Authors Note - 'flashback/memories'
It's not quite morning yet, but I figure I'll get ready for the day. Before I walk out I remember Quartermaster saying to rest today.
I guess I can work on that drawing Gwen requested, I pull out my sketch book and start a rough drawing.
How am I supposed to forget him of I draw him? I'm sorry Gwen, but I'm going to draw something else for now.
I decide to draw the camp, the first person I draw is Max, I still remember when we were younger, everytime he did something he was proud of he would want to show our parents and get their approval but they always pushed him away. But I was happy to give him that feeling of acceptance.
' I'm currently working on math homework when I hear Max run inside "hey dad, look at what I made" I hear him exclaim. "Not now, I'm busy, go show your mother" I hear dad grumbles. "Oh, ok" Max says sounding slightly disappointed before he runs off to find our mom, who is most likely on her computer doing work. "Hey mom-" before he can even finish mom cuts him off.
"Not now Max, I got alot of work to do, and I don't have time for you or your little crafts" She rudely says. "Fine" Max says angrily and runs out. "Where you going little dude?" I ask as I put my homework away.
"I'm going outside to burn this" he replies holding something. "That looks cool, what is it?" I curiously as as I get closer. "It's something we made in school, we went on a nature hunt and whatever we found we glued onto this plate to show 'the beauty of nature' whatever that means" he answers.'
He was so quick to destroy his work cause of those monsters.
I hear Gwen yawn. "What the fuck are you doing up?" She sits up. "When I woke up I seen it was almost light out, so I decided to stay up" I answer as I add details to Max's floofy hair.
"What you working on?" She sits at her desk. "Just doodling the campsite, I was going to draw what you requested, but I want to forget" I tell her.
"That's fine, sorry for asking you to draw him" she pulls out her 'journal'.
"So whats on the schedule for today" I shut the sketch book and lean back. "David wants to do Fire Control Camp, and Political History Camp today, which will definitely end in disaster" she answers.
"Before you say anything, your not helping, your just going to relax today and heal up" she says strictly.
"I'm ok, it's just a few bruises, the swelling went down" I tell her. "How can you keep saying that, no offense, but you kinda look like shit" she asks.
I shrug "this isn't the worse that I been through" I say nonchalantly. Before she can say anything there's a small bang outside. "We're going to continue this conversation" she tells me as David walks in and his hair is slightly on fire, he's covered in ash, and he has what seems to be a flag, or a banner on his shoulders that seemed to be forced over his head.
"I told you if you don't do Fire Safety Camp and Political History Camp in the same day unless you really want it to turn into Riot Control Camp" She tells him. He lets out a small groan. For a split second I think I see Max's little poof outside the window.
"Go, get out of here" she tells him as she tosses the car keys at him. "Wha?" He mumbles.
"You're not going to do anyone any good if you keep letting Max get to you like this, so go, get out of dodge, and take (Y/n) with you, she could use a break...I'll cover underwater basket weaving tomorrow. Take the campmobile and get outta dodge for a day, Reset!" She tells him as she lightly pushes me towards him.
"What should we do?" He asks. "How the hell should I know, just do what you normally do to blow off steam before you kill somebody" she answers. "You know, that's not a bad idea" he smiles.
"Go pack, and I'll make sure (Y/n) packs too" she says as she grabs my bag. "Don't I have a say in this?" I ask. "Nope, now pack" she demands. David starts walking away.
"You're still on fire, b-t-dubbs" she informs him. "Thank you" he quietly says as he walks to pack.
"Hey, just have fun and relax, don't worry about what's going on here, just do what you got to do to heal up" she says considerately. " Fine" I groan and grab my sketch book before shoving it into the bag. "Have fun" Gwen yells to me as I walk out the door, I decide to wait in the car, so I just put my bag in the back.after a few minutes David walks over and he looks tired. He puts his stuff in the car then gets in the driver seat and hooks his belt.
"You ok?" I ask. "Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine, just thinking about what I'll need from town" he answers. "Does the town have alot of things?" I ask. "Well, not really but it has the necessities" he answers as he starts the car and turns down the radio.
"Is there anything you want to listen to?" He asks. "Not really, you can listen to whatever" I tell him. He happily smiles before putting a CD in.
"Welcome to the audio audition of the Farmer's Almanac for the year of our Lord, 1972 being in a being in a bisextile, or leap year. Includes a weather forecast for all regions of the USA as well as planning cables, and Zodiac secrets, for every month."
"This one's going to be good" he says happily. This is not as surprising as it should be.
"He's got to have a weakness" I think I hear Max say. This isn't going to end well
We were in the car for about thirty minutes, I would occasionally listen to the CD but for the majority of the time I was looking out of the window.
The town is small and very plain with a few buildings. "I'm going to go get supplies, is there anything you want to get while we're here?" He asks. "I'll just look around" I smile at him and he says "ok, I'll be right back" he walks off.
When he's finally out of view I stop smiling and go to the back of the car and open up the trunk.
Max, Nikki, and Neil all fall out. "Why?" I ask before they can say anything. "Max" Nikki and Neil answer while pointing at him.
