Buh he nu wie to fwuffies, he gud daddeh.”
Spike was far more observant that I initially thought. That might be a problem. The other two were about average in fluffy intelligence, if you could call it that. But Spike could plan and reason. I doubted he was a secret alicorn, maybe his increased size made his brain better?
Whatever, I had things to do that didn’t involve thinking about the mental capacity of a deformed horse.
Back in the basement my mind wandered as I cleaned. Spike was a tough one, he could fight a fully grown fluffy and win. His first thought was to save other fluffies regardless of his own safety. How far would he be willing to put his body on the line to do just that?
Inspiration struck me. Yes, I don’t think even Spike would do that…
I went into my bedroom and rummaged through my closet. Under some sorry-sticks I found what I was looking for. It was perfect.
I’d need to up the ante if I wanted to break Spike. Running downstairs I quickly set it up in the box. I couldn’t wait for tonight!
Heading back into the saferoom I saw Seafoam had started to wake up. Spike was by his side asking him questions but in his drugged state he wasn’t getting anything useful from Seafoam.
“Wha’ happen in game Seafoam? Wha’ daddeh do?”
“Nee…sabe…”
Spike was shaking Seafoam but he kept repeating the same thing over and over.
I went and sat down by Seafoam and stroked him softly.
“Wub…” he mumbled.
“It’s good to see you’re awake Seafoam. You sure were tired. It’s getting kinda late so let me get you guys your dinner then it’s bedtime.”
After giving the fluffies their dinner of softened kibble I waited for them to fall asleep. No need for tranquilizers tonight, I wanted them lucid for this.
I picked up Seafoam’s pillow first, better to get the easiest out of the way. I didn’t bother to strap him in since he’s near dead anyway. I went back upstairs to grab Gumdrop. She shifted slightly when I grabbed her pillow but thankfully she didn’t wake up. Closing the basement door behind me I took her over to the box.
Grabbing her off the pillow she groggily looked at me, “Wha’?”
I crammed the gag into her mouth and quickly tied it. She was wide awake now and was panicking. I was done with my “good daddeh” act.
“Stop struggling or else, you little shit.”
Eyes wide she looked up at me still trying to talk through her gag but to her credit she stopped moving.
I strapped her into the immobilizer next to Seafoam and closed the lid. You could barely hear her screams with the lid on but that’s what I wanted.
Leaving the basement door open, I unlatched the saferoom gate and went into my bedroom. Sitting at my computer I turned on the cameras I had set up around the house and waited.
Some time later Spike got up and walked over to their water bowl. After a quick drink he turned and noticed that the other two were gone. In the dim light he called out to them, “Gumdwop? Seafoam? Whewe yu go?” No response. After a quick search of the room he noticed the gate was open. A concerned expression formed on his face and he crept out of the saferoom. The house was dark with no light except for a trickle coming from the basement. He trundled down the steps and looked around. His ears moved as he strained to hear any sound. He began sniffing the air and followed Seafoam and Gumdrop’s scent. He circled the box a few times and looked for any way inside. Now seemed like a good time to head down there myself.
“Spike, you know you’re not allowed out of the saferoom by yourself.”
He spun around and faced me in an aggressive posture.
“Whewe fwiends go?”
Aw so brave, it was almost cute.
“I think you should be more worried about what’s going to happen to you, Spike.”
I closed the distance between us in two long strides and grabbed him by the scruff. I unlatched the lid of the box and dropped him in.
Spike landed with a thud and had the wind knocked out of him. I picked up the walkie-talkie, “Oh no Spike! It seems I have captured your friends!”
Seafoam had a glassy stare and Gumdrop was struggling against her bindings.
“Fwiends! Spike sabe yu!” He ran over and started tugging at the leather straps around their midsections but to no avail.
Spike looked to the ceiling, “Wet fwiends go munstah!”
“If you want to save them Spike then look at the center of the box.”
His eyes fell onto the cylindrical object in the center.
