The Dream
By: AliasCWN
In his dream, Tully kept running and running but he couldn't catch up to his best friend. Hitch stayed just out of reach, always reaching toward Tully, calling his name. Tully called to him but his fellow driver didn't seem to hear him. The pain in his voice was clear to Tully and he couldn't understand how he could hear Hitch but his buddy seemed deaf. He tried running faster but his legs wouldn't move any quicker no matter what he did.
In his dream he watched as the blond private cried out in agony and then vanished.
He always woke up then, covered in sweat , his heart pounding in his chest. Just like now , he always checked to find his friend sleeping quietly in his cot, no sign of pain or injury. He hadn't mentioned his dream to anyone, but he was afraid he might cry out or they might notice his distress. Gulping in deep breaths, he tried to calm his breathing and slow his heart, The dream was always the same. It was coming more often now. At first it was a rare occurrence, but lately he was having it almost every night. He knew if Troy found out he would insist that he see a doctor. Tully didn't want to do that. He didn't want to tell anyone about the dream. Somewhere in his head he had the idea that if he told anyone what he saw, it might become real. Tully sat in the darkened tent and listened to Hitch's slow, steady breathing, drawing calm from the sounds that the others took for granted. Gradually he calmed down enough to go back to sleep. This time he managed to sleep a dreamless sleep until morning.
"Hey Tully. Wake up."
Hitch stood over him calling his name. When he saw Tully open his eyes the blond finished getting dressed. Tully watched him go through his normal routine like nothing was wrong. Of course, he didn't know about the dreams. He didn't see the pain and fear that Tully saw.
"Are you okay?"
Tully looked up in surprise. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Hitch standing beside him with a worried expression. He nodded quickly, hoping Hitch would let the matter drop.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure. Just thinking about something." Tully threw the covers back and started his own morning routine. Thankfully Hitch seemed to have something on his mind too because he didn't push Tully for an explanation. Tully finished dressing in record time, hoping to get out of the tent before Hitch decided to resume the questions.
"We're supposed to meet Sarge and Doc at the motor pool as soon as we finish breakfast. Sarge said for us to make sure the jeeps are ready and to wait for them there."
Tully nodded as Hitch repeated their orders. He wondered how Troy had told Hitch all that without waking him since the two of them were sleeping in the same tent. He must have been in a deep sleep after that dream. This was another thing to worry about. He couldn't afford to sleep that deeply out on patrol.
He followed Hitch to the mess tent and the two of them ate a quick breakfast. As soon as they finished they headed directly to the motor pool to make sure the jeeps were ready to travel. They each did the check on their own vehicle before they settled in the shade to wait for their sargents. Tully noticed Hitch was quiet but he didn't want to start asking questions just in case the other driver decided to start asking some on his own. Troy and Moffitt found them leaning against the trunk of a tree, both lost in their own thoughts.
"That's some deep thinking you two are doing. Anything you want to share?" Jack Moffitt stood above them with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.
"It's hotter than blazes out here. How can you be so dang cheerful?" Mark Hitchcock was squinting up at the sargent.
"You should be used to it by now lad." The British sargent laughed. "Come on now. The army has a job for us to do and they don't care one iota about the heat." He reached down to offer the private a hand to his feet.
As Hitch reached up to clasp Moffitt's hand Tully had a flash from his dream. Only Hitch wasn't smiling in the dream and their hands never touched. He climbed quickly to his feet trying to shake the image. Despite the heat, he suddenly felt cold.
"Are you alright Tully?" Moffitt had noticed the strange look on his driver's face. It was gone as quickly as it came but it left him feeling uneasy.
"Fine Doc. Why'd you ask?" Tully smiled at the sargent and hoped the other man was fooled.
Moffitt looked into his eyes before he shook his head. "It's nothing. I just thought you looked troubled for a minute there. Troy's waiting, we'd better get a move on or he'll be coming after us."
Tully nodded and climbed into his jeep and pressed the starter. The two jeeps rolled out of the base slowly, picking up speed when they got to the open desert. With the wind, and the engine noise, talk was difficult and they didn't usually try to make themselves heard for small talk. Tully began to relax, knowing he had dodged their questions for a while.
When they stopped to cool the jeeps, Tully took his time filling his gas tank and checking his jeep. Hitch was done and on guard duty by the time he finished. Tully found himself searching the perimeter to make sure his friend was still there. If Moffitt noticed his actions, he didn't mention it. Troy caught him looking once or twice but he didn't seem to think it strange.
