Part One, Chapter Sixteen

Under Attack

...

Panic hit the City with the first of Sherman's shells.. Helpless and unarmed, the populace fled from the oncoming Juggernaught... And desperately the gallant remnants of an arm marched out to face the foe...

...

Zoey was confined to bed, as she was expecting a child, so Courtney was working at the hospital by herself.

"'The Lord is my Shepherd,'" a priest read from the Bible. "'I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in the green pasture. He leadeth...'" He was inturrupted when a cann broke the stain glass wind with Jesus Christ on it, sending black smoke in the church, but he kept going. "'He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of rightousness for His name's sake. Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. For Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.'"

As Courtney was working, she heard an explosion and covered one ear with her hand as the other hand was full.

"The Yankees!" Courtney exclaimed to Dave, who she was currently helping. "Dr. Meade, they're getting closer."

"They'll never get into Atlana," Dave assured her. "They'll never get through old Peg-Leg Hood."

"Give me something for the pain," one patient cried with agony. "Give me something for the pain!"

"Sorry, son, we haven't anything to give you," said Dave with somewhat sadness and somewhat regret.

"These animules is driving me crazy," said another patient as he scratched his back on one of the churches wooden posts.

"What luck!" exclaimed one patient who was playing cards with another patient. "You've got my jack!"

"Give me an ace and I'll start another war!" said the card playing patients partner putting down a card.

"That I'll never see you or Pa again," one patient said as he dictated a letter that a nurse was writing for him.

"This leg's got to come off, soldier," Dave told one of his patients with a tinge of regret in his voice.

"No, no!" the patient screamed with horror in his voice as he sat up in his bed. "Leave me alone!"

"I'm sorry, soldier," Dave said with the same regret in his voice as he turned to a man behind him.

"We're all run out of chloroform, Dr. Meade" the man informed Dave with a bit of sadness in his voice.

"Then we'll have to operate without it," said Dave.

"No, no!" the patient screamed again with the same horror in his voice. "You can't do it. I won't let you do it to me."

"Tell Dr. Wilson to take this leg off immediatly," said Dave. "It's gangrene."

"No!" the patient screamed. "No!"

"I haven't seen my family in three days," said Dave. "I'm going home for half an hour."

And he left. On his way out, he stopped by a bed. He felt the patients forehead and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Nurse," he said. "You can free this bed."

...

"Miss Courtney!"

Courtney looked at the bed she heard her name come from and smiled.

"Why, Noah Kennedy!" she exclaimed as she took hold of Noah's hand.

"Miss Anne Maria, is she well?" Noah asked.

"When did they bring you in, Noah?" Courtney asked. "You alright? Are you badly hurt?"

"But Miss Anne Maria, is she-" Noah started.

"She's all right, but I-"

Courtney was inturrupted by a doctor.

"Dr. Wilson needs you in the operating toom, Mrs. Hamilton" the doctor told Courtney. "Better hurry."

"I'll be back," Courtney told Noah.

Courtney went to the operating room. Her eyes went wide when she looked inside.

"No, no, leave me alone!" the patient screamed with agony. "No, no I can't stand it! No don't! Don't cut! Don't cut! Don't, don't! Please!"

"Where's the nurse?" asked a doctor.

Courtney turned around and went straight back. She stormed out of the church.

"The doctor's waiting," one man called.

"Let him wait!" Courtney spat. "I'm going home! I've done enough. I don't want anymore men dying! I don't want anymore!"

When Courtney got outside, she was shocked to see the turmoil the city was going into. People everywhere were running and screaming. Courtney got caught up in the crowd and she was being pushed and shoved.

There was a long line of slaves marching down the street. They were all singing. Courtney looked at them all and smiled when she saw someone she knew.

"DJ!" she called. "DJ! DJ!"

DJ heard her and turned his head.

"Almighty Moses, it's Miss Courtney!" DJ exclaimed happily.

"DJ!" Courtney called excitedly reaching him. "DJ! I'm so glad to see you! Tell me about Tara, about my mother. She didn't write me."

"She's gone and got sick, Miss Courtney," said DJ.

"Sick?" Courtney gasped.

"Just a little bit sick, that's all," DJ reassured in a kind tone. "Your pa was wild when they wouldn't let him fight 'cause of his broken knee. He had fits when they took us field hands to dig ditches for white soldiers to hide in. But your ma says the Confederacy needs us. So we're gonna dig for the South."

"DJ, was there a doctor?" Courtney asked anxiously.

"Sorry, ma'am, we've got to march," said a soldier who was mounted on a horse.

"Goodbye, Miss Courtney," said DJ. "Don't worry, we'll stop them Yankees."

"Goodbye, DJ," said Courtney. "If you get sick or hurt, let me know."

"Goodbye, Miss Courtney," said DJ.

"Goodbye," said Courtney.

"Goodbye," said DJ

"Goodbye," Courtney said one last time.

Courtney heard some yelling and turned around. She immediatly got out of the path she was in because she saw a stampede of hourses coming her way. As she was running, she came across a familiar face. She saw Duncan in his buggy.

"Courtney!" he called out. "Courtney."

