Suddenly, the corporal spoke. “I believe they await your orders, sir.”
The white-haired man threw his head back and laughed. “Now I see. You await orders. You have the day off soldiers,” he announced, his words fading under the loud cheering. “However, tomorrow morning I want everyone ready by dawn. You’re not here to slack off.” Right then, he turned his back and went on.
The company was cheering way after the two officers left. By the time the cheering was over, all of them were hungry and Brian had come up with an idea to raise their spirits.
“Let’s go to the saloon,” he said.
It was a long time since Brian, and probably the rest of his companions, had wandered among civilians. Something in their calmness, in the way they didn’t seem to care if their town was in danger, unsettled him. Among other things, the side-looks that some gave to them was proof enough that things were different now than before the war. Fortunately, someone was clever enough to build the saloon close to the fort.
Only a five minute walk from the fort, it seemed only natural for the people inside to welcome them. It was a spacious, two story building, with a wooden stage in the back of the room, and a black piano on top. It was still too early for the dancers to entertain the tenants, but Brian didn’t care for that. All that he needed was a bottle of beer and some time to shake off the exhaustion.
He knew that their excursion would be a short one since every last one of them was still tired from the half-day march. However, as soon as everyone found a seat, their good spirits returned. The bartender, a woman in a black, fairly-revealing dress, had given specific orders for the dancers to start getting ready. Her gleaming eyes, and the very specific curves of her body, seemed to excite most of the men in the room.
Oh my...maybe getting them so close to women, so soon, was not a good idea after all. However, most of the men looked reserved enough to just sit down and enjoy their cold drinks. That’s my boys for you. He grinned and swept the room with his eyes whilst waiting for the bartender to take his order.
A woman in her early thirties approached him from behind, probably wanting to help him with his order. She said, “What will you have, honey?”
“Don’t worry. I’m fine waiting here. Go take the order from the guys over there. They seem to need it more than I do.”
The woman grinned at him and approached the other guys.
Honey...it has been a long time since someone called me honey. He shook his head grinning, and returned his eyes to the bar. There, he saw her. While turning his head, he caught a glimpse of her beauty and couldn’t resist. Even his mind fell silent before her sight. What in the world…? His mouth was slightly open; the only thing he could do now was to follow her moves with his eyes.
She was walking down the stairs slightly clumsily, her brown hair tangled from her hasty preparation. However, it didn’t matter to him. A home away from home? I don’t think so. But, how I should approach her?
*****
Dancing Through the Night
Brian couldn’t fall asleep last night. At first, he blamed the mattress. It seemed like ages had passed since the last time he slept on a soft bed, his head resting on a feather pillow. He felt very comfortable but in an awkward kind of way. He didn’t know quite why.
After a while, he started blaming the dry weather; he had got so used of the dampness and the wide open plains nowadays, that the room seemed small, and out of air. He had to take a walk outside, in the middle of the night, just to be able to regain some of his composure. But that wasn’t it either.
It must be her. Her body, her eyes, her whole appearance. I can’t get her out of my head! Every time Brian changed side on the bed, his chest felt heavy, and his heart was skipping fast. He hadn’t felt like that in a long time, but at the same time he wasn’t able to truly identify his feelings towards her. What if it’s just my body reacting to the presence of a good-looking woman? But, would that keep me awake the whole night?
His thoughts started getting tangled, his consciousness messing with his sleepless mind. Soon, her image got distorted in his mind, turning her figure into a peculiar dance of light and darkness, dream and reality.
The dancer’s body, in his dreams, resembled a candle flame dancing in the rhythm of the howling wind. Brian couldn’t help but get lured to that flame, like a moth, not caring if he would get burned after embracing her. The only thing that mattered to him now was to dance with her, dance like there was nothing else in the world keeping them apart.
“Wake up Private Campbell!” Corporal Jones was standing tall next to Brian’s bed, his voice tense and really loud.
Brian got on his feet as fast as he could, saluting him on the way. “Sir, yes sir!” It took him some moments to understand why the corporal had woken him up so suddenly. It seemed that it was already morning, and he was still asleep.
“Why aren’t you ready yet, private? Didn’t Sergeant Daniels ordered you to be ready at dawn? Well, it’s morning outside and you’re still asleep!” He made sure to shout out that last word.
“I’m sorry, sir! You’re right, sir! It won’t happen again, sir!”
Corporal Jones couldn’t help but grin at the struggling man. Jones was a man softened by war. It had turned him from a strict and unforgiving man to a compassionate and thoughtful one. The first impression that most people usually got from him was of a tense man, one that could easily intimidate someone just by looking at him. His thick mustache and his brown, short hair had started to turn gray, even though the Corporal was probably younger than Brian. However, once a man got to know him, he found out that Jones was kinder that most of his commanding officers.
“Relax, Private Campbell. I just had to make sure you got a good scolding. I can’t have the rest of the company questioning my authority. Get out of here now and make sure you don’t make me regret putting up a good word for you with the Sergeant.”
Since Brian was still in his underwear, Corporal Jones was the one that got out of the room first. As soon as the officer closed the door behind him, Brian sighed, hunching his back. Phew. That was close. Better get ready.
