"Guys
"Guys. Come on Give it back. Please I'm about to be late! PLEASE, just stop screwing around." I said Standing hopelessly in the freezing Connecticut snow.
My brother Eion and I attended Canterbury Prep in Connecticut, along with our childhood friend Roger Callahan. I had about 10 minutes before my last class of the semester started, and my twin brother and his friend had commandeered my satchel and were trying to prevent me from my perfect attendance and ruin my life.
"Seriously, you think I'm gonna let you stupid boys ruin my record! I will get to class on time If it's the last thing I do" I practically screamed as I lunged at my brother. He threw it over my head and Roger caught it.
They laughed as my face got even redder.
"Roger not you too! I thought you were the nice one." I said with a pout on my lip, trying to convince him subconsciously to hand it over.
"Guess you thought wrong" he said, totally ignoring my puppy dog face, and smirking.
"ERRRRG" I grunted as I tried to catch it, while it soared over my head.
A warning bell wrung out around campus, and I was beyond frustrated.
Prepared to leave my books behind, HOPING that they would have the decency to return them eventually, I began to sulk off to class.
"Oh come on Emmaline. You are ridiculous. You take the fun out of everything" my brother played as he thrust the bag into my mittened hands.
"Ugg, FINALLY, I said over my shoulder, as I turned to run to my next class.
"Ill see ya later, jerks."
--
As I precariously opened the door to Algebra, My professor, with out even giving me a glance sternly called me out in front of the auditorium style class room.
"Ms. McCullough?! You are very lucky, you made it one minute to spare, and I know how much punctuality means to you."
Slinking sheepishly over to my seat as Mr. Wilson began his mini lecture.
Sitting down my best friend Missy Robertson started to talk to me, as was the normal order of our many classes together.
"Hey Darling, Christmas Break is in like one DAY! I feel like my entire life has been leading up to that one moment, but instead I'm stuck in this stupid math class. ugh So, anyways how have you been since English."
"Hey," I replied," I'm good, just got accosted by my brother and Rog. They took my bag and were playing keep away for a while. I'm just starting to thaw out actually. But anyways, I'm SO excited for Christmas. A MONTH of vacation, how exciting. Just promise you won't forget me!"
"How could I…" she began to reply, but was interrupted by a throat being cleared at the front of the class.
Looking up, Mr. Wilson, made eye contact. "Ladies, are you through? Can we continue with the last lesson? This is your last chance for questions and we are going to have our last test in about 15 minutes. So I suggest that you pay attention.
Slightly embarrassed, missy and I uttered in unison "Yes sir".
When the time came, Mr. Wilson passed out the test papers, and we readied our minds and pencils.
All was silent, until missy whispered to me "What's the date?"
"Seriously, break starts tomorrow, and you don't know the date?" I whispered back.
"I only remember days, not dates, give me a break." She rebutted.
Chuckling at her, I answered her question." It's the December 5th, 1941, all day long"
"Thanks," Missy said, while scribing it down at the heading of her paper.
--
Saturday morning, I woke up to see Missy off. Hugging her and sending her off with a wave, I went to finish my packing.
Eion, Roger, and I weren't leaving until Sunday morning, so I had the whole day to pack, and chill out in the dorms, or in the common room.
The day was rather unproductive and boring. Around 7 o clock, I was just about to leave and head to the Dining hall and join the other students who either wouldn't be leaving this winter, or were, like myself waiting for the morn. But, right as I went to open the door, my brother stood on the other side, with a surprised look on his face.
"Oh, Hey, I thought you would have headed down to the hall by now?!" he said rather inquisitively
"I was bu…Hey, what are you doing down here anyways. We've been her 4 years, you know you can't come into the Girls Dorms." I said accusatively
"Don't worry about it, I wasn't going to try nothing. I was just coming to get my history book, im gonna need to study for vacation work, while were on the train. Besides, its not like that rule even matters, I wouldn't do anything with these ugly stuck up broads."
"Hey!" I said, rather offended
"Im just kidding. Your friend missy, she's one slice, ill give the girls dorms that!" Eion stated, outlining a figure with his hands, and blowing a wolf whistle.