Duncan pulled the buggy up next to her.

"Climb into this buggy," said Duncan. "This is no day for walking. You'll get runover."

"Oh, Duncan," Courtney said as she grabbed Duncan's hand and he helped her into the carriage. "Drive me to Aunt Dawn's, please."

"Panic's a pretty sight, isn't it?" Duncan asked as he drove through Atlanta. They heard a loud explosion. "That's just another of General Sherman's calling cards. He'll be paying us a visit soon."

"I've gotta get out of here," said Courtney. "I've gotta get out of here before the Yankees come!"

"And leave you're work at the hospital?" Duncan asked. "Or have you had enough of death and lice and men chopped up? I suppose you weren't meant for sick men, Courtney."

"Don't talk to me like that," said Courtney. "I'm so scared. I wish I could get out of here."

"Let's get out of here together," said Duncan. "No use staying here and letting the South come down around your ears. There are too many nice places to go and visit. Mexico, London Paris..."

"With you?" Courtney asked.

"Yes, ma'am," said Duncan. "With a man who understands you and admires you for just what you are. I figure we belong together being the same sort. I've been waiting for you to grow up and get that sad-eyed Mike Wilkes out of your heart. Well, I hear Mrs. Wilkes is going to have a baby in another month or so. It'll be hard loving a man with a wife and baby clinging to him."

Duncan pulled the buggy to a stop.

"Well, here we are," he said. "Are you going with me, or are you getting out?"

"I hate and despise you, Duncan Butler, and I'll hate and despise you till I die," said Courtney.

Courtney gotout of the buggy, but her hoop skirt got caught on it. Duncan laughed as he helped Courtney get it loose.

"Oh no, you won't, Courtney," said Duncan. "Not that long."

Courtney walked up to Aunt Dawn's house and saw Uncle Lightning carrying a trunk and Katie following him.

"Miss Courtney!" Katie called. "Miss Courtney! Folks is all goin' to Macon and folks is runnin' away and runnin' away."

Aunt Dawn ran out of the house carrying a hat box.

"I can't bear it!" said Aunt Dawn. "Those cannon balls right in my ears. I faint everytime I hear one."

A cannon went off. Aunt Dawn screamed and dropped her hat box.

"Uncle Lightning, look out for that trunk!" Aunt Dawn called.

"But Aunt Dawn, you aren't leaving?" Courtney asked in a pleading tone.

"I may be a coward, but oh dear!" Aunt Dawn gasped. "Yankees in Georgia! How did they ever get in?"

"I'm going, too," Courtney decided. She rushed Katie into the house. "Katie, go pack my things. Get them, quick!" She turned to Aunt Dawn. "Wait, Aunt Dawn, I won't take a minute."

"Courtney, do you really think you ought to?" Aunt Dawn asked.

"Courtney!"

Courtney turned her head and saw Dave Meade walking her way.

"What is this?" Dave asked. "You ain't planning on running away?"

"And don't you dare try to stop me," said Courtney. "I'm never going back to that hospital. I've had enough of smelling death and rot and death. I'm going home. I want my mother. My mother needs me."

"Now you've got to listen to me," said Dave. "You must stay here!"

"Without a chaperon, Dr. Meade?" Aunt Dawn asked. "It simply isn't done!"

"Good heavens, woman, this is war, not a garden party!" Dave snapped. He turned back to Courtney. "You've got to stay. Zoey needs you."

"Oh, bother Zoey," said Courtney, looking away.

"She's ill already," said Dave. "She shouldn't even be having a baby. She may have a difficult time."

"Well, can't we take her along?" Courtney asked.

"Do you want her to take that chance?" Dave asked. "Do you want her to get jounced around over rough roads and have her baby ahead of time in a buggy?"

"It isn't my baby!" Courtney snapped. "You take care of her!"

"Courtney!" said Dave. "We haven't enough doctor, much less nurses to look after a sick woman. You've got to stay for Zoey."

"What for?" Courtney asked. "I don't know anything about babies being born," said Courtney.

"I knows, I knows," said Katie, appearing behind Courtney. "I knows how to do it. I's done it lots and lots. Let me, Doctor, let me. I can do everythin'."

"Good," said Dave. "Then I'll rely on you to help us."

"Yes, Doctor," said Katie.

Dave turned to Courtney.

"Mike's fighting in the field," said Dave, "for the cause. He may never come back. He may die. Courtney, we owe him a well-born child."

"Mike," Courtney said with slight longing.

"If you're coming, Courtney, hurry!" Aunt Dawn called.

"I promised Mike something," said Courtney.

"Then you'll stay?" Dave asked.

Courtney nodded.

"Good," said Dave. He turned to Aunt Dawn. "Go along Miss Dawn. Courtney's staying."

"Go on, Uncle Lightning," said Aunt Dawn, crying. "Oh dear, I don't know what to do. It's like the end of the world." She began fanning herself. "Uncle Lightning, my smelling salts."

With that, they were gone.

"Zoey, it's all you're fault," Courtney said. "I hate you, I hate you! And I hate your only I hadn't promised Mike. If only I hadn't promised him."