Mines

Chapter Four

     "It's time for recreation." I say.
     "What's recreation?" Hamilton asks.
     "They mean it to be a reflection but it's really where they just kill five people in front of you." Laf answers.
     "Seriously?" Hamilton sputters.
     "Yup. Who's in this week?" Herc wonders and answers at the same time.
     "Four innocents, one convict." Laf sighs.
     "What did he do?" I ask.
     "Steal bread." Herc snorts. Huh, I guess he is talking to me now. Somewhat.
     "That's illegal here?" Hamilton questions.
     "Very illegal." Laf says.
     "Heard he got no food for days though. He was driven mad by hunger." Herc growls.
     "Wait, they wanted to condemn him on purpose?" Hamilton says, sounding disgusted. 
     "Well, yeah. Say everyone had a good week and there was no one to convict. Of course they're going to set someone up." I answer.
     "And you don't do anything to stop it?" Hamilton shouts.
     "What can we do? It's not like we can stage a rebellion dumbass." Herc snarls.
     "What did the other four do?" Laf asks, possibly to break the tension between them.
      "Who knows? Maybe they breathed to loudly." Herc shrugs.
      "Breathed to loudly?!" Hamilton says astonished.
      "Sure, snoring while you sleep is a big no no." I laugh humorlessly.
     "And that's your basic life here. Just try not to get noticed by the British." Laf says grimly. The bells singling the end of work time have already rung, and everyone is crowded by the wooden platform. Everyone always stays back a few feet though, so they don't get to close to the maimed bodies and blood.

    "Gentlemen! Gather round to see the unjust here before you!" a guard calls, wait... that's no guard.
     "That's Samual Seabury. He's the Captains pet," I whisper to Hamilton. "Steer clear of him. He'll get you in trouble faster then you can snap your fingers."
     "Five condemned in one week! How sad, how pitiful!" Seabury cries over the crowd.
     "You get five every week Seabury, how is this different?" Laf growls under his breath.
     "They must be punished! They must! For they stain Captain George's perfection!"
     "Oh my god, tear this dude apart." Herc snarls.
     "Is that a request?" Hamilton asks.
     "What? Oh come on Hamilton, you can't hurt him, or else you'll be up there next week." Herc says. Hamilton doesn't respond but there's a glitter in his eyes I've never seen before.
      "How they dare! After all we have done for them!" Seabury says, obviously offended, and definitely not hearing our conversation.
      "That's the last straw." Hamilton starts to push through the crowd, and they let him go forward since nobody really wants to be in the front anyways. Edging along the platform, he ends up behind Seabury and the steps that lead up.
      "Oh my god, he's going to get himself killed." I whisper frantically.
     "Yo," Hamilton calls over Seabury's voice, stepping on the platform beside him, behind the five condemned. "So I've got a question."
     "Uh... terribly sorry sir but this platform is for soldiers only." Seabury stutters.
     "Oh, your a soldier now, how unexpected. Anyways my question? What did these guys actually do?" Hamilton continues.
     "Well that calls for an easy answer! They disrespected our ruler!" Seabury says, puffing out his chest.
      "Hm yeah, well about that. Don't remember this dude ever being a king. Also, I don't recall disrespect getting the death sentence."
      "Then you must be new here. See we do things differently here. Which also include not talking back to your commanding officers!" Seabury shouts in his face.
      "You command about as much respect as a dog, Seabury." Hamilton snorts.
      "Wha- How dare you imply such ridiculousness!" Seabury stutters.
     "Come now everyone, hands up. If you got to choose, would you really listen to this wimp?" The majority of the crowds hands stay down in hopes of not getting punished. But some brave souls raised their hands which included me, Laf, and Herc.
     "You, you, you scoundrels!" Seabury cries. "You want your freedom yet you act like dogs!"
     "We wouldn't have to resort to this if you just set us all free, Seabury." Hamilton taunts. By now, some other guards have noticed what's going on, and they come rushing over to the platform to drag Hamilton off.

