I sit down on my bed and look at the mirror. My neat blonde hair, fair complexion, elegant dress. I stare at myself. As I stare, a plan starts to formulate in my mind. I rush out of my room to find Anna, my personal servant and most loyal friend. I tell her what I need and walk gracefully back to my room. Anna knocks on my door a little while later. She walks in carrying a satchel. Inside the satchel is a soldier's uniform and some men's clothes. I throw the bag over my shoulder and start rushing out of the room. I stop at the doorway, then I turn around and give Anna a big hug.
"Goodbye, Anna," I say, releasing her and running out the door.
"Goodbye, Madam Elizabeth," Anna says.
I rush through the halls, and into the servants' quarters. As I reach the servant's door, I stop and take a deep breath to calm myself.
'I can't believe I'm really doing this,' I think to myself. I don't know the punishment for sneaking into the army pretending to be a man, but it probably isn't good. I sneak out the servants' door, clutching my bag close to my chest. I check that the coast is clear and dash into the forest. After I am a good distance away, I change into the clothes Anna got from one of the male servants and walk through the woods until I find a road. I take a map out of my bag, look at it, then I start walking down the road. As I travel, I think back to the conversation I had with Archibald a few hours ago.
"I'm leaving," Archie says, looking at the ground.
"What?" I ask, stunned.
"I... I'm leaving to fight in Napoleon's army."
"When did this happen? Why?" I question.
"It happened last night, and I don't know why. I just got drafted I guess," Archie says. "I should go. Got to get ready to go... fight." He gives me a weak smile and walks away.
I snap out of my thoughts as I get to the army's camp. I tie my hair at the nape of my neck with a blue ribbon and walk into the camp. Almost immediately, the smell of waste, trash, and body odors assault my nose. Tents are set up everywhere with footpaths in between. A man sitting outside of a tent near the entrance to the camp looks up at me.
"You new, kid?" He asks.
"Y-Yes," I stutter.
"What's your name?"
"My name is El-" I stop midsentence, remembering that I can't reveal my real name or gender.
"What did you say your name was, kid?" the man asks, with a mysterious look on his face, like he is studying me.
"My name is... Elburn. Yeah, Elburn! My friends call me Berny," I say, hesitant. I want to cower away from his stare, but I don't.6
"Your name is Elburn? Seriously?"
"Yeah?"
The man starts laughing hysterically.
"I'm surprised you even had friends with a name like that!" he says, calming down. "Anyway, go to one of the tents over there. It doesn't matter which one. By the way, the names Al, you can come to me if you need any help."
I wave goodbye to Al and walk in the direction that he is pointing, looking around as I go. I find an empty tent and open the flap. I gasp as I walk inside. The inside of the tents has two cots, on either side of the tent. Sitting on the cot on the left, is Archie. He looks up as I enter, and his eyes widen at the sight of my face.
"Elizabeth?" He asks, shocked.
"Archie?" I say, surprised.
Archie jumps up and rushes over to me, grabbing my shoulders.
YOU ARE READING
Short Stories From a Camera
Short StoryA collection of random short stories. Some of the stories are related to my other stories (The Monster Hero and Nature's Sign). Not all of them are stories, some are poems or other things.