"Of course" I mumble to myself. "Alright, listen up, I don't care that you three are here, but don't let David see you, and if you get caught, I had no idea that you were here, ok" I tell them.
"Deal" Max says with a smirk Before they all walk away. I pass a few people and I can feel them staring probably looking at the bruises, maybe I should've gone with David. This town looks like something out of a horror movie, or a western maybe both.
I see a buff dude standing outside a store called 'muffin tops'. "Yo, how old are you?" He randomly asks. "Nope" is all I reply as I keep walking.
I try to find any store that might carry art supplies but unfortunately I failed so I walk into what seems to be an electric store. Weird, I would've thought this place had no type of electricity other than lights.
I see a long line towards the back of the store and what sounds like Neil saying "that should fix the problem". Curiosity got the better of me and I go towards the front of the line.
"What the hell are you doing?" He looks slightly shocked to see me. "Apparently I am one of the most technically advanced people here, so they hired me" he answers as he fixes another device with little to no effort.
"Who hired you?" I question and he just points at who I'm guessing is the owner of the store. I walk over to him. "Hello madam, bute of a day today" he greets
"Yeah whatever, why did you hire a minor who has no form of ID on him?" I said annoyed. "He offered miss, and I plan on paying him cash" he answers.
"Look, he doesn't even live near here, he goes to camp at Camp Campbell" he looks at Neil then back to me. "Oh I'm sorry miss, I didn't know his mom was around, but he is an amazing worker" he tells me. "W-what, I'm NOT his mom, I'm a councilor" I'm kinda offended I don't look like a mom, I try to convince myself.
"Oh I'm so sorry, but since he is such a great worker can he keep working just for today, you can even stay with him" He asks. I'm still stuck on the 'mom' comment so I just nod my head and walk back over to Neil and sit on the ground trapped in my thoughts.
Hell, I'll never tell anyone this but I'm kinda nervous to be a mother cause I'm scared I'll turn out like my mom.
"Neil! Red alert!" I get knocked out of my daze and see Max looking scared and Nikki not looking too good
"Huh?" Neil replies confused.
"This is it, he's snapped! We gotta go!" Max yells.
"But we don't close 'till...By Tesla's coils!" Neil rushes over to Nikki worried by her appearance
"What? Wait, who are you and what have you done with Nikki?" Max asks while looking at her.
"Max, what did you do to her? Is she dying?" Neil sounds very concerned.
"She was with me the whole time as we were ran around...town!" Max came to the realization
"Need...nature. Nikki, go home" she sounds very I'll. Suddenly there's a car honking.
"He's here!" Max exclaims as he hides behind me. "Wait, what is all that stuff?" Neil rushes behind me too. In the car is an axe a few planks of wood, a knife, and a few tarps
"He's gonna kill me!" Max grabs the back of my shirt and tries to hide. "I'm sure he's not gonna kill you, and if he tries, I'll stop him" I try tell them but they ignore me "What?" Neil asks
"We went too far!" Max sounds really worried. "What do you mean 'we'? This is all you!" Neil says trying to get himself out of trouble.
"Yeah, but I didn't wanna drive him to murder! I just wanted to show him that his entire philosophical outlook on life is flawed and that fundamental beliefs and ideaologies he holds so dearly are trivial so that he'll start crying himself to sleep like the rest of us! I'm not a monster!" Max explains to us.
"Max!" I look at the window and David is there and he doesn't look happy.
Neil squeaks in fear and also clutches the back of my shirt while Nikki coughs a few more times before saying "hi David".
David tells the trio to get into the car, and not wanting to get in trouble as well, I get in too.
"I'm suddenly regretting multiple recent choices" Neil quietly says as David starts the car and starts driving "This is your fault, Max" Nikki groans "Shut up! This is fine! As soon as we get back to camp we find Gwen and". "He's not taking us back to camp!" Neil interrupts Max by panicking.
"All I've ever tried to do is help you. I keep trying to tell you about the joys of camping. Of being part of a team, of helping your fellow campers. But no. You never try, You just push and push and push. I don't know what to say anymore. I've got nothing left. You left me no choice" David 'scolds' him suddenly the car stops and David gets out and grabs the supplies that are near the trios feet
He starts hammering and cutting wood. I look out of the window and see David made a little camp site with three tents. Neil whimpers "help us (Y/n)" he sounds very scared. I guess they can't see out of the window.
"We'll run for it" Max says as he opens his door but freezes when he sees what David was doing.
"Are you. Fucking. Serious?!" He complains. "Yay!" Nikki quickly hops out of the car and rolls in the dirt while laughing and she suddenly looks ok
"You sick bastard. Your getaway from the camp is TO GO CAMPING!?" Max yells at him
"I don't know what to tell you anymore about how cool camping can be. All I can do now, is show you" David says hopefully.
"Come on guys! Did you know I have the Farmer's Almanac on tape? If we start now we can finish 1973!" He smiles. They all groan when Max says "Just Kill us!"
I finally get out of the car and I sit down on a log. "Hey, you all tagged along, which mean now you are stuck here with the farmers almanac" I tell them trying to make them angry.
It's definitely going to be a long day...