Echoes of Dark and Light (21 page)

The scruffy soldier with the squinty, bloodshot eyes spit a stream of tobacco juice at my feet as he shook his head. He never even looked up from the glowing embers of his campfire.

I sighed and decided to walk over to the cluster of sutler wagons. Maybe I’d have more luck with the traveling salesmen. They did get around from army to army, selling their goods to thousands of people. Maybe one of them would remember seeing Robert.

Frustration dragged at my feet as I wove between the few remaining trees left standing in a mile radius of our camp. I ducked under a clothesline, flinging aside someone’s half-frozen laundry bobbing about in the frigid wind that had been building all morning. The brisk breeze carried with it the smell of snow, and my winter-experienced bones told me that the flakes would be falling within hours. So far no one I’d talked to, and I’d talked to thousands, remembered Robert. Doubt began to claw and scratch at my resolve.

The smell of meat pies, steaming coffee, new leather and bars of soap filled my nose as I wandered between the sutler wagons. Everything imaginable from socks to stamps, jerky to jam spilled out of the supply shelves, and for the most part offered at outrageous prices. Then again, the sutlers did go to the expense and danger of carrying the supplies through a war-torn country, battling mucky, near impassable roads and the desperate half-crazed deserters that looted along those roads. There’d even been recent reports of thefts among the sutlers in our own camp. Whether one person or multiple thieves claimed responsibility, no one knew, but the items taken had raised eyebrows. I could understand a hunger so deep so as to steal food; my brothers and I had done that on the run from our pa. But what kind of thief steals a crate of Bibles? Perhaps a man with a starving soul.

As I finished my rounds with depressing results, I decided to turn back for our shelter to warm up my numbing toes. Maybe listening to Woody and Kenny bicker over a game of checkers would cheer me up a bit. The thought of Toby’s slow, welcoming smile did warm my heart a degree or two.

“Hey soldier, want some company?”

I glanced up to find a worn, smudged woman with a pair of sorrow-filled eyes that didn’t match her cheerful voice and friendly offer. Her low cut dress made of colorful but faded and impractical silk, and the fact she hung around an army camp offering company told me she earned a living as a prostitute. Part of me felt a bit sorry for her; I could imagine the desperate circumstances that may have led up to her choice of employment. I shook my head without breaking step.

But being persistent, or perhaps desperate, she followed me. “You must reconsider, soldier! On a cold day like today, a little company would be welcome. Besides, I know from experience that you redheads are just full of surprises!”

I couldn’t help but smile as I called back over my shoulder, “You have no idea!”

The snows arrived that night, and by the time the bugles called us to attention the following morning, a few inches of the white crystals carpeted our camp, making the world seem a little bit cleaner, more pure…for about two minutes. Once the camp awakened, muddy boot prints, discarded trash, cold fire pit ashes, day-old coffee grounds and scattered spots of yellow slush marred the briefly picturesque landscape.

I bit back a yawn of boredom as we entered into the final drill. Our routine had become so monotonous that members of the 27
^th
could perform without thinking. Some of us, I noted glancing at Woody, could even perform the paces with eyes closed.

“Hey, Woody,” I nudged him. “You falling asleep or something?”

He cracked open one eye just in time to avoid crashing into the back of Preacher. “Nope. Just thinking.”

He didn’t expand on his thoughts, and I didn’t pry. Besides, the second lieutenant dismissed us then for the day and my thoughts turned to a big, hot cup of steaming coffee to warm up my numb fingers and toes.

I quickly left formation, but before I even cleared the drill grounds, a cold, wet mass smacked into the back of my head.

“Ow!” I jerked around, digging cold, melting snow out of my collar, ready to pound somebody.

“I’ve always been a little curious about that strange northern pastime referred to as a snowball fight,” said a grinning Toby as he brushed his dark hair out of his eyes.

A smirk spread slowly across my face, pushing out the anger, but not the urge to fight back. I dove around the corner of the conference tent, scooping up a handful of snow on the way. Without pausing a second, I popped right back out and fired my ammunition straight into Toby’s chest.

