It's been two years since we last saw Gabriel. He's in the Continental Army now, fighting for our cause. This morning a postrider came and delivered one letter. A letter from Gabriel. All of us are nervous about what we're going to read. It might be good news, it might not. We could only hope. Thomas shakily opened the mail and pulled out parchment. He unfolded it and began to graze his eyes over it.
"Go on, Thomas." I said.
He looked at me, nodded, and cleared his throat. "Letter from Gabriel: 'I apologize for not writing you for such a long time. As you must know, the fall of Charleston has been a full blow to our cause."
I thought of everything that had happened in the past weeks. Aunt Charlotte evacuated to her plantation on the Santee, General Lincoln's surrender to Cornwallis, the British being only hours away stationed in Charleston, the constant fear of the British marching up to our steps pounding on the door. Everything was chaos. There had been reports of patriots being hanged, whipped, caned, imprisoned, captured, raped, and losing their homes. Our hopes of an independent nation were going downhill.
All the people that will be hanged for fighting for their beliefs. My brother will be hanged if a miracle doesn't happen. The Declaration will be ripped to shreds! At least, I think that would happen to the Declaration. We could only hope for a miracle so much.
"...I pray for a turn of fortune for our cause. Then, as now, your loving son, Gabriel." Finished Thomas.
-Time skip-
BOOM
I awoke to the distant sounds of cannons and gunfire. I flung off the covers and ran down the stairs to where I saw Papa standing on the porch outside. I opened the door. "Papa?"
Papa turned his head towards me and said, "six-pounders. Lots of them."
I inhaled deeply and looked at where the commotion of a battle was at. I could see lights flashing. They were close. "How far away?" Thomas asked, Nathan and William and Samuel tailing behind him.
"Four, five miles," Papa said.
"Waxhaus?" Asked Samuel.
"Just east of it." Said Papa.
"We could go to Aunt Charlottes?" Margaret suggested.
"No. She's close to the skirmish. We're safer here." Papa disagreed.
Thomas reappeared with muskets in his hands and threw one to Nathan, and offered the other to Papa.
"Put those away, Thomas." Papa commanded.
"But Father, they might come this way."
"Put those things away!"
It was daylight now and Samuel was no where to be seen. "Samuel?" I called when entering his bedroom.
"Almyra!" Margaret yelled. "It's urgent!"
I raced down the stairs and met Margaret outside. "What's wrong?"
"Samuel...he's by the river.."
"Let's go. William come on."
I picked up my skirts and ran towards the river where Samuel was. If I was correct, there was a skirmish and soldiers usually fall in rivers during skirmishes. I could only imagine Samuel seeing dead soldiers with blood spatted on their skin and clothes. Some even having swords impaled in them.
"Samuel!" I yelled.
There he was. His face was full of shock and I understood why. In the river there floated hundreds of soldiers from both sides, all bloodied. "Samuel, Margaret, William, let's go. Now." Tears came to my eyes and I tried to pry away Samuel, but he refused to move. He was shocked.
Twigs snapped behind us and I turned around swiftly, meeting Papa face-to-face. "Up to the house. Now. All of you."
-Time skip-
"They're going to come," whimpered Samuel.
"Quiet," I shushed.
"We're going to have to fight them off," Samuel said.
"Father will do that," said William.
What Samuel said next shocked me.
"They're going to kill us men, and do Lord knows what to you women."
"Samuel!" Abigail hissed.
Tick. A gun's trigger sound was heard outside of the door and I slowly turned around towards the entrance of the room.
"Turn around," Papa warned.
The figure Papa that was being aimed at by a gun, slowly turned around and muttered out the words, "Father," and fell.
"Gabriel!" Papa yelled and rushed to him.
Gabriel had returned.
We did not get sleep that night. The skirmish moved to our front yard. Our sleep was disturbed by the sounds of muskets, shouts, and screams in agony. There will be many in need of aid and others in need to be moved to be buried.
Light came and Papa ordered me to go help some Continentals. "Hello," I said to one soldier who had a bullet stuck in his leg.
"Hello, miss." He said, doing his best to smile.
"Almyra Martin." I greeted myself.
"Riley Edinburg. Private of the Continental Army."
