Amy + Maddy

You awake to birds churping and the rising sun's glare in your face. You want to [[sleep in]] but you know you must [[get up]] and dressed. <audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=617&type=mp3 autoplay>

Well rested, you awake again to the sound of your aunt yelling for you to get up.You must quickly get up, dress and should [[go down the stairs]]. However, you deperatly want to [[write in your journal]] about the dream you had.

You sleepily get dressed and [[drag yourself down the staircase]].

Your aunt smiles and hands you a bowl of porrage."Jesse, did you hear, we won the battle at Saratoga" You smile at the news and remind her how much you desperately want to join the American Forces.You pack your lunch and [[walk to work]].

"At the rate you're going you will be late the rest of the week" Your aunt scolds as you pick up your porridge."We won the battle at Saratoga," You quickly change the subject."I've always wanted to join the army." Your aunt stops what she is doing to look at you and says "Maybe someday, Jesse." You check the clock and [[run out the door]] before another word is spoken.

You pour your heart into the pages. Your hand cramps painfully. You hear the churchbells ring and realize how late it actually is. You slam your journal shut and [[scamper out the door]].

During your walk you watch all the other people stroll around in the morning air. You strke up short conversations with people, you even have enough time to stop and buy a newspaper. In a matter of minutes you reach work and [[enter]].

You notice a note on the door when you come down the stairs "I've gone to the market, I'll return before your work is over." You fix yourself some porrage, eat quickly and [[run to work]].

You enter you work and your boss glares at you from his work station at the back of the shop. He doesnt say anything so you apologise, lower your head, and walk to your work station. You work hard for hours until your boss says you may go home, you pack up your quill and parchment and [[start your walk home]].

You run you hardest and only talk to people when they are in your way.You arrive to work slightly late and your boss yells at you. As a result, you lose part of your pay for the day. You work for hours until the sun begins to set and you are allowed to go home. You pack up your quill and parchment and [[start your walk home]].

Your boss welcomes you in a jolly way he says that his son fought at Saratoga. His son survived the battle and is still traveling with the American Army.You sit at you desk, but can't seem to get anything done.When the sun starts to set your boss releases you and you [[start your walk home]].

You leave the shop and start walking on the crooked path. You walk back to your home, taking a few new roaads, and enter throuugh your back door. Your aunt greets you and feeds you dinner. She wishes you goodnight and sends you up to bed. You sleep peacefully and [[wake up]] at your normal time without debate.

You march down stairs and smile at your Aunt, when she tells you the bad news:"The British captured Camden, Jesse." Your aunts eyes are sad and tired like she hadn't slept. You frown at your porrage. You jump up suddenly and say "Today I join the army, you said someday and that day is today, they need me, Aunt Lisa!" Before you regret your decision you [[march out the door]] with your head held high. You swear you see your aunt actually look pleased with your decision.<audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=617&type=mp3 autoplay>

You walk down the wide road with a newfound confidence in what you are about to do. You walk down a few side streets until you find the right door in the right alleyway on the outside of town. The recruiting station looms in front of you and you stop to look at the door. You think for a split second about all the negtives but quiet your fear, sigh, then push the door open and [[step inside]].

It is pretty dark except for the morning light shining in throught the windows and some dim candles on a messy and an unoccupied desk. "So, you want to be a soldier, huh?" says a deep voice from a place in the shadows. You stand tall,pull back your shoulders, and stick out your chest- "Yes, I do." you say in a strong voice. "Okay,come here. You gotta sign some papers before you do anything else." You see a man stroll over to the desk and sit down. "Name? Age?" He asks. "Jesse McAndrews. Age 17." You respond. He asks you several more questions and you respond to each one all while the man writes the answers down on a piece of paper. "Okay, you are all set. You will get your response in about a week. You may go and I will send this in for you." You shake hands with the man and [[leave for the market]] for some last-minute groceries.

You pick up fresh vegetables, a quarter-pound of meat,a loaf of bread and ingredients for porridge. You think about your decision and wonder if you will actually see combat. You walk to the park and stop to look at the ducks in the pond. You stay here until sunset then walk home and read for an hour. You [[go to sleep]].

Dreams of combat and the past battles come to you throughout the night. For the ninetieth time today you think about why you actually signed up. You never actually thought you would do it. It all was just a dream wasn't it? [[the next week]] passes slowly, the suspence is unbearable.

You check the mail and find a response from the recruiting station. You were accepted. You are going into the local militia and fighting in the war. You must leave in three days for the closest camp. You show the letter to your aunt and she actually seems to be ecstatic about it. She tells you that she couldn't be happier. [[Three days later]]

You wake up, dress, pack and eat. Your aunt waits for you in the kitchen when you come downstairs, with tears starting to form in her eyes. "Just promise me you'll come home!" she cries. "I promise I'll try." is your response. You hug her and reassure her that you will be fine. You walk to the door and open it. Right before you leave you turn around and give a small wave. Your Aunt waves back and smiles. You then [[walk out the door]] and leave all familiarity behind.