Brian kept looking at himself in the mirror. It was the end of a long day, and Corporal Jones had worked them hard.
After taking a hot bath, and shaving his stubble, he was just standing there, looking at himself. He wasn’t sure he could recognize the man on the other side. I certainly look older, and rougher around the edges. But, even so, who is this man?
He started touching his face, running his finger through all the lines of his edgy chin to the thick black hair on his head. How could a girl love me, or even like me? She must be in her early twenties, and I’m thirty years old and counting.
Even so, Brian couldn’t give up—not yet that is. He knew Sergeant Daniels hadn’t still issued any orders for his company. That meant that it was very possible that some of them would have to return to the battlefield very soon. In his mind, thought, Brian was struggling throughout the day. He was trying to let go of her image, her magical figure. But, no matter how hard he tried, it was like her face was a beacon of light inside a long, and deep darkness.
No matter where he was, or what he was doing, Brian was always thinking of her. Even while cleaning the toilets, or sweeping the floor, or when helping move things in the storage room. Everywhere and anytime, her picture in his mind kept him from doing his job.
Some of his companions had started to notice, but fortunately they blamed the booze. They were all feeling a bit dizzy from last night, so Brian’s behavior was nothing out of the ordinary. However, throughout the day, he secretly planned how to meet her.
“So, I heard from one of the dancers in the saloon that there is a big dance going on today. Do you think that Corporal Jones would let us go?”
A man just walked in to the bathroom. “A dance? What dance?” Brian quickly replied.
“I don’t know any more details. One of the girls there invited us, but that’s all I know. We had yesterday of
f.”
So what? We can still sneak out of here, Brian thought, but his mouth went on and started talking, on its own. “Maybe, if I talk to him, he would be able to let some of us go. After all, most of the men of our company are already sleeping by now.” It was only after hearing himself talking that he actually heard what he said. I will do what? His limbs started shaking.
Standing outside the saloon, a small bunch of soldiers kept laughing out loud. “You should have seen yourself Campbell. You were white as a sheet.”
Another burst of laughter came from all the men. “Yeah, to be honest, I wasn’t sure if Corporal Jones would let us go, but it seems that he was satisfied with our work today.”
The closer they moved to the saloon, the louder the music got. The privates started humming to the rhythm of the music—everyone except Brian. He was unusually quiet, trying to collect the courage to face the dancer.
“What’s wrong Campbell?” said another soldier.
He snapped out his thoughts abruptly. “Just a bit tired, that’s all.”
“Come on now soldier. You’re the reason we’re here. Don’t bail out on us.”
“No, no. I’m okay. Let’s get inside.”
They walked right past the swinging doors into the cacophony of a loud piano accompanied by the voices of many men. The dancers on the stage were doing their part, lifting those heavy dresses high, making them seem quite light under that intense movement.
The warm light of the lamps made everything around them seem like made of gold; gray columns of smoke filled the air with a sweet, tobacco aroma, making the atmosphere inside the room feel heavy. This was a usual dance in this small-town saloon, but in the eyes of the soldiers, it was like the biggest feast of the ages.
As soon as they’d found a small table on the back, the soldiers quickly started getting more comfortable. After removing their hats, one of the guys decided to move to the bar. The others swept the room with their glimmering eyes. Brian in particular, was looking for a certain person inside this crowd.
“What’s wrong with you?” one of the soldiers asked him; the second time in a few minutes.
“Who...me? Nothing is wrong with me. Everything is fine. I...I just want to have a drink. That’s all.”
Immediately, Brian stood on his feet and hastily followed the other private. However, while getting closer to the bar, a loud cackling noise came from the dancers’ area. What is going on? He moved closer to the small stage to have a better look. At that time, the dancers started surging at every direction.
They moved closer to the tables, and to the bar, grabbing the hands of unsuspecting tenants and pulling them on the stage. Since Brian was close to the stage, a delicate—and slightly cold—hand grabbed his big wrist and gently led him up there.
As soon as they stopped, Brian finally got a good look of the woman that had chosen him.
It was she.
His heart was racing, making him feel a bit light on his feet. She seemed to notice, and moved closer to him to try and break the ice between them.
“Come on soldier. We only have till morning!”
Her lips were moving fast, but Brian couldn’t hear a word she was saying. He got drunk from her touch, and the sweet sound of her voice would probably knock him out. “You must be a new one around here. I’m Jane.”
The song suddenly changed to a faster one. Every dancer on the floor started howling loudly, laughing with the rhythm. Even though Brian was considered one of the best dancers back home, right now his feet were like stubs. Only after he caught his breath, Brian was finally able to answer to her.
“I’m Private Brian! It’s an honor to meet you ma’am.” Nice one! She now believes you’re a fool. Way to go Brian.
“Nice to meet you too Private. So tell me, are we in trouble sir?” Jane kept her eyes half closed in a forced attempt to seduce him. “Trouble? Trouble of what nature?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. Did any of the ‘bad’ southerners follow you down here?”
Brian grinned, not being totally sure how to reply to her. “Well, I don’t think so. We’re many miles away from the front lines, and the fort here is strong enough to hold on for weeks. So, don’t worry.”
