Master In Disguise

                                    

                                          
!!Warning!!
                          
°~15th October, 1781~°
                          
°~11:51p.m.~°
                          
(Y/N POV)
                          
I looked up to the stars. The one thing that he promised we would see tonight. And truth be told, they were spectacular. Each one told the story of another's past, a story that would never be revealed. 
                          
With all honesty, I missed the future. Of course, people nowadays were more refined and proper, but I once lived in a moral society that didn't necessarily care what gender you were. You could declare your sexuality without the threat of certain death. You could find out anything you wanted through the click of a few buttons on a screen. 
                          
The temptation to replicate this future here in the past was strong. To make these people live carefree lives, with enough food, enough water, better hygiene, better health... It was all I could ever want for them. Seeing children on the street barely clothed and soldiers withering away at the hand of disease... You could say that it was almost traumatizing. It demonstrates how much that I, how much that Emily, took for granted once.
                          
Alas one thing that never changed were the stars. For hundreds of years onwards, humanity would gaze at those same stars in the same awe that has ever been. I wished to know why I was here, and if my presence in the past took its toll on my existence in the future. If not, then... I would someday be inspecting each individual star as I had 200 years ago.
                          
From the collision of thought enshrouding my mind, I hadn't noticed that Alexander had came over to sit beside me. "Beautiful night." 
I quietly hummed, holding my legs closer to my chest.
"I'm sorry... about-"
"He didn't die." I grunted. 
"...Oh."
                          
He was looking for an answer. Although he hadn't indicated to it, Alexander always looked for an answer. "He... He left." Cornelius didn't want me to reveal what had happened, and I shouldn't defy his wishes, as terrible as my excuse sounded. 
"Left... from this worl-?"
"He. Left."
                          
I flinched as he touched my shoulder, deciding to turn away. He drew his hand back. "Try to get some sleep, alright?" 
I didn't respond, tilting my head further to avoid him. Alexander twisted his body around and heaved the blanket up to his chest. I had no desire for warmth; I was bitter enough and anticipated that I would stay that way. 
                          
For minutes upon minutes on end, I leaned against the wall of the trench and stared into nothing. Cornelius never wanted me to call him a friend, and therefore I never did. Though that didn't mean that I didn't regard him as one. He strived to protect me from any incident that was thrown in my direction, which I tended to find quite unusual. Nevertheless, wherever he went, he did it to keep me safe. I couldn't feel guilty enough: I was in denial of it all. 
                          
Through my ears, I'd sworn that I'd heard murmurs of voices at a distance. I put the blame upon my inability to sleep, but the noises became progressively louder.
                          
"Push on my brave boys, and skin the bastards!" a man declared in a hushed tone. Soldiers were marching for us; practically everyone was sleeping at this moment, including Alexander who had dozed off in the most uncomfortable position. His head was upright against the wall and his left arm trapped beneath his shoulder.
                          
I didn't want to attract any attention so kept my head held low. "Alexander-!" I fiercely shook his knee, yet he was overcome by a deep sleep. My heart raced as footsteps trudged towards us, although only a singular pair. A rush of adrenaline flowed through my body and forced me to a fight or flight decision. 
                          
I scampered away using my feet, shielding my left hand over my head whilst my right assisted the shuffle. A Redcoat dropped into the trench, instantaneously distracted by me. I kicked him away and prepared to scream for help; he covered his hand over my mouth, digging his nails into the sides of my cheeks to prevent me from wailing out loud.