Love Like Ghosts - Band of Brothers

Chapter 7

NORMANDY, FRANCE
June, 1944

"Berlin by Christmas, that's how I see it." Skip leaned back under the sun, his legs extended over the concrete ground.

Jo silently hoped for his words to manifest themselves to reality - yet, she knew it was very unlikely. Her head rested on Malarkey's shoulder, still feeling worn out from earlier that day.

"Yeah you're full of it." He quipped with a scoff.

The group sat there with a moment of relaxation, if you'd call it that. They lapsed into a serene silence and Jo's eyes shut as she pressed further into Malarkey's shoulder.

"Enjoy it while it lasts." Speirs came up to the group. He surveyed the troopers below him, his eyes resting on the girl far longer than any other. "We'll be moving out soon."

"Out of town lieutenant, already?" More asked with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

"That's right." Speirs said. Josephine could hardly make out his features as the shadow from his helmet casted itself onto his features. She lifted her head from Malarkey's shoulder when the lieutenant looked at her for a second time. He tipped his helmet slightly as a greeting.

"Lambert." Was all Jo heard from him before he began walking away.

"Don't they know we're just getting settled here?" A man asked, flicking his lighter.

Ronald Speirs turned to look back at him, his eyes hardened. Then he said nothing as he went on his way. Malarkey scoffed at the interaction.

"Nice Groucho." Skip flicked a strand of grass at the trooper who mouthed off to Speirs. "You're taking your own life in your hands, ain't that right?"

Malarkey and Skip held eye contact, Jo assumed there was another crazy story that the battalion created and only they knew.

"I told you, I didn't actually see it." Malarkey broke off.

"What? Speirs shooting the prisoners or the sergeant in his own platoon?" Skip humored.

Jo sat up abruptly at that.

"What?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"No way." Another trooper added. "Not one of his own men, that's bullshit."

"Well, supposedly the guy was drunk and refused to go on a patrol, who knows if it's true?" A trooper explained, waving his hand at the last part nonchalantly.

"Well, I know a guy who said an eyewitness-" Skip threw a rock at Malarkey, earning an annoyed grumble. "-told him that Speirs posed those prisoners."

"Why? What for?" Blithe asked from his position on the floor.

Skip looked around before continuing.

"On D-Day, Speirs comes across this group of Kraut prisoners digging a hole or some such under guard and all." He told them. "He breaks out a pack of smokes, passes them out. He even gives them a light."

Jo watched the trooper explain the story with dramatic hand movements for emphasis.

"Then all of a sudden, he swings up his Thompson... and-" Skip imitated a machine-gun. "-he hoses them. I mean, goddamn, gives 'em smokes first? Hm, you see, that's why I don't believe he really did it."