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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An hour before the men were due to assemble in the basement of the farmhouse for the patrol, I arrived to start a fire in the hearth to warm the room as the outside grew quite frigid. Once it held its flame, I sat before it, staring into the bright orange dancing flames. I lost myself in thought and didn't realize I started chewing on my lower lip.
The sound of the basement door creaking open behind me jolted me back to the present. I quickly glanced over my shoulder to see who joined me. My eyes landed on a young officer who blinked at me in bewilderment. I recognized him as the young officer with Webster earlier in the afternoon. Being this close to him, I saw he was younger than I originally thought him to be.
He cleared his throat as he removed his helmet, tucking it under his arm as he stood erect in a very professional manner. "Is this the right farmhouse?" His eyes darted quickly around the interior, almost afraid he had entered the wrong house.
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes?"
"What are you doing here?" he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
"I was ordered to be here in case I was needed," I replied simply. When he didn't budge from his spot by the door, I added, "I also assumed you guys might like to have a warm fire to sit around while you're preparing for your patrol," I gave him a half-shrug, "and for when you return."
He sighed, finally relaxing as he stepped across the room to join me in front of the fire. I studied him out of the corner of my eye as I tried to keep from blatantly staring at him. He seemed eager to prove himself and that made me nervous. History proved itself that the eager ones were the first to get killed in any mission or patrol - I truly hoped I was wrong this time.
"How long have you been a field nurse?" he asked, breaking the growing awkward silence.
"Since training."
"You've been here since the start?"
Turning my gaze over to him, I furrowed my brows. "You sound surprised."
"Sorry," he sighed, shaking his head in embarrassment, "it's just... I've heard a lot of stories back at West Point about the women who volunteered for positions such as yours. I honestly didn't expect to see a nurse on the lines." He rubbed his hands together before fanning them over the growing heat.
I nodded aimlessly as I turned my attention back to the fire. "To be honest with you, I think I had a lot of help making it this far." My thoughts immediately went to Speirs and all he had done for me. He wasn't the only one who helped me but that's where my mind went. I inhaled deeply, waiting for the man to say something else but he didn't. Instead, he just nodded as the room filled with comfortable silence.
When the creaky door opened behind us, the new officer quickly bolted to his feet, putting a respectable distance between us. I wondered if he thought it was inappropriate for him to be in such close proximity to a lowly nurse or if he was afraid of what the men might say if they caught him near me. Whatever his reasons were, I stayed quiet.
