All I've Ever Wanted (Laurette)

Chapter 23

Lauren's POV

I sat in the corner of the cabin and listened to Howe talk to his men. I didn't know what they were saying because I was too far away so I didn't try to eavesdrop. I looked around the cabin and took in the objects in the room, realizing that this camp was set up around an old abandoned cabin and they let the General use the cabin for his own needs.
'Kinda rude... you'd think he'd treat his men equally...' I thought to myself as I looked at Howe. He finished what he was saying and nodded as if he decided on something. He then walked over to me, his arms behind his back.
"Come on. I'll help you up...l he said and did as he said he would, taking me by the arm and helping me up. I looked at him, confused at why he was being somewhat nice. But man did that end quickly. He yanked on my arm, the one with the hurt shoulder and I could tell he did it on purpose.
"We're moving camp, heh, and you'll be coming with us." He laughed darkly. I winced and tired to move away from him.
"That's funny! Now let me go or stop joking around!" I growled. He yanked on my arm again and I winced. He pulled on my arm so that I'd walk with him and he dragged me out of the cabin. I wasn't prepared for him to have shoved me into the dirt. I looked up at him and glared, hatred in my eyes. Howe grinned then spit on me. The brits surrounding us laughed and kicked dirt at me.
"Bloody stupid American boy!" They taunted, now kicking me. I instantly covered my head, not able to protect myself in any other way but that. One of the redcoats stomped on my hand and I cried out loudly in pain. Howe laughed and kicked me right in the abdomen. He kicked me so hard I heard something crack and I coughed up blood. Someone kicked me in the shoulder and I basically screamed in pain, feeling the blood oozing from the gun hole. I felt so humiliated, I felt tears roll down my cheeks and I was begging to die then and there this way no one would ever have to know about this. John Laurens, the American Soldier that got captured by the British. The American soldier that the British broke. No. I was not going to break and I would not let people use this to drag my name through the mud. Someone, almost reading my thoughts, bent down and pushed my face into the muck on the ground. 'Well at least it wasn't your name.' I thought to myself, mud getting in my mouth and mixing with the blood. They yanked my head back, Howe looking down at me with a smug and pleased look, but not pleased enough. He laughed as he raised his foot and stomped in my hand, hearing small cracks in my hand.
"Untie the little runt." Howe told the soldiers. They obeyed and untied my hands. They made me get up on my feet, my legs shaking. I was in so much pain... they pinned my arms behind my back and Howe let them take turns driving punch after punch into my stomach. I screamed out in pain again.

Lafayette's POV

I woke up, hearing a scream.
"Alex, Hercules wake up! Did you hear that scream?!" I said, panicking and getting up from where I sat. Alex and Hercules struggled to wake up. They got up and looked around, confused. I heard it again, a scream of pain. A scream begging for help. My heart sank because I knew that scream. I knew that scream and so did Alex and Hercules. I turned and looked at them, terror in my eyes but my eyes also read 'I know that scream. That's John's scream.'
"Let's go, NOW!" I growled and turned, running towards the scream, remembering the trail I had found earlier that day. My heart raced, not stopping to check and see if they were following me. I just wanted to find Laurens, I wanted him back, I wanted to embrace him and comfort his screams- help take away his pain. Nothing made my heart break more than Laurens being upset or being hurt. After about 20 of running, I saw it. I saw the British camp. I heard another scream and anger raged in my chest as I thought,
'Now or never. Get him back.'