The Reb

When the Union troops retreat at the battle of Cold Harbor, fifteen-year-old NOAH finds himself separated from his company. Losing blood from a bullet in the leg, he stumbles into a wooded area and passes out under a tree. He is discovered by MATSON, a grizzled Confederate soldier in his fifties. Unconscious, Noah dreams of being home with his girlfriend, Rachel… pushing her on a swing, a romantic sojourn in a rowboat on a quiet river, and a picnic… where he is shot in the leg. He screams and bursts out of his dream to see Matson, extract the bullet from his leg. Matson has taken pity on the young soldier, having recently lost his own son in battle. Noah regains consciousness and ponders his fate with Matson… will he turn him over as a prisoner of war? Matson replies that dying would be better than being sent to a Confederate prison camp. Instead, he decides to help the wounded soldier to the Union camp, several miles away. Along the way, their discussions make Noah wonder why they are fighting each other. He grows fond of Matson… they could easily be friends. When a Confederate SERGEANT and a PRIVATE SOLDIER cross their path, Noah worries that his end has come, as the Sergeant decides to hang him. As the rope goes around his neck, Matson shoots the Sergeant, and kills the Private before he can fire back. Noah is worried for Matson, who tells him that no one will ever know. Noah is shocked he would kill his own men. “Killing in war is one thing. What they were about to do was murder.” In a brief time, Noah seems to have found a father figure, and Matson finds comfort knowing he saved someone else’s son from death. Still weak from loss of blood, they stop so Noah can rest. Matson wakes him. He has seen the Union camp – “We’re closer than I thought! It’s just beyond them trees.” They say their goodbyes, and Noah heads towards the camp when a shot RINGS out! Noah turns to see a Union SENTRY, who has just fired. He looks back to see Matson fall to the ground. He rushes to him, but his friend is gone. He cradles Matson’s head in his lap as the Sentry approaches and says: “He almost had ya, boy. Damned Reb.” Noah looks up at the sentry as tears flow from his eyes, and the picture FADES.