The petite dancer rolled her eyes, certainly making sure that Brian saw her dissatisfaction. However, she continued dancing with him.
Her hands moved with such grace that every time she touched him, Brian felt his heart melting a bit, and a hot pump of blood running in his veins. More than once he thought of kissing those hands, but it was still too soon for intimacies. Jane was, after all, working in this place, and Brian didn’t want to stain her reputation.
“You’re a quiet man,” she suddenly said.
Brian was once again caught in the middle of a long train of thoughts. He didn’t notice that most of his friends were up and dancing with other dancers.
“It’s a habit the war gave to me. There are two kinds of people in a battlefield: those who speak too much and get killed; and those who are silent and survive. I prefer to be the latter.”
She grinned at him, her eyes staring at the ground. The pianist had decided that it was time for a slower song, and so every couple in the room moved closer to one another.
“I imagine it’s bad out there.”
“Well, it’s quiet most of the time, but it can get too bad, too fast, if we’re not careful. Fortunately, my company hasn’t lost a single man until now, but I believe we belong to a small minority.”
She nodded. “I meet many soldiers, due to the fact that this place is located next to a fort. Not one of them spent his time talking to me about things like that. You’re kind, kinder than most out there. I really hope that this war will end and find you on the winning side...private.”
Without saying another word, she shifted around him and released his hand. Jane then moved away to dance with another man. Just then, Brian’s heart sunk further into despair. She called me ‘Private’. She didn’t even remember my name.
*****
A Damsel in Distress
Memories are a funny thing. They’re usually absent when you need them the most, but when you want to get rid of them, it’s almost impossible to do it without having a generous dose of alcohol in your blood. Even then, there are times that even alcohol get rid of a man’s painful memories.
It was getting increasingly difficult for Brian to remember things from the rest of the night. After Jane left him to dance with another man, the only thing that seemed natural was for him to keep drinking that dark devil, whiskey. Every generous sip was a step closer to oblivion, but no matter how hard he tried to erase that last glimpse of light, only a fade picture remained in his mind.
Jane.
She kept dancing with different men throughout the evening, every one of them touching her inappropriately, making Brian clench his fingers into a tight fist. I have to restrain myself. I’m a soldier, a private of the union army. I can’t go on creating trouble in a saloon just outside my fort. Even so, there were times that the only thing holding him back was the memory of that soft touch on his thick wrist.
The next thing he knew, time had flown by him. It was getting late and he didn’t want to displease Corporal Jones again tomorrow morning. He put in a good word for me. It’s maybe time for me to go. He swept the room searching for his companions, but none of them were present at the time. Brian shrugged, and stumbled drunkenly to their table. He wanted to pick up his hat, since it was time for him to go. Probably, it’s also time for me to let go. Jane will be a long lost dream before the morning comes.
Pushing the swinging doors was more of a trouble than he expected. They said that after getting drunk you feel like nothing is impossible, and everything seems at the reach of your hand. However, Brian wasn’t even able to move a wooden, swinging door without making a fuss about it.
“Come on you fool. You just have to push,” he muttered to himself, surprisingly confident.
After a long moment, he succeeded i
nto passing through. On the outside, the sky seemed like it was spinning out of control. Brian had to lean on to the handrail outside before taking another step.
“God, why did I have to drink so much?” Oh Jane, why did I have to drink so much to forget you? He exclaimed inside his mind. But no answer, no divine power was able to help him with his question. He just had to continue troubling himself until he actually arrived at the fort.
Brian was still leaning against the handrail, unable to move. Out of nowhere, a man appeared in front of him, his face hidden by night shadow. With his sight still turning uncontrollably, it took Brian some time to see that he was with a woman. The closer they got to the saloon, the easier it was for him to see the face of that woman.
He was clutching a small, beautiful lady, one with brown hair curling all around her shoulders.
Jane.
That name suddenly appeared in his mind.
His heart wrenched after seeing her with another man. But something was wrong between them. He was holding her a bit too tight, a bit too close to him. And Jane seemed to struggle to walk, like he was pulling her with him. Only after getting really close to him, Brian was able to hear their muffled voices.
“Shut up! Don’t...do not...shut up!” The man was drunk, messing his words. He kept on shouting at her.
Quickly, Brian knew he had to act, but he wasn’t in a very good position himself. However, with adrenaline pumping into his veins, it was easy for him to sober up a bit, his mind now able to focus to that unusual couple.
They were just outside the saloon when Brian spoke up to him. “Excuse...excuse me, sir. I think you should let her go.”
The brawny man stopped on his track. He turned his head just enough to see who was the one talking to him. “What? Did you say something to me?”
“I said, let her go. This is no way to treat a lady.”
“She deserves it, this one. She...she tried to talk me into paying her for my spending the night with her. But, no. A man never pays for his woman. He just grabs her hand tightly and pulls her to a bedroom. That’s the way.”
Clean Inspirational Romance: Escape to Paradise (Inspirational Happy Sweet First Love Second Chance Romance) (Contemporary New Adult Love Inspired Holiday Short Stories) Page 18