“If you want to save your friends it’s going to cost you: give up one of your legs to the “weggie muncher” or they lose all of theirs. You have five minutes Spike.”
The digital timer above Seafoam and Gumdrop lit up.
Spike resumed trying to take their bindings off.
Four minutes left.
“Nee sabe fwiends.” Spike walked over and examined the cylinder.
Three minutes left.
He breathed in deep and lowered his back right leg into the leg cutter. He braced for the pain but it never came. He looked around in confusion.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. What the hell was this? He was supposed to waste his five minutes trying to free them not try to give up a leg! GOD DAMN IT!
I got up and kicked the box so hard it toppled over and the lid clattered onto the floor.
“You little shit, you think you’re smarter than me?! “ I walked over to the open side of the box and grabbed Spike. “Save your friends now, you shit.” I tossed Spike to the other side of the room and righted the box. I grabbed a kitchen knife from a nearby drawer and started walking towards Spike. His front right leg was bent at an odd angle. He couldn’t get away now.
Spike was breathing heavily, “Nu wet yu huwt fwiends.”
I just laughed. He’ll die knowing he failed. That was good enough for me.
Spike whirled around and bucked a wooden stool into my path and I tripped over it. I landed hard onto the floor, the knife embedding itself into my guts. I struggled to my feet, pulling the knife out. I grunted in pain, “I was going to kill you quick but now you’re going to suffer.”
There was a clattering behind me and I turned. Seafoam was wobbling on his feet, “Nu huwt…nee sabe…”
“Looks like I should’ve strapped you down after all.” Clutching my stomach I started walking towards Seafoam. I felt teeth dig into my heel and I stumbled. The last thing I saw was Spike biting my ankle as my head collided with the wooden stool. Then nothing.
Spike stepped between the two foals and broke up their fight, “Nu mowe fightin’. Gu pway instead.”
The two foals huffed and walked off in opposite directions. It had been a month since their “daddy” had died and now he and Gumdrop were back at the shelter. Unfortunately, Seafoam succumbed to his injuries he sustained and Gumdrop was heartbroken. She never had the chance to reconcile with him and now she never could.
As for Spike, his front leg was too injured so now he walked around with a fake leg that was secured with straps around his shoulders. He didn’t want to be adopted anymore, he knew now that his place was here at the shelter. There were just so many fluffies that needed his help here. There was a lot that a fluffy had to think about when it came to humans. Some humans were nice and would take care of them but there were some humans who pretended to care. Those were the meanest, meaner than any fluffy could ever hope to be. A fluffy stood no chance against those humans.
“Weawwy? Yu gun take Misty to nyu howsie?” A nearby powder blue colt was interacting with a child. Spike could see it in their eyes, a malice lurking that the smile on their face tried to hide. Spike trotted over to Misty, “Hewwo wittwe mistuh. Yu hab fwuffy befowe?” Spike watched his expression carefully, a brief moment of hesitation told Spike all he needed to know.
“Spike see ‘ou befowe. Yu hewe wast fowebah and took a fwuffy home. Yu sai dey yu fwiend fowebah. Wha’ happen tu dat fwuffy?”
The kid sputtered and tried to give an answer, clearly he had never been grilled by a fluffy.
“Why Spike be mean tu nyu daddeh? Gu 'way!” Misty huffed and jumped into his new owner’s arms.
“Bu’ he nu gud daddeh, he huwt fwuffies! Twust Spike!”
“Nu! Spike jus’ wan take housie fwom Misty! Nu twick smawt fwuffy, dummeh.”
Misty blew a raspberry at Spike and the kid laughed. Spike called after them as the kid walked away with Misty but it was too late.
Some fluffies were just too selfish to listen to reason it seemed.
And that’s it for my entry for Mutagen’s Munchkins. I really appreciate the feedback on the first part, I’m not really confident with my writing. I also am not really crazy about abuse content but this seemed right for the idea I had. Fun fact: this story originally had a brown alicorn runt but, like his mother, I decided to abandon him and focus on the better fluffies.