And Darkness Will Fall

"Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take, Amen" murmured Anna as she leant on the side of the bed, eyes firmly squeezed shut. As she blew out the single candle that burned brightly on the window-ledge, she could hear James and little Sarah through the wall reciting their own prayers or at least trying to...

"Sleep well dearest" Alexandria said as she popped her head around the door and Anna cast her a small smile as she climbed into bed.

As she drifted off to sleep, Anna dreamt she was standing in the forest. The trees were so tall, but she was stuck on the ground and couldn't climb up for a better look. It was getting dark but the angel was still there, waiting with her until she found a way across. Falling now... starving. So hungry, thirsty, tired. Did they save a grave for her? She couldn't stay for too long... the other one was there too. Waiting for Anna in the dark. The one with the bow and arrows... A shrill scream suddenly ripped Anna from her slumber and she bolted upright first thinking it had been herself screaming from another nightmare. But dark shapes rushed by her window and she could hear Johns shouts from outside. Pulling on her boots, Anna suddenly stopped short at the sight of smoke billowing from underneath her door.

"No..." Anna felt her heart almost burst as she realized the cabin was on fire. Yanking open the door, she could see bright orange flames dancing from the kitchen. One of the beams collapsed sending a thick cloud of dust that mixed in with the smoke. Anna grabbed the heavy bronze figurine of a deer that had belonged to her mother and smashed her window sending shards of glass everywhere. Holding her sleeve over her mouth, Anna climbed out and rushed around the front expecting to see her family but instead she was met with the sight of half a dozen Ottawa with their backs turned standing with flaming torches in their hands. Her aunt was face down on the ground with a tomahawk in her back and her uncle lay a few feet away, his throat cut and his scalp missing. Anna's vision began to swim and she staggered backwards into the cover of darkness the cabin provided. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she bit hard down on her lip until it drew blood to prevent her sobs from being heard.

Anna Wheeler wanted to die.

She had fled into the woods, hiding herself amongst the long grass until morning and as the sun rose, Anna walked numbly back towards the cabin seeing it had fallen in on itself, the remains of charred wood scattered on the ground. A dead child's hand protruded from the ruin and she could see a fragment of a dress. Little Sarah Cameron had been crushed to death. Anna collapsed onto the ground next to her dead aunt and she sat there for hours, unable to cry anymore as she stroked her bloodied blonde hair. It didn't feel real, it was as if she was trapped in another nightmare and any second, she would be awake. But the dried blood that stained her fingers and the smell of burnt flesh that mingled with wood told her otherwise. They were all dead...and she was still here.

"No! No..." Jack Winthrop shouted as he ran towards the ruins of the Cameron's homestead.

"Don't!" Anna screamed suddenly on her feet as Jack crouched down over John's body. "Don't disturb him! Don't!"

"Good lord..." Jack's voice failed him as he stumbled towards Anna and steered her by the shoulders towards the woods. "Anna...you have to come with me...back to the Fort. You shouldn't be here..."

"No! I won't leave them - " Anna shouted as she ran forward but Jack grabbed her around the waist hauling her back.

"Anna...we'll take care of them I promise...I promise."

"I must receive proof more conclusive than your opinion before I weaken our defenses by allowing militia to withdraw" Lieutenant-Colonel Munro said.

"Your fort will stand or fall depending on Webb and reinforcements, not these colonials' presence" argued Jack, the veins throbbing in his neck.

"I judge military matters, Captain Winthrop, not you."

"That judgment is not more important than the men's right under agreement with Webb to defend their farms & families...I was there at John Cameron's cabin. Burned out. Everyone murdered except for the oldest girl who managed to flee. It was the Ottawa! They're allied to the French!"

"Nothing of what you've said would lead me to believe than was you saw was other than a raid by savages bent on thievery!"

"This was no raiding party! Anna saw them for bleeding sake!" Jack shouted.

"That's enough Mr Winthrop! Know your place" Duncan Heyward warned and Jack clenched his fists.

"The militia stays here. And that's my final word on the matter" Munro stated as he turned around to leave but hesitated as his eyes locked with that of a young woman's.

She was standing in the doorway, long dark hair that was the same shade as his Cora's tied back in a loose plait. It was clear by the expression she wore on her face that she had heard everything and it was only when Jack called her by name that Munro realized she was the girl he had been talking about.

"So this is justice for my family? You will do nothing... I should have listened to Nathaniel. Perhaps the colonials would do better making peace with the French if this is English law" Anna said, her tone set hard.

"Madam! That is sedition!" Duncan exclaimed.

"Major!" Munro intervened and Duncan cast him a horrified look. "Anna, please accept my condolences for your loss but... you must understand that there is not enough certainty in the events that took place last night to outweigh British interests in this fort. Mr Winthrop will escort you back to wherever you came from."

"You shouldn't have said what you said Anna. They could have had you beaten and shot for treason" Jack said in a low tone as he led her by the arm. "And what were you thinkin' bringing up Nathaniel's name like that?"

"I was thinkin' how sorry I was to believe that the English were here fighting to protect us. The sooner French guns blow the English army out of America, the better it will be for all of us - " Anna bit back and Jack stopped her in her tracks.

"Stop it. Stop tryin' to get yourself hung, you hear me? I know you're angry and so am I but there's nothin' we can do now. I'm tryin' to protect you Anna..do you really think your Aunt an' Uncle would want to see you tried for sedition?"

"Don't Jack Winthrop" Anna warned, her voice almost breaking as she broke free from his grasp. "Don't even go there!"