Another one of my favorite scenes from Cursed Soldier was Benjamin putting on his Confederate uniform for the first time in almost a 150 years. It was one of the scenes that inspired me to write the book. It was hard because of the memories Benjamin had with his uniform, especially centering around Gettysburg. Here is the scene, I hope everyone enjoys this snippet of Cursed Soldier.
Ben buttoned the last button before looking in the mirror. The uniform still fit like the day... that he had taken it off after Lee's surrender. Smoothing his hands down the jacket, he felt his hands start shaking. Unlike the reproduction uniform he had worn, this one held memories and bad ones at that.
In a flash, he was back on the battlefield trying to stop the woman from screaming about her son's death. He remembered the hate and anger she had directed on him when she realized he could have saved her son. He could still feel the dust she had thrown on him and the pain that had pierced his skin leaving a hollow feeling throughout his body that nothing could fill.
Swallowing, he tried to push those thoughts out of his head, but couldn't seem to get his mind out of the past. Instead, he fell to his knees in pain as the witch's words echoed in his mind. It was the same words that haunted his sleep and gave him nightmares. The words had been uttered in hatred, and he felt the sting of those words even now, 150 years later.
I think you think your life was better than my son's. If you treasure your life that much, then life you shall have forever. Know that you can never die, but you will watch all those you love taste death.
He was breathing hard, trying to gain control of his thoughts, as images of the drummer boy lying dead at his feet surfaced. Blood seem to blur his vision as the witch railed against him before everything went black. He opened his eyes and forced those thoughts and images back.
Gritting his teeth, Ben came to his feet and stood once again in front of the mirror. He ran his hands down his uniform one more time and steeled his resolve. He would break this curse and finally get to live a normal short life. This would not continue to rule his life, he vowed.
Ben buttoned the last button before looking in the mirror. The uniform still fit like the day... that he had taken it off after Lee's surrender. Smoothing his hands down the jacket, he felt his hands start shaking. Unlike the reproduction uniform he had worn, this one held memories and bad ones at that.
In a flash, he was back on the battlefield trying to stop the woman from screaming about her son's death. He remembered the hate and anger she had directed on him when she realized he could have saved her son. He could still feel the dust she had thrown on him and the pain that had pierced his skin leaving a hollow feeling throughout his body that nothing could fill.
Swallowing, he tried to push those thoughts out of his head, but couldn't seem to get his mind out of the past. Instead, he fell to his knees in pain as the witch's words echoed in his mind. It was the same words that haunted his sleep and gave him nightmares. The words had been uttered in hatred, and he felt the sting of those words even now, 150 years later.
I think you think your life was better than my son's. If you treasure your life that much, then life you shall have forever. Know that you can never die, but you will watch all those you love taste death.
He was breathing hard, trying to gain control of his thoughts, as images of the drummer boy lying dead at his feet surfaced. Blood seem to blur his vision as the witch railed against him before everything went black. He opened his eyes and forced those thoughts and images back.
Gritting his teeth, Ben came to his feet and stood once again in front of the mirror. He ran his hands down his uniform one more time and steeled his resolve. He would break this curse and finally get to live a normal short life. This would not continue to rule his life, he vowed.
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