The snow came down on us like an avalanche, coating the world in a haze of white. I stroked my horse's side, shivering in the cold as we trotted along through the endless storm. Washington was leading the way, sitting on his steed with his army (some on horses some on foot) behind us. I glanced at Josie on my right and Oliver on my left, and felt a little warmth erupt inside of me when Oliver caught my eye, giving me a shadow of a smile.
I returned it and wiped the snowflakes off my eyelashes, shaking my head to rid the snow that covered me like a cloth. How long do we have to keep going? I wondered, looking around at the mass of soldiers on horseback surrounding me. I longed for the warmth of the tent from yesterday, where I dreamt of Oliver and (guiltily) forgot all about Josie.
Speaking of my two companions, this morning was even more awkward than usual. We woke up to Washington standing over us, repeatedly talking about our jobs and handing us ice cold biscuits for breakfast. We then got dressed for the day, and after that we sat in our tent, the silence that hung in the air saying a thousand words.
Even Josie--who was clueless to everything last night-- finally caught onto the tension. She ate quietly, eyes on her plate, fading into the background. I worried (and shamefully hoped) that he had broken up with her and that was why she was so quiet, but I knew that wasn't the case for she still held Oliver's hand when we all got on our horses and started riding to the Delaware River.
Meanwhile Oliver kept glancing at me, eyes full of a softness I've never known before, and as he helped me onto my horse he squeezed my hand, filling my insides with love. I wanted to hold onto his hand forever, wanted to let the electricity that ran through my veins when our fingers brushed run free, wanted to run away with him and let the world fade behind us. But that was impossible, and I had to channel my want into concentration.
Now as I sat on my horse, tired and exhausted, I felt my concentration slip with every passing moment. I glanced down at my horse--a male with velvety red fur and a black mane--and saw my fingers raw and pink as they clutched the horse's mane, snow coating my hair and simple black dress I picked out for today. (The color would help me with my job later.)
A cold wind suddenly blew in from the North, and I saw Josie shiver uncontrollably, and I let out a gasp as the soldier next to me fell off his horse and into the snow, never getting back up again. Trembling, I clutched my poor horse's mane tighter, afraid the same thing might happen to me.
We continued to march/ride for another two hours, and by then my feet were blocks of ice and my fingers were blue with frost bite. Even though we had left at nine am, it had been six hours of riding and the sun was already sinking into the sky, the dark gray clouds above us slightly tinted with the purple of night. I craned my sore neck to look over the mass of soldiers walking in front of and behind me to see Washington picking up the pace, and I knew he noticed nightfall's approach too.
I looked at Josie, her doe-eyes full of snow, and she smiled at me despite the shiver that ran through her body. I felt my heart warm and contract with guilt and I turned away, trying not to move. The numbing pain of the cold and the whipping weather continued for another thirty minutes until the howling of the wind was replaced with the sound of rushing water, and I knew we had finally arrived at our destination: the Delaware River.
We rounded a corner and the pine trees and snow-covered path we'd been following disappeared to be replaced by a vast river that went on for miles and miles. I looked in awe at the body of water, fear sparking inside of me at the foaming waves and ice that coated the majority of it. But as I saw Washington get off his horse and his men calmly get off their horses or follow him I swallowed down my fear and followed too, thinking that if they could be strong so could I.
"Alright men!" Washington yelled when Josie, Oliver, all of the soldiers and I had gathered around him and the horses were tied to nearby trees. I looked up at Washington and saw a burning fire in his eyes, and he cleared his throat, getting ready to speak. "We've been waiting for this moment for months. This is when we take matters into our own hands, when we finally show the British that we are more than just a rag-tag team.
"This is when we FIGHT BACK! This is our chance to show them that WE DESERVE FREEDOM!" He screamed, voice trembling with passion and the soldiers erupted in applause and cheers, me among them. It was just a small speech, but as I glanced at the soldiers screaming with hope and passion I knew it was just enough to bring the army (and me) together and set a fire in them.
It was time too act.
