Status: This story is currently being rewritten.
Strings to Life
Shadows Of The Past
Alfred toyed with a loose thread on his pants, leaning back against the tree we were all huddled beneath. “Stupid storm,” he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut. My gaze flickered from him to Ludovic who gave me a pointed look. A look that said not to reveal his secret-our secret, or I’d pay the price.
“Alfred?” I said quietly, nudging his shoulder gently. He sighed, opening his eyes and looking at me. His gaze raked over me in such a way that it made me uncomfortable.
“What?” Alfred asked, brown-eyed gaze meeting my own.
“….Tell me about how you died.” I said, exhaling and looking off in another direction. I already knew how he’d died, but I wanted the whole story. I just wanted to hear anything to ease my mind and pass the time. “Please, Alfred?” I added afterwards.
Alfred was silent for a moment before he shifted his position so he was once again in my line of vision. “Matthew…I don’t know if I can relive that moment. Even though I knew they did all they could do for me at the time it hurts knowing they left me behind like that…” He inhaled deeply, squeezing his eyes shut, nails digging into his palms. “Even my best friend left me. He…He was the one to give me the water and made sure I had at least some ammunition. And then he walked away.”
“Alfred-” I started to say, but the dark look that crossed Alfred’s face stopped me from going any further. I sat back, watching as he shook horribly, burying his face in his hands. And I felt terrible that I was the cause of this-that I was making this poor man cry just because I was selfishly stupid and greedy.
“It was dark, Matthew. I didn’t see that stupid Yankee!” Alfred sobbed. “I didn’t see he was close enough that his shot would wound me the way it did…It happened so fast I had no time to react, to fire back. I just collapsed in pain. And that’s when they called for us to retreat…and that’s when they left me all alone. That’s when that stupid traitor just gave me what I needed and walked away.”
Alfred looked up at me, unaware to the strange stare Ludovic was shooting him. “There was no goodbye, no smile, not even a lie to tell me it would all be okay. And then…I ended up like this. I ended up dead…but not really dead. And I have no idea what I did to deserve watching all my loved ones die…”
I cringed at the expression Alfred had. It was a desperate, heartbroken look. “You know Matthew,” Alfred whispered, leaning forward as I leaned back. Alfred tilted his head, our faces just centimeters apart, despite my effort to keep my distance. “You look just like him…like William…” His fingers brushed some hair from out in front of my eyes before he sighed miserably and backed away.
“But he’s gone now,” Alfred shook his head, a laugh escaping with his words. But not that kind that asked you to join. The kind that was desperate and dejected. “He’s gone and he’s never coming back. No matter how much I may want it. No matter how much I pray, and beg, and plead-and make promises I know I could never keep. He’s dead-part of my past. Just like my death.”
“They’re all just shadows of the past…”
“Alfred?” I said quietly, nudging his shoulder gently. He sighed, opening his eyes and looking at me. His gaze raked over me in such a way that it made me uncomfortable.
“What?” Alfred asked, brown-eyed gaze meeting my own.
“….Tell me about how you died.” I said, exhaling and looking off in another direction. I already knew how he’d died, but I wanted the whole story. I just wanted to hear anything to ease my mind and pass the time. “Please, Alfred?” I added afterwards.
Alfred was silent for a moment before he shifted his position so he was once again in my line of vision. “Matthew…I don’t know if I can relive that moment. Even though I knew they did all they could do for me at the time it hurts knowing they left me behind like that…” He inhaled deeply, squeezing his eyes shut, nails digging into his palms. “Even my best friend left me. He…He was the one to give me the water and made sure I had at least some ammunition. And then he walked away.”
“Alfred-” I started to say, but the dark look that crossed Alfred’s face stopped me from going any further. I sat back, watching as he shook horribly, burying his face in his hands. And I felt terrible that I was the cause of this-that I was making this poor man cry just because I was selfishly stupid and greedy.
“It was dark, Matthew. I didn’t see that stupid Yankee!” Alfred sobbed. “I didn’t see he was close enough that his shot would wound me the way it did…It happened so fast I had no time to react, to fire back. I just collapsed in pain. And that’s when they called for us to retreat…and that’s when they left me all alone. That’s when that stupid traitor just gave me what I needed and walked away.”
Alfred looked up at me, unaware to the strange stare Ludovic was shooting him. “There was no goodbye, no smile, not even a lie to tell me it would all be okay. And then…I ended up like this. I ended up dead…but not really dead. And I have no idea what I did to deserve watching all my loved ones die…”
I cringed at the expression Alfred had. It was a desperate, heartbroken look. “You know Matthew,” Alfred whispered, leaning forward as I leaned back. Alfred tilted his head, our faces just centimeters apart, despite my effort to keep my distance. “You look just like him…like William…” His fingers brushed some hair from out in front of my eyes before he sighed miserably and backed away.
“But he’s gone now,” Alfred shook his head, a laugh escaping with his words. But not that kind that asked you to join. The kind that was desperate and dejected. “He’s gone and he’s never coming back. No matter how much I may want it. No matter how much I pray, and beg, and plead-and make promises I know I could never keep. He’s dead-part of my past. Just like my death.”
“They’re all just shadows of the past…”