Then

[Freya Kane]

THEN
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Big Spencer was driving, the four by four was packed full of the Spencer siblings. Buck sat up front, while in the back Abigail sat in between Jeb and Ricky. Jeb was reading a comic book, while Ricky was tampering with a tablet of some sort. Buck gazed out of the window, while Spencer kept his eyes on the road. Abigail sat in the middle of it all, staring almost blankly as she just repeated the words she’d seen written on the wall, over, and over.

“Find her. Find Yourself. Find Her. Find Yourself”

Almost like some twisted chant, it repeated in her head. Only stopping when Buck addressed her.

Buck: Hey, what’s up wit’ you? Ah know it sucks that we’re goin’ home, but you done good while you was there.

She turned to look, her blank gaze just seemingly cold.

Abigail: Ah wasn’t released. Ah axed for some time off.

Buck: Oh, well ain’t you a princess. We’z not bein’ booked, so we wuz told ta go on home til’ they called again.

She looked at the rear view mirror, catching his eyes as she did.

Abigail: Ah’m sure y’all will be back there soon enough. They always need bodies…

Her words hung in the air for a few moments. Buck cocking an eyebrow at her, but not saying anything. Ricky was too busy fiddling to listen to the idle chatter, and Jeb was enjoying his comic book. Big Spencer however, was eyeing Abigail up in the rear view mirror. He didn't say anything, but for a moment their eyes made contact, and Abigail slunk down a little. It wasn't too long before they pulled up onto the drive of the Spencer Farm. It had clearly seen better days, especially since the boys hadn't been around to help out. Once Spencer parked the truck they boys all hopped out with reckless abandon. Ricky began unloading their gear, Jeb ran off to go see his favourite horse, but Spencer leaned on the front of the trick, almost sitting on it.

Spencer: What's goin’ on wit’ you sis?

He folded his arms as he eyed her up while she slid out of the vehicle.

Abigail: What do you mean?

Spencer: Ah mean one week you wuz all fore an’ brimstone. You damn near broke poor Jeb, now you’s all like some preteen emo kid. Somethin’s botherin’ you. An’ it ain't losin’ a match or havin’ time off. So spill it.

She held her duffel bag close, the papers stashed away inside. She wanted to spill her guts, tell her big brother how she felt, what was going on, and how confused and scared she was. But she didn't.

Abigail: Nuttin’ ta worry ya big head about Spence. Let’s just call it women's problems an’ leave it at that, yeah?

She left in a huff, not wanting him to see how she was really feeling. However Spencers eyes followed her as she headed towards the house, headed towards Ma and Pa. He gave her a few moments, then began to follow.

Ricky: Okay guys, come get yer stuff…… Guys? Aww come on man.