When the cheers died down Washington cleared his throat, all business once more. "Alright, group one, two, three, and four bring the boats." He directed, and I watched as the four groups of soldiers holding large wooden boats stepped forward, grunting as they placed them in front of Washington. "Okay. Now everyone gather here. When I say so, get into your assigned boat and hold your weapon at ready, just in case anything happens." He said cautiously, and we all nodded.
As Washington began to direct soldiers onto their boats I noticed that throughout the speech I had gotten separated from Oliver and Josie. I stood on my toes and spotted them among a group of soldiers climbing onto boat four. Josie was brushing the snow off him, and Oliver was (well trying to) patiently tell her he was fine, all the while his eyes searching the crowd for me.
Our eyes met, and his lit up, and he waved me over. I weaved between soldiers until I got there, and Oliver hugged me a little too quickly, and as we broke apart and he began to ask how I was I noticed Josie's eyes narrow a little suspiciously. "I'm fine Oliver, thank you." I said a little stiffly, and Oliver's eyebrows raised, like he got the point. I then hugged Josie as tight as possible, putting my hands on her cheeks.
"And how are you, darling?" I asked, and to my relief the suspicion in her eyes faded into softness. "Oh Rose I'm okay. I seriously thought I might've froze though! But I'm so glad you're okay." She said, leaving my stomach to twist in guilt at the broken promise I made to myself and to her. I won't be any trouble. My past words swam through my head until I felt dizzy with guilt, and I took a deep breath, fully prepared to confess my sins when Washington called us over.
"Mr. Oliver, Miss Josie, and Miss Rose board boat one." He said, and a shiver went down my spine when I realized Washington was in the same boat as us. I glanced at Oliver and Josie and saw their face's reflected my feelings, and with a tremor of excitement I stepped into the boat and sat next to the other soldiers, careful not to fall into the choppy water below.
I sat in an empty spot near the front, and Oliver and Josie sat together across from me, holding hands, which I only sort of noticed. I was too busy fighting my feelings of excitement and fear to throw jealousy, guilt, and love in the mix, so instead of getting caught up in my messy love life I sat on the edge of a dangerous boat with the most wanted man in the world leading it, ready to do the most dangerous thing I've ever done.
When Washington climbed into the front of the boat and ordered for everyone to start rowing I felt my stomach hurl, and I forced myself not to throw up. You're not going to ruin history Rose! I scolded myself while smoothing my dress and biting my tongue; any little habits to distract me from the huge task at hand.
Fidgeting, I fluffed my hair as the boat rowed on, letting the brittle wind sink into my skin, sending shivers all down my body. The night was young and freezing, and I swallowed nervously as my eyes directed to the frothing waves that crashed against the rickety wooden boat, knowing that if we capsized it was game over.
I forced myself to divert my gaze from the water (it was making me nauseous) and found that even through the darkness all eyes were on Oliver, Josie, and me. I stared at my hands in my lap, trying not to meet anyone's gaze. I didn't want to see the doubt or disbelief in their eyes when they saw me, a young British woman helping the famous General George Washington.
The thought made my mind drift back to my mother, and my heart ached at the thought of her. I'd been so preoccupied lately I hadn't thought about her lately, but know that I was reminded of her my heart broke with sympathy and longing to hug her and let her strong arms wrap around me and protect me from the world. But when I glanced at Washington's tense, nervous gaze, I knew that that wasn't possible.
I wondered (with a wave of guilt) if my Mother still thought I was dead, or if she'd lost some of her wealth because of my absence. I really didn't know anything about the world outside of Oliver, Josie, Washington, his army and I except that Eddie was still looking for me, and I never got a letter back from the Shadow Group so I was deprived from all information.
And even though I knew it was just my imagination, if I squinted hard enough I could see the outline of my mother sitting next to Josie, quietly sewing and listening to me. She's always such a good listener. I lamented, feeling tears prick at the edge of my eyes as I pictured her with the bruise on her eye. I pushed them back, knowing it was no time to cry, but I still felt that throb in my heart, that need for my Mother figure that wasn't present.
Before I could cry any longer a mangled cry split the air, and I whipped around as a loud splash echoed behind me. Oliver gently pushed Josie away to see what happened, and a few soldiers stood up and peered over the water before shaking their heads and going back to their seats, leaving me to tremble as the body of a man was swept away by the current.
