When Stars Align || G. Lafayette

Chapter 3

He was my half brother. And he had no idea.

I let out an exasperated breath and leaned up against the wall. I snapped the journal shut and looked out the window at Hamilton's retreating figure. What comes next? Do I tell him? I hadn't a clue how I could.

Hey Hamilton, we just met and all, but your mom cheated on your dad and I was the result.

That would end well.

But if he was here, was my mother as well? My heart leapt slightly at the thought, but I instantly shot it down. There was no way I could tell him. At least not yet.

I pulled my trunk from its place under my bed and flicked open the buckles. I leafed through much of what was in it, but fell back onto the hard mattress of my cot in frustration when I found what I was looking for. Ink stained half of my trunk and belongings, including a majority of the parchment I had brought to write home. I supposed bitterly that I would have to figure this out without the help of my family.

I delicately shut my trunk with a sigh and tucked it back under my bed. So I would be cut off from all communication with my family until I could find a shop that sold parchment and ink as well as scrounge up enough money to pay for it. The day just kept getting better and better.

Overcome with fatigue and irritation, I crawled back onto my bed. I was long asleep by the time the men from my barracks finally pulled themselves away from the pub and walked back, undoubtedly drunk as sailors.

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

An earsplitting sound pierced the brisk night air, jolting me from my deep sleep. As I sat bolt upright in my bed, I wasn't sure what time it was or whether Hamilton and his friends were back; I wasn't even sure what the sound I heard was. The only thing I was sure of was the genuine panic that filled every part of me. I could nearly hear my heart thumping in my chest as I tried to regain my bearings.

After a few moments of panting, the clouds muddling my mind parted and I could think straight. My breathing slowed as I realized that the men were back, so at the very least I wasn't alone, but they were all still fast asleep. It must have been the middle of the night.

Hard as I tried, I still couldn't quite figure out what the sound was that had awoken me. Until it rang out again. A gunshot. We were under attack.

I hurried to my feet as another shot was fired, and then another. The men were finally beginning to wake up as I ran to grab my rifle from its place on the wall.

"What's going on?" Laurens asked sleepily, slurring his words.

"Five more minutes," Mulligan whined, trying to cover his head with his pillow. I ignored them; I was in too much of a hurry to do anything more than roll my eyes. They realized at last what was happening when the gunshots came in more of a quick succession.

The ambush on our camp was quickly becoming more of a battle as I ran out the door onto the dirt road. I saw people out of the corner of my eye coming from all directions to join the fight.

Leaves crunched underfoot as I began to near the battleground. I raced into the woods, branches scraping my arms, and finally reached the battle almost a mile from camp. I stationed myself somewhere within a line of men that stretched far to my left and right.

I began to load my gun as I heard four more pairs of feet trampling the underbrush behind me. The men stationed themselves on both sides of me, and it was oddly comforting to not be alone.

I fired across the field into the cloud of ash and gunsmoke, adding another shot the the already deafening clamor of the battle.

I reloaded my gun, cursing the slow process, and fired it across the field. I could never have known if it hit anyone; the air was full of ash and smoke from battle. A scream rang out not far from me, and in the corner of my eye I saw a man fall to the ground in pain. I wanted to drop my gun and help him, but I knew I couldn't.