"Eww, you are gross" I replied, while rummaging for his book in my bags.
"Here," I said chucking it too him from across the room.
"Oh, I also came in here, to make sure you were packed, we need to be at the station by 10, and we'll be getting to Boston at about 1"
"Yup, I'm all packed" I said, signaling to my bags that waited next to the door, with the exception, of a few articles of clothing, I intended to wear on Sunday.
"okay, well I'm gonna go put this with my stuff" Eion said, raising the book in the air," and ill see ya at dinner"
"Okay, see ya in a few" I said closing the door behind him
--
Waking up at around 6:30 I got ready. Despite the traveling, I wanted to look really nice.
I took a lot of care in getting ready, putting my hair in a dignified bun at the nape of my neck, and applying my make-up carefully. I put on a wine red, button down dress, and with a thick grey sweater, I accentuated the Christmassy mood I was in. Then I pulled on a pair of black pumps, to add some height to my 5'3" petite build. I was ready to go home
I looked positively divine. Mother and Daddy would be so excited to see how womanly I had become since they saw me last at our Boston Brownstone in July. Plus, our neighbor, John Bedington, would be there, and let me tell you, I had had a crush on that boy since my rug rat days. And he had a crush on me too.
--
Boarding the train at the New Milford station, Eion and I were fidgety the whole way home. We hadn't been back since summer, and were anxious to be in the throws of our family's warmth once again. We had been away from Boston too long.
When we finally pulled up to the Back Bay station, we excitedly scanned the crowd, from out our window. Unable to find our parents from that vantage point, Eion suggested that we get our belongings and go out onto the platform to search the mass of people.
As we off loaded, I stood on my tip toes to search over the heads of every one around me, but to little success.
Looking back, everyone seemed flustered and worried, but at the time I paid it no mind. I was only worried about finding my parents and John, and getting to that childhood home of mine, to relax and reminisce.
After about 10 minutes, Eion finally caught sight of them. The two of us began to wave frantically.
When My parents saw us, they rushed over. Tears in my mothers eyes, Eion and I knew something was terribly wrong. Clinging to my father, I was scared all of a sudden.
"Daddy," I asked," What happened?!"
Taking a minute to respond, I felt like my life was hanging in the balance.
Finally he responded, looking at Eion, square in the face.
"Our country has been attacked."
To that my brother lowered his head," We are at war then"
The rest of my family seemed to accept that fact, but I could not wrap my head around it. What exactly did this all mean?
Two days ago I knew what was happening in my world, but at this moment, I felt my world disintegrating.
--
april, 1944
Pushing my sweaty hair out of my eyes, i rushed to a cabinet in the corner. I was on a mission.
"Quick Emmaline, I need 400ccs of plasma and some morphine!!"
"Im on it" I bellowed across the crowded hall.
I moved nimbly through the cluttered shelves, finding what I needed. Not of course before i was bumped and knocked into bythe countless surgeons and nurses, rumaging alike.
"EMMALINE, HURRY"
Winding in and out of occupied beds, and screaming service men calling out for their mothers, I finally made it back to the surgeon and the operating table.
Running up and placing the bottle of plasma in the doctor's hand, i quickly administered the morphine. Putting my hands over the man's gushing chest wound, i tried to administer pressure, and sop up the free flowing blood, as the surgeon worked steadfastly at clamping the severed artery that was causing all the problems.
Gurgling sounds began to escape the man's throat, and blood squirted out of his mouth and nose. His lungs were full of the red, hot liquid that was supposed to mean life, yet was ironically stealling his, slowly and painfully. With a roll of his eyes and a drop of his arm, he passed.
The surgeon I was assisting dropped his head and muttered a barely audiable "fuck this war".
Internally agreeing, i left adn walked over to a lareg basin full of red tinged water, to scrub my blood stained hands to the best of my abilities. After taking a breath i walked urgently on to the next victim.
--
"Eion you cant go. I wont be able to live if you get hurt." i stumbled to get out through sobs and tears.
"Em, I promise. Nothing will happen. Nothing. You have my word" Eion tried to reassure me.
I knew that he really had no controll over what would happen in our future, but somehow what he said struck home, and made me feel ten times better about him leaving.
