Author's Note: Yes, I know, it's a short chapter. But bear with me; the next one should be longer. Enjoy!
There was a crackling, frenzied explosion of sparks, and Hamilton suddenly felt a searing pain rip through his lower abdomen, bursting a rib, and tear through his liver and diaphragm, before finally sending racking shocks through his spine.
'I am a dead man!' Hamilton gasped.
As the former treasury secretary breathed those words, crimson blades flashed, and the demons pounced on the wounded man, savagely stabbing his torso and back, blood splashing onto their hideous faces. Hamilton writhed wildly, jerked slightly to the left, and then tumbled headlong to the ground.
Pendleton rushed to his fallen friend, fearing the worst. 'General Hamilton!' he cried, as he stumbled to his knees, taking the bleeding man into his arms.
Wicked, gleeful shrieks sounded in the air, as the murderous spirits thrust their weapons into their victim's lower back, viciously sliding them up his spine. They bit into his neck and cut into his bloody abdomen, while Hamilton struggled desperately to keep from crying out. Gabriel had to be restrained by his fellow angels.
'Dr. Hosack!' Pendleton screamed. 'Dr. Hosack! Come quickly!'
Burr stared transfixed at the appalling sight before him. Whatever dark fear had been there before suddenly left him, and he found himself starting towards the injured Hamilton, his face contorted with distress.
'Colonel Burr, the doctor is approaching!' Van Ness warned, reminding his friend of the legal aspect of the duel.
'I must go and speak to him!'
But Van Ness had grabbed the vice president's shoulder, shielding him with an umbrella, and he began to lead him back towards the boat.
The doctor came charging up the narrow footpath, brushing past Burr, medical bag in hand. He stopped upon seeing his wounded friend's state, nearly dropping his bag. 'General Hamilton!' the doctor breathed, brown eyes wide with horror.
The once fair, cheery countenance had turned ghastly pale; the sparkle in Hamilton's violet-blue eyes had dimmed, and Hosack was almost certain, as he helped Pendleton prop him against a boulder, that he would not last another minute.
'This is a mortal wound, Doctor,' Hamilton managed to say. Then, he slowly shut his eyes, and slipped away into unconsciousness, and became, as Dr. Hosack would later claim, to all appearance, lifeless.