Evelyn's Tale

-Five-

1st December,1942

"Just look at those bastards rubbing it in that they don't have to march in this weather," Joe Toye was complaining in his gravelly voice to anyone who would listen, glaring at a group of third battalion men walking past them.

The entire regiment was finally leaving Toccoa and moving onto Fort Benning to begin the next phase of their training. However, it was only the first and third battalions who were going to get there in relative comfort. Apparently, Colonel Sink had read an article in Reader's Digest in which an entire Japanese battalion marched one hundred miles in seventy-two hours, creating a new world record. With utter confidence in his men, Sink had decided that second battalion could better that record and march the one hundred and eighteen miles to Atlanta in the same time as the Japanese. Which was why at exactly 0700 hours Easy Company, along with Dog and Fox Companies, were lined up in formation ready to begin their journey.

"They're just walking," Evelyn commented, adjusting the straps on her rucksack.

"No, you see it's the way they're walking, Ev," Joe grumbled.

"If you say so," she frowned at Bill, on the other side of her, who just rolled his eyes and hoisted his own pack onto his back.

"You know, Joe, if you're gonna complain the whole day, I might just have to accidentally punch you in the face," Bill joked.

"I ain't gonna complain all day," Toye glared. "But I just think it's fucking ridiculous that we have to do this while the other battalions get to take the train."

"Sink chose the best battalion so take it as a compliment," Evelyn answered. "Besides, this might even turn out to be fun.

"I'll ask you that later when your little feet are sore and bleeding, shall I?"

"Come on, it's not all bad, you get to march next to my beautiful face all day," she grinned, nudging him. He tried to scowl at her but she could see his grumpy façade threatening to crumble.

"As long as Luz ain't anywhere near you," Joe smirked. "If I have to spend a whole day listening to him jabber on, I might commit murder."

"Hey, what's wrong with me?" George's voice piped up indignantly from a few rows behind them.

"Where do I start?" Joe replied not even turning around.

"Hmm yeah," Evelyn concurred. "He is kinda annoying, isn't he? I just put up with him because he doesn't really have many friends."

"I heard that," George called out.

Turning around, Evelyn blew him a kiss and mouthed 'I love you really'. Smirking, George pretended to catch the kiss dramatically on his cheek and put it in his pocket. When she turned back around, Toye was shaking his head at her exasperatedly.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You're just as bad as him, you know that?"

"And you're just jealous," she answered curtly.

"She always been this annoying, Bill?" Joe asked over the top of her head.

"Unfortunately," Bill nodded, ignoring the glare his sister sent him.

"I hope you both fall over," she stuck her tongue out childishly causing Joe and Bill to snort in amusement. Thankfully she was saved from any smart arsed reply from either of them when Sobel ordered them to move out.

... ... ...

After sixteen hours of marching in the pouring down rain and blustering wind, they were all exhausted when Major Strayer finally had them set up camp for the night. After a not particularly hearty meal of bread with jam and butter, they all climbed inside their tents listening to the biting wind howling outside and fell quickly asleep.