“Ah, so that’s how they play up north! In that case, I’m going to need some reinforcements!” Toby grabbed Woody’s arm and dragged him behind a parked wagon

Almost immediately, a storm of snowballs flew in my direction. I quickly ducked behind an unsuspecting Preacher. The volley bombarded him instead, almost knocking him off of his feet. I couldn’t help laughing at his offended expression.

“Sorry, Preacher!” Woody called out from behind the wagon.

I kept my protected position, peeking out from behind Preacher for my attackers. “Hey,” I whispered, “care to join in? You could take revenge for the cold wet ice dripping down your neck.”

He glared down at me. “Jesus doesn’t advocate revenge; he teaches to turn the other cheek.”

A lone snowball came flying toward my exposed face and I quickly ducked back behind Preacher.

“Oomph!” Preacher doubled over as the snowball hit his groin.

“Sorry, Preacher,” Toby offered an apology muffled with laughter.

“You have to help me; I’m outnumbered!”

“I will do no such thing,” Preacher grunted through clenched teeth. “If you haven’t noticed, there is a real war raging around us, and I have more important things to accomplish today.”

I took a quick glance behind me and spotted another potential teammate. “Okay, fine. Just let me walk you back to your tent.” And ignoring his protests, I grabbed the back of his coat and dragged him along with me as my human shield. Another volley of snowballs flew at us, but thanks to Preacher, I managed to avoid the worst of it. When we caught up to the unsuspecting Kenny, I released my clamp on Preacher’s coat and dove at Kenny’s back, knocking us both out of the line of fire behind a supply tent.

Kenny sputtered out a mouthful of muddy snow. “What the hell—”

“Shh,” I hissed into his ear. “We are under attack from Privates Toby and Woody. Do you wish to accept this mission?”

“Uh, yeah, sure, I guess so—”

“Then run!” I jerked him up behind me and we took off around the corner as more snowballs rained around us.
Bollocks, they are persistent!
I grinned; how I loved a challenging snowball fight!

Kenny and I took brief refuge behind the Calvary’s stables while we caught our breath and planned the next move.

“I say we split up,” Kenny suggested. “And as we circle around, we gather reinforcements and then attack them from behind.”

“Good idea, but they’d expect that. Besides, most folks are fixing supper; it’s just you and me against them.”

“And everyone knows Woody can’t aim straight to save his life.”

I shook my head. “Don’t let his lack of gun skills fool ya; Woody might not be able to aim a rifle, but he sure can throw. And Toby’s no slouch either. Just ask Preacher.”

“So, if you have all the answers, Mr. Soldier Boy, what do you suggest?” Kenny asked, dryly.

I ignored his sarcasm; we had more important matters at hand. “Divide and conquer, my friend. That and a secret weapon.”

Kenny’s eyes narrowed deviously. “Go on…”

“Well, you know how Woody is smitten on Nurse Cora?”

“Yeah, him and everybody else within a two mile radius.”

“So, we take her hostage and—”

“Wait, you can’t just go around taking innocent girls hostage!”

“Oh, let go would ya? Cora is no sissy; she’d love to come out and play. Besides, on such short notice, she’s our only chance. Now then, after we use our hostage to disarm the enemy, that’s when we surprise them with our secret weapon.” I reached down and grabbed a handful of steaming horse poo.

Kenny stumbled backwards, his eyes wide with disgust.

I sighed with impatience. “Kenny, it’s just digested hay and grain. Get a backbone!” I showed him how to mix the poo into a snowball.

“Are you sure that’s such a good idea? I mean, we do have to share a relatively small cabin with them tonight.”

“Come on; no time to waste. I see the enemy approaching the south boundary. Load up!”

With a grimace of disgust plastered across his face, Kenny helped build up a supply of special snowballs, then using the horses as cover, we snuck through the back of the stables.

“Toby, look! There they are!”

