Not long after Hannah's meal in the Howard home, she fell asleep on a mat on the floor, unable to sleep in the beds of the former occupants. The the sound of horses woke her from a sound sleep and it saw her running out the door, standing in the middle of the street. She squinted in the afternoon sun, looking, praying, hoping that it was indeed Benjamin. As his tall, proud figure came into view, she rushed towards them. Gabriel's eyes never looked at her. The only thing he could see was the smoldering church. He looked at it, then frantically ran into the Howard's home, where he began screaming the family's name. Benjamin got off the horse and walked slowly over to Hannah. "What happened Hannah?" Hannah shook her head. "The British. I jumped out of the wagon, because I, just had a feeling, but the Howards, they wouldn't. And they went in the church and," Hannah could not continue. The lump in her throat had begun to choke her.
Benjamin's men surrounded him. "The British?" A man with a French accent asked. Benjamin sighed and nodded. The French-man sighed and took off his hat as he gazed at the church. At that moment, Gabriel emerged white-faced from the house. "They, they aren't here." He said, his voice quavering. Then his eyes widened further as the realization of what had happened came over him. He stumbled towards the church, peered inside and stepped backward. Benjamin waved to his men, who stepped forward solemnly and sadly. Many men had had families here. It was now the men's turn to take care of them one final time. Fathers would tuck in their children one last time, only in a grave. Husbands would whisper 'I love you's' to their wives as they laid them to rest in their graves. It was a heart-rending thing to watch, one that Hannah watched from the Howard's front steps. She couldn't take part in it. She had no family, but she did have friends, but she couldn't bear to perform the morbid task.
She sat on the steps till late that afternoon, watching the work being done. She watched the men bent over, putting themselves wholly into their task. But finally, the last body was laid to rest and the men gathered outside the church. Benjamin was the only one left in the church. He was standing still, looking at the remainder of the church wall and window, as if trying to place himself in the position that the victims had been. Hannah frowned as she looked at the group of men outside the church. Their faces were worried and drawn.
She stood up and crept closer, their voices becoming clearer as she approached. "When did he leave?" One man asked. "I'm not sure. Sometime during the burials I suspect, after he found out what had happened." The Frenchman said uneasily. "Could he have gotten very far?" Another man questioned. "He could have. There are quite a few men missing. Men who are most likely as incensed about this mass murder as he was. They're aiming to walk through the same Pearly Gates their families did." The Frenchman said soberly. Hannah looked up and saw Benjamin standing in front of them, his face drawn and hesitant. He cocked his head as if asking the question he could not bear to ask. The Frenchman helped him and told him the answer. "Gabriel is gone." Hannah's breath caught as it had many times in the last few days. She knew where he had gone. He had gone for Tavington.
Benjamin's face became pale, then he seemed to get a hold of himself. "Come. We'll go after them. How many men left with him?" He asked quickly. "We're not sure Benjamin. Maybe thirty, twenty." The Frenchman said, following Benjamin's quick footsteps. "We must try to cut them off. Follow my lead!" Benjamin yelled to the other men as he got on his horse. "Father! Stop!" Benjamin whirled around and faced Hannah, seeing her as if for the first time as she grabbed his horse's reigns. "Don't leave without me!" She said pleadingly. Benjamin bent down towards her. "Hannah, I must. I cannot take you with me. It is impossible. You could be killed." He said gently. "So could you! Then where will I be? I'd rather die with you than stay here!" Hannah said quickly. "Hannah, I promise you I'll be back. I promise. Now, you stay here. I can't take you with me in good faith that you'll be safe. I cannot. I will be back. Stay." Benjamin swooped down and kissed her cheek, then took off, his horse leading the others in a fiery chase.
Hannah sat took a deep breath and sat down on the steps. It was quiet now. There was no sound at all in the empty village. An overturned wagon's wheels spun quietly in the air. A mockingbird cooed a haunting melody. The fire in the church burned slower and slower. Then she began to see things. The Howard's wagon came into her sight, the white and unfeeling faces of Mr. and Mrs. Howard staring straight ahead, not looking at anyone. The ghostly white face of Anne staring at her as the ghost wagon rolled into the very church itself and disappeared. Then the sounds and bustle of the town returned, only the inhabitants were white, whiter than death, their eyes glazed and unseeing as they walked past her. None of them looked at her, but when a young child, no more than two, looked at her with his glazed white eyes, Hannah fell over in a dead faint.
