This is Prompt No. 80-Why?
Silence is a potent sound. It can either indicate that a person is carefully considering whatever proposition the other might have expressed, or it can simply mean that the person is attempting to think up a way to politely refuse the offer. In drastic cases, silence might even mean that the person is planning routes of escape. Unfortunately, Mitchie's face was blank, giving absolutely no sign as to whether or not she was planning any one of these ideas.
Finally, Mitchie eloquently asked, "What?"
"We want you to become a spy," Shane reiterated. "For the Union."
Mitchie was still looking confused when she said, "But why me? I'm not anyone special."
"None of us were considered 'special' when the UUS found us and asked us to work for them," Shane told Mitchie.
"UUS?" Mitchie asked.
Shane nodded. "Union Underground Support," he explained. "They approached certain people and asked them to lend their abilities to the cause in a different way than fighting." He smiled at Mitchie and added, "My guess is that your talents for masquerade could be used very well, but not on the battlefield."
Mitchie raised her chin slightly, defiantly. "I didn't join the army for fun," she informed him. "I did it to save my brother."
Shane's eyes seemed to darken for a moment, and Mitchie detected a sadness in them, but then they closed off their emotions once more. "I know," he told her softly.
Mitchie was quiet for a moment before she said, "I'm not sure what you'd have me do, but I want to do it."
Shane nodded. "Thank you," he said. "What you'll 'do' right now is rest up. You won't be going anywhere until you're fully healed. After that, you do whatever needs doing. For instance," he explained ticking off his instances on his fingers, "you might need to go into town and gossip with an overly zealous woman about the sites of the Confederate camps, or you might need to play the part of an off duty soldier." Shane grinned. "I'm sure that one would be quite conducive to your interests."
Mitchie pretended to look injured. "Hmph!" was all she said, dismissing the remark gallantly. Her revenge would come later, she was sure.
"And you might even need to work with Caitlyn," Shane told Mitchie. His voice changed as he spoke the last option, and Mitchie had a feeling that she wouldn't be working there (wherever there was) unless she absolutely needed to.
Mitchie smiled at Caitlyn's name being mentioned. "I like Caitlyn," she said. "She's very sweet."
Shane smiled and nodded. "She likes you," he assured her.
"Really?"
Shane had to smile at the eagerness with which Mitchie asked the question. "Really," he responded.
As if on cue, Caitlyn came through the door, carrying a small, vile-looking bottle. "Hey again," she chirped, making both of the young people smile at her exuberance. "I brought your medication. Do you want it now?"
Mitchie bit her lip. "Will it put me to sleep again?"
In that moment, Shane sensed the discomfort Mitchie now felt towards sleeping. He knew from experience that the trip from consciousness to unconsciousness and back again was not a pleasant one, so he offered, "If you'd like, I'll stay with you while you fall asleep."
Mitchie hesitated, but nodded, grateful. "Thank you," she said. "It seems silly, but the darkness now frightens me."
Shane squeezed her hand. "That's perfectly natural and not silly at all."
Caitlyn nodded. "I won't give you a lot," she promised. "I'll just give you enough to take the edge off the pain. Fair enough?"
Mitchie nodded. "Yes," she said quietly.
Caitlyn administered the morphine and then she sat down next to Shane and Mitchie. "Have you two gotten caught up yet?" she asked, trying to keep a light conversation going until Mitchie fell asleep.
Shane nodded. "Almost. She's agreed to help in our cause."
Caitlyn looked startled for a moment and then grinned. "Great!" she chirped, but then her face fell once again. "She's not going to be helping me, is she?"
Shane shook his head. "No, she'll be used somewhere else."
Mitchie cocked her head to the side, feeling confused. "Perhaps it's the medication taking affect," she thought. "Why?" she asked, causing both of her friends to turn and look at her.
"Why what?" Caitlyn asked evasively.
"Why would you not want me to work with you?" Mitchie asked, fighting hard to keep her eyes open against the pull of the drugs.
Caitlyn cast a nervous glance at Shane, begging him to field the question. He did, and answered, "Caitlyn's work is rather…delicate. We'll explain it to you later, okay?"
Satisfied that it had nothing to do with not liking her, Mitchie nodded. "Okay," she said, but it came out more like a sigh, and she let herself relax, slipping into the folds of sleep.
A/N: Any guesses as to what Caitlyn actually does? ;) Let me know!
