I'm terribly sorry that if you read this, that means I went back
home to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to see the conditions of my family
there. I'm not choosing my family over you. I both love you, but I
won't tell you this earlier, because I don't want you to follow me.
Maybe you get kidnapped again by the Confederate Army. I am an
outlaw now in my country. I won't lose you, Lina. Please, promise
me that you won't follow me. I'll promise you that I will be back
there in Perryville, safe and sound.
I love you, Evangelina Lightwood! Remember that.
Signed,
Cassius Madison
He hides it under his pillow and sleeps on his bed, holding his
paper.
Cassius wakes up, before Lina did. He packs his thing to his bag.
He silently opens Evangelina's room, puts the letter on
Evangelina's side of her pillow and kisses her.
"I love you, Lina."
Cassius silently cries and slowly closes the door's room.
He carries his backpack to go to the post office. He silently
closes the door to Evangelina's house and rides to the post office.
Evangelina slept, dreaming that Cassius had gotten a teaching job
and was happy. When she woke and read the letter, she was terribly
upset. "Why? Why didn't you tell me? I...I would have
understood..." she murmured, holding the letter to her chest