Everlasting Family

Sean Green- Chapter 13

Orange, Virginia- 1864- Sean Green

Chapter 12

"Come now, Owen," I tease as we take a stroll through the woods just behind the Academy shelter. "That woman was looking at you like she was ready to devour you. Why did you not take advantage of that? It has been fifty years!"

Owen pushes his glasses up and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Sean, please do not give me this speech again, I do not need the company of a woman at night. How could I handle anyone more when I already have you?"

Snorting in amusement, I turn to walk backwards while addressing my brother. "Sorry Owen, I will not now, nor will I ever keep your bed warm for you. I love you, but not in that way."

I can see Owen is trying very hard not to roll his eyes at me in exasperation. Smiling proudly, I open my mouth to rib him more, when his eyes widen at something over my shoulder. I spin around to see smoke coming from a few miles away. A fire.

Neither Owen nor I have to stop and think about what to do. We simply start running. We will assist in any way we can. It is what the Academy does and we are part of the Academy.

We start to near the fire when a set of voices cause the two of use to stop running. We slowly walk toward the voices, so as not to startle anyone who may need help, nor draw attention to anyone who may wish to harm us.

"I can't Silas, what do we do? We can't just leave him here to die with us," a male voice, thick with emotion, reaches us.

Inching forward, we break through some trees and brush. The sight in front of us is something I have never seen in all my seventy-one years.

Two men lay in the grass and brush, one with burns covering his body. He is clutching a small blanket with a whimpering infant wrapped inside. The other man is laying next to them, bleeding out from several bullet wounds in his abdomen.

"I don't know, North," the man with the bullet wounds whispers. Had the night not been so silent I would not have heard him.

Looking to Owen, I can see the wheels turning in his head. These two men are going to die if we don't do something. We cannot save everyone, but for some reason I feel inclined to save them. One last glance at Owen and I see his thoughts are the same. Together we walk to the two men laying on the ground.

"Hello," I speak softly so as not to scare them.

The man with the burns, North I believe his friend called him, startles and clutches the baby close to him.

"Please," he rasps out. "Please if you are going to kill us, at least spare the baby. He did nothing to deserve this."

"We are not here to harm anyone," Owen tells him, eyeing the child. "Is this your child?"

"His father was killed by confederates and his mother just now when they burned her house down," North explain, obviously having a hard time talking.

The man with the bullet wounds, Silas, addresses us through panting breaths. "There is nothing to be done for us, but please give him a good home. Take him some place safe where he will be allowed to grow and be happy."

Owen catches my eye and we both agree without words that these two are Academy material. They are not one bit concerned about the fact they are going to die, they only wish to keep this baby safe. A baby that is not even theirs.

"We have something that will help you both, but it comes at a cost," Owen explains to them, weighing his options carefully. "If you were offered the chance to live forever, to go around the world and back again doing good for others, would you take it?"

"That's not possible," Silas huffs. He is barely clinging to consciousness.

"Is it not worth the risk to try?" I ask, hoping they do not pass this up for fear we are not of sound mind. "There is much to this that you will need to learn but we haven't the time right now, we need to know your answer."

The two men look at each other for a moment before North speaks up, "we could keep Lucian with us? If this craziness is true, we would not have to give him away?"

I see Owen's mouth tilt ever so slightly and I believe that is the first sign of a smile I have seen on him in a very long time. It is not often something is deemed worthy enough for Owen to smile about.

"You may, he will have to make his own choice when he is older, however," Owen explains, taking his vial out of his pocket.

I follow suit, not the least bit worried about using it. Dr. Robert's will give us another in the morning. Owen asks Silas once more if he is sure this is what he wants. When Silas nods, Owen puts the vial to his mouth and helps him drink it.

I do the same with North, asking him if he is sure. When he holds Lucian a bit closer and nods, I help him drink the water in my vial. Both men lay back and close their eyes, having obviously exhausted themselves. I cannot imagine the pain they are in right now, however the thought that it will soon be much better for them eases my worry.

"Welcome to the Academy, boys," I say with a wide grin.