Eion had joined the Army Rangers two days after we got home from school, and found out about the attack on Pearl Harbor. He would have joined that day, but our mother made it abundently clear that no son of hers would fight. Soon enought though, Eion and our father made it clear to her that it was either that or the draft. So, after nearly a year of training he was home again for a week furlough before the inveitable.
"Besides, its not like im going any where dangerous. Africa is just hot right now. Nothing more to get your pants in a bunch about other than a few snakes and scorpians. Think about it as a trip to Arizona."
"Eion, Seriously? Africa is only a boat trip away from Europe, and Hitler himself. Please Eion, just dont go." I pleaded with him.
Subconsiencely though i knew that by morning he would be on a ship, and there was really no way i could stop it.
Mornin approached and along with it, the dreaded departure. At 0800 Eion boarded a bus taht would take him from Boston to New York and a waiting troop ship.
Oh how I wished i could have gone with him. I loved him so much, and despite how much he bugged me sometimes, a lifetime of minor annoyances was well worth it, if it meant he could stay with me.
--
It was late and the majority of the casualties had either died, or were trying to sleep. After being awake for fourty-four hours, i was finally allowed to retire to our makeshift barracks.
Slowly, and bleary-eyed, i walked through the jungle of tents trying to find mine. "543rd Field Medical Unit- Barracks A" announced a huge black and white sign attached to the olive drab tent. The only thing to distinguish it from the thousands around me. I made my way in and collapsed onto a cot, hoping that it was mine. This was the only semblence of comfort I had felt in days. As sleep slowly but suredly washed over me i felt like i was finally at home, resting, and taking a load off my blistered and swollen feet.
It was hard to believe that i considered these conditions warm and comforting.
--
It seemed like only mere minutes until an alarm was blaring in my ears.
Despite being in Italy, the Germans had sent plenty Stukas and Messerschmitts to keep us company. Unfortunatley their bullets and bombs werent very comforting. Really, they only made my job a HELL of a lot worse.
After lying in bed a few seconds to take it all in, i sprang up and ran back to the field hospital where for some odd reason I had been spending most of my time recently. Wherever i was needed, i quickly attended. It was a rough night. I saw kids, little boys practically, of 16 and 17 riddled with bullets, adn boys whose skin was completely burned off by incendiary bombs. Unfortunately none of this was new.
I was running from table to table, seeing who needed assistance, when i came across a green surgeon, looking absolutley flustered, with a flailing burn victim, lying in anguish, in front of him.
"Doc, DOC!!" I yelled, trying to snap the young doctor out of his haze. He seemed fresh out of military school, like he had never touched a real dying man.
"doc, You NEED to go get morphine, and get some salve for the burns, it can help in the lighter areas" I said sternly but patiently, ordering this youg man to help.
"I'll start on him, you go"
With a thankful look, the surgeon ran to the line of shelves in the back for supplies. I quickly ripped the mans already threadbarren ODs off his body and started to work. Several pieces of shrapnel had been released through this mans body. Burning and scorching their way through his skin and into the muscle, some pieces absolutley pulverizing the bone in places. Taking a second to get my bearings, i realised that this man had been through so much, and i wasnt going to let him die. I had seen too many young men die under my care. I began to remove teh bigger pieces of shrapnel, when i realised that despite his wailing and thrashing, the boy's lung had been pierced. calling for help, i tried my best to stablize him. As he began to wan, i gave him a shot of addrenaline, to bring him back to reality.
"Come on, Youre gonna make it. Come ON. Private, YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT, COME ON, DONT DIE ON ME!"
As tears rushed to my eyes, i pulled out more hot metal from the boys cooling body. I couldnt let him go, and i couldnt figure out why. Most likely it was the lack of sleep, or maybe hysteria from beeing around so much death. Whatever the reason, i could not let him die.
But God had a different need.
While tears rolled down my cheeks, and this mans blood soaked throught my clothes, he began to falter.
"Ma." he said
No, oh no, he was leaving.
"Ma?" he called again, with a tinge of concern in his voice.
His thrashing had stopped and he was calmer. The addrenaline had taken its course and was