Ricky shaked his head as he looked around to see nobody was there.

~~~

Ah know that last week was some pretty cool shit. Viv an’ I, we went to tha limit and showed tha world what we could do. In that aspect, she earned mah respect. Ain’t got a bad word ta say about her. No matter how different our lives may be, in that squared circle we’re all on the same playin’ field. It’s the great equalizer. We’ve seen people rise up from nothin’ an’ become legends in there, and now it’s on us ta do that. Right now, ah’m involved in some fucked up kinda identity crisis, but inside that ring? Ah know exactly who ah am. Vivienne found that out last week, and this week Rayne and Crystal will find out too.

Ah ain’t a joke.

It’s funny y’know? Cuz this week we gots people from all walks of life. We got tha cinnamon roll, we got the queen bitch, an’ we got some failed hollywood actress. Three women who ain’t never normally gonna cross paths, but here we are. The prize of the Shieldmaiden Championship is enough to draw all sorts together, and when you stop an’ think about it? It’s a worthy prize at that. Anyone who has ever been an anyone here in eye dubble ya eff has held that belt. Even if it’s only been for a week or so like Shea or Astrid….

Name a Diamond worth their salt, and they’ve held that belt.

Ah wuz never expectin’ somethin’ like this when ah came back to tha ring. Ah was lookin’ at a long road of redemption ta get back to where ah even waz, let alone smack bang in a title match. Ah ain’t never hit them heights, ah crashed out of the Diamonds in tha’ rough tournament and just kinda flitted about since then, but now? Now ah’m back, an ah have mah head screwed on right. This time, it ain’t about no higher power, it ain’t about mah brothers.

It’s about me.

Abigail.

Ah ain’t got nothin’ against the girls in this match. Ah ain’t got no beef with Rayne, ah couldn’t give two shits about Crystal, an ah’ve already established ah’m fine with Vivienne. Thing is, ah don’t need to, ah don’t need to have problems with y’all ,because mah mindset is still tha same. Ah’m goin’ in there with mah eyes on the prize, and it don’t matter who ah have ta put away to walk out with it. Shield Maiden Abigail has a pretty nice ring to it, don’t y’all think?

It’d certainly send a message to everyone out tha back.

Ah’m not playin’ games, ah’m not messin’ around. Ah mean business this time, ah mean to go and be the best ah possibly can be, an’ if that ends at the shield maiden, then so be it. But ah’m gonna climb this here ladder as far as ah can. Ah’m gonna jump through them hoops, grab those brass rings and do everythin’ ah can to climb through the ranks here. Ah’m a new woman, full of passion, full of drive, full of determination. Ah won’t be remembered as tha dumb redneck who preached about HIM only ta fail week in, an’ week out. That’s tha old Abby. This here’s the new Abby.

An’ the new Abby wants to kick some ass.

So it don’t really matter ta me what y’all think, or what y’all say. Ah’m going in for that prize, locked and loaded, an’ when all is said an’ done? Mah hand will be raised victorious and everyone will finally realize that ah am someone to be scared of. Ah am someone who can fight like the best of ‘em, an ah am somebody who is destined for greatness.

One way, or anotha.

~~~

THEN
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Without hesitating Abigail continued through into the house, passing the side rooms and heading right for the kitchen. There she saw Ma and Pa, Ma was fixing up some food, and Pa was leaning on the kitchen side, he perked up when Abigail walked in.

Pa: Hey chicken, howssit?

Abigail: Don’t chicken me Pa…

With a flourish she spun her bag around and pulled out the folder with the adoption papers inside. She threw them onto the kitchen surface and just glared at her parents. Pa slowly opened up the folder, as Ma looked over to see what it was, with a shocked reaction she puts her hand over her mouth.

Pa: Honey, we wuz gonna tell you…

Abigail: Tell me what!? That ah ain’t your daughter? Or that y’all got mah name wrong, or hell that ah ain’t even the one y’all picked out!?

Ma: What?

Abigail moves forwards and picks the paper up before slamming it down on the side.

Abigail: That ain’t me! She’s not even ‘Murican! She’s fuckin’ Irish!

Without saying a word, Spencer Spencer had come in from behind her. He reads the situation and simply moves to the paper, picking it up. He puts a hand on his sister, while looking at his parents.

Spencer: Ain’t no piece of paper can say you ain’t mah sister. Whether you’s a Spencer or not. If ya want mah help, we’ll go find out wassup, but ‘dis…..’dis is your information, it’s just tha picture ain’t right.

He holds the paper right up to his face as he talks. Abigail, reacts like she’d been slapped with a wet fish.

Abigail: Ah’m Irish!?

Spencer: Northern….yup.

Abigail: Screw this. Come on Big. Let’s go to tha’ orphanage and get some answers.

She storms out in the same manner that she walked in with. Ma and Pa look truly stunned, and Big Spencer just shrugs at them, grabbing the folder and heading out to follow his sister. As he gets to the door Ricky is struggling to get everyones backs in.

Ricky: Big, some help?

Spencer: Sorry bro, gotta drive madam over there….

And we fade on the image of Ricky struggling with all the bags.