When she awoke, Hannah felt the person's gentle shaking. She groaned and opened her eyes. It was very late in the day, almost evening. She sat up and realized that she had been lying on the dirt road. She looked into the face of the person who had awakened her. It was the French officer that she had seen earlier that day. He extended a hand and helped her up. She didn't speak or protest, but merely placed her hand in his and allowed herself to be lead an empty horse. When she finally felt she could look at details, she noticed that she and the French officer were not alone. He had brought thirty or so men, and from the looks of their faces, they were uncomfortable about something. "You can ride?" She looked at the French officer, and for a moment, her brain was clouded. Then her eyes cleared as she realized the question. "Yes, I, I can ride." She said as he helped her upon a horse. "That is good. You will follow me. Stay close behind and don't stray off. I don't like the idea of being out here any longer than I have to." He said uneasily, mounting his horse.
Hannah took the reins gently in her hands and urged the horse forward without any effort. After a time, Hannah truly began to notice the obvious discomfort of all the men. Their backs were slumped ever so slightly, their lips curled in a small frown, their eyebrows also down, but their eyes gave them away. Their eyes were wide and filled with worry, something that Hannah didn't like the looks of. She nudged her horse forward slightly till it was even with the French officer's. "If you please, where are we going?" The officer barely looked at her. "A camp. Not far from here." He said shortly. "Is Benjamin there?" She asked quietly. Again the officer didn't look at her. "Yes." Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. "Is Gabriel there?" The officer's eyes locked on th road before him, then turned to her, breathing deeply. "Yes he is there." Hannah smiled. "Oh thank God! From the way you are all acting one would think that the rescue was a failure." She said happily. "Young lady," The officer began. "Hannah. Oh I'm so happy!" She said excited. "Hannah, he's not in the state you think he's in." He said, grabbing her hand as it moved to move her horse backwards.
She frowned. "What do you mean? He's alright isn't he? Gabriel is fine." The officer's blue eyes were troubled and he blinked several times before he answered her. "He is, he is not well, Hannah." Hannah's eyes widened. "You mean he was wounded? Oh, but he will get well! I know he will! It can't be all that bad can it? Oh please tell me what's going on." She pleaded. The French officer looked away as if to compose himself, then turned back. "Gabriel was killed. He died not long after we got there." Hannah's hands fell from the reins and the officer grasped them, so that the horses would not take off. "You must be lying. He isn't dead. He isn't. It just can't be possible." She said, her tone filled with anger and hurt. "Hannah," The officer started again. But Hannah did not give him time to speak, she could already see the flags of the camp in the distance.
She grasped the reins in her hands and kicked the horse as hard as she could, riding at full speed towards the camp. She could hear the French officer calling her name, but she paid him no heed. All things in the world had vanished. Her vision was tunneled. The only important thing was what was at the end of the tunnel, Gabriel and Benjamin. She rode into camp, mud flying up from the horse's feet as he turned at breakneck speed. She saw the officer's tent and she pulled the horse to a stop, jumping off and stumbling towards it. She pushed through the tent and stepped back as the smell of medicine and blood crept into her nostrils. It wasn't an officer's tent after all. It had been changed into a make-shift hospital. She walked quickly through the tent, looking at all the men, searching, searching for Gabriel. Some of the men stared at her with surprise, other's stares were blank and unseeing, others glanced at her then glanced back at the knife that was about to remove an infected limb. She saw this and began to run, running towards the end of the tent.
She pushed through it taking a deep breath of fresh air, trying to forget the horrible scene she had just witnessed. She bumped into someone and she pushed past him, but stopped as the person called out her name. She turned around and saw an officer. She recognized him faintly as one of the officers in the court that day when the levy was passed. "You're Colonel Burwell are you not?" She asked in long breaths. He nodded. "Where is Gabriel Martin?" His eyes widened slightly and he placed a hand on her arm, leading her towards one of the smaller tents. She looked at him before she pushed the tent flap aside and he turned his head. She pushed the flap away with resolve and ducked inside.
She saw him. His face was so pale. Too pale. His eyes were closed, his lips parted slightly. His hands were lying under the army blanket that lay over him. His blonde hair combed carefully. And beside him, kneeling on the floor, was Benjamin Martin. She walked up slowly, unable to believe, unable to process the information thrust upon her. She stood only a few feet away from Benjamin and Gabriel. She took in Gabriel's face. Even in death, he had the same look she remembered. The look of pride, honor, and bravery. His brown eyes were closed, never to open again in this life, and as she gazed at them, she remembered the sightless green eyes that she only saw now in her dreams. These eyes too would be added to her ghostly visitors she knew. They would haunt her, just as Thomas did. She knew in her heart that Gabriel wouldn't abandon her, even in death.