I stood there motionlessly watching where his body was, the sea spray splashing onto my dress, until Oliver pulled at my hand, making my senses snap to his gorgeous face. "He's gone Rose. He was thrown overboard by the current." He said quietly, and I nodded before sitting back down, shivering from a sensation other than the cold.
I took a quick peek at the people around me, and noticed the soldiers around me seemed unfazed along with Washington. I knew they experienced this everyday, saw death and shrugged it off. But as I glanced back at the spot (now far, far away) where the man had drowned, I wondered what his background was. Did he have a family? A wife anxiously waiting at home? Kids and a Christmas tree?
The thoughts were too painful to think about, and as I pushed them away I made myself a promise. No matter what, I would not screw up this mission. I would make sure that everything went well so that people like the man wouldn't ever have to sacrifice themselves again. A sudden urge of confidence and strength rushed through me, and I repeated the promise until we arrived at our final destination four hours later.
When we did, all of us on the boats were silent. The tension in the air was as obvious as the blizzard that raged around us, and when the hull of the boat hit the shore I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Everyone. Places." Washington said, his voice a breathy whisper in the howling of the wind. Somewhere as we filed out of the boats I found Josie's hand, and our cold, bony wrists grabbed each other and squeezed, all of our feelings in that one gesture.
Washington gathered his troops, and I gathered Oliver and Josie to me, still holding Josie's hand. I noticed Washington out of the corner of my eye, and he mouthed to me "Go." And without a word I nudged my friends and we all turned around for breaking off in a sprint.
Those moments as we ran through the eerie, pitch-black, snow-covered woods were the most tense filled moments of my entire life. Forget Charlie and I kissing at the orchestra, forget saying goodbye to Lila in the shadow of moonlight, forget running through the streets of Virginia. This moment, my feet leaving snowy footprints, the woods screaming, was my life.
As we ran together, silent as the snow, Josie let go of my hand, and we were alone, weaving between trees and our shadows dancing in the ghost of the moon. We ran for what felt like centuries until we got to the edge of the woods, where I stopped breathing all together at the sight of the British base. I will not ruin history, I swore to myself, heart hammering in my chest, for I knew this was history.
I knew this day would be remembered forever.
Oliver tugged my hand, and I turned to see half of his face lit up in the sliver of the moon, his hair tousled with wind and dusted with a coating of snow. A single icy finger was held to his lips, and he disappeared behind a huge oak, taking me with him.
Josie was there too, her hair half white and half black in the shadows of the towering trees, and Oliver, hardly whispering, breathed "be careful and don't mess this up. We'll meet up when the fighting starts," before disappearing into the forest, leaving Josie and I alone.
"Be careful love." She mouthed, her eyes reflecting all the emotions I felt: fear, tingling excitement, and worry. So much worry it poured out of her pupils and echoed in her lips, her finger twitching and shoulders hunching as she squeezed my hand with as much intensity as she could manage, and I returned it, watching a single teardrop slide down her half-hidden face before she disappeared next to Oliver, leaving me all alone.
I stood there, clenching my fists for a second before grabbing a large stick and turning towards the British base, and with one last deep breath I sprinted as fast as I could, the only sound I was making the shortness of my breath and the scrape of my stick, before I collapsed onto the wall of the brick British building, taking a long, deep breath.
Then, trembling, I slid the knife out of my pocket. It glinted in the gas lamps surrounding the edges of the building, and I ran my fingers along the hilt, seeing my somewhat beautiful reflection in the eerie golden glow of the blade.
I stared at my face, knowing I was stalling for time, and then raised it and slashed my dress, cut my long dark curls, and muffled a scream as I cut my arm, blood trickling down it and dripping into the sugar-white snow.
I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my lip to hide my scream, and sunk to the ground, before letting out a blood-curdling wail. It echoed in the night, going on and on for what seemed like forever, until approaching footsteps grew larger and my heart skipped a beat.
Hastily I spread my dress around me and put my head to the ground, wincing at the pain of my arm, right as two soldiers rounded the corner, rifles in their hands. "Who are you!? Show yourself!" The first said in a thick German accent, and I whimpered, and he looked down at me, his eyes wide.
