I Hate to Inform You

Untitled Part 1

Rustling was heard from within a small tent near the middle of the large camp. Inside, a man packed up ammunition and matches by candlelight.

            "Tell me why this is a good idea again?" Another man held a book in his lap while laying on a thin blanket watching the other.

            "Cause, Jackie, this will cripple the British. If all goes well-"

            "Which it won't."

            A glare was shot at the sarcastic man. "And it will. Then the British will be missing many men. All we need to do is blow up that barn and then attack them from behind." He stood up and dusted off his hands. "Simple."

            Jackie nodded a bit before sighing. "There's no way to make you stay, is there?"

            The other scoffed before shaking his head stubbornly. "Absolutely no way. This has to be finished. Too many men are dying."

            Silence fell between them for a few minutes before Jackie nodded once again and turned back to his book. "Just make sure you come back," were his parting words.

 

            His friend nodded and ducked out of the tent, heading towards a group of men waiting at the edge of camp.

 

 

            The whole camp heard the explosion and the following gunshots. Men rushed to the source to report back about the events that transpired.

            A large tent in the middle of camp was still lit even as early morning approached. The general sat in silence behind his desk. His higher officers, including Jackie, sat in chairs in front of him. The air was tense as they all waited for some type of news.

            Eventually, it did come. From a lowly soldier walking in, shaken from both the cold winter dawn and shock.

            "I'm s...s-orry to report, sir," he gave the general a salute with a shacking, nearly numb hand. "But of the 17 men Hamilton took, none survived. They were shot, dead, in the water."

            Silence greeted the man's words before the general waved him away. "Thank you Private, you are dismissed."

            The man bowed his head before backing out of the tent once again.

            Not a word was said among the men as they continued to sit in the hard-wooden chairs. The news wasn't much of a shock, but now the small string of hope they were clinging to was gone. Just as those men now were too.

 

            "Let's have drink then," the general spoke up, bringing out a fine bottle of wine. "A drink in their honor."

 

 

            Icy winter wind nipped at the man's soaked clothes and uncovered ears. He staggered along the small game path, holding his coat tight to his chest. Only a few men followed him, their state just as bad as his.

            They were just able to see the outlines of the ring of tents on the edge of camp. The followers dropped down near small fires as they passed or near other men with blankets. But the leader continued on to the center of camp.

            He stopped in front of the large tent that served as the command post. Letting out his icy breath in a cloud of smoke, he looked up at the slowly disappearing sun. He shook himself out once before pushing through the heavy tent flap and into the warm office.

            The sight that greeted him was one of mourning. The general and his men sat there, wine glasses in hand. Though those were now forgotten as they turned to looked at the previously dead man.

            "Hammy? You're alive?" The closest one breathed before setting down his glass and standing up quickly. He almost went to hug his friend, but stopped when he noticed the water soaked clothes.

            "Course I am, Jackie. You told me to come back after all." He gave wry smile, though it was a bit haphazard.

            The general stood up from behind his desk. "We're glad you're alive, Hamilton. But you still went against direct orders." He began to scold the half-frozen man before being cut off by a wave.

            "I know sir. And I will accept any punishment you have for me...in the morning." He sighed and plopped down in Jackie's recently occupied seat, taking a quick drink from his wine glass. "Sorry for my state, sir, but I decided to take a nice swim before supper."