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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Easy Company was ordered to head towards Randwijk. Winters set up his CP there and ordered patrols every night. One of the patrols he sent out was to occupy an outpost nearby. The men in the patrol left while the rest of us stayed behind to rest up from the long journey to get to this point.
I sat by Randleman as I wrote a partial letter to Darla in my notebook, knowing I wouldn't be able to finish it right away. I was trying to write more lengthy letters so there would be fewer to send and I could focus more on what was going on around me rather than having my nose stuck in my book or searching for people to deliver my mail.
"How's Darla doing?"
I stopped writing and looked up at Randleman. "She's good," I said with a sigh, "as good as one can be when faced with death on a daily basis." I fidgeted with the corner of the papers.
He nodded. "Did she have anything interesting to say in her last letter?"
I shook my head. "Not really. Anne and Charlotte are fine. She's fine..." I mumbled, "Worried about me, though."
"That's to be expected," he replied, adjusting his cigar stub in his mouth.
I raised my eyebrow at him. "Is it?"
"You know it is when it comes to Darla." I chuckled. He was right about that one.
Before I could add anything more to the conversation, the doors to our makeshift CP slammed open and one of our men shouted, "We've got penetration!"
The entire patrol that was sent out a while ago returned, some limping into the building. Four men carried Alley in their arms. He was bleeding profusely from his wounds. My heart stopped as I bolted to my feet, dropping my things onto the ground as I rushed over to the table he was laid on. Doc Roe ran over to the other side of the table and checked Alley's face as I continued to move his clothes away from his wounds so we could fix him up.
Alley received numerous wounds from shrapnel blasts - most likely from grenades - and he took the brunt of the damage out of the rest of the patrol. As I worked, I tried to listen to the men around us as they shouted at one another. I couldn't make out what happened exactly but I pieced together enough to learn it was an ambush of sorts. There was so much yelling and blame being thrown about, it was hard to concentrate. The worst part of the yelling was how it upset the already terrified Alley who began crying on the table.
Winters finally shouted over the commotion, "All right! I want everyone to assemble for a squad! Every man, let's go!"
Talbert assembled the men quickly, shouting orders. I looked up at Doc Roe as we continued to work on Alley, wondering if one of us was going to go with them. It wasn't long before the assembled men started to head out.
Lifting my gaze to the men leaving the barn, my eyes met Webster's. I felt sick to my stomach. I worried for him as he gave me a small smile and nod before disappearing into the night with the others. I silently prayed for everyone's safety.
