The Fire Within

Chapter 2

Grace wakes in the morning to the sound of Ezekiel’s voice. “Rise and shine soldier,” he says gently.

She slowly opens her eyes to find him standing before her smirking at her. She slowly sits up and he hands her a tin cup. “It’s just water, I thought you’d need something to drink when you woke,” he explains.

“Thank you,” Grace says smiling at her friend.

“So Gracie, are you going to tell me what exactly happened to you and what it had to do with my brother?”

She sighs and looks down at the cup in her hands, “I was letting Abraxas graze. After I’d overheard Isaiah’s soldiers talking about their plans to ambush our regiment, I immediately got out of there like I promised, but I was chased. It was easy enough for me to get away, their horses could never keep up with my Abraxas, but I still had to push him hard. We hid out in the caves in the hills until it was almost dusk. You always told me it was safer to travel by the dark. Just as dusk was falling I decided to allow Abraxas out into the meadow to graze. He needed to recharge for our return to camp. I waited until night had fallen and called him back to me. When we emerged from our hidden cave, I heard the click of a hammer on a pistol. I turned instinctively toward the noise and as I turned I heard the frightened whinny of a horse, a shot, and something hard falling to the ground. Against my better judgment, I went to check it out and found Isaiah bleeding on the ground under a tree. He’d been thrown from his horse.”

“You could have dispatched him right there,” Ezekiel says with annoyance in his voice. “Why didn’t you take the opportunity to eliminate the threat of Isaiah Monroe from our lives, Gracie?”

“I can’t murder someone in cold blood, Ezekiel.”

“Do you think he would have afforded you the same consideration? If that Phobos hadn’t thrown him, then you would be dead right now.”

Grace looks down ashamed. She knows that she could never kill someone who is defenseless, but she also knows that Ezekiel is right. If Isaiah had the chance he would have shot her and he would have been happy to do it.

A soldier comes to the entrance of the tent and announces himself to Ezekiel. “Colonel Monroe, a parcel has arrived.”

Ezekiel pushes the flap of his tent aside and slides out of the tent and into the warm spring morning. He retrieves the parcel from the courier and retires back into his tent. He unfolds the bundle, revealing the news inside.

“Grace, why don’t you go find something to eat,” he advises.

She nods, “Yes sir.”

She relieves herself from the tent and goes off to find food and something a little stronger than water to drink.

Ezekiel reads over the letter. It’s a command from his superior officers, the letter details the Rebel’s movements through Virginia, heading north toward the Mason Dixon Line and toward Pennsylvania.

May 30, 1863

Colonel Ezekiel Monroe of the Army of the Potomac, Pennsylvania 15th Regiment Cavalry,

The Rebel Army is being to organize in the border of Tennessee and Virginia. According to sources, we believe that they will make their way through Virginia. It is believed that they General Isaiah E Lee has decided to bring the fight to the Union. They are headed for the Mason Dixon. General Meade wishes for as many battalions to be ready to proceed north as we can muster. We are going to stop them dead before they reach the Mason Dixon…

            Ezekiel reads this news and knows that he needs to do something about Grace. It’s not going to be long before they are engulfed in a battle, the likes of which he hasn’t yet been a part. He’s wanted to let someone else know about her and his arrangement with her for quite some time. Now might be that time. He needs to make sure that if something happens to him, that she’s safe.