You walk a few blocks to an old alley where you are supposed to meet some militiamen and go to their camp outside town. You wait for a few minutes until you see a small group of men approaching from further down the alley. It is a mix of middle aged men and boys more your age. They stop in front of you and ask why you are there and you answer, they tell you to follow them. You do and they bring you down a wide street and then several narrower ones ending up in a small clearing a few miles outside town. The clearing is filled with canvas tents and men walking around and practicing shooting. The men then show you to a tent. They tell you that you will be in the tent with two other men- Charlie and James. You unpack as one of them come in. "Hello, I'm James Newson. What is your name?" [[answer him]] or [[ignore him]]

You answer "Hello, I'm Jesse McAndrews." You have an entire conversation with James and by the time Charlie comes in, gets settled, and introduces himself the two boys are already close friends. You continue through the day with the boys and makes several other friends as well. After several days of training, you seem to be getting along and working well with your friends and are getting the hang of your weapons. You lay down every night and think of your aunt... what if you dont ever go home, you think of your parents and your eyes start to water. You close your eyes and [[drift into sleep]].

You ignore him and keep unpacking your things. He asks again, gets frustrated and leaves. Good, you think, at least I dont have to talk to anyone... The other boy, James, comes and goes. You dont talk to either one of them. You continue through the day going to training and other activities. You don't make any friends and don't bother to socialize at all. You lay down and imagine you going into real battle, and winning. You smile as you [[drift into sleep]].

The next morning you wake up bright eyed and bushy taled. You're confident as you walk through the field and start your daily training. You work on each technique and [[follow strict orders]].<audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=617&type=mp3 autoplay>

That night you get settled in your tent before the others. You take put your journal and skin through the filled pages. You sigh and [[put your journal back into it's hiding place]].

Earlier than usual the general wakes up, and rallies your camp. You stumble into place with your weapons. You suddenly remember why you signd up in the first place: ''this army needs you'',[[ you can't let them down!]]

You fall in lin, dressed in your bright, blue uniform with your weapons. You march south meeting with several other camps. With each meeting the bright blue sea of soldiers got bigger and bigger. When the marching finally stopped you saw another sea of cream colored uniforms- the French. Then a man appears in front of the two armies- Alexander Hamilton. He has a short, whispered discussion with the other leaders. The officials come apart and the armies start marching togethor down the same path [[to the Battlefield]].

The two armies appear in a clearing with red on the other side. The British. The men get ready to fire. You follow their lead. Your musket is loaded and ready. "Fire!" All around you the air fills with the sound of gunfire. You see several men on each side fall to the ground. A millisecond later a bullet whizzes by your ear. All your senses are telling you to [[run]] but you know it is your duty to your country to [[stay and fight]]. <audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=2020&type=wav autoplay>

You drop your musket and anything weghing you down and run for your life. Several shouts follow you as you dissapear into the woods, the battle at your back. You then remember the crimes you will commit- cowardice and desertion- if you keep running. You think you might be spared if you [[turn back]].But everything inside of you is screaming for you to [[keep running]].

You go back and load your weapon again and shoot into the red mass. you see more and more men fall and dont know if its your shots killing them and it scares you. You fire several more times. The man next to you falls down and the image scars your memory. You stand your ground and keep shooting. You hear a loud bang and wantto [[turn your head to look]] but there is a man across the feild who is finding another target- and it might be you. You wonder if you should try to [[help]] the poor person on the recieving end of that bullet.

You turn around and instantly catch a stray bullet in the chest. You die within minutes. <audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=1998&type=mp3 autoplay>

You still run further into the woods and soon find yourself lost. Trying to retrace your steps does not work and you become even more lost. You try to survive but after two weeks you are not able to survive. You die of exposure. end of story.

You turn your head to see a big explosion. The British had fired cannon. You turn your head just in time to see a flash of light then an explosion of pain appears in your chest. You have been shot in the chest. You collapse on the ground as the pain spreads and no one comes to help you. You can imagine what happens next. <audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=1998&type=mp3 autoplay>

You ready your weapon once more and fire. The man falls and you basically cry. You then feel a searing pain in your arm- you've been shot. You then do the only logical thing. You cut some of the cloth from the bottom of your pant leg and tie it tightly around your wound and limp over to a tree where you can try to tend to your wound. After many long, long hours the gunshots quiet and you seek medical attention. [[next]] <audio src= http://soundbible.com/grab.php?id=1998&type=mp3 autoplay>

The doctors help you to a tent where they tend to your wound. They state that your wounds are too serious and that you will not be able to fight anymore. They say they will give a notice to your commanding officer that will get you sent home. You dont know if you are happy or dissapointed with that answer. [[next day]]

Your commanding officer called you to his tent earlier that morning and said that he was impressed by your behavior in the battle and that he will raise your rank before you leave. So, here you are; being escorted back to the same alleyway where you were picked up not even a month before. You will not see combat again. end of story.