“I don’t think so,” Gunner says, as if answering my thought. He holds up his own musket, pointed right at us. “You can take a chance that there’s no real shot in here,” he warns. “But I wouldn’t, if I were you.”
“You won’t shoot us,” Sean says. His voice sounds calm. I’m impressed.
“I don’t want to shoot you,” Gunner says coolly. “But I will.”
Suddenly, light shines on us.
“Police!” calls a deep voice from behind Gunner. “Drop the gun!”
Slowly, Gunner lowers the musket. Sean and I both let out a sigh of relief.
Major Helston, Nicola, Arman and Carter rush up behind Sergeant Melino.
“Are you okay?” Nicola cries, out of breath. Sergeant Melino handcuffs Gunner’s hands behind his back, and Nicola steps around them to hug Sean and me.
“How did you know to get help?” I ask Nicola. “We didn’t signal you.”
She glances over her shoulder at Arman and Carter as they join us.
“We saw Gunner go to his truck,” Carter explains. “And we figured he was going to drive it to the river.”
I look up the bank and see a dark pickup truck parked on the side of the access road. Sergeant Melino’s unmarked SUV sits beside it, the headlights pointed down at us.
Suddenly, my legs feel like jelly as it hits me. We just caught a drug smuggler.
Chapter Seventeen
Sunday morning, there is a memorial service to honor the soldiers who died during the War of 1812. After lunch, there’s one final battle reenactment called The Sortie, in which American troops march out of the fort and attack the British, breaking their siege. The British retreat, and the Americans keep the fort—at least for a while. The whole war ends a few months later, and the American troops go back to their side of the border. There was no real winner or loser.
After the battle, we return to our tents to pack up. Reenactor camp is over.
We gather inside the fort to hand in our muskets and uniforms. Nicola helps Major Helston return cell phones and other personal items. I look around at the stone walls of the fort. A week ago, I didn’t want to be here. Now, I’m sorry to leave. Well, not totally.
My cell phone beeps in my hand as a message comes through. I glance down and see that it’s from my mom. There are two more waiting to be read. But for now, I put off reading the texts.
“What’s your number?” Nicola asks, holding up her phone. “I’ll text you, so you’ll have mine.”
I grin. In the real 1800s, we’d have to write each other letters with paper and quill pens, and they’d take days or even weeks to get delivered. Now she is only a text away. Nicola punches in Sean’s number too. Then Arman’s and Carter’s.
“See you next year?” she says.
“Maybe,” I answer.
She hugs each of us, and I don’t mind that she’s not just hugging me. Then Major Helston steps up beside her. He’s still wearing his red coat, breeches and shako.
“I’m not happy about the way you broke the rules,” he says, frowning. “You’re lucky you didn’t get hurt.”
Then his dark look lightens and he holds out a hand to shake ours. “But you boys turned out to be fine soldiers.”
Sean and I wave at Nicola one last time as we head to the parking lot where Sean’s parents are waiting.
“I can’t believe it,” I say under my breath to Sean. “I think Major Hell Storm almost smiled at us.”
Sometimes it’s hard to tell your enemies from your friends through the smoke.
Author’s note
This story and its characters are fictional, but the North American War of 1812 really happened. From June 18, 1812, to December 24, 1814, the United States of America was at war with Great Britain and the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada. In the later part of the war, American troops crossed the Niagara River and captured Fort Erie, in what is now the province of Ontario. Many lives were lost when the British and their allies tried to recapture the fort over the next two months.
Today, Old Fort Erie is a museum, where the major battles related to the siege are reenacted each year. As I write this, the fort is preparing to commemorate the bicentennial of the 1814 Siege. Although the youth reenactment camp and my characters are fictional, I’ll imagine Jason, Sean, Arman, Carter and Nicola up on the wall of the fort as the fireworks explode.
I’d like to thank Heather Gorman, manager/curator at Old Fort Erie, and the reenactors who answered my many questions.
Unlike her protagonist, Jacqueline Pearce enjoys learning about history. The author of numerous books for young people, including Manga Touch in the Orca Currents series, Jacqueline lives in Burnaby, British Columbia. For more information, visit jacquelinepearce.ca.
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