Though a few minutes before, her heart had been surging against her chest and her breath wouldn't come for fear of what she would find, now Hannah was surprisingly calm and at peace. She looked down at Benjamin. His head was bowed over the bed, his back to her, but from the very look of him she could tell his anguish, his pain, his helplessness. "Mr. Martin." She whispered. He turned to her and her heart cried out at his appearence. His face seemed wasted, his eyes hollow and almost unseeing. He didn't even seem to know her. She knelt down beside him and threw her arms around him. He seemed to be in shock as she held onto him. Slowly he put his hands around her, but it was she who rocked him. "It'll be alright. I promise. Don't forget him, but don't let him hold you back from the rest of your life. It will destroy you." She whispered. "It will destroy you."
Benjamin's men surrounded him. "The British?" A man with a French accent asked. Benjamin sighed and nodded. The French-man sighed and took off his hat as he gazed at the church. At that moment, Gabriel emerged white-faced from the house. "They, they aren't here." He said, his voice quavering. Then his eyes widened further as the realization of what had happened came over him. He stumbled towards the church, peered inside and stepped backward. Benjamin waved to his men, who stepped forward solemnly and sadly. Many men had had families here. It was now the men's turn to take care of them one final time. Fathers would tuck in their children one last time, only in a grave. Husbands would whisper 'I love you's' to their wives as they laid them to rest in their graves. It was a heart-rending thing to watch, one that Hannah watched from the Howard's front steps. She couldn't take part in it. She had no family, but she did have friends, but she couldn't bear to perform the morbid task.
She sat on the steps till late that afternoon, watching the work being done. She watched the men bent over, putting themselves wholly into their task. But finally, the last body was laid to rest and the men gathered outside the church. Benjamin was the only one left in the church. He was standing still, looking at the remainder of the church wall and window, as if trying to place himself in the position that the victims had been. Hannah frowned as she looked at the group of men outside the church. Their faces were worried and drawn.
She stood up and crept closer, their voices becoming clearer as she approached. "When did he leave?" One man asked. "I'm not sure. Sometime during the burials I suspect, after he found out what had happened." The Frenchman said uneasily. "Could he have gotten very far?" Another man questioned. "He could have. There are quite a few men missing. Men who are most likely as incensed about this mass murder as he was. They're aiming to walk through the same Pearly Gates their families did." The Frenchman said soberly. Hannah looked up and saw Benjamin standing in front of them, his face drawn and hesitant. He cocked his head as if asking the question he could not bear to ask. The Frenchman helped him and told him the answer. "Gabriel is gone." Hannah's breath caught as it had many times in the last few days. She knew where he had gone. He had gone for Tavington.
Benjamin's face became pale, then he seemed to get a hold of himself. "Come. We'll go after them. How many men left with him?" He asked quickly. "We're not sure Benjamin. Maybe thirty, twenty." The Frenchman said, following Benjamin's quick footsteps. "We must try to cut them off. Follow my lead!" Benjamin yelled to the other men as he got on his horse. "Father! Stop!" Benjamin whirled around and faced Hannah, seeing her as if for the first time as she grabbed his horse's reigns. "Don't leave without me!" She said pleadingly. Benjamin bent down towards her. "Hannah, I must. I cannot take you with me. It is impossible. You could be killed." He said gently. "So could you! Then where will I be? I'd rather die with you than stay here!" Hannah said quickly. "Hannah, I promise you I'll be back. I promise. Now, you stay here. I can't take you with me in good faith that you'll be safe. I cannot. I will be back. Stay." Benjamin swooped down and kissed her cheek, then took off, his horse leading the others in a fiery chase.
Hannah sat took a deep breath and sat down on the steps. It was quiet now. There was no sound at all in the empty village. An overturned wagon's wheels spun quietly in the air. A mockingbird cooed a haunting melody. The fire in the church burned slower and slower. Then she began to see things. The Howard's wagon came into her sight, the white and unfeeling faces of Mr. and Mrs. Howard staring straight ahead, not looking at anyone. The ghostly white face of Anne staring at her as the ghost wagon rolled into the very church itself and disappeared. Then the sounds and bustle of the town returned, only the inhabitants were white, whiter than death, their eyes glazed and unseeing as they walked past her. None of them looked at her, but when a young child, no more than two, looked at her with his glazed white eyes, Hannah fell over in a dead faint.
When she awoke, Hannah felt the person's gentle shaking. She groaned and opened her eyes. It was very late in the day, almost evening. She sat up and realized that she had been lying on the dirt road. She looked into the face of the person who had awakened her. It was the French officer that she had seen earlier that day. He extended a hand and helped her up. She didn't speak or protest, but merely placed her hand in his and allowed herself to be lead an empty horse. When she finally felt she could look at details, she noticed that she and the French officer were not alone. He had brought thirty or so men, and from the looks of their faces, they were uncomfortable about something. "You can ride?" She looked at the French officer, and for a moment, her brain was clouded. Then her eyes cleared as she realized the question. "Yes, I, I can ride." She said as he helped her upon a horse. "That is good. You will follow me. Stay close behind and don't stray off. I don't like the idea of being out here any longer than I have to." He said uneasily, mounting his horse.
