The Black Army (BVB)

Chapter 21- Old Times, New Worries

Chapter 21- Old Times, New Worries

When they got back to camp, Abbie quickly rushed back to her tent to pack the few belonging she owned into a black duffle bag that Andy gave her. She threw in her battle uniform and looked at her tattered, old pink shirt. She clutched it in her hand and closed her eyes, all of the memories coming back to her. Her past fights, her crushes, and her just plain weird confrontations. She looked at the blood that stained it, it was arranged almost in a pattern, as if was supposed to be there. She tilted her head thoughtfully.

“Packing?” Steph asked, making Abbie jump.

“Oh, yeah,” Abbie blushed, taking a deep breath.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, I still need to pack, too. What’s that?” Steph asked, pointing to her shirt.

“My old shirt. I haven’t worn it since I got here.”

Steph nodded and took out her own black duffle bag. Abbie went back to packing, throwing her shirt onto her neatly folded uniform.

“You may want to put on your war uniform. You’ll need it for the… big day tomorrow,” Steph advised, trying not to remind Abbie of the battle. Abbie nodded and took out the uniform. She took off her camp uniform and pulled on the black tank top and matching shorts. She neatly folded her camp uniform and looked at it longingly. She wished she could be in the familiar clothes. She wished it was only a practice. She didn’t want to face the Wretcheds. This wasn’t like any time she had fought before. She had to trust others with her life and they trusted their lives with her. She took a deep breath she shook the thought away and put tossed her old, ripped jean shorts into the bag.

“You ok?” Steph breathed. Abbie looked at her. She looked just as nervous about the battle as she was.

“Yeah, I think so,” Abbie replied, zipping up the bag.

Ashley stepped into the tent. “Andy wants to see you,” he told Abbie. She nodded and walked towards him. “Bring your bag,” he added. She slung the practically empty bag over her shoulder and fallowed him to Andy’s tent.

When they got there, Andy, Jinxx, Jake, and CC looked up from the map they were studying. They all had the same depressed look on their face. Andy looked at her bag.

“I came here with only the clothes on my back, remember?” she said, combing through her hair.

“Put it over there with the others,” he instructed, nodding to the pile of duffle bags. There seemed to be a lot more than one for each of them.

“Who brought all these?” she asked, dumping her bag on top of the pile.

“Ashley,” Jake said flatly, looking at Ashley.

“Is it so bad to want to look good?” he asked, grinning. The grin soon disappeared with a glare from Andy.

“What’s the plan?” Abbie asked, her tone flat and emotionless.

“You and I head out ahead of the others and scout the area. Once we see it’s safe, we can join the others.” Andy replied.

“It won’t be safe. We’re heading into a battle that determines whether we die or not! How can you possibly think it will be safe?” she shouted.

“Safe enough that we don’t all die before we get there,” he corrected himself, his tone firm. Abbie looked down and sighed.

“Listen, we are all just as nervous and scared and frustrated as you are, Abbie. This isn’t easy.” Sammi said quietly. Abbie looked over at her, blue eyes filled with tears.

“Yeah. This is hard for all of us. You aren’t alone,” Jinxx added.

“That’s the whole part of this army. To fight for freedom and bring people together,” Ashley added, walking over and hugging Abbie. She buried her face in his bare chest. She wished she could block out the whole world and sit inside herself, just so she could think in peace.

“It’s not the battle I’m worried about. It’s after the battle,” she whispered.

“I know. We’ll all have to get back to our old lives,” he said softly in her ear, rubbing her back.

“I’ll go back to the Dark Woods, running around in circles all day and hiding from demons and other dangerous creatures. How could you call that a life?”

“You’ll figure it out. Don’t worry.”

“Let’s go do something non-depressing,” CC said, his tone overly cheery.

“I agree,” Ashley said, picking Abbie up.

“Yeah, I don’t want to spend the rest of today thinking about how sad we’ll be after this is all over,” Andy added.

“Well that ruined the mood,” Abbie said flatly.

“Oh hush up!” Ashley said, carrying her out and into his tent with the rest of the guys and Sammi in tow. He put Abbie on the couch and sat next to her. Jinxx and Sammi sat on the bed, and Andy sat next to Abbie, leaving one chair left. Jake sat down in it, leaving CC standing.

“Where and I supposed to sit?” CC pouted.

“On your butt,” Ashley replied. CC grinned and sat down on Ashley.

“Andy! Get him off me!” Ashley wined.

“I got it,” Abbie said, standing up and sitting on Andy, “There, CC take my spot and get off of the poor guy.”

“You better not change into a horse,” Andy warned.

“What if I do?” Abbie challenged.

“Do you really want to say that while you’re sitting on my lap?”

“Uh-oh! He’s gonna tickle you!” CC sang.

“Um, no, I think I’m good,” Abbie smiled sweetly.

“Good choice.”

They spent the rest of the day talking and joking around, trying to forget the battle that was rapidly approaching. They spent most of the time messing with Abbie, and she did the same to them. She wished she could stay with them forever, joking around and living with out a care in the world, but she knew in less than a few hours all hell would break loose. She tired not to think about it. She could tell everyone else was trying to do the same. It was hard not to when your life, and everything you live for, was on the line.