"Pleasure to meet you, Private."
"You too."
I smiled at him. "What do you say about getting that bullet out of your leg?"
"That would be great, miss." He said. "Do you mind me asking about your beliefs?"
"No, I don't mind," I said while I put some water on his leg to help numb the pain. "I'm a patriot."
"I'm being saved by an angel, then."
I blushed and I took a pair of scissors. "This is going to hurt, Private. Hang in there, okay?"
"I'll do my best."
I slowly dug into his flesh trying my best to drown out his staggered breaths and his grunts of pain. I dug a little deeper before my scissors were met with metal. I turned the scissors and grabbed the bullet and dug it out of his leg. After that, I bandaged his leg. "Try not to put much pressure on this leg. And I would not fight in battles for about eight weeks. You got that, Private?"
"Yes, miss."
"Please just call me Almyra."
"Okay, mi- Almyra."
I pushed myself off the ground and went to help other soldiers, mostly Continentals. "Almyra," Papa called me looking at the field.
Hundreds of British soldiers stealth their way through the field and one soldier, a lieutenant, climbed up the steps and stood in front of my papa. "Thank you for the care of His Majesty soldiers."
Before Papa could respond, hooves thumped against the ground and entered my eyesight. Green Dragoons. Gabriel warned us about them. They were a cavalry led by the brutal Colonel William Tavington. Also known as: the Butcher.
I stood closer to Papa as I witnessed Colonel Tavington put his hand in the air to motion to stop and take off his helmet.
When he spoke, one of my nightmares came true. "Fire the house and barns." He commanded his dragoons. "Let it be known that if you harbor the enemy, you will lose your home."
The lieutenant scurried down the steps and met with Colonel Tavington awaiting orders.
"Sir," he saluted. "What of the Continental wounded?"
"Kill them."
No. No. Private Riley Edinburg. The private who I helped save. All of the work I did to save him would be for nothing. "NO!" I screeched.
The Colonel turned his head towards me and I was met by an icy blue eyes glaring at me. "Quiet, girl. You can do nothing but be sorry that you helped the enemy. Your loyalty belongs to King George III. And you will do your best to learn that loyalty."
I scoffed and Gabriel touched my shoulder. "Don't do anything rash. Please."
I dropped my eyes to the ground, tears threatening to fall. "We found this, sir."
"Who carried this?" Colonel Tavington shouted. "WHO CARRIED THIS!"
His voice made me finch. I felt Gabriel become tense. I looked at help with plead in my eye. He looked at me sympathetically and went down the steps slowly. "I did."
Colonel Tavington eyed him for a moment before ordering redcoats. "Take this one to Camden. He is a spy. He will be hung."
Two redcoats grabbed Gabriel's arms, fastening them into a tight hold of rope. "Colonel," Papa spoke. "he's a dispatch rider, and that's a marked dispatch case."
The Colonel ignored him and ordered the lieutenant to gather the freedmen.
"Sir, we're freedmen." Joshua said.
"Then as freedmen, you will have the honor to fight for His Majesty's Army." The Colonel told him.
Joshua looked at Papa, and Papa gave him a sympathetic look. "Colonel, he's a dispatch rider. A dispatch rider with a marked dispatch case cannot be held for spying."
The Colonel's face lit up with a evil smirk. "We're not going to hold him. We're going to hang him."
"But by the rules of war-"
"Would you like a lesson in the rules of war?" Colonel said, pointing his gun at him. "Or maybe your children would." He aimed his gun toward us and Abigail and I shielded the young ones with our bodies.
Papa stepped back in front of us, guarding us. "No lesson will be necessary."
"Father-"
Realization shown on the Colonel's face. "Oh, I see. He's your son. You should have taught him about loyalty."
The Colonel holstered his pistol, his face transforming into an evil smirk.
"Father, do something." Thomas hissed.
"Be quiet," Papa shot back.
"Colonel, please do reconsider. Just please!" I pleaded.
"No, girl. I suggest you be quiet unless you want to be shot?"
