The Revolutionary War ended almost 20 years ago. Many soldiers lost their lives while others managed to survive to tell the story, building their own families. Some had to go through grief and loss way too soon while others had the luck to live happ...
Theodosia started wide-eyed at nothing in front of her, completely in shock while she still held her pistol pointing forward.
Last thing, Joseph had shot his gun before the final counting. However, it just grazed the woman's shoulder. It made Theodosia yelp in surprise and pain, never experiencing such a burning sensation before, and her eyes suddenly filled up with rage.
She didn't think, she simply acted.
Theodosia spun around and shot without thinking much of it.
She panted as the adrenaline lowered, and only then noticed everyone rushing to aid the fallen man. Taking a more attentive look, Theo saw the pool of red blood running down the grass and the gun slipped off her fingers, falling to the grass at her feet with a soft thud. Her lips parted in shock as she saw Alston's crew carrying the unconscious man along with the doctor in pure panic.
Her wide eyes couldn't look elsewhere until they walked down the path and disappeared behind the trees.
"I didn't want to do that, I didn't want to-" She finally said while shaking her head, her voice cracking as she still panted.
"It's gonna be alright," Mary replied emotionlessly, using a handkerchief and a solution the doctor gave her to clean the wound on Theo's shoulder and wipe off the blood that dripped on her arm, waiting until she was ready to talk.
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"No, it's not. I just killed a man, Mary!" Theodosia turned to her friend, her eyes filled with terror, "I took someone's life for something just as frivolous as-"
"Theo, calm down. He is still alive, there's nothing to worry," Mary stepped forward and touched her friend's arms, looking at her in the eye, "They are gonna rush him to the hospital so the doctor can properly help him out."
"... Did you even see where I shot?" Theo quietly asked after a short pause.
"No."
"You're lying." Theodosia replied, her eyes watering up, "I shot him in the chest. He was already unconscious. What are the odds that he can possibly survive?"
"You were on your full right to shot back, Theo." Mary sternly said, "He cheated. Everyone witnessed that he shot before the counting ended. You did what you had to do."
"Did I?" She asked with a nervous chuckle, "There really wasn't another way to end this?"
"Perhaps. But it's not like we should worry about it now, it is already done."
"But what's even going to happen with me now? This wasn't supposed to happen, it wasn't supposed to be a deadly shot, I never missed before!" Both stood in silence for a moment before she continued, "I am going to be just as disgraced as my father is now..." She took in a shaky breath, "I did the exact same error he did. Even worst! I KILLED A MAN!" She shouted and continued to pant as she touched her fingertips at her temples with closed eyes, "Duels are illegal now, this is legitimate murder, I- Gosh, why did I do this...?"
