Everlasting Family

Silas Korba- Chapter 11

Orange, Virginia- 1864- Silas Korba

Chapter 11

North, Mary, and I have agreed that leaving this town, and possibly the state is in our best interest. It is our hope that we will be able to find shelter in a neutral town if such a town exists. We have even talked about heading west.

We have been keeping to ourselves in Mary's home for a full month now. Lucian is growing well and thriving. We all agree it is no longer safe for us to stay here. An old friend of Mary's told her there have been whispers in town that she is harboring traitors and we cannot take the risk in staying.

"Do you have everything we will need?" North asks quietly, so as not to wake Mary and Lucian.

Nodding, I sit and rest my forearms on my knees. "We will be ready to go when they wake. I strapped our rucksacks to my horse. Mary and Lucian will ride with you. We will need to stick to the woods as much as possible so as not to be found."

North runs a nervous hand through his hair. "I have a bad feeling, Silas," he confides as he takes a seat next to me.

"Everything will be-" my voice is cut off by shouting outside the house.

North and I jump to our feet, rushing to the window. "Fuck!" North's booming voice can be heard over the shouting. "The Rebs found us, we need to get Mary and the baby."

Turning from the window we look to each other when the smell of fire and smoke reaches our noses. Looking to the back of the house, we see the smoke and flames already starting to devour the house. They set it on fire, they are trying to burn us out.

"Get Mary and Lucian!" I shout, grabbing my weapon to fend off anyone who tries to come into the house.

North turns to the stairs, but Mary is already half way down them with no Lucian in sight. "Mary, the baby, get the baby!" North starts yelling, trying to express the urgency of the situation.

Mary looks confused and sleepy for a moment, before the smoke starts to obstruct her view and the smell of fire hits her senses. Her eyes widen and she bolts back up the stairs to get Lucian. North is not far behind her, but he is also weary of leaving me down here alone. I can see it in his eyes, as he stands in the middle of the stairs.

The fire is spreading quickly. It has been an unusually dry season and the house is catching far easier than I would like. I can hear the roar of the fire and my lungs are starting to burn. I hear North shouting at Mary to hurry as parts of the roof begin to collapse.

"Silas! Go! Get out and run!" North yells to me, his voice leaving no room for argument. I am of little use to them standing here, so I rush out the side door and around the back of the house, looking for the horses.

Just as they come into view I feel a white hot pain going through my middle, followed by the loud cracking of the roof finally giving way completely.

"North!" I shout, falling to my knees. The pain too much to handle. "NORTH!" He has to be alright.

The Rebs are obviously satisfied they have taken me out, because suddenly I am lying alone, the roar of the fire and the pounding of my heart the only noises I can hear. I have no idea where they are, but North, Mary, and Lucian are my only concern. I can only hope they made it.

My eyes begin to feel heavy and my body cold. I want to rest my eyes and sleep, but something starts to shake me. Slowly focusing my vision, I see a very hurt North holding Lucian in a blanket. He is shouting at me, but I can't seem to make out what he is saying.

Trying to understand his words, I stare at his mouth as it moves. Suddenly I realize he is telling me to run. He looks terrified, a look I have never seen on my brother before. It is a look that gives me a small burst of energy.

With much effort, I get to my feet and follow North as he runs to the woods. My hearing starts to come back and I realize we are being followed. The two of us are no match for a group of angry Rebels.

Still, we run. We run as fast and hard as we can. In the process I glance to North and see he has been hurt, badly. The burns on him are fatal, that much is obvious to me. I have no idea if he is aware of this, but there is no way he will survive them. Just as I know I will not be able to survive the gunshot wounds I have received.