!!Warning!!

°~15 Years Earlier, 1765~°

(??? POV)

We'd spoken for months by now. At this point, I guess you could say that we were best friends. He never gave up a chance to help me and mama with supplies, and he'd smuggle food from his family just for our sake. Morally, it was wrong, but I couldn't ask for anything more.

We were best friends.

I strayed alone down an alley, waiting for his arrival. Apart from the chattering of the outside world, the sounds of my stomach rumbling echoed across the walls. I'd left all of our food to mama, whilst my brother was out making a living for himself. We didn't care about each other much; he was too self-centered to even acknowledge my existence.

I gazed up at the brick wall before me, recognising the one poster that was scattered all across town:

The Revolutionary War. I'd only heard of it through the newspaper, and I'd wish to join it some day. That is, if it were ongoing as I come age. I'm still just a rat pestering these infected streets.

Suddenly, I saw him poke his head around the corner of the alleyway. Checking all was clear, he scuttled over to me with a loaf of bread. "Here. It's all I could get before papa caught me." I snatched the loaf away from him, stuffing my mouth greedily.

I wiped my mouth onto my shirt once it was gone. "S- Sorry..." I apologised.
"It's alright. I would've done the same." he joked. I smiled with him, enjoying his company. He slouched onto the wall, sliding down to the floor. I sat next to him, staring back up at that poster.

"Reckon we'll be there one day?" I asked him, pointing at the poster.
"I hope not." he sighed. "We've got a whole life ahead of us."
"What? Catching fish? Don't you want some... adventure?" I questioned enthusiastically. "We could be a team!"
"Heh, yeah." he gave in, "Me and you, fighting alongside as we slay the bad guys!"

We laughed together playfully, never wanting to let go. "You're like... the brother I never had." he contemplated.

I froze.

He...

He liked me.

As if I were his family.

Without thinking, I spat in my hand, a tradition my brother introduced to me many years ago. I held it out to him, but he glared in confusion. "...What?"
"It's a bond." I stated, "A bond that can never be broken. We'll officially be brothers. Forever."
He shrugged, spitting in his hand also. We clasped them both together, marking our brotherhood once and for all.

"T--"
"???, what are you doing here?!!" My unfortunately biological brother spat, discovering us down the alley.
"I was... I was just talking with my friend!" I implored.
"No, you shouldn't be here, and you know that!!" He tugged at the back of my shirt, hauling me up to my feet.

"What's all the racket about?!" Another man emerged, this time from the opposite end of the alley.
My friend stood fearful. "P- Papa..."
"Shit, we'd better run." Still having a right hold of my shirt, my brother dragged me along at high speed, back to the hustle of the streets.

~

°~Monmouth Court House, 28th August, 1780~°

(Y/N POV)

My memory was a blur of the previous day. All I remembered was the gunshot, the blood, the screams... And that was all to happen again in a only a couple of minutes.

Alexander stood next to me in a line, a dark complexion upon his face. A trench had kindly been dug out for us around a month before we arrived here on the order of Congress. Troops led by Lee and Lafayette surrounded the upcoming battle, whilst Washington's troops (including me and most of those that I knew) waited near the back for attack. Every letter, every plan over those weeks had eventually led up to this.

We had to win.

"Alright, ladies, listen up." Wilson said, huddling a small group of soldiers around us. "Now there's a lot of Redcoats out there, and we're expected to charge first before anyone else. So do not waste your shot, because I'm certain that you will end up dead. Got it?" he whispered.
"Yes, sir..." we responded, anxious for the upcoming events.
"Great... Now once we spot the Redc--"
"REDCOATS!!" somebody screamed, alerting us all at once.
"GET READY, LADS!"

Being right hand men of Washington, we were expected to remain in the back row behind all of the other soldiers. That way, we have less chance of getting shot. But it was necessary that we participated, tracking down as many Redcoats as we could.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Miller." Alexander pre-warned me.
"...Good luck." was all I could muster. He breathed heavily, preparing his musket. I repeated, feeling a hand slap my shoulder.
"Good luck. I'll be with you the whole way." John comforted. "Alex-" He took Alexander's hand, reconciling with their friendship. "Be safe."

By the instant that men started flooding out of the trench, guns were fired. I prayed in my head, to whoever may or may not exist, that I'd be safe. Thoughts rushed into my head all at once: of Emily, Charles, even Alexander who was here right next to me. I had to make them proud. I had to serve my country.

We climbed out of the trench, spreading into all different directions. Alexander went straight ahead into the battle, destined to fight. Meanwhile, John and I found an abandoned carriage, taking cover behind that. Being a fairly good shot, John aimed out for the distance, shooting at whatever Redcoat he could find. I chose to scout for any that had found their way around our forces, hunting for us at the sides.

One invaded my eyesight. Feeling the surge of the war fill me, I positioned the gun and shot. The Redcoat was hit directly in the chest, crumbling to his death. I felt no pity, nor any bursts of excitement: I wanted to win this.

With Lafayette's help, the British were giving way like helpless flies, trapped in its enemy's web. Not much longer now and they'd have to retreat.

All was clear on the right side; not another soldier dared to pass through. But checking on the left side, where Lee engaged in his fight, a single Redcoat aimed for a vulnerable target.

Alexander was intoxicated by the spillage of blood, wounding every Redcoat he could aim for. But he... wasn't paying close attention to the dangers surrounding him.

The Redcoat was focusing on killing Alexander.

Instinctively, I abandoned John behind the carriage, scampering over towards Alexander.

"ALEX, WATCH OUT!!"

Boom.

I felt a stinging pain in my chest.

It was a pain I couldn't describe; it pulsed across my entire body.

"SOPHIE!!"

I lost energy all at once, falling back into someone's arms.

Maybe it was an angel.

Who was I to care?

Sound was converted into a hiss, penetrating my ears and withdrawing my head into a murmer.

I blinked, watching the horror unfold in front of me.

And suddenly I was in a new set of arms.

"HAVE LAFAYETTE TAKE THE LEAD!!" he screamed, but I couldn't make out who.

He carried me in his arms, descending back into the trench.

"A nurse! SOMEBODY GET A NURSE!"

My eyes drooped heavily.

"Stay with me, Charlie! C'mon, stay with me, son!"

Another blink and I was on a table, sheltered by a hut dug out beneath the dirt.

My jacket was thrown away.

My shirt was ripped off.

The binding...

The... The binding...

A womanly figure inspected it, murmuring words to my rescuer.

She took a large pair of scissors, cutting straight through the binding.

The binding that...

Protected my identity.

"N- No..." My eyes couldn't take it anymore, and I began to black out.

"Oh..."

"Oh my God..."

~~~~~~~~~~

:)