I have six chapters for this already written, so the updates will come fairly quickly. I just dont want to over whelm you with all the chapters at
once. This is already posted on AFF, just moving it here. Can't believe I haven't moved it already.

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I watched in horror as the metal sphere came bouncing across the corn field, kicking up dirt and dust each time it stuck the earth.

All the soldiers surrounding me dove behind stonewalls, trees, or in dirt trenches; only I remained standing there my hands moving on their own accord.

Drumming out the orders, I felt myself flinch as the cannon rolled past me at a sickening speed. I heard it stop after cracking into a tree several paces behind me.

The breath I had held for so long as the rampaging sphere hurtled toward me gusted from my lips in a grateful sigh of relief and just as it did a bullet whizzed past my ear.

I felt its displaced wind tussle my hair, but I continued to thrum proudly on my drum as a warm tear of blood streaked down my cheek and more bullets whizzed past me. The whizzing bullets in the air where so thick I swear if I reached out with my hat I could bring it back filled with little metal balls.

A horse raced from my left and skid to a halt before me, the captain looked down at me, his raven locks falling slightly before his eyes, then around at his men. His eyes narrowed as he chastised," This boy puts you all to shame. Get up and move forward. Before he has to fight this whole war for us."

I took a sharp intake of breath and looked at him with wide unbelieving eyes, for a moment a brief smile softened his face as he nodded his approval. My heart skipped in my chest as my fingers gripped my playing sticks tighter and my thrumming became louder, pulsing in my ears like the sound of my heart.

He turned with his horse and faced forward; raising his sword he signally forward. A serge of men flooded past me toward the front lines, bellowing as they burst forward.

Pride took my limbs and caused me to run with them, still drumming as was my orders.

I watched as the captain's horse suddenly jerked to a stop and flopped to the side, sending the captain flying and crash into a tree.

My feet took me over to his side in a rush that I had never truly experienced this feeling that flooded through me before; it shook my nerves and caused my limbs to shake.

His head had cracked against the tree with a deafening smack and as he looked around his eyes where glazed.

His face oddly placid as his hands fell limply to his sides.

I was beside him in an instant, my drum rounded behind me as I stuck my sticks in my belt and leaned forward.

With the trauma of it all he didn't even realize who I was as he yelled in a far off voice," Back to fighting soldier."

I couldn't help but feel my lips turn up in a smile as I stated boldly," Well Sir I aint a soldier therefer I don't need to be out fightin, I aint got a gun anyhow."

He blinked, his beautiful dark eyes focused a little more.

Again he blinked then shook his head. His horse lay a few feet away, blood pooling from his chest where the cannon had torn it open.

Instantly I jerked my head back, not wanting to see such a sight. I offered my hand to the wounded captain as I leaned forward and started pulling on his shirt to help him up.

We couldn't sit around idly while hundreds of men crushed down around us, victims of the barrage of bullets streaming our way.

I cried out when I felt something tear into my side.

I yanked the captain to his feet as I fell forward clutching my side. I leaned against the tree, my knees digging in dirt, I coughed and watched the salvia spit from my mouth.

The continued whiz of bullets deafened me to the young captain's voice calling out to me.

I knew one thing and one thing only, I had to get up…I had to do my job no matter what. If not for me all these men would die for they would not know their orders, nor how to find their lead command.

I bellowed with a sudden intensity that for a moment I heard no cannons exploding nor bullets being fired & suddenly I was back on my feet, facing the bewildered face of the young captain.

He blinked again; I could see he was back to himself; back to being a strong able captain. I smile as I step forward, ignoring the burning at my side," Forever I will do my job, till the end."

Stepping around the capital I start to thrum on the drum once again, the same beat as before…my orders hadn't changed.

Blood poured from my wound in slow leaking spurts as tears of blood continued from the wound on my face, I smile.

"Tis my job till the end." I exclaim proudly, another bullet piercing my leg. I watch as the men around me fall, one by one. All of them had been my friends, the night before we had sat around a campfire talking and sharing laughs.

Now I walked over, past, and on top of their limp, lifeless bodies with a grim smile on my face.

Toward the enemy I continued, knowing I would more then likely die, at least it would be with honor.

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I hear something in the distance….a rumbling…like a stampede. My eyes raise and look to my left.

Horses are racing toward our battlefield; my heart sinks deep within my chest. I feel the hopelessness weigh down my limbs as a tear streams down my cheek and mingles with the blood.

Yet, my fingers keep moving; the drums keep sounding loud and clear. I don't know why but I won't give up, I can't…I won't let them down.

My steps are shaky and my eyes start to blur as the blood continues to gush from all my wounds. The enemies now turn their guns at me, smoke still pouring from the end of the barrel.

I take a deep breath and take another step forward, straightening myself with honor.

I feel my lips part as I whisper," Never will I give up or step back. This be my job, my honor, my duty." I keep my eyes wide open as I watch them all pull the trigger at once.

Each explosion thunders in my ears, like standing right in front of a dozen cannons as they blow.

Still I feel a smile creep up the sides of my cheek as my fingers twirl the sticks then continue to thrum on my blood sprinkled drum.

Before any of the metal balls touch me I feel something slam into my side and I fall to the ground, a heavy body on my own.

I turn and see the furious eyes of my captain boaring down into me," Idiot, next time move out of fire!" He hissed then jumped up and charged forward.

Slowly I rise from the ground, my leg giving out as I stand but I don't faultier and fall.

My eyes look around as the horses charge in. I look closer at the uniforms, my heart stops.

"God….why?" I whisper as my eyes flood with tears and my sticks fall silent on the drum.

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Ok -dies laughing- I know I know I KNOW people....these characters in the AMERICAN CIVIL WAR?! Weird and kinda hard to think about but I have fun writing it...and I'm gonna keep the characters in character as much as I can so hopefully it wont be too weird eh?

If you didn't know...the drummer boy is like really important and the enemy would always try and kill them first...they drummed out orders and such so they could be heard across feilds XD Sorry I wrote this in a history class one day -cough-

Thanks for reading!