Firefight at Castillo de San Marcos
After years of hearing tales of the Castillo de San Marcos, the fort in St. Augustine, Florida, Pete was finally able to take his family there. The fort’s historic walls have existed since the sixteenth century, and its guns have never discharged since the early days when it defended these waters from enemy ships. He had visualized it with the same precision with which he remembered previous conflicts, his mental map of history and strategy acting like a road map.
Pete enjoyed watching his kids’ astonishment as they learnt about the fort’s history as they walked the grounds. Elizabeth, his wife, strolled by his side as they both enjoyed, admired, and were proud of one other.
The family was so absorbed in their trip that they failed to see the horizon’s gathering clouds or the first distant crack of thunder. But before long, the sound of guns and thunder that was much louder than any storm filled the air.
An incoming round hit the fort just above their heads. They ran to take cover. “There’s a Russian vessel out there, and they’re shooting on us, he yelled over the chaos.
Pete, ever the tactician, didn’t flee while the tour group fled in horror. He rapidly analyzed the circumstances and concluded that the Russian vessel needed to be repelled, hence the fort’s cannons needed to be fired. However, he understood he had to recruit his family in the battle because no one was trained in the outdated weaponry.
“Elizabeth, get the kids around this cannon,” he urged.
Uncertain of what her husband was asking her to do, Elizabeth paused. She knew she had to believe him, though, as she looked into his eyes and saw the resolve. She gave him a short kiss and nodded before gathering their boys and running towards the cannon.
Pete rushed to the cannon he chose with his kids at his side, his head racing with antiquated artillery strategies. He swiftly demonstrated how to light the fuse for his son. “Light the fuse once I command “Fire!”
He cried “Fire,” as his kid sparked the fuse. He warned his small daughter to “stay back!” since he anticipated a powerful recoil. As the antique cannon roared to life, smoke and explosions filled the air. “Boom!”
The initial projectile just missed the Russian ship. He yelled at his kid, turning the antique barrel up, “Crank it back!” As he place another cannonball into the barrel. His son sparked the fuse once again. The elderly girl’s noise was deafening. Over the wall, they looked.
“You got him, son!” Pete exclaimed as the projectile shattered the ship’s main body. Some Russian servicemen leaped overboard to avoid flying debris while others fled after the crash.
“Again!” Pete screamed at the household. They had a system established by this point. His oldest daughter and wife gave the cannonballs to his eldest son, who then delivered them to his father because the smallest children couldn’t lift them. While his kid waited for the signal to light the fuse, Pete inserted the cannon into the animal’s muzzle.
Pete bellowed, “Fire!” when the following cannonball was snugly tucked inside the barrel. The family moved away from the massive cannon as it erupted and recoiled after his kid sparked the fuse. They hit the Russian ship with a cannonball that tore into the leeward side of the hull…
His wife violently shook him, “Honey!” You’ll be running behind schedule for work! Additionally, you need to drop Jamie and Carol off at school first.
Pete looked at the clock. “Holy lateness!” he said and jumped in the shower.
He drove to work after dropping off the kids. His route to work followed the beach till Mulberry Street. He turned on the radio after taking a look at some sailing ships drifting across the waves.
