Ink Splatters - Contest Entries & Random Ideas

Charlie- A Snapshot in Time Entry

The ringing in my ears filled my head until it was all I could hear. My vision swirled around and I felt myself being dragged from under my arms. Where was I?

My head rolled around on my shoulders. Finally I was laid down. My eyes finally began to focus. There was a man with a dirty face looking down on me. He was telling me something.

"I can't hear you," I said. He said something again and I shook my head. He got close to my head. Mid sentence, my hearing kicked back in. "- to be alright," he yelled. "Can you hear me?"

I winced at the sharpness of his voice. It banged around in my head like a rubber ball.

"Too loud," I croaked. I was surprised how much effort it took to talk all of the sudden. Who was this man talking to me? I lifted my head. All around me were men and guns.

"Charlie," the man said. "Do you know where you are?"

I didn't, I- suddenly memories exploded in my head like cannon fire. The man, my brother. I was... fighting. The... Redcoats.

I tried to sit up but pain exploded in my legs. I looked down and saw a mass of red and carnage. I moaned and my head fell back. My brother, James, looked at me worriedly.

"You're going to be alright," he repeated, like he didn't know what else to say. Someone shouted his name. He let go of my shoulder and ran back to the battle.

"No, James," I rasped. I took a deep shuddering breath and everything went dark.

~~~

I was back home on the farm. James and I were walking down the road with someone. A girl... Molly. We were laughing together. James kept sending me sly looks when I would laugh at something Molly said. I think I loved her.

Suddenly I was walking down another road. James was beside me but Molly wasn't. I stared at the man's back in front of me, a musket peaking over his shoulder. We were marching to battle.

I was in a tent. I was holding a letter from Molly. I had tears in my eyes. I threw the piece of parchment down onto a blanket. James, who was laying on his blankets, looked up at me.

"I'm never going to see her again,"I exploded. "Am I?"

James's mouth opened slightly. Then he said, "You don't know that. This could be the battle that wins the war."

"You don't know that!" I shouted. I ran my fingers through my unkempt hair. "This war has gone on long enough. I'm done."

James sat up. "You don't mean that."

I nodded numbly. "I do. I want to see Molly again."

"You can't desert; General Washington will have you killed."

I sighed. James bit his lip and spoke. "Just a couple more weeks then. Please."

And I agreed.

I was back to reality. The acrid smell of gunpowder was gone. I looked around. I was in a tent. Other men were laying on blankets, all asleep. It was dark outside.

I sat up, ignoring the throbbing in my leg. To my surprise, when I looked at it and it was neatly bandaged. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I looked around. It was... quiet. No gunfire or yelling.

Footsteps approached from outside the tent. James appeared, carrying a candle and a bowl of stew.

"Charlie!" he sighed. "You're finally awake."

"Finally? How long was I out?"

He handed the stew to me and I took it hungrily. I only now just realized the emptiness of my stomach.

"Two and a half days," James said. My eyes widened. "They say this is it."

"What?"

"This is the last battle. We've done it. This morning, a drummer and soldier from the British came with a white handkerchief."

My heart swelled. "You mean... I can go home? I can see Molly? Wait, that means, if they surrendered..."

James nodded. "I think we've won."