Once they camped for the night Tully made sure his bedroll was close to the blonds'. His sleep was restless as he tried to avoid the dream and make sure Hitch didn't disappear. He woke with a start in the morning and quickly rolled over to check the bedroll beside him. It was empty!
"Hitch!" Tully jumped to his feet and searched the camp for the other private.
"What?"
Tully spun around to find Mark Hitchcock walking up behind him.
"What Tully?" '
"Nothing. I was just wondering where you were. Your bedroll was empty." Tully realized he was rambling and closed his mouth.
"It gets that way when I have guard duty. Sarge doesn't like me sleeping on guard." Hitch smiled at Tully and went back to walking the perimeter.
Tully looked at the camp and caught Moffitt watching him with a thoughtful expression. Hoping to avoid questions, Tully made himself busy heating a k-ration for his breakfast. Hitch came in to help pack up the camp and they were on their way within minutes. The second day out was much the same as the first. They covered a lot of miles, seeing no other vehicles in their travels. Toward evening Troy called more halts as he climbed dunes to search the desert around them before crossing open ground. They were running into the occasional German patrol now but so far Troy had managed to spot them first and get the jeeps out of sight.
Their night camp was dark since they were deep in enemy territory and there wasn't a lot of places to camp where they could hide the glow of a fire. Tully finished the first watch and Moffitt took over. Hitch was bedded down between his jeep and some rocks. There wasn't room for another bed without crowding him so Tully put his blankets down on the other side of the jeep, between the two jeeps. Not liking that Hitch was so far away, Tully kept his machine gun right next to his pillow. He tossed and turned trying to get to sleep. Finally, he fell into a fitful slumber. He vaguely heard Troy and Moffitt talking as Troy took over guard duty. The sounds of Moffitt getting comfortable lulled him into another fitful sleep.
A rustling sound disturbed him. He tried to ignore it, thinking it was Moffitt tossing in his bed. He heard it again and something didn't seem right. Trying to keep his breathing light and even, he inched his hand toward his machine gun.
When Troy opened fire from his position above them, Tully rolled out of his blankets with the gun in his hands. He heard Moffitt yell a warning before he ducked under the jeep. He could hear the British sargent struggling with someone but he couldn't shoot because they looked like one big moving blob. He was about t go to Moffitts' aid when he heard a cry of pain. Without thinking, he rolled the rest of the way under the jeep and out the other side.
Two Arabs were dragging a struggling, bleeding Hitch by both arms. Even as Tully rolled to a stop Hitch's eyes met his and Hitch reached toward him. One of the Arabs jerked on his arm and Hitch cried out again. Tully aimed his machine gun but he was afraid of hitting the blond. He watched them drag his friend out of sight behind the rocks, just like in his dream. Hitch vanished, calling Tully's name.
With a scream of rage, Tully threw himself around the rocks, rolling on the ground and staying low. One of the Arabs released Hitch's arm and aimed his rifle at Tully. He made the mistake of stepping away from this struggling prisoner to make the shot. With a clear target, Tully opened fire. The now dead Arab fell backwards into Hitchcock and the second Arab. The second attacker jumped to his feet and tried to run. Tully wasn't about to let them hurt his friend and then just walk away. It was best to eliminate any further threat here and now. He cut the running man down before he could escape into the darkness.
Tully watched him fall before looking for another target. He suddenly realized that the camp was quiet again. Troy called from somewhere on the other side of the camp, answered by Moffitt. Tully waited, but Hitch didn't respond to the all-clear call. Jumping to his feet, Tully rushed to where his best friend was trapped under the body of the first Arab he had killed. Hitch's eyes were closed and his face was pale under the weak moonlight with the deep red blood running from a head wound. With trembling fingers Tully reached to check for a pulse.
"Tully?"
"It's Hitch. He's hurt."
Tully rolled the dead Arab to one side so Moffitt could kneel next to Hitch. The flashes from his dreams were coming back to haunt him. Hitch being pulled away, the cries of pain, and when Hitch disappeared behind the rocks, Tully had hoped he would wake up. This time the nightmare was real and Tully watched as Moffitt checked for a pulse.
"Tully, are you hurt?" Troy stood beside Tully watching him. Tully hadn't even heard him walk up.
