Awoken

Chapter 1: Nopony Escapes

I've tried my best to block out the screams, but they're haunting me in my dreams...

I woke up with a start. Phew, just another nightmare... Nothing to worry about...

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beside me, my alarm clock flashed 7:00 pm. Time for work...

I yawned and stretched my wings. We're getting the new shipment today... Great. This is one of the two weeks every month when I actually have to work at the Pegasus Device. The flights schools only have their exams twice a month, and the rest of the time, we do other, much less painful work around the factory.

I quickly ran a brush through my messy purple mane and grabbed my labcoat off the hook. I slipped it on and hurried out the door.

As I walked through the hallway, I passed the other worker who works the day shift. WoodenToaster, I think his name is. I haven't talked to him in a long time. The last time we said anything other than "hi", was about 4 years ago, when he first trained me to use the Pegasus Device. Weird to think we've worked together for 4 years, and never see eachother except for in between shifts.

In fact, I never actually see any of my coworkers. The only ponies I see frequently are Rainbow Dash, the manager, and Dr. Atmosphere, the...well, I don't really know what he is.

I finally reached the main room. The gigantic Pegasus Device sat at the front of the room, taking up the majority of the space. I positioned myself in the line of workers in the center of the room.

At the start of every shift, Dash explains to us exactly what our job will be for the day. Mine, on days like this, is always the same. Man the Pegasus Device.

Don't get me wrong, I used to love my job, but lately it just hasn't been the same. Somehow I've started feeling bad for the poor flight school failures. I was one once. Or at least was going to be one...

Thank Celestia for the Rainbow Factory. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for them. Dash gave me a chance. She was the only one who did.

"Alright everypony, we have a long week ahead of us," started Dash. "Yesterday was exam day, and we all know what that means! There will be plenty more failures to dispose of. We can't have anyone slacking off today, if I see any nonsense, it's the Pegasus Device for you."

I've never been scared of Dash and her threats. She will put workers who don't work through the Pegasus Device, I'll give you that. Shes done it many times before. But I know that she can't afford to do the same for me. I'm one of the only 2 ponies here that know how to operate the PD, and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to find new staff for that job. Back when I first applied, poor Toaster had had to work for 5 days strait because there was nopony to take the night shift. And plus, I'm one of her most trusted workers. She'd never kill me.

Dash spoke back up. "If you know what you're doing, get to your positions. If you don't have a job, come to me, and I'll give you one. Now GET TO WORK!"

I sighed and scaled the steps to the control platform. Infront if me was that dreaded lever. The lever that every time I pull, an innocent life is lost.

I looked over to Dash, who was speaking to Dr. Atmosphere. The red pony ran off, probably to retrieve the failures from the loading platform outside and pay the ponies who drive the carts to keep a secret.

These poor ponies are treated like cargo, I thought. They're just supplies being brought into the factory to be made into something new. Rainbows to be exact. Thats not how ponies should be treated. Even ones that can't fly.

I sighed and sat down, waiting for the new shipments to come in so we could just get this over with. I'll probably be working at the PD for 3 or 4 nights now, just until all of the failures are taken care of. Between me and Toaster, it should go fairly fast.