Land of the Free - Short Story
- Greg Luti
- Dec 7, 2025
- 10 min read
Updated: Dec 17, 2025
Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer, had received news of the very men that he had just gotten to be released from the shackles on a British warship are to be for nothing. The British are to bomb Fort McHenry and start a war with the land that Key called his home. Perplexed by it all, Key went down to tell the released prisoners of the unfortunate circumstances.
“So we are free men, Mr. Key?” A prisoner asked the lawyer, still shaken by the news he received.
“No.” He stared down at the ground, only slightly glancing at the prisoner.
“But I thought you negotiated? I thought the British agreed that we would trade them?”
Just earlier in the day, Key had informed the same American prisoners that he had made a deal with the British commander of the ship, the American prisoners for the British prisoners. The men jumped for joy when they heard of their release. That was before The very same British commander told Key that the British navy is on their way over to blow Fort McHenry, the closest fort to the ships, with all the firepower they had. The prior negotiations were fruitless, for the two countries would be at war soon.
Francis Scott Key sat down on the lone chair in the room only a few feet from the prisoners. He stared off as he spoke. “They are going to bomb the fort ASAP. This was all a formality. The British are going to start another war with America. I told them that the fort was not a military one, that there were women and children there, but they didn’t care. They are to bomb the fort until we surrender.”
“How could this be?” The same prisoner asked.
“The British want that flag down. Once it is down, they will view that as our surrender.”
“So all they need to do is make sure that the flag stays up.” A second prisoner who was listening in said to the first prisoner and Key.
“And how do you expect them to do that, genius? That fort has no guns or weapons. You heard the lawyer-man, we are screwed!”
Key, still down on the whole thing, asked, “If it is all the same to you, I’d prefer to stay down here with you all.”
The first prisoner welcomed the lawyer. “Not a problem, sir. An American is always welcomed here. Plus, who are we kidding? We can’t get rid of you if we wanted to anyway.”
“Yeah.” The second prisoner spoke up. “Plus, what if they keep the flag flowing all night?”
The first prisoner spoke to the second. “Why are you doing that to the poor guy? You see, he is already upset. You don’t have to rub it in like that.”