     Boom. It was like someone threw a bomb in the quarry. Suddenly everyone exploded. They all rushed forward, not to grab Hamilton but the guards, is it because of what Hamilton said that made them all suddenly attack? Well, whatever it was, we all needed a reason. And I am not getting left out.
      "Come on let's go!" I shout, grabbing Laf's and Herc's arms, and pull them forward.
     "Hell yeah!" Herc cried, jumping up on the platform, clenching his fist, and punching a troop in the jaw.
     "Pour la france!" Laf cried, joining Herc. It was chaos, nobody knew what anybody else was doing, but one thing was for certain. The British were outnumbered. It seemed like the fighting and screaming wasn't to end until someone hooked an arm around my throat, gasping and choking for air I hear someone behind me, possibly the owner of the arm shout:
     "Any more fighting a he dies!" a loaded gun to my head. I scratch at the back of the mans hand but his grip doesn't loosen, blood drips on my shoulder as I notice he has a gash cut across his forehead. The action pauses for a second, while everyone wonders weather it's worth killing off this stranger they don't know to keep fighting. A small price to pay for some, but not others.
     "Non!" Laf's cracked voice yells. "Non! I surrender! Don't hurt him!" he drops the gun that he had forced out of a soldiers grip a few moments earlier. It lands with a thud. Hercules raises his hands as well, staring at the man who was restraining me with cold fury.  Another louder thud sounds out as someone falls to the floor. I realize Hamilton has let go of the bleeding whimpering figure of Seabury. He raises his hands alongside his acquaintances. One by one, everyone either drops their guns or friends, or foes. They all surrender for me, and I feel terrible because of it.
     "Good," the guard holding me says. He's breathing heavily. His musty, hot breath blowing into my face. "As punishment, everyone gets sent to their sleeping quarters. No dinner. We're on lockdown, we'll continue recreation tomorrow. Go on now. All you go, go!"
     "Mon amie. My friend, let my friend go." Laf says to the guard. "Please."
     "I'll let him go once I'm sure none of you will cause any more trouble. Go now before I change my mind to shoot," The guard snarls. One by one, everyone on the platform jumps off, arms stilled raised, heading for the sleeping caves. Medics rush to try and patch up the bleeding soldiers including the sniffling Seabury. The guard marches me into my quarters, and once he's sure everyone's inside he shoved me in mine, none to gently. I fall on the dirty ground face first. "If anyone leaves, I will not hesitate to kill you." The guard calls, giving us all one last suspicious look, then turning his back and heading over. On the outside we hear his pull a lever and huge metal bars crash onto the fall, blocking off all exits out of the caves. Once he's gone, Laf runs to pick me up, brushing me off.
     "I was so scared," he whispers. "I thought you were going to die." I notice he has tears in his eyes, that he's refusing to let fall.
     "Don't worry, everything's okay." I say to him, a little hoarse because I haven't gained full control of my airways yet.
     "Okay? This is okay?" Alex shouts at me.
     "Y'know what?" Herc growls, sitting up from his ledge. "How about you shut the fuck up. You nearly got John killed I hope you noticed."
     "I didn't see you complaining when I took on Seabury! Or when the riot happened!" he contradicts.
     "That's before my friend's life was threatened!" Herc yells back.
     "You realize you helped with the insinuation of the riot, therefore you are as much to blame as I am?" Alex retorts.
     "Oh so it's my fault now, is that it?" Herc exclaims.
     "Yes, that is precisely 'it'!" Alex belts.
     "Arrêtez! regarde où notre comportement nous a atterri! C'est notre faute si John a failli être tué! Donc, ne blâmez personne d'autre." Laf screamed, and everyone but Alex looked stunned.
     "Your right. I'm sorry, I was acting out of line wasn't I? It just upset me so much to see Seabury act like a righteous little- never mind." Alex walks towards the end of our small cave, back turned.
     "Are you okay?" Herc asks, coming over to me. He's looking me in the eyes, which he hasn't done since he got mad at me. For some reason it comforts me.
     "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired." I answer.
     "You should rest anyways. Come on." Laf pulls me to my sleep ledge and all though it's not comfortable it will do for my needs. I close my eyes, listening to the sound of discussion between Laf and Herc and drift off to sleep.