Paint The World Red With Me (An Eddsworld Tord x Reader)

Chapter 13: Changes

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That night, Tord called the entire army to a dinner celebration in the mess hall. The room was cleaned up and tables rearranged. Red streamers and banners were spread throughout the walls. Soldiers sat around and chatted excitedly. Laughing at other's jokes. Getting into friendly arguments. Having competitions.

I sat between Matt and Tom during it all. I didn't say a word, which they respected. Tom and Sarah had some soft banter, but the mood over the four of us was solemn, unlike the buzzing energy from the rest of the crowd.

Tord sat at the very front of the room, observing and conversing with his top generals. Eventually he stood and started giving a speech. I didn't listen very closely. Only the last thing he said stuck with me.

"To the fall of Gray Army!"

The cheer was repeated in a furious roar, with clapping and shouts.

That's when the shock truly settled in. Gray Army was gone. Nobody was going to save me.

Needless to say, I cried myself to sleep that night.

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The next few months passed like a blur. Days melted together. Weeks went by in a single clock tick. I didn't care.

I never left my room. It had become my sanctuary. Let me forget where I was. What had happened. Even if I wanted to leave, I doubt I'd be able to do more than walk the halls.

I wasn't alone. Not all the time. Tom, Sarah, and Matt came to see me whenever they could. Some days they couldn't come at all. But that was ok. I understood. They were soldiers. Busy with duties.

But when they did come, each visit was different. Whenever Tom came, he'd do exercises with me. It kept me healthy and in shape, which I appreciated. Sarah usually came with Tom, but every so often she'd come in by herself. Said that I needed the occasional "girl time".

She'd sit behind me and brush the tangles out of my (H/C) locks. Give me the latest updates on what was happening within the base. Nothing harmful or hateful. She was seen as the mother friend to a lot of soldiers, so she knew a lot if things. Most consisted within '[Name] came to me the other day and said she had feelings for [Other]. Poor dear, he already has his sights on [Someone]'.

Matt visited the most. Snuck in snacks and sweets from the lounge. He had two types of visits. The first were light hearted, with him telling me jokes and all about cute shops in town that 'We are totally going to visit one day.' But there were other times, when the pressure of everything was getting to him. We'd both lay on our backs on the floor, staring the ceiling. We'd trade stories. His about the adventures of him, Edd, Tom, and sometimes Tord. Mine were memories about Chand, Emily, and the Gray Army. The majority of those sessions ended in tears.

Paul and Pat visited once in a blue moon. They'd usually have different forms of entertainment for me. A new notebook and pencils. A stack of books to swap with the old one. A pack of cards. The first few times they tried to make conversation. I never wanted to talk to them. Not after what they did. I know that they didn't have a choice, that Tord would kill them for disobeying orders. It still hurt.

A soldier came by three times a day to bring me a tray of food. There were times where I didn't have an appetite. The first week, I didn't eat anything at all. Not even Matt was able to persuade me into eating. I finally caved in when a soldier came by, with direct orders from Red Leader that if I didn't eat, he was to force me to.

Tord. That bastard didn't even bother to show his face. I don't know why he's still keeping me alive. Probably as some sick trophy of victory. And that night after the raid. No matter how hard I tried, it kept coming back to my mind. He was most likely just using me to get to Chandler.