A Letter to my Brother
Taken from the alternate history novel "Where the River Narrows"
September 14th, 1999. La Tuque, Quebec
To my brother, Jean-Philippe Dunprey
of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, French Foreign Legion.
Our summer advance has proven effective, the Legion of Mauricie now occupies all northern districts of La Tuque, and the Tories seem to be in retreat. Many of my comrades once served the loyalist state, in the Royal 22nd Regiment, before the mass defections. Before the Saguenay Uprising and Mutiny at Valcartier. The undemocratic referendum was defeated, and now our forces are knocking on the doors of Quebec City. The dreams of our parents and our ancestors is fast becoming a reality.
A French military officer arrived here 3 months ago, by way of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. He is tasked with training our company in urban tactics, to face the Canadians in Montreal and the Capital, when the time comes. Equally, it seems everyday that we get volunteers from Belgium and the French motherland. Every company of the Free Quebecois Army now has a French Officer alongside a Quebecois one. Some of us have protested, but in the end we need all the help we can get. I estimate 10% of the separatist forces are foreign volunteers.
I am confident the Tories will surrender soon. The insurgency our brothers have waged in the south has damaged their ability to fight us in the north. A loyalist convoy on the 73 was sabotaged 2 weeks ago, without that, I'm afraid we would not hold the ground we currently do.
Additionally, Thomas got our radio working again, and we tuned into BBC. The report came that 12,000 Canadians had rioted in Vancouver, burning their draft cards just as their American brethren did when they were called to fight in Vietnam. The Quebecois will to fight, it seems, triumphs the Canadian will to fight. Still, many of us here know the loyalists will not arrest the rioters, not like they arrested francophones when the enemy government reinstated the War Measures Act, shortly after our uprising began. No. They exempted aboriginals and francophones from the new draft laws, they need all the English soldiers they can get. The Somalia Affair still lives in their memory.
Our memory recalls when this was merely a civil uprising. We wanted to protest for our independence peacefully. How it came to this is a tragedy, I must admit. BBC called Quebec the Kosovo of North America, and Montreal the Belfast of Canada. In the regions where the loyalist soldiers have fallen short, anglophone paramilitary groups have taken their place. One such group, the royal front, has seized the city of Shawville.
Luckily, France remains committed to our struggle, just as they have for decades. They withdrew from NATO, just as they did 36 years ago, and for the same reason. They recalled their ambassador. Belgium and Luxembourg soon followed, and the Anglophone establishment started to crumble.
France landed 2,000 Marines in the Caribbean ready to assist us in liberating our homeland. Soon, hopefully, they will deploy the Legionaries, and in doing so will bring you home, my brother.
Our struggle is not without it's costs. The city of La Tuque lies in ruins from loyalist and separatist shelling. I do not have enough fingers and toes to count our fallen comrades. The naval buildup in the North Atlantic is fast becoming an embargo, and we all deeply fear British intervention. Royal Marines are fresh from deployments in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, soon, they may roam our streets.
Our dear mother and sister Emma have found themselves in a refugee camp in New England. Mom says the conditions are okay, but hundreds run across the border everyday to escape the war. American soldiers have built themselves up in the region, but seem committed to their neutrality. The loyalists have threatened to close the border, as these camps are one of our main avenues of smuggling arms.
Thank you for letting me access your email, so that we can communicate across the front line. The French address scrambles the enemy. So far I have used it mostly to communicate with our sister. I reset your password, hopefully that's alright.
Soon, I hope, you will come home, and this battlefield will be replaced with an independent Quebec.
- Love Hugo
7th battalion
Legion of Mauricie
Free Quebecois Army
From the Siege of La Tuque
About the Creator
Ezra Berkman
Life is so much better when you write it down.
Poet and novelist. All for my own enjoyment.
Currently writing a memoir and an alternate history novel "Where the River Narrows"
I may be reached personally at [email protected]
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In the ancient town of Tishbe, nestled amidst the rugged hills of Gilead, there lived a man whose name echoed through the corridors of time: Elijah. Born of humble origins, his parentage shrouded in mystery, Elijah's life would unfold as a testament to faith, courage, and unwavering conviction.
By oludotun oyedele3 days ago in Serve
Comments (1)
Ah, good story. One of my lovers from almost fifty years ago was an old Quebecois rebel who did things that may or may not be past the statute of limitations. Sadly, the English began mistreating the French when the Acadians were first deported to Louisiana beginning in 1755.