Hannah took the reins gently in her hands and urged the horse forward without any effort. After a time, Hannah truly began to notice the obvious discomfort of all the men. Their backs were slumped ever so slightly, their lips curled in a small frown, their eyebrows also down, but their eyes gave them away. Their eyes were wide and filled with worry, something that Hannah didn't like the looks of. She nudged her horse forward slightly till it was even with the French officer's. "If you please, where are we going?" The officer barely looked at her. "A camp. Not far from here." He said shortly. "Is Benjamin there?" She asked quietly. Again the officer didn't look at her. "Yes." Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. "Is Gabriel there?" The officer's eyes locked on th road before him, then turned to her, breathing deeply. "Yes he is there." Hannah smiled. "Oh thank God! From the way you are all acting one would think that the rescue was a failure." She said happily. "Young lady," The officer began. "Hannah. Oh I'm so happy!" She said excited. "Hannah, he's not in the state you think he's in." He said, grabbing her hand as it moved to move her horse backwards.
She frowned. "What do you mean? He's alright isn't he? Gabriel is fine." The officer's blue eyes were troubled and he blinked several times before he answered her. "He is, he is not well, Hannah." Hannah's eyes widened. "You mean he was wounded? Oh, but he will get well! I know he will! It can't be all that bad can it? Oh please tell me what's going on." She pleaded. The French officer looked away as if to compose himself, then turned back. "Gabriel was killed. He died not long after we got there." Hannah's hands fell from the reins and the officer grasped them, so that the horses would not take off. "You must be lying. He isn't dead. He isn't. It just can't be possible." She said, her tone filled with anger and hurt. "Hannah," The officer started again. But Hannah did not give him time to speak, she could already see the flags of the camp in the distance.
She grasped the reins in her hands and kicked the horse as hard as she could, riding at full speed towards the camp. She could hear the French officer calling her name, but she paid him no heed. All things in the world had vanished. Her vision was tunneled. The only important thing was what was at the end of the tunnel, Gabriel and Benjamin. She rode into camp, mud flying up from the horse's feet as he turned at breakneck speed. She saw the officer's tent and she pulled the horse to a stop, jumping off and stumbling towards it. She pushed through the tent and stepped back as the smell of medicine and blood crept into her nostrils. It wasn't an officer's tent after all. It had been changed into a make-shift hospital. She walked quickly through the tent, looking at all the men, searching, searching for Gabriel. Some of the men stared at her with surprise, other's stares were blank and unseeing, others glanced at her then glanced back at the knife that was about to remove an infected limb. She saw this and began to run, running towards the end of the tent.
She pushed through it taking a deep breath of fresh air, trying to forget the horrible scene she had just witnessed. She bumped into someone and she pushed past him, but stopped as the person called out her name. She turned around and saw an officer. She recognized him faintly as one of the officers in the court that day when the levy was passed. "You're Colonel Burwell are you not?" She asked in long breaths. He nodded. "Where is Gabriel Martin?" His eyes widened slightly and he placed a hand on her arm, leading her towards one of the smaller tents. She looked at him before she pushed the tent flap aside and he turned his head. She pushed the flap away with resolve and ducked inside.
She saw him. His face was so pale. Too pale. His eyes were closed, his lips parted slightly. His hands were lying under the army blanket that lay over him. His blonde hair combed carefully. And beside him, kneeling on the floor, was Benjamin Martin. She walked up slowly, unable to believe, unable to process the information thrust upon her. She stood only a few feet away from Benjamin and Gabriel. She took in Gabriel's face. Even in death, he had the same look she remembered. The look of pride, honor, and bravery. His brown eyes were closed, never to open again in this life, and as she gazed at them, she remembered the sightless green eyes that she only saw now in her dreams. These eyes too would be added to her ghostly visitors she knew. They would haunt her, just as Thomas did. She knew in her heart that Gabriel wouldn't abandon her, even in death.
Though a few minutes before, her heart had been surging against her chest and her breath wouldn't come for fear of what she would find, now Hannah was surprisingly calm and at peace. She looked down at Benjamin. His head was bowed over the bed, his back to her, but from the very look of him she could tell his anguish, his pain, his helplessness. "Mr. Martin." She whispered. He turned to her and her heart cried out at his appearence. His face seemed wasted, his eyes hollow and almost unseeing. He didn't even seem to know her. She knelt down beside him and threw her arms around him. He seemed to be in shock as she held onto him. Slowly he put his hands around her, but it was she who rocked him. "It'll be alright. I promise. Don't forget him, but don't let him hold you back from the rest of your life. It will destroy you." She whispered. "It will destroy you."