Mines

Chapter Two

Two Weeks Earlier...

     "Sir!" I cry, a barging into Mr. Washington's room. "The British found us out! We must fight back at once!" Washington looks up form the paper work he was doing.
     "Fight back? Son, we need to evacuate!" he says.
     "We have them outnumbered! They didn't expect so many of us! We can attack them now!" I shout back at him.
     "I don't want to risk the life of anyone Hamilton. We need to get everyone out. Perpetrations for rescuing the mine workers were still underway, if we don't let them see our numbers they won't take us as seriously if they saw all of us at once." he shoots back at me.
     "But we need to show them-" I start, but he cuts me off.
     "That's enough Hamilton. Go and start to rally everyone out the nearest exits. Women and children first."
     "But-"
     "Son that's an order! Go!" Grumbling under my breath I dash back out of the General's room and back to the entrance hall where I see the British troops starting to overtake our defenses. I hate myself for saying this but it must be done.
     "Retreat!" I shout over all the noise, and after a few glances to each other everyone starts to herd their families to the exits. Now since everyone is the entrance hall was escaping, I needed to make sure the others did as well. The cavaness hall was starting to break under the pressure of the crushing mountain and the British forces combined, and the repairmen had already left. The underground base was falling apart and now was a heck of a time to do it. Running to the hallways that were branching off, I made sure everyone was leaving. Until a loud crack and shriek sounded from the corridor I had just left. Dashing back, I saw that part of the white tiled ceiling had fallen, and someone was trapped underneath.
     "Eliza!" two voices screamed at the same time. One of the girls caught sight of me and yelled.
     "Alexander, go get help!" That was Angelica. She's used to ordering me around evening though the doesn't have the authority too. But now is not a time to argue because Eliza was slowly getting crushed by the heavy ceiling.
     "You two!" I shout at them as I leave to find helping hands. "Try to dig some of the rubble out, or ceiling chunks if you can manage it! Try to decrease the weight pushing down on her," Coming back five minutes later with six men, I see that Eliza's head and arms are sticking out, her hands holding her sisters'. "Alright men, break into pairs and try to lift some of the heavier chunks. We started to try to lift heavier pieces, only able to move them a few inches at a time, but ten minutes later she was able to get herself out the smaller pieces, when she tried to fully stand up she winced and fell back down.
     "I think she broke her ankle!" Peggy whimpered.
     "Support her on your way out, but try to be quick," I tell them, and they nod and each grab Eliza's arm and fling them around their shoulders. But after they turned the corner, ten British troops turned the other, and we were trapped. "Guns out men. We fight for freedom." I shout, pulling a pistol out of my jacket pocket and aimed it at the first soldiers' forehead.
     "Now now. No one need get hurt," one of the soldiers says, glaring at all of us. His eyes held as much hurt as he undoubtedly wished to give us. "Take us to Washington and we'll let you go." Take you? To Washington? So you stick him in your endless mine for diamonds? Not a chance. Not in a million years.
     "Washington died a year ago," I lie easily. "I was left in charge at his will." The men around me give each other quick glances but don't contradict the lie. They know what I mean to do. All ten of the soldiers raise their guns a bit higher, pointing at our hearts.
     "Then lower your gun good man." another soldier says. I don't lower my gun from his fellow's forehead.
     "Why?" I say daringly.
     "He means lower your gun or we'll shoot you and your friends." a bigger and gruffer soldier snarls.
     "What are you going to do?" one of my fellows cries.
     "That is not concern. Now, lower your gun." The first soldier says. And finally I let my arm fall. At once five soldiers grab me, and I don't struggle because I don't want to cause trouble for the others. If they're freed, then they'll tell Washington what has happened to me. Washington's more valued here then I am anyways.
     "What should we do with the rest?" a soldier grunts to the first.
     "Oh let them scamper, they don't have anywhere to run anyhow." he smirks, and the six are allowed to run, and they do. Please, please let everyone else be safe.