Kenny and I scrambled through the camp towards the hospital tent. We didn’t take the time to stop and defend ourselves, resulting in a few snowballs to the backs of our heads. One slightly frozen one collided with my thigh, promising a bruise. But I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as we dodged soldiers and merchants, often receiving a few harsh and bruising words as well. But I didn’t care. I threw half-hearted apologies over my shoulder as we ran. I hadn’t had such a good snowball fight since before Robert had left. And Robert had taught me well.

“Quick! In here!” Kenny and I ducked into the hospital supply tent, where I suspected to find a hard working Cora. And we did. She jumped around in surprise at our sudden and noisy arrival.

“Cora,” I gushed. “You have to help us!”

Immediately, a calm assurance took over and she reached for some bandages. “What happened?”

“Oh, Cora, no.” I realized I’d given her the wrong impression. “No one’s hurt. But we do need you for our snowball fight. You’re our only hope!”

A glint of humor sparked in the corner of her eye, before she suddenly grimaced, sniffing the air. “What is that horrid smell?”

I grinned. “Come on!”

A volley of ammunition pelted the side of the supply tent followed by taunting insults.

“We know you’re in there! You can’t hide from the masters of the snow!”

“What are you, chickens?” Woody crowed like an off-key rooster.

Kenny peeked through a slit in the tent and received a slushy ball right between the eyes. “Hey, watch the face! This masterpiece attracts the ladies!”

Cora raised a cynical eyebrow in his direction before turning to me and asking, “How can I help?”

I hid one of the poo balls in her hand and said, “Follow our lead.”

I pushed her out through the tent flaps in front of us.

“Hold your fire, Woody,” Toby cautioned. “They’ve got a hostage.”

“Nurse Davis!” Woody stood up from behind their cover of stacked firewood. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m fine, Woody,” she assured him with a kind smile.

“So,” Toby walked out to stand beside Woody. “Your team feels so threatened by our superior skills that you had to resort to hiding behind a pretty girl?”

His words irked me. “We’re not ‘hiding’,” I mocked. “We’re using highly skilled war tactics. And if you don’t drop your ammunition immediately, the blonde gets snow down her dress!” I grabbed a fistful of snow and pulled out the collar of her cloak and dress in threat.

Cora shot me a warning glare before turning pleading eyes to the enemy. “Oh please, help,” she cried, purposely over-dramatizing her damsel in distress role.

Woody immediately dropped his snowballs and raised his hands in surrender. “Anything you say! Just let Nurse Davis go.”

“Woody,” Toby turned to him in exasperation, “don’t give in to their demands! We can negotiate. Besides—”

Before Toby could convince Woody, a surprise torrent of snowballs pelted all five of us, and pelted us hard.

“Ow!” Kenny yelled, grabbing his arm. “Those have rocks in them!”

I scanned the cluttered landscape for our attackers and found Jimmy’s sneering face, surrounded by his usual backup misfits, including Kevin.

“You want a real challenge?” Jimmy yelled.

His gang threw another round sending the five of us running for shelter. We ducked behind the medical supply tent, gasping for breath and clutching at various painfully throbbing parts of our anatomy.

“What do they think they’re doing, throwing rock-filled snowballs, especially with Nurse Davis here?” Woody complained. “That’s not fair play; someone could get hurt!”

Kenny shook his head in disgust. “My brother doesn’t know the meaning of the word fair.”

I snorted, looking to Cora for her reaction. Then I noticed the blood. “Oh, Cora,” I whispered, using my sleeve to dab at the bleeding cut on her cheek. “Are you all right?”

She jutted out her chin defiantly, a determined glint taking over her eyes. “I will be.”

“What’s that smell?” Toby asked, nose wrinkled in concern and disgust.

“Oh, sorry about that,” Woody apologized, cheeks flushing red.

“No, Woody,” Cora laid a reassuring hand on his arm. “It’s not you.” She held up the special snowball still clutched in her hand. “It’s Bobbi’s secret weapon. And now we teach Jimmy and his boys a lesson on playing fair.”

Toby took one of the special snowballs from our supply, studying it with a critical eye and sniffing it dubiously. Then he turned to me. “You were going to use these things on us?” he asked, incredulously.