I stared at him until my staring was interrupted by Thomas' scream. "Gabriel, run!" Thomas ran down towards Gabriel and shoved one officer aside, trying to free Gabriel. I saw the Colonel pull out his pistol and his finger coming in contact with the trigger. My eyes widened and Papa and I ran towards Thomas with fear on our faces. "WAIT!" shouted Papa.
But it was too late. The ring of a gunshot rang out and Thomas fell to the ground, red shown on his shirt. I planted myself on the ground next to Thomas' fallen body and looked up at the Colonel.
The Colonel worn a smirk. "Stupid boy," he said.
"How could you?" I asked with anger in my voice.
The Colonel turned towards me and his eyes showed the devil. "Captain," he said before galloping away.
The time I looked at Thomas, his eyes showed no more light. He was dead. Gone. Non-moving. Just...lifeless. And it broke my heart.
"Stay here," Papa commanded.
I watched as Papa ran back into the burning house and come back out with four muskets. "Nathan, Samuel, Almyra." He threw us each a musket.
"Margaret, take your siblings to the river shed. Hide there. If we are not back by dawn, go to the Richardson's house. They'll take you to Aunt Charlotte's."
"Gentlemen, Almyra, let's go."
We left the field, running quickly towards the woods. "Papa, what of my dress?"
"Are you wearing a loose nightgown under?"
I nodded. "Wear only that then. You will need speed."
I took off the pieces hiding my nightgown and hid them behind a thick tree. I made sure my nightgown wasn't showing anything. Luckily, it didn't. "Remember, aim small miss small. You got that?"
"Yes." Nathan, Samuel, and I said in unison.
"Good. Aim for the officers while Almyra and I take out the others."
I hid behind a tree, loading my musket with ammo and inhaled deeply. Before long we heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground. Papa looked at me and nodded. Slowly, Papa emerged his gun from its hiding spot and aimed at the officer in front. He fired and the lieutenant fell to the ground with blood surrounding him.
I emerged to the left of my tree and aimed at the other officer next to him. I fired and he also fell to the ground. The Redcoats were confused. Each scrambled to see where the gunfire came from. Nathan and Samuel were the next to fire, they shot down two other officers.
Aim. Fire. Reload.
Aim. Fire. Reload.
It was a routine for me. I shot down more, cringing at the sight of their blood. Papa turned towards me and met my eyes. "I ran out of ammo, I'm doing my tomahawk. Cover me."
I nodded and fired at the soldiers running towards Papa when Papa reached their ground level. Papa slashed with such speed that it couldn't be classified as human. He was almost...alien. I took out my knife and also ran down onto the bloodied ground when there weren't much Redcoats fighting.
Two redcoats came running at me, bayonets pointed. I ran towards the one on the left and ducked under his bayonet to reappear behind him stabbing his neck. He fell down immediately. The other then charged at me and knocked me to the ground. He rose his bayonet and crashed it down towards me. My eyes widened and I grabbed the wooden part of the gun and did my best to push it away as I flailed my legs, trying to kick him. Soon enough, I managed. I slid my body closer to his legs, and hit his shin. He came crashing down, dropping his bayonet.
"Thanks for the weapon, mate." I picked it up and I stabbed his heart.
His body stopped moving.
I walked to the one I stabbed with my knife and pulled it out. I walked stealthily towards the two Redcoats holding Gabriel. Papa appeared next to me.
"Hello, boys," I said.
They gulped and did their best to look brave.
Papa swung his tomahawk and it sliced the Redcoat's head on the right side of Gabriel. I smirked.
I glanced at my knife and I rose it above my head and threw it. The knife impaled into the last remaining Redcoat. "Goodnight," I said.
Papa walked up to the newly freed Gabriel. "You okay?"
"Yeah." Gabriel looked at me. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"Will do, brother."
The sound of boots rustled behind us and we turned around to see a survivor running off into the woods. Papa chased after him and swung his tomahawk into the back of his head. He was killed on impact. Papa gathered his tomahawk and crashed it down onto the body repeatedly.
Papa rose to his knees and began to sob.
This was only just the beginning.
AN: thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, make sure you leave a comment or a vote on this chapter! Or any chapter you enjoyed! I appreciate feedback! It helps me know what I'm doing wrong and what I'm doing right. Don't be shy! :)