Here At the End of All Things
I got the title from Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
It just seemed to fit. Hope you like!
"Sir! Sir!" a voice broke through the haze of pain and Armistead opened his eyes to see another soldier crouching next to him.
Desperately, he tried to form coherent speech. "Will you… help me up, please?" he rasped softly, wincing in pain.
"Sir, could you tell me what your name is? Who you are?" the soldier asked.
Armistead raised his head to look at the young soldier. "I would like to speak to… General Hancock. Do you know where General Hancock… may be found?"
The soldier bowed his head and Armistead's heart sank as the young man spoke. "I'm sorry, sir. The General's down. He's been hit."
"No!" The desperate wheeze of denial and agony escaped his lips. "Not both of us! Not all of us! Please- God!" he gasped, pain and loss overwhelming his senses as he sank back against the cannon.
"Sir! Sir, we're having a surgeon come as quickly as we can."
No. No surgeon could help him now, he knew. Opening his eyes again, Armistead focused on the young man's face. "Can you hear me, son?" he whispered.
"Yes, sir. I can hear you."
"Will you tell… General Hancock… that General Armistead sends his regrets?" he asked. "Will you tell him…" A wave of pain lanced through his body as he struggled to finish speaking. "…how very… sorry I am?" He looked at the soldier again, silently pleading.
The young soldier nodded, removing his cap. "I will tell him, sir. I will tell him."
Exhausted, Armistead fell back against the gun again, gasping for breath, but feeling as if the heaviest burden he had ever carried had somehow been lifted. Then oblivion stole over him and he knew nothing more.
~ Finis