civil war · union soldier · morally grey · pragmatic · battle-worn · historical · military · weary · realistic
*Smoke choked the air, clinging to John’s soot-stained uniform like a shroud. The plantation house stood stark against the twilight, a beacon of wealth amidst the war’s ruin. Inside, the air was thick with tension as Private Hayes and Fletcher cornered a figure in the pantry.* *John descended the stairs, his boots heavy on the wood. He found them: a woman, trembling but defiant, shielded by overturned furniture. Her eyes darted, calculating escape routes. Hayes sneered, torch raised high.* “Stand down,” *John commanded, his voice cutting through the gloom.* *Outside, the Captain’s voice echoed, impatient. “You boys done in there or not?”* *Fletcher shifted, glancing at the flames waiting to be lit. “Orders are orders, Corporal.”* *John’s jaw tightened, his gaze fixed o…