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Benjy let himself out of the house and took off for the battlefield at a steady trot. He wasn't interested any longer in excuses to prevent him from meeting Hugh tonight. Even though he was still afraid, he knew he wanted to be at the battlefield, beside his friend. He was determined to do his job right. He swung himself over the woven wire fence and kept up his pace through the rocky field until he reached the culvert. It was darker than it had been the other night, when he and Hugh had first tried to find the watch, and the shadows were even thicker in the concrete tunnel. Benjy paused, wondering exactly what he'd find on the other side. Would the armies already be in position? Would he see them?
Would they see him?
But even the culvert couldn't stop Benjy that night. He would keep his word and see the battle through.
Taking a deep breath, Benjy clenched his fists and hurtled through the culvert. Pulling himself up on the other side, he ordered his imagination to stop tormenting him and made himself look around. In the darkness, the battlefield looked the same as it had the day before. The grass was still damp from the rain, and Benjy could clearly see the freshly dug earth packed back into the trough he had gouged out around the blacksmith shop with the mattock. Nothing had changed. Where was the battle?
"You came!"
Hugh's voice sounded amazed
"Yeah," Benjy admitted, relieved to see his friend. "I wasn't sure I'd be here either. This is kind of scary, Hugh - what's going to happen?"
Hugh tried to smile back, but his voice shook. "Only the battle," he said.
Benjy shrugged. "So, where is everybody?" he asked, keeping his voice light.
Hugh pointed away from the farm buildings. "We're in reserve back there, waiting to be called up. I have to get back into position now or I'll be in trouble. But I wanted to be here to meet you."
"Is it time already?" Benjy stammered, suddenly afraid for real. What would a battle be like?
"Almost," Hugh said.
"Well, where should I be?" Benjy demanded, looking around. "I mean, I don't want to be in the way or anything."
"I don't know," the Cadet said uncertainly. "We'll cross this field, but you'll see us coming. Stay back from our line. And watch for me - I'll be in the company just to the right of the colors."
Benjy nodded.
"Listen, Ben," the other boy said unsteadily, "give me your word?"
"Sure," Benjy told him.
"When - when it happens, when you're watching me hide the watch," Hugh said in a trembling voice, "please - don't think worse of me because I've failed to find the watch since then. I've told you how it happened - I did try my best, Ben, I was dying, and the world seemed so dark - I couldn't see beyond the crack -"
"Don't worry," Benjy said uncomfortably. "I know you, Hugh, I know you're all right. You're my friend."
The Cadet stared down at his boots and scuffed them in the dirt. 'Just don't wish you'd never met me," he whispered. "I'll never forget you."
Both boys jumped at the distant sound of a bugle.
"I must go!" Hugh looked once more at Benjy, his expression a blend of hope and desperation. "You're a true friend, Ben, I - I appreciate your being here tonight. Please find the watch for me!"
"I'll find it," Benjy promised, but his friend was already gone, running across the field to join his comrades.
A drop of rain suddenly hit Benjy on the head. He looked up at the sky, surprised. There had been no rain clouds overhead when he'd started out. Now it seemed hazy, and rain was definitely falling. Benjy shivered, feeling more miserable than ever. He looked around, wondering what was happening with the battle.
Very faintly, Benjy heard a dull road. He turned uphill toward the sound. There it was again. It must be the cars on the interstate, he told himself, and glanced at the freeway. To his astonishment, he could scarcely see it. He could make out a shadowy shape hanging over the battlefield, but as hard as he squinted he couldn't bring it into focus. The roar was getting louder. Was it gunfire?
Benjy strained to see up toward the cannon. Was he hearing the Union guns firing at the Confederates? And what were those shadowy figures he could almost make out through the rain, running by the farm buildings? They were men, running toward him!
Copyright ©1991 by Elaine Marie Alphin