"No, it's Hitch. They were dragging him away. I got to him as fast as I could." Tully looked up at his sargent with a haunted expression. Troy's eyes narrowed as he watched Tully.
"I think he's going to be alright Tully." Moffitt told him softly. "Could you get me some water and a first aid kit?"
Tully jerked around to look at Moffitt before he stared into Hitch's pale face. Finally he nodded and went to the jeep to get the supplies Moffitt needed.
Troy watched him go with a worried look on his face. While Tully was busy he knelt next to Moffitt and reached for his driver's limp hand.
"How bad is it?"
"I think he just got knocked out. Might have a concussion but I don't think so. He does have a dislocated shoulder. Tully got to him pretty quickly. It's a good thing he moved as fast as he did. I didn't even see them grab Hitch." Moffitt glanced over at the jeeps and lowered his voice. "Does Tully seem alright to you?"
"What do you mean?" Troy ask in the same quiet whisper.
"I don't know exactly. He just seems different. I've caught him checking to find Hitch a dozen times while Hitch was on guard duty. It's like he's afraid Hitch is going to disappear if he doesn't keep an eye on him. And then he's been bedding down almost on top of Hitch. And tonight he was sleeping with a weapon next to his pillow. Odd, that's all."
Tully chose that moment to come back with the canteen and first aid kit and Troy didn't get a chance to ask any more questions.
Hitch started to come around as soon as Moffitt wiped his face with the wet cloth. He tried to hide a groan as Moffitt cleaned the head wound.
"It's not too bad Hitch. Any blurry vision or seeing double?"
"Too dark to tell." The injured man mumbled.
"Headache?"
"Yeah."
"That's to be expected. You took quite a blow. You can thank Tully for getting to you so quickly. Troy and I didn't even know they were there."
Hitch raised his eyes to look at Tully before he dropped them again.
Moffitt bandaged his head and put his shoulder back in the socket. Hitch was breathing heavily by the time Moffitt pronounced him all fixed.
"You get some rest Hitch. Tully, watch him and keep an eye out for anymore uninvited visitors. Moffitt and I will drag these out into the desert. There are a few more scattered around the camp. We should be safe until morning but I don't want to take any chances."
Tully nodded and picked up the gun he'd set aside. Reluctant to leave Hitch, he climbed onto a rock right next to him to keep watch.
"Tully."
Tully looked down into Hitch's face. He could see the strain from the night had taken its toll. His friend looked tired and pale.
"Thanks."
"Anytime." Tully gave the usual response to the situation.
"No, I mean it. I thought they had me for sure."
"Sarge wouldn't have let that happen Hitch." Tully assured him, knowing in his heart that it was true.
"Sarge said he didn't see them. You're the only one who did." Hitch chewed on his lip as he looked up at Tully. "Lately, ever since I got captured that last time, I've been having this dream that I get caught and I call to you guys and…"
"And we can't reach you." Tully finished for him. "They drag you away and we can't catch up to you." He watched in surprise as Hitch began to slowly shake his head.
"No. I call you guys and you come running up and grab my hand. And you pull me back. They disappear and you guys are there. When these guys were dragging me away, I saw you roll out from under the jeep, and I knew you were going to pull me back. I just knew you wouldn't let them take me away. Just like in my dream. I wanted you to know I appreciate it."
Tully thought of his own dream. He wished that his had a happy ending. He glanced down at Hitch to see the blond nodding off to sleep. Watching his best friend relax and trust him to keep him safe, Tully suddenly realized that his own dream did have a happy ending. Hitch was safe, he had caught him, and he had saved him. He crawled off the rock and tucked the blankets tighter around his friends' shoulders. Standing up, he gripped his rifle more firmly and resumed his watch. No one would take any of his friends while he was on watch.
When Troy and Moffitt returned, Troy sent Moffitt to get some rest. Finding a seat next to Tully, he sat and watched the stars in the sky, trying to decide what he wanted to ask the younger man. Finally he decided the direct approach might be best.
"Tully. Moffitt seems to think that something is bothering you. He's noticed some unusual behavior lately. Do you feel like talking about it?"
Tully looked at his sargent before he let his gaze settle on Hitch sleeping peacefully near their feet.
Troy waited, not pushing for an answer.
Scenes from his dream flashed before his eyes when he closed them, but they felt different now. Now he could picture Hitch grabbing his hand and holding tight. He looked at his sleeping friend and started to talk.