Thanks so much for the enthusiastic reactions to the last chapter. :) It was a hard chapter to write, for some reason. Anyway, here you go. Just...don't hate me for not sticking to the original. This is MY version. (grin)
Disclaimer: I don't own The Patriot or any of its characters.
Chapter 18
I watched in horror as a puff of smoke slid under the doors and billowed upward. Cries and panic ensued. I moved as in slow motion, turning around and looking at all of those people I'd set out to save. Anne turned to her mother, sobbing, while Mrs. Howard spoke words that must have been meant to comfort, but had no effect. I'd done them no good, and now it seemed I would pay with my life as well.
The shutters at the back of the church were closed, cutting off most of the light. And that's when I saw a glimmer of hope. Daylight continued to shine in from one window.
"Over there!" I ran to the open window. "Smash out the glass."
Several men followed, grabbing whatever they could and throwing or thrusting it with force against the window. Another couple of men pulled up a pew. As the glass shattered, they ran at the window frame, using the pew much like a battering ram. The wooden bench went through, taking the entire frame with it, and splintering into what looked like a pile of kindling outside.
I glanced back at the sanctuary. Smoke spewed into the building with alarming speed, and flames ate through the roof. If we didn't hurry, we'd all die of asphyxiation.
"Hurry! Pile out!" I yelled.
"Keep calm, people," Mr. Howard called above the din, as bodies pushed and shoved to get to the opening. "We don't need to trample anyone."
Two men jumped outside. The children were handed out first, then the women. I couldn't help looking back at the doors. The hope in my heart just would not die. And then I heard a sound that was more beautiful to my ears than Beethoven's fifth. A gun shot.Chains crashing to the ground. I held my breath. The doors flew open, and a shape in red and green filled the opening.
"Laura!" Wilkins burst through the smoke, then stopped as he saw the people filing out the window. Relief twisted into a brief smile on his face. "Come on." He took off his coat and wrapped it around me as flames took over a side wall and part of the roof. "It's going to collapse."
"I can't. I have to see that they all make it all right."
With an impatient grunt, he grabbed me and threw me over his shoulder. "Must you always be so stubborn?"
"Wilkins, you big lug, put me down!"
Only when we were safely outside, did he set me back on my feet.
"How did you know?" He gazed at me quizzically. "How could you have known he would do that? I've been with him all this time, and I never–"
"Why did you come back?"
He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. "I couldn't–you didn't deserve–I just couldn't let a friend die like that."
"Does Tavington know?"
He hesitated, then shook his head. "No. Well, maybe. But he had already taken off."
Without thinking, I hugged him. "Thank you."
Several people had run out the front door, and they now turned angry stares on Wilkins.
"You'd better go, James." I removed his coat and handed it back to him. "I'll be fine. You've done a good thing. But go on."
He nodded, pulling on the coat, then without another word, rushed to his horse and took off.
I ran around to the back of the church. A number of people coughed and spluttered. Most of the women were crying, especially those with children. Anne stood with her parents, hugging them, while her mother repeated over and over, "Thank you, Lord. Thank you Lord." The men mostly cursed, vowing revenge on Tavington and his "Green Buffoons."
"Is everyone out?" I called.
The crying and cursing stopped suddenly, and all heads turned my way.
"Who are you, young lady?" The man who I'd talked to that day in the church came forward. "It has been some time since you walked into the church and spoke with me. So how could you have known?"
"I really can't explain it, so I won't even try."
The parson began to chuckle. "I thought I was crazy. Well, first I thought you were crazy, and I was even crazier for listening to you. But I figured, what would it hurt? I took the shutters off that window...just in case."
I smiled, glad to know at least something I'd done had helped. But I sobered quickly. "He'll be back. You people aren't safe. And now he knows where to find the Ghost. Go somewhere where he won't even think to look for you. Just lay low for awhile."
Anne came forward. "But what about our men? Someone must get word to them."
"Don't worry about them. They'll be fine. Right now, you must get away." I paused a moment, offering her a smile. "May I be so bold as to ask, are you now Mrs. Gabriel Martin?"
She blushed and a shy smile spread across her lips. "Yes. We were just married."
"Congratulations. May you have many happy years together with your husband."
As the villagers talked among themselves and decided where to go, I quietly slipped away. I might not have managed to make a difference in Tavington's life, but at least I had helped the people in the church. However, I had changed history, and what came next hadn't been written in any books I'd ever read. Now I was completely on my own.
