𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

4. JUST ME

" I don't know how to feel about it. "

-

JO DIDN'T EVEN NOTICED when the song ended. Neither the applause that came after it. A captain's yell at the soldiers for them to start moving sounded like an echo in the back of her mind and nothing more came to her notice.

Only did she move when she felt a sudden hand abruptly shaking her shoulder.

"Miss?" Her eyes travelled upwards and met the ones of an unfamiliar face. A soldier. Surprised by her sudden appearance and most likely just as confused as her.

"Where are you from?" another voice seemed to ask William.

They both stayed silent, watching the people in front of them. Jo still had an arm tightly wrapped around Williams and her head gently placed on his shoulder.

"They probably got the wind-up,"

"Well, they're not one of ours."

One of the men took a grip around Jo's free arm and shocked it to the side, probably searching for a flag or anything useful for them to interpret.

"She's a nurse," he stated, "She could be useful."

"Fuck it, let's just pick them up and take them with us."

Jo's eyes looked over to Will. He faintly seemed to get out of this trance-like state. "I have to find the Devons."

"What's he saying?" yet another voice spoke up.

"The Devons. I have to find the Devons," Will continued, slightly louder this time. Jo lifted her head and turned her head slightly to meet his eyes.

A silence fell as the soldiers looked at each other.

"We're the Devons," said one after a momentarily pause.

William watched them, a look of disbelief on his pale face. "You're the Devons?" he asked bewilderedly.

"Yes, Corp."

Jo surely let go of his arm, her ice-cold fingers curling into her palm while glancing up at the men circled around them.

"Why haven't you gone over yet?" Will asked.

"We're the second wave. They don't send us all at once," the man next to him answered.

"We're D company, we spent last night digging in. We go last."

William pulled himself off the ground and stumbled onto his feet. His hand reached to his tonic pocket and he suddenly picked out an envelope. Jo followed close after, being offered a hand from one of the soldiers as she did so. Her head was in terrible pain and her feet were sore. Just standing still felt like walking on knives.

"Are you alright?" a man asked Will, still staring at him with a slightly confused gaze.

"McKenzie. Where's Colonel McKenzie?" Will breathed out.

"He's down the line," the man next to Jo answered.

"Which way?"

"This way. We're headed up there now."

Will's eyes slightly widened. His gaze moved to where the soldiers that earlier sat down now were walking. Hundreds of men, all going to the trenches.

He then quickly turned and started run-walking towards them. His eyes staring forward as he tried shoving and pushing himself forward in the queue.

Jo stumbled as she tried to follow him. When seeing him disappear into the crowd she felt someone grab her upper arm. Her head whipped around.

"Miss, you probably shouldn't go there," one of the soldiers subtly pointed out.