He nudged the second soldier, who was looking at my fake "drag" marks. He turned to me and a smile slid on his lips. "It's General's wife! We're going to be rich!" He said giddily, before kneeling down and lifting my chin, his breath hot on my neck. "Come on." He said forcefully tugging at my hurt arm and sending a bolt of pain up my elbow, while the German soldier frowned at him.
"She hurt, is she not?" He said coolly, before scooping me up and carrying me, my fake sobs echoing around. The German soldier (who seemed slightly kinder than the first) carried me across the whole building, the second soldier not far behind, and I caught stares from other men who jealously looked at me, envying the money the two were going to get.
The German man then rounded a corner and walked past bunches of tents like the ones I saw Washington had, and then opened a door where Charlie sit idly at his desk, a fireplace roaring in the corner. "Oh Charlie!" I screamed the moment the German man set me down. Charlie's head snapped up and his eyes flashed in surprise and then lust as I ran into his arms, throwing my hurt arm across his lap and sobbing into his shoulder.
"Rose?" He said in suspicion and disbelief, his voice drunken from too much wine. "How did you..." He hiccuped, turning to the two soldiers, who each bowed their heads. "We found her abandoned sir, and she's hurt. We didn't see anyone, so we just assumed whoever kidnapped her dropped her off." The German one said, and Charlie mumbled a drunken "okay," eyes half-slits, making my heart soar.
Washington couldn't have planned better. He was right; the British were all slow and sluggish after a day of dancing and drinking, making them the perfect target and making my job all the easier. I put my hand on Charlie's shoulder and leaned forward so my breath was hot on his ear and head in the crook of his neck, hoping to distract him as long as possible.
"Darling, I'm back home, aren't you happy?" I crowed, and Charlie rubbed his temples, exhaustion clear on his expression. "Yes dear I am." He mumbled, and I drew circles on his shoulder with my hand, trying to seem as innocently frightened as possible. "Oh Charlie, when will we get to go home? I can't wait for the wedding. I'm oh so excited." I said, and watched as some of Charlie's usual charm and pride spark in his eyes.
"I am too Rose. You can sleep with me tonight, we'll get you fixed up, and then tomorrow I'll have you brought back to England as soon as possible. Then we can get married." He purred, bringing me closer to him. I blushed, but little did Charlie know it was out of fear, for outside the window I saw the silhoutte of Josie and Oliver sneaking around, and I knew the battle was about to begin.
Then, to my absolute panic, Charlie began to follow my eyes to the window, and knowing I had to do something I quickly grabbed his chin and forced it to mine and hastily kissed him. Charlie, to my relief, relaxed into our kiss and kissed me again, letting it linger just long enough for Josie and Oliver to pass the window.
When we broke apart I noticed the two soldiers in the room had disappeared, and I mentally patted myself on the back. The more I was alone with Charlie the more I could distract him. "So," I said, still a little breathless from our kiss. I let myself settle into him and racked my brain for something to say before picking up a letter on his desk. "What's this?" I asked harmlessly, and Charlie tossed it into the roaring fireplace.
"Oh nothing to worry about dear. You know one of my soldiers, Greg? He sent me this letter saying that he got information from a source that the Americans would be invading tonight." He chuckled, and I weakly giggled back, my heart crashing with worry. As long as he doesn't suspect anything... I thought, just as a gunshot echoed in the distance.
Charlie got up faster than lightning, and I crashed to the floor, screaming as my arm hit the wooden boards. "OWWW!" I screeched, my arm full of pins and needles. "SHUT UP!" Charlie screamed, and I grew quiet. He drunkenly stumbled to his coat hanger and grabbed his General jacket and musket before running out the door and yelling mumbled orders.
I got up quickly and limped out the door and around the corner to see Washington's silhouette against the moon, snow falling all around him. All I could see was his eyes glinting in the stars, holding a gun above his head with his finger on the trigger. He fired once more, got on his horse, and then let out a terrifying scream of "ATTACK!" before riding down the hill, an army of thousands thundering behind him.
And then the battle began.