Link To The Past

Chapter Eleven

It was a little before dinner when the sun started to set. Kristine sat there on the porch watching the red and pink clouds fade away. Just then, she was startled by a bang in the distance. From the corner of her eye, Kristine saw Benjamin walking out on to the porch where the rest of his children soon followed and then walked on over to join them.
"How far away are they?" Asked one of the children.
"Oh, they're a long way off. Probably heading in the other direction."
Thomas then came walking out with a few shot guns in his hands.
"Put those away," ordered Benjamin.
"But father they might-"
"Thomas...must I tell you again?" Thomas sighed and walked back inside, putting the guns away.
"Let's all stay inside the house tonight," said Benjamin and the children went back inside as did Kristine.

When she did, Kristine could smell freshly cooked food. Dinner was ready.
Thomas was not at dinner though. He had told Abigail that he wasn't hungry so he went up to his room. As Abigail placed the food on the table Nathan began to talk. "We'll probably have to have them off...They'll probably kill us men...and do more knows what to you women."
Abigail then scolded him for saying such things.
Just then, Kristine heard a soft click and everyone's head turned to look at the door.
When the man turned around he tiredly said, "father..." and began to fall but Benjamin caught him just in time and started to take him to the living room as he yelled for Abigail's help.

At that time, Thomas could be heard running down the stairs with a worried look on his face. Everyone was then crowded around their oldest brother to see if he was alright but Kristine, on the other hand, stood at the doorway. It just wouldn't feel right if she was in the same room as everyone else.
"Where's the battle? Where you there?" asked Thomas frantically.
"Abigail...the children." She got Benjamin's hint that he did not want the rest of the kids in the room so she sent them to bed.

As Kristine walked up the stairs, Thomas stayed on the steps watching his father and brother talk. Some gunshots then went off and Kristine jumped a little making the steps squeak. Thomas looked up and saw her standing there. He put up a finger to his lips and Kristine sat down slowly and listened in on the rest of the conversation.
"I saw the General surrender right before I left...The Dragoons rode right into them," It was Gabriel's voice. "I was given these dispatches..." Another gunshot went through the air. "I can't stay here. It's not safe!" When he tried to sit up his father made him lay back down.
"Your in no condition," he said.
Just then, Abigail found Thomas and Kristine listening in on the conversation and told the two of them to go to their rooms.

Later on that night the gunshots were getting closer. Kristine looked out her bedroom window and watched the war raged on right outside their home. It was happening. People were running, screaming, dying.
After the battle slowed down and things got quiet, Kristine heard someone coming out of their room so you peaked your head out the door and saw Thomas walking down the hall with his father. She was about to follow but thought best not to so she closed the door and went to look back out the window.
There she saw Thomas and his father going out into the field. There were many bodies out there. So many that Kristine had to look away. She laid back down on her bed and rested her head, closing her eyes and trying to get the images out of her head.

The next day when she awoke, the sun was shining brightly into the room. She rubbed her eye's and ran her fingers through her hair and then tied it back. She could hear moans and sounds of horses and people talking.

When she walked outside, there were colors of red and blue all mixed in with one another. A sick feeling ran through her body as she looked to her right then her left.
Everyone that lived on the farm was helping the soldiers. Someone then came up to Kristine and handed her a bucket of water and some rags. They asked her to help as many soldiers as she could that were not yet treated.

Kristine knelt down by a British soldier and started to clean his wounds. He jerked back a little when she would touch a more sensitive spot on his body. She then saw Thomas walking her way.
When he saw her taking care of a British soldier he rolled his eyes at him. Even though Kristine didn't want Thomas to think badly of her for helping a British soldier, but in the time where she had spent most of her days, she had learned to help those in need and this British soldier needed her help.

After mending to his needs, Kristine went to help more of the soldiers that were sitting by the trees and laying in the grass. Thankfully, there was a nice cool breeze.
Just then, Kristine started to hear hooves of horses making their way to the house. When she lifted up her head to see who was coming, her stomach turned.
There were more British soldier's on their way and what was worse that there was a general with them. One of the British men handed something to him. For a moment everyone was silent.
"Who carried this?" he asked. He looked up, expecting an answer. "Who carried this?!" He raised his voice, clearly irritated.
Kristine looked over to Gabriel. He took a step off the porch and said, "I did sir. These people gave me care. They have nothing to do with the dispatches."
"Take him away he is a spy." He folded up the paper and stuffed into his pocket.
Kristine wanted to do something but knew she was useless to help.
Benjamin then walked up fast to the horse to stop the man. "I beg you, reconsider. He's a dispatched rider. He can not be held as a spy."
The man looked him dead in the eyes. "Oh, we're not going to hold him, we're going to hang him."
Benjamin tried to say more but Gabriel muttered something to him. The man saw this and knew that he was his son.
"Ah. He's your son. Well, maybe you should have taught him a little something of loyalty," He pointed his gun towards his face but showed no fear. "Or perhaps your children might." He then pointed the gun at his children.
Kristine's heart raced even more now.
Benjamin ran in front of his children. "No lesson is necessary."
The British soldier's then continued to take Gabriel away.
"Father...do something!" said Thomas.
"Be quiet!" Hushed his father.
Thomas had a look of pain on his face. He looked to his brother who was being tied up and taken away. He looked at Kristine as he if he was trying to apologize for what he was about to do.
She knew this but had no idea what he had planned.
Thomas took a step off the porch which made Kristine take a step as well. "Thomas?" She said, but he didn't seem to hear her.

Thomas then started to run as fast as he could towards Gabriel. His father turned but was too late to take a hold of him. When he got to Gabriel he pushed the soldiers out of the way and told Gabriel to run. The man from before lifted up his gun, pointed it to Thomas and was about to shoot. Before he did, Kristine dashed to Thomas's side and pushed him out of the way as fast as she could. She shut her eye's tight and thought of home. Kristine felt weightless for a moment but could still feel Thomas in her arms.

When she opened her eye's a bright light blinded her.
She was back in her time by the and she knew this by the sound of cars nearby. She shielded herself with one of her arms as a car swerved not to hit her as did a few others.
A loud cry shot through the air, causing Kristine to look down and see that she was still holding Thomas. She also noticed that he had been shot in the arm and was bleeding badly.