Free Echoes of Dark and Light by Chris Shanley-Dillman

seen a gun this well kept since I last looked at my own?” He moved his gaze back to me. “All right young man, you may join the 27 th infantry of Michigan Volunteers. But be warned, I am going to keep a close eye on you.”
    Despite his warning, relief flowed through my veins, and I tried to refrain from leaping in the air.
    He handed the Colt back to me with a welcoming smile. “Oh, as for your quest, I’m afraid I know nothing of your brother. But I do wish you luck.”
    I could see in his eyes that he didn’t think I had a chance. I made a mental note to not mention the “missing in action and presumed dead” letter to anyone else. They’d think I’d gone cloud-hopping mad, just as the captain obviously did, at least concerning my brother.
    I signed some forms, and then Captain Truckey had me raise my right hand while he issued the Union Oath. My heart slammed to a painfully halt when he mentioned a physical exam, but then he glossed over that, thinking it not necessary. While I tried to inconspicuously restart my heart, he called in the fellow waiting outside the tent.
    “Private Dove?”
    The young man reentered the tent with questions in his eyes. “Yes, sir?”
    “Private Rivers here is joining our infantry. He will share your tent. I would like for you to show him around. Stop at the supply wagon and get him a uniform, and then introduce him to the boys. Understand?”
    “Yes, sir!” He saluted and then turned, motioning for me to precede him through the tent flap.
    I started to leave when the captain stopped me.
    “Private, it is customary for subordinates to salute when entering or leaving the company of an officer.”
    “Oh, sorry.” I quickly saluted, then grinned at Captain Truckey, snatched up my pack and ducked through the tent flap.
    It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, and I followed behind the private, stumbling in the dark. He didn’t say anything, and I wondered if he felt miffed at having me thrown into his tent, at having his meager source of privacy invaded. Well, I had to admit to still feeling miffed with him for having caught me in the first place. But then, that was actually more my fault than any real talent on his part. If I hadn’t been so distracted and careless…but my mistake had turned out for the best anyway. I wished he would slow down; my exhausted muscles complained with trying to keep up with his stride on legs even longer than my own.
    An abrupt stop caused me to ram right into his back. He grunted and gave me an exasperated look, then noticed my scowl.
    “What? Are you still mad that I caught you?”
    I shook my head, then hesitated. “Well, maybe a little, but it was my fault for being so distracted. On any other day, you’d have never even seen me.”
    “Is that so,” he asked dubiously, a grin revealing even teeth.
    “Yes, it is,” I retorted, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up in defiance.
    He chuckled. “We’ll see.” He brushed off my statement as if shooing away a fly.
    His cockiness irked me. “Now wait a minute, you don’t know me, you don’t know what I can and can’t do.”
    “That’s true, however, I do know what
I
can and can’t do, and I know I can track anyone, human or animal.” Instead of getting angry, he seemed amused.
    I growled under my breath, trying to keep from punching him in his smug smile. I couldn’t believe he’d almost out and called me a liar.
    He turned and motioned toward a large covered wagon. “We’ll get your uniform here. Hey Thomas, give us a hand!”
    He obviously thought our conversation had ended, and I felt cheated out of an argument. I began to fume as Private Dove talked with the supply clerk.
    “Private? Hey, wake up, I’m talking to you.”
    “Huh?” I tore my burning stare from my new tent mate and faced Thomas.
    “I said,” he repeated with a hint of annoyance, “what size Kepi?” He pulled his sleeve across his mouth to remove remnants of the dinner we’d