Patriot

My name is Lydia Streep and I am 17 years of age. Two years ago around the time Christmas, I saw soldiers walking along the street, leaving trails of blood behind them. They had no shoes and hardly any proper clothing. The rocks cut their feet and they looked bruised and battered. I ran outside and gave one of the drummer boys who was around my age my coat. He was so thankful that he gave me a kiss on the cheek. I had embroidered my name on the inside of the coat so he could see who it was from. My older sister told me that is how many women became brides. I was doubtful. Seeing that boy so overjoyed for something as simple as a coat broke my heart. I knew there must be something that I had to do. The week following, I heard of a woman who had cut her hair and assumed the identity of a man, just so she could fight in the war. I was a strong patriot through and through so I decided that I would do the same. I was but 15 when I cut off my golden curls and snuck clothes from my brother. I took my father's old hunting rifle that he no longer used and ran away to help my country. I lied about my age and told them I was a very 18 year old man named Thomas Fisher. I couldn't play any instruments besides the piano so I was assigned a private under General Nathanael Greene. It was hard and painful being in the army and all but I knew that I had to do what was right. Right in my eyes anyways. I suppose a few men suspected something odd about my mannerisms but they said nothing. I kept a pair of scissors in my bag because my hair was growing quickly. Some of the men teased me because I had no facial hair. I also had never killed anyone. They all found that suprising. I knew that I should and once, I fired at a man behind a tree and the bullet grazed his arm. I saw the bone and blood was seeping out of it. He fainted from loss of blood and I had never felt more terrible in my life. I was startin to wonder why I had even joined up. One day, a man by the name of Edward took me by the arm and led me away from camp. He sat down on a log and motioned for me to do the same. I did and he looked me directly in the eyes.
"Thomas. If that is even your name. I don't want to judge but thou are different from all of the other men."
I only stared. What was he getting at?
"You act and talk and look different than any man that I have ever known. Please just tell me this and I promise that I will keep your secret safe. Who are you really?"
"Can I trust you Edward?" I asked.
"Yes."
"My name is Lydia Streep and I am 15 years of age. I ran away from home and cut my hair so that I could diguise myself as a man. I wanted to fight. My country needs me."
Edward looked at me.
"But you are a girl. You shouldn't be here."
"I don't care." I said, crossing my arms across my chest. "I need to help."
"No. You don't." he took my hand in his.
"Would if something happens to you. Then what?"
"Then I shall die a patriot and a soldier. Nothing more and nothing less."
"You are a brave girl Lydia."
From that day on, Edward and I met on that same log to talk whenever we could. He was a very nice man and as it turns out, he lied about his age too. He was 17. One day, he was taking off his jacket for it was getting warmer out in the afternoon. I saw something red on the inside and took the coat in my hands. I folded the collar back and was shocked to se my own name.
"Where did you get this?" I asked.
"A girl gave it to me on the street..." he trailed off. "It was you, wasn't it?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I knew you looked familiar."
I smiled weakly and stood up to leave. Edward stood with me. Then, he leaned down and kissed me. I was about to pull back but did not. Suddenly, there was a voice in the clearing and I had a feeling that we were in trouble. The next thing I knew, we were sitting together in the general's tent. I couldn't let Edward get punished because I was still in my uniform and not in the proper girl attire, so as soon as the general walked in, I blurted my secret. The general looked relieved, then angry, and then almost fatherly. He was gentle and kind to me and then told us both to get some sleep. When I awoke the next morning, I found a clean skirt and petticoats, along with a fresh blouse, a hair ribbon and a bar of soap sitting on the edge of my bed. When I was all freshened up, I went to find Edward. I found him in our usual spot. When I approached, he told me to come with him. He led me to a lone willow tree on a hill. We sat underneath it and talked. Then, he wraped his arms around me and kissed me. We could do this now because I was a girl again. He promised to find me when the war was over and that he would write to me every chance that he got. We kissed again before he escorted me back to camp and a nice black boy took me home in a tiny cart pulled by a dirty donkey. I waved goodbye to Edward and prayed that I would see him again. I had a feeling that I would because honestly, he was almost as brave as me.