I was one of five women chosen to serve our country, fighting side by side with the men, and only some of us had come home. Being surrounded by friends and enemies, having to choose who you can save, who you can love, and how to survive is something...
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We hiked several miles in occupied territory without seeing another soul. We didn't speak much to one another during the walk, for which I was exceptionally grateful for. There was something about this man that made me feel as though he knew everything I had ever done wrong in my life. It was silly to feel this way, especially because he had done so much for me already. He helped me with the circumstances surrounding Sobel and Jefferson, and then again when I was attacked by those two German soldiers. I chewed on my lower lip as I thought things through.
There were moments when he seemed like a decent man but there was an incredibly rough exterior surrounding him that was almost impossible to crack through. I knew it wouldn't be impossible but it would take a long time to get there; I wasn't sure if I would have the strength or the patience to break his walls down but I was also unsure of what he would think of me trying.
Eventually, we reached the edge of the forest, which kept us hidden for most of the night, and had no choice but to walk in the open grass fields moving forward. After hours of silence between us and no knowledge of where we were heading, I finally asked, "Where are we going, Lieutenant?"
Speirs kept his eyes trained before us. "There should be a farmhouse up ahead," he spoke quietly, "we need to take a look there."
"Why?" I asked, thinking over the sand tables and maps I studied back in England before the jump. I didn't recall any farmhouse being on our objective lists.
He explained, "It might be where Battalion has set up headquarters." I followed him carefully through the grass field as he led on, remaining silent after his sound explanation. After a brief moment of silence fell between us, he broke it by turning to look over his shoulder at me to ask, "Where are you from, Nurse Banks?"
My eyes dropped to my boots as I trudged along behind him, not wanting to look him in the eye when I answered. "Here and there."
"Where would that be?"
I realized it would be futile to try and avoid sharing personal information with him as he wouldn't relent but I also didn't want him knowing anything about that part of my life - I didn't want anyone to know, so I muttered, "I grew up in Montana."
"Did you like it there?"
I glanced up, peering through my lashes to watch him for a moment, wondering where he was taking this conversation. His gaze remained fixed before us, scanning our surroundings once more. I sighed. "It was okay."
He glanced over his shoulder at me, his eyes narrowed as they met mine. His voice remained calm as he spoke, "You're lying, Nurse Banks."
"H-how do you know?" I blinked at him, mouth agape, stunned he saw through me.
He stopped in his tracks, whirling around to gaze down at me. After taking a moment of relative silence to bore into my soul with his brooding eyes, he said simply, "You're a terrible liar."
