History Has Its Eyes On You ~ A Hamilton Fanfiction (Book 1, Act 1)

First Kill

!!Warning!!

°~27th August, 1780~°

(Y/N POV)

My throat burned. Despite my eyes still shut, the air felt different. It was like thousands of fumes were trying to choke me all at once. I held back the urge to gag, as rocks crumbled beneath my sore hands.

This all seemed too familiar. I found, that with enough power, I was able to take control over the dream. I forced my eyes open, witnessing the sight that I'd hoped to have never seen 4 years ago.

The trench stretched out, and I tried to find a surge of energy to haul me to my feet. Alas, I was unsuccessful, and lay weak on the ground. Within seconds, a musket was visibly aimed at me, but what was it to matter? It was a dream. However, the musket was lowered, and I soon saw the face of the man: Lafayette. He took another glimpse at me, climbing down to tell the others.

The battlefield was worse than I remembered it to be. I only wanted to crawl over to them, beg them for help- but no, I was stuck here with my thoughts as I was 4 years ago.

Dramatically, tiny heads popped up like meerkats from the edge of the trench, and they tried to call me over.

But I wouldn't budge.

It was all too similar, and I felt my eyes whelm up with tears. If it wasn't for this very event happening, I wouldn't have been in this war. I'd have been at home, with my mum and sister, probably watching a movie as we sat and ate popcorn. By this age, I'd have left school for college, learnt how to drive, not this.

Just like it had, Alexander climbed out from the trench, slowly treading towards me. I hadn't a clue if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but it almost seemed like he was... glitching. Into... someone else. The closer he crept, the more frequent it got. At last, the glitch formed into none other than Cornelius. The concerned face he once bared formed into an evil smirk.

I tried again to move; it didn't work. Starting to panic, tears flooded out of my eyes, and Cornelius drew out a musket. "What a shame." he mocked, taking pleasure from my suffering. "You should've never came here in the first place." I closed my eyes as the musket was placed into the centre of my head, releasing a loud bang.

I woke myself up, grabbing the top of my head in reassurance: no, I wasn't dead. I felt tears slipping down my cheek, but I quickly wiped them away before anyone could see. Since we'd be on the move as soon as everybody had woken up, there was no point setting up camp. Therefore, I slept on the grass near the boys.

There was a patch of dented grass beside me, and I realised John had left. It was fairly early still, around 4am, so nobody was expected to wake up for another hour. But after that, I don't think I could sleep. I rubbed my eyes, standing up to observe who was around. The one active ones I could spot were John, Washington and Wilson, all chatting in the corner. Well, John and Washington. Wilson didn't seem to be cooperating.

I stepped over the crowd of unconscious bodies, sleeping uncomfortably on the ground. "Oh, Charlie!" Washington exclaimed, lending me a hand over to him. "What is getting you up so early?"
"I just couldn't sleep. Needed to get up and refresh myself for the day." I lied.
"I see. Well, I've actually been talking to your friend Mr Laurens here in regards to a favour."
"...Go on?"

"If you will, I'd like it if the two of you leave to locate the current position of the Redcoats." Washington proposed.
"...Us, sir?" I questioned.
"You don't have to if you don't feel like doing so."
"No, we'd love to." -John turned to me- "Wouldn't we, Charlie?"
It seemed like he was hinting at me to go for a specific reason, so I agreed. "Yeah... Yeah. We'll do it."

"Great! Now here's a map, and be sure to follow that trail." Washington handed me the map. "Report back to us as soon as you discover their whereabouts."
"Yes, sir." John and I responded.

~

"Why were you so eager to get out?" I asked John, who was studying the map intently.
"I just felt we needed a break. Some time alone, together."
"Any reason?" I asked curiously, though I may have come off rude.
"You're just the only person I can relate to lately. And I like having that bond between us, without any interruptions."

I smiled, hiding my face to the side. "You're like a sister to me, Sophie," he admitted, "It's like I've had my family right here with me all along."
"Your family?" I wondered.
"My wife and daughter. I left for the Revolution whilst my wife was pregnant, abandoning her in England. I blamed myself for when our little Frances fell ill." he explained. "However, she comes to visit every once a year. It's nice to see how she's growing up, looking as beautiful as her mother."

"I'm happy for you." I stated, never realising that he had even gotten himself a wife.
"Yeah. She's 3 now, but I must admit... I just feel a sense of emptiness when I'm around my wife. I love her and I cherish her, but I just can't... attach to he--"

Out of the blue, a group of 5 Redcoats emerged from behind boulders, surrounding us with muskets in hand. My horse backed up, but was stopped by another Redcoat whenever it tried. "What is your business here?!" one ordered.
"We're passing by, it's nothing to worry about, my fellow--"
"By orders of the King, you are to leave right now!!" another interrupted John.
"Huh, that's strange. Why can't your King face us himself? Or is he too much of a coward to even do that?"

"FI--" John quickly took his musket, implanting a bullet through the Redcoat's head. I squirmed around in alarm, instinctively getting mine ready.

Another went for John, and he striked back with another gunshot. As two of the remaining three charged at John, I was left to a man ready to impale a sword through my horse's head. "NO!!"

I pulled the trigger.

The man dropped to the floor lifelessly, his blood staining the dying grass.

I stared.

"C'mon, we've gotta go!" John yelled, shaking my shoulder.

I stared.

"Sophie, listen to me!" He grabbed each side of my head, forcing me to look away. "I understand that it's traumatizing the first time round, but you've got to pull yourself together, okay? If we don't leave now, you'll end up dead!"

I nodded, feeling light-headed.

"Here." He jumped off of his horse, saddling onto mine. "It's gonna be okay, alright? Just breathe, we'll get back to General Washington now."

John violently slapped the reins, kicking the sides of the horse to send it sprinting off.

~~~~~~~~~~

Horray two in one day, I feel accomplished.

Though I've been deprived of sleep for 2 days so I should probably go and sort that out-