"Ruin and Redemption"

Josiah's Battle and Scarlett's Arrival

The commander gave the signal to attack, and the first line ran forwards through the mud puddles and weeds. At another signal, the second line ran forward behind the first, and then the third and so on. Josiah was in the second line, gripping his bayonet in a tightly clenched fist, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his body. He ran forward with his group, as if being pushed by a mighty wave, a wave that might carry him off the edge of the Earth. Lizzie had said it was not flat, but right now it felt that way. He was running, and the men ahead of him were running, and the Confederates, the ones defending the country where Lizzie and Patsy and Derrick and Mindy and Izzie lived were running towards him. Was he really fighting for the right side? he wondered, a sense of unreality gripping him. What a strange thing? He heard himself roaring, as if he were standing on the nearby ridge, or on a mountaintop far away. His uniform was already drenched; Cold sweat trickled down his chest and to the top of his pants as he ran forward, stumbling and dodging, his mind on his feet and his bayonet, so that the feet did not cause him to trip, and the tip of the bayonet did not go into a blue uniform but instead into a gray one. The first gray one he saw, no matter who it was, he must dodge their weapon and plunge his own into that body. He felt wary of this crazy idea. Who must have concocted it? Yet, that was exactly what he must do.

The man in front of Josiah changed course, and in an instant he lifted his bayonet, so as not to plunge it in, the back that was now too close. It glanced off the fellows shoulder, drawing a thin trickle of blood and ripping the uniform. Josiah could not stop his forward motion, so he brought himself down, lunging forward with one hand before him. The bayonet went before him, and it went into a Confederate soldier’s foot for a minute, but the Confederate kept going, jumping over it, blood spurting and staining the ground. Around him, Josiah heard the yells of aggression and pain. He felt like turning to apologize to the man whose foot he had injured, not like continuing on with this insane sport. Nevertheless, he must. He was in the uniform, and nobody had given a recess yet. He rolled over, guarding his belly from the bayonet, when a Confederate plunged his bayonet down, trying to spear him. He forgot his pistol, as the Confederate tried again, and again. He was going to die, like a worm skewered to the ground.

Call for help, Josiah.

“Help, Help!” Josiah yelled, shielding his eyes and rolling over again. He was going out of his mind with fear. He was amazed he was able to follow Michael’s instructions.

Roll left. And crawl forward.

Josiah did so, and the bayonet that would have plunged through his throat took out his right eye instead. He felt immense pain, and then a hand was placed in his and he was being dragged off to the side of the battle line, immensely grateful to Michael and whomever it was for saving his life. For he knew then, that he was going to survive the battle.

Josiah was half dragged, half pushed himself over to the edge of the field of battle. His rescuer managed to hoist him up and carry him up the ridge and there they hid for interminable minutes while the battle continued to rage. When the battle was finally over, and all that could be heard below was mumbles and prayers for the dead and dying, the fear that had gripped Josiah left him, but with it, the pain surged forward, causing him to cry out in shock at the intensity of it.

Everybody came out to see the “girl” who was holding tightly to her dress while she gingerly stepped over a mud puddle, carrying two trunks full of clothes.

Scarlett had made it back to her father’s plantation. She struggled with the heavy trunks as she made her way up to the porch. Her father barely noticed her dismay.

The other houseslave held the door open for her father and then for herself as she made her way into the house. Scarlett could not believe she was entering such a grand home to stay. To live.