Chapter 5:The Survivors

"Thomas. Thomas, wake up."

"Whu-"

"Come on, Thomas, wake up."

Anna slowly sat up, woken by her father's urgent pleadings. Thomas straightened, his ponytail messy and dark shadows under his eyes.

"What is it?" he mumbled.

"The bodies are in the field. We have to search for survivors."

"What can I do?" Both men turned at Anna's question, who was sitting up straight and almost wide-awake.

"Get some bandages and water ready," Father instructed. "We're going to need a lot of them."

Nodding, she dressed quickly. Just as she was ready to leave the room, she stopped, thinking. Finally agreed, she took off her soiled blue apron and reached for Mother's apron, the white one with embroidered meadow flowers. She tiptoed downstairs, where Abegail was already working, ripping apart cotton flour sacks and throwing them in a corner. Anna began boiling water as Gabriel and the others slept and Father and Thomas searched for any and all survivors.

Thomas couldn't believe what he saw. The bloody corpses of his countrymen, lying sprawled in the meadow he used to run in when he was a mere boy. Now he helped his father hoist a young soldier, crying in pain with a bullet to the stomach, and hobbled with him to the house. Anna laid him on a blanket on the porch, washing his wounds and giving him water. The soldier died shortly after they brought the fifth man. Without a word, Father picked up the body and took it back to the field. The porch was now strewn with moaning, agonized patients under Abegail's, Anna's, Margaret's, and Father's help.

Gabriel woke in the divan, the last one to wake up. He started, alarmed by the sound of horse's and wondering for a second where he was. He peered thru the windows and saw the injured lying on pads on the porch. He walked outside, buttoning his shirt over his bandaged chest, searching out his father.

A captain rode up the porch, and Gabriel hid his face, afraid of being recognized. Anna saw his dilemma and motioned the captain politely over to her father.

"The King thanks you for the care of his Majesty's soldiers," he said formally. Thomas and Anna stood behind him, waiting for Father's reaction. His mouth opened a few times, but he said nothing. Thomas gave him a dirty glare, but Father missed it. New horses rode up to the house now, and the family walked around to the entrance as the Dragoons rode up to the house, changing their lives forever.

A/N: I'm getting bored with this. I'll be done in about 2 more chaps.