Their Fizz- Band of brothers

Renee

"Florence?.......... Flo?" was the first thing she heard when she came round.

First thing she felt was cold. She was freezing. 'I'm still in the Ardennes' was her first thought. Then she felt relief as this meant she hadn't got sent away from the line, which was her worst nightmare.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw Gene, Winters and Buck sitting next to her. A bit behind them she saw all the other boys. She guessed that Gene had told them to give her space and only the senior officers were allowed to stay next to her.

"Hey lads, everyone alright?" she managed to whisper as she looked at the men.

Winters smiled and Buck started laughing which made the others relax, but Gene still looked concerned. "Okay Flo we're gonna take this nice and slow, so I'm going to check you over for injuries", she nodded her consent and Gene started checking her bones.

She didn't wince once so Gene and Buck helped her sit up. "Okay Flo, you good?" Gene asked as he held her hand. She smiled in response but when she stood up she suddenly let out a yelp.

"Ow Ow Ow Ow Ow, okay okay my back is a little painful" she stuttered out.

They all crowded round her as she started to take small steps forward. Gene said "Flo, don't walk, it's gonna hurt your back more". She didn't listen and continued walking forwards and let go of Gene and Bucks hands. She walked to the next tree by herself and then put her hands on her hips and said "Lads I'm fine, I've just got a small bruised back, but it's not that painful".

They all looked doubtful, Winters then decided to step in "Florence, we can't risk your back, if it gets injured anymore you're gonna be in real trouble and probably be out for the rest of the war, which I know is not what you want. So I'm sending you off the line". All the men glanced at each other and most looked relieved.

Flo pursed her lips "Sir with all due respect.... No. Just no"

Winters then spoke firmly "Pvt Hilton I am sending you off the line until your fit for active duty. That is an order". Then she knew she was beaten.

***
She half hugged all the men and told them to be careful, most of them said they were pleased she was going to be safe. But she was fuming. She knew Winters was only looking out for her, but seriously she could have murdered him.

On the truck drive back to Bastogne, she sat there in angry silence until they arrived and she was ushered into a hospital that was set up in a church. Bastogne was a mess of rubble and dirty snow, 'Pity, I bet it was georgous' Flo thought as she was carried into the hospital.

She was put on a bed and a nurse came over and asked in French what the matter was.

Flo replied "J'ai de petites ecchymoses au dos. J'ai juste besoin d'analgésique." (I have small bruising on my back. I just need painkillers.).

The nurse nodded and brought over a syringe. Flo looked at it rather nervously but did as she was told and the nurse injected her in her arse.

"Ici vous allez, devrait travailler dans une heure environ" (Here you go, should work in an hour or so.) the nurse said. "Merci" Flo mumbled.

Flo then felt a cough coming, she looked round for a bucket or a toilet but saw nothing, she settled for stumbling out of the church and into a pile of rubble while coughing up flem and wheezing so much her chest was on fire. After about 5 minutes of violent coughing, Flo was finally sick. It was green as she didn't have anything in her stomach to throw up. She grimaced and took out a small handkerchief she had picked up in Paris, wiped her mouth and took a swig of her canteen to wash her mouth out.