Feral Wolf by Caroline Peckham

I'd made it all the way down to level six when I'd met Sparkle and her gang coming up the stairs. Before they'd seen me, I'd turned and run like a comet was burning a hole in my ass and had somehow made it into the library.

But my luck had taken a worse turn when they'd headed this way too. So now I was laying on top of a large bookshelf while the whole of the Pegasus gang, The Twisted Horns, drank some guarine nectar they must have gotten from Medical. It was a seriously strong spirit that was used to stop Fae rot in its tracks, and its acrid smell was so intense that it stung my eyes even all the way up here.

"Let's play never have I ever!" cried a girl with a tattoo of a bleeding storm cloud on her neck and the others all whinnied in agreement.

"Alright," Sparkle said, running her fingers through her short rainbow hair. She grinned wickedly and everyone shared glances and nervous horsey snorts, but no one backed out. "I'll start..." Sparkle trotted around the group as one of the other Pegasuses made sure everyone had a drink.

It looked like they'd taken a bunch of the plastic cups from the kitchens and I had to wonder how order was ever going to be restored in this place and all of the equipment returned to its rightful places. I knew for sure I wouldn't be involved in it though. If I ever got out of this hell, I was going to hand in my resignation immediately and find a new calling. I'd always liked animals. Maybe I could be a magical creatures breeder. I could run a little farm where kids could come and visit the Ignitious kittens and Soaris foals. Yeah, that sounded more up my street. Little baby animals with fluffy heads and big eyes. But nothing with sharp teeth who wanted to eat me.

"Never have I ever stabbed a man with my horn," Sparkle said proudly and I shit you not, every single one of those bastards drank.

"Never have I ever had the hots for one of the guards," said a girl with pink eyebrows and the words Suck My Glit tattooed along her jaw. She drank and so did a bunch of the others as they started snorting like ponies.

"Which one?" Sparkle demanded of her.

"Officer Cain," she said with a grin.

"Cain's a hardass, I like my asses soft," said a huge guy with colourful knuckle tats that said Suck Horn. "Like Officer Hastings."

I shuddered, falling stiller than before as I tucked myself in tight against the top of the bookshelf.

"If I ever got my hands on him, I'd show him how to ride a real stallion." He smirked and I squeezed my eyes shut. No, no, no.

The others laughed heartily and I cringed.

"I bet he feels like a rainbow inside," the guy continued. "I'd fill him with so much glitter he'd be shitting shiny turds for weeks."

"You're so bad, Cloudini," Sparkle grinned at him as she swigged her drink.

I glanced at the exit, wondering if I could make it there over the tops of the bookshelves without being seen. But the risk of being caught by Cloudini was too high. I didn’t wanna be that huge rapey Pegasus’s next victim.

I pictured my mother's face as she heard the news that I'd died in here and clung to the thought of seeing her again. I'll get outa here, momma. I'll be alright. She must have been freaking out right now, knowing I was stuck down here. It was probably all over the news. Darkmore on lockdown, prisoners rioting. It would be the most talked about story in Solaria.

I shut my eyes and tried to block out the sound of the Pegasuses chatting as they continued playing never have I ever, all of them using the game to brag about the most terrible crimes they'd committed outside of Darkmore, trying to outshine each other.

"Never have I ever chomped a guy's balls off like two juicy apples hanging from a tree."

"Never have I ever hoofed an ex-boyfriend to death."

"Never have I ever farted glitter on the corpse of my enemy at their funeral."

"Never have I ever have skewered a grandma on my horn."

"Oh my stars, seriously Moonbeam?" Sparkled asked disapprovingly. "That's wrong, dude."

"What?" Moonbeam said defensively. "Don't worry, it was my grandma. I'm not a savage."

Stars, if you're listening, please help me.

There was no answer, and I found myself playing along with the game in my own head.

Never have I ever been so afraid in all my life.