I ran back to where I'd tied Shadow, and pulled myself up onto his back. "Let's go, boy." I turned him in the direction I'd seen Wilkins go. Maybe I'd have a chance to catch up with the dragoons. But even as I pondered this, I knew I could not. If I reached them and Tavington saw that I was alive, he would know the others had gotten out as well. I could not join him before the townsfolk had a chance to get away. I slowed Shadow to a walk. Where could I go? Back to camp? Not my favorite option, for the dragoons who'd come after me when I escaped would likely chain me up somewhere until Tavington got back. And who knew how long until he returned. I could stay in town until everyone had gotten away, but then I might be asked questions I could not answer. There was only one logical course of action.
I rode slowly, not even kicking Shadow into a trot as I headed back to camp. Nothing waited for me there, but more long, lonely days. As the adrenaline of the past few hours drained out of me, so did my energy. I slumped forward on Shadow's neck, barely able to hold on. I had to get down, or I would fall off.
"Whoa, boy. Let me get off." I leanedto the side and slid off, managingto land on my feet. But as I dragged myself across the grassy hill, I knew I would not make it far. I found the shelter of a large tree, and collapsed. Exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted off to sleep.
I awoke just before sunrise. My back ached, and my hip felt like it might be bruised. I dragged myself to my feet, and stretched, looking around. Shadow stood a few feet away, still as a stone carving.
"Hey boy." My throat felt like sandpaper, and it was hard to swallow. No doubt, the smoke. I stumbled toward the horse, and took hold of his rope. But I had no energy in me to pull myself up onto his back. I led him back to my tree, tied him, then dropped to the ground again.
This time I did not sleep. I looked up through the leaves, watching as, one by one,the twinkling stars began to disappear. Slowly, the sky brightened. And as it brightened, my mood darkened.
What was I doing here? I had to find a way to go home. But how? I had no idea how I'd gotten here in the first place, so how could I know to get back? I had to think of what I would do if I never did get home. A million things ran through my mind, but hard as I tried, I could not keep the thought truly bugging me from invading my thoughts.
He'd left me to die. Knew I was in there, and still ordered his men to fire the church. A tell-tale sting in my eyes and nose signaled another bout of tears. I had vowed not to cry over Tavington, but this time I was too tired to fight. I rolled onto my stomach, pillowing my head with my arms, and let the tears flow freely. And all the while, I kept asking myself, why? Why did I still feel the need to find him, to be near him, when he had shown me clearly that I meant nothing to him? If I believed in magic, I might think a love spell had been cast on me. There was nothing logical in these feelings. I'd heard all my life that love was blind, but I now discovered that couldn't be farther from the truth. Love saw, and still loved.
Somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with the monster, and it would not be over night that I would be able to get over it. Ever the optimist, I still believed he could change. There had to be even a spark of goodness in him somewhere, something I could latch onto and help him to see the error of his ways. My tears dried, and I determined to keep going. I would see this through until the end, whatever the end might be. I had a goal, and I would achieve it, or die trying.
The sun had fully risen, and I found a little of my strength restored. Not much, for I had not eaten anything since lunch the previous day.
I stumbled to my feet, then went into the woods in search of a possible stream. A little water to wash my face might help. And a drink to clear my parched throat. Eventually I gave up my search and staggered back to Shadow. The best thing to do was to ride back to the town and try to clean up and find something there to eat. I expected to find it a ghost town anyway.
Spurred on by this thought, I mounted Shadow and set back toward the town. As I rode up the main road, I noticed a flurry of activity. Men ran in and out of the houses, shouting. A dark haired man who looked to be somewhere in his fifties stood in front of the church, staring at the charred remains. I wondered if he could be Benjamin Martin. As I approached him, it seemed no one even saw me...too preoccupied with finding their loved ones.
"Mr. Martin?" I asked tentatively.
He turned and looked up at me. Deep sorrow filled his blue eyes, and deepenedthe lines about his face.
"Yes?"
I slid to the ground and walked toward him.
"Please, don't be sad. The church is gone, but your families are safe. They made it out a back window."
Relief washed over his features, and brought a sparkle to his eyes.
"Are you sure?"
I nodded, smiling. "I was in there with them." I held up my arm and the sleeve of my dress to his nose. "Just take a whiff. It smells pretty smokey."
"Thank you." He grabbed me by the shoulders and gave me a warm squeeze. "Whoever you are, thank you." He turned and shouted. "Did you hear that? She said they all made it–" The glee drained from his face, and fear replaced it. "Where's Gabriel?"
"Oh no." I gasped and looked back to the roadwhere a handfulof men galloped away at top speed.
"He's gone after Tavington." Ben cursed then rushed to his horse. All the others did the same, including me.
How they knew were to go, I had no idea. But I followed along behind them. We sped past abuilding in flames. A tavern, apparently, butI paid it no more heed as we shot on.
Stupid, hot-headed boy! Why couldn't he have waited for everyone else? Then he would have known Anne was all right. If we got there in time to save him, I might ring his neck myself.
We rode over a hill. Too late. Gabriel had just dismounted and ran toward the small camp of dragoons. Tavington, hair wet and hanging down around his shoulders, ran toward his horse and grabbed his pistol.
"Gabriel, no!" I screamed as loudly as I could. "She's all right!"
Of course, the young man did not hear me. Or if he did, he ignored me. He rammed forward with a ferocity driven by grief and hatred.
Guns went off all around. Several dragoons fell. Several colonials fell.
I slid from my horse and ran.
"Retreat, you fools! Your families are alive!" A few more shots went off. Gabriel turned as if to look back, then suddenly jerked to the side. He fell to the ground, grabbing his shoulder.
I looked to where Tavington stood, a smirk on his face, aiming his pistol for another shot at Gabriel.
"No!" I yelled, and I think that was the first time he saw me. His eyes grew wide, and the hand holding the pistol slowly moved downward.
"Hold your fire!" Another shot went off even as he yelled. His eyes grew wide and he grabbed at his middle. For a moment he just stood there, looking shocked that he'd actually been hit, then he slumped to the ground.
Every muscle in my body tensed. No! This isn't how it happened, my mind screamed. I had to get to him. It couldn't end this way.
Ben Martin's men rushed forward, muskets aimed at the dragoons who now stood in stunned silence, most gazing at their fallen commander.
"Please." I turned to Martin. "Hold you fire. At least for today, stop the killing."
"Hold your fire, lads," Martin called without taking his gaze off me. "You're the girl that's been riding with them."
I nodded, looking away from the intensity of his stare. "Yes."
He placed a hand full of callouses under my chin and lifted my face. "I don't know who you are. I don't know why a young woman like you, who seems to be of good colonial stock, would be riding with Tavington. But thank you. We've heard of you and what you have tried to do." He smiled and let his hand fall back to his side.
"Mr. Martin, take your boy and go home. Forget this fight. The French will be here soon, and America will win the war. But...just leave. And–forget about Tavington." Martin continued to study me silently. "I'm sorry he took the life of your son, but–"
"You're in love with him."
I nodded, heat rising to my cheeks. Hearing those words come out of the mouth of the Ghost himself made me realize just how nonsensical this was. How could I love him? Yet I did. It made no more sense than the fact I'd traveled back in time. Impossible. Ridiculous. Yet it had happened.
"Go in peace." Ben nodded, then raised his hand, ordering his men to retreat.
"God bless you, Benjamin Martin, and God bless America." With that I turned and ran toward the band of dragoons.
Several colonials hoisted Gabriel up from the ground and rushed him off toward a horse.
"Thank you," he croaked as I rushed past.
"Just stay alive, and live many happy years with Anne," I said without stopping.
The Americans mounted their horses and retreated back over the hill. But at that moment, all I could think was getting to Tavington...William.
"Don't you die on me." I dropped to the ground beside his still form. "Not now. You can't do this."
His eyes opened slowly and seemed to take awhile to focus. But when they did, I knew he saw me.
"Laura–how–?"
"Sh. Don't waste your energy speaking. Just stay with me." I took his hand and squeezed. "Stay with me. Look into my eyes. Hold on." He struggled a moment, but then his eyes began to close again.
I looked to a red spot growing ever larger on his once white shirt. Without thinking, I grabbed the shirt and tore it away to get a look at the wound. But I was no doctor, and I could not tell how bad it was.
"Stand back, Miss Hanson," Captain Bordon ordered, then bent over Tavington. His brow furrowed as he inspected the damage. "He's losing blood fast. We must get him to the doctor immediately."