:Light & Dark: [Chapter: 5] //An Original Story//

I must have dozed off at one point on the inky road, because when I opened my eyes there were a few rays of light breaking through the gloom. The carriage wasn’t moving, and I was lying across the bench, with my head resting on what I thought might have been a coat. I say up and a blanket slipped off me.

“Dark?” I called, twisting around to look in the bed of the carriage. No one was there. I then turned and jumped off the side of the carriage, but to my dismay, my foot got tangled in the blanket that was lying by my feet and I fell face first onto the ground. “Ow,” I groaned before pushing my self up.

As I straightened, pain shot through my back. I hunched over and placed a hand on my back. This was going to take some time to get used to. No more sleeping on wooden benches. My back was sore and I felt like an old person.

“You look like a old person,” an amused voice commented from behind me.

I turned to see Al standing with a bowl in his hands. “Morning,” I greeted him, straightening out again. “Thanks for the blanket and makeshift pillow last night.”

“How’d you know it was me?” he asked with a confused look.

“Dark doesn’t really look like that type of person,” I admitted with a sigh. “I’m hungry.”

“Here,” a new voice from behind me called, and then I felt something hit my head.

I winced but flung my hand out backwards, catching the thing that was thrown at me.

“Nice catch,” Alphonse commented with a nod.

I grinned and brought my hand to the front of me and stared down. “Bread?” I questioned. “What’s this for? The birds?”

“No. Breakfast,” Dark commented, coming into view.

“What?” I cried, staring down at the bread in horror. “This is not breakfast! This is… this is…”

“Breakfast,” Dark repeated before going over to the horses. He was carrying a bucket of water. He placed the bucket in front of the horses and they began to drink it.

I stared at Alphonse, who was just raising a spoonful of whatever he had into his mouth. I started at the yellow and white on his spoon.

“How come Al gets scrambled eggs while I get bread!” I complained, turning to Dark again.

“He was up earlier. You were lazy, so you missed out,” he replied with a shrug. “If you want something better to eat, make it yourself.”

“Fine,” I replied, puffing out my cheeks.

“Not now,” Dark ordered, stepping in front of me.

“Why not? I’m hungry.”

“Eat you’re bread. We have to get moving as soon as he horses are done drinking their water. Those guards of yours are pretty persistent.”

“They’re not mine,” I replied with a sigh. I unwrapped the bread and began to nibble on it. This was no fun. I sniffed and sat down next to Alphonse.

“Laura… do you want the rest of my eggs?” he asked cautiously, shaking his bowl slightly.

I looked at him gratefully and nodded. He handed his bowl over to me and I looked down into it and my jaw dropped, my momentary happiness now diminished. It was empty. Not even a little speck of egg was in the bowl. Alphonse started laughing and I glared at him before chucking the bowl at his face. It missed his face, but hit him square on the chest.

“Ow!” he complained, rubbing at the spot before gathering up the bowl. He began to chuckle again. “Boy, you’re reaction was so cliché.”

“We’re going,” Dark announced. I could hear the amusement in his voice too.

I glowered at him before standing and strutting to the bed of the carriage and climbing into the back. I watched as Alphonse stood and walked over to me.

“What?” I asked cantankerously with a glum look. I was having seconds thoughts about this whole journey idea. Maybe I should just go back home and have Alphonse and Dark save my sister.

He handed me the bowl. “Put this in the box labeled dirty dishes,” he said, gesturing to the boxes behind me. “Please.”

“Fine,” I sighed taking the bowl and crawling to the back. I placed it in the box Alphonse mentioned, and sat down with my back against it. No. I would have to play this journey out to the end. Otherwise it would be like breaking a promise, to myself, Irene and Loretta.

With a jolt the carriage began to move forward. I turned and leaned over the board where the bench was and watched the road go by. Dark stared straight ahead, watching the road. Alphonse was staring out the side, watching the trees go by. I sighed as my stomach grumbled and rested my head on the wood.

I felt a tap on my head and looked up to see Dark holding out a white thing. I stared at it for a few seconds. He held it out a little further, still looking forwards, at the road.

“What’s this?” I asked as I took the white thing from him. I lifted the top part off and looked in. “Bacon?”

Dark didn’t answer; he just kept looking ahead at the road. “You’re still hungry right?”

“You’re… so kind,” I said with a fake sniffle. I was thoroughly pleased however, and I looked at him gratefully.

“Don’t be stupid,” he replied with a smirk at me. “I just had to feed the pig to get her stomach to stop rumbling.”

I gasped and opened my mouth. What a jerk! And here I thought he was at least being somewhat nice. “How can you be so mean to someone you barely now?”

“He’s just teasing you,” Alphonse interjected, waving his hands frantically to get my attention.

I huffed and looked at him. “It was still mean…” I looked down at the bacon in my hands. Was he being nice? Or was he really just being a jerk? I sighed and picked up a piece and began to nibble on it. I might as well not waste food.

We lapsed back into silence after that. I finished the bacon and put the trash into a bag and sat in the corner, staring out the back. The horse’s hooves pounding on the ground was becoming a familiar sound. My back still hurt, and it was still weird being away from home, but amazingly I was adjusting fast.

I looked at Dark, who was slightly leaning off to the side. I stared at him, puzzled, before he snapped back up again and stretched. He did it twice more before I became frustrated. Either he was tired, or drunk. The latter seemed not plausible.

I pulled on Alphonse’s cloak. He turned to me and I cupped my hands over his ears. “Did, uh… did Dark drink anything last night?”

Alphonse looked at me confused. “No… I would hope not. He was keeping guard.”

So that was it. He must be tired. I stood up and unsteadily made my way to the front and over the bench.

“What are you doing?” Dark asked angrily when I placed myself between him and Alphonse and tried to pull the reigns out of his hand.

“Taking over. You get some sleep,” I told him, looking straight ahead.

“No. You don’t know how-”

“I know how!” I cut him off; yanking on the reigns, and making the horses swerve to the right. Alphonse cried out in surprise and clung on to me.

“No you don’t!” Dark responded, tugging on the reigns, making the horses swerve left. “I’m fine!”

“Guys, guys!” Alphonse shouted, still clinging onto me, trying to pull the reigns from my hands.

“Let me take over!” I shouted, yanking on the reigns again. The horses swerved right again, the carriage tipping perilously. “It’d be dangerous if you fell asleep while driving!”

“I won’t!” He shouted back as he seized the reigns back towards him, pulling Alphonse and myself along with it, landing on his lap.

I gripped the reigns in my hand and hugged them to my chest. Dark pulled on my hands, trying to free them from my grip.

“You brat!” Dark growled, wrenching the reigns from my hands. I scowled up at him.

“I am just worried for you,” I huffed, pushing Alphonse of me so I could sit up.

“Yeah right,” Dark jumped down my throat.

I stared at him critically. “I’m being serious though…” I pouted a little bit and glared out into the trees before looking back at him.

Dark stared at me for a few seconds then sighed. “Okay. Fine. If it makes you happy, you can take over and I will rest, but only for a little bit. Wake me up in about an hour.” He held up his pointed finger. “Just one.”

My eyes lit up and I nodded furiously. “Of course!”

Dark pursed his lips for a few seconds before sighing again and hopping in the back. “One hour,” he reminded me.

((Sorry for the hassle, but for the next chapter you HAVE to click next chapter, otherwise it doesn't show up. Why? Well because it doesn't show up otherwise ): Quizilla is an ass like that and likes to piss me of majorly.))

"There’s A Place That I’ve Found, As Far As I Can See. This Place Lies Within, The Depths Of My Dreams." ~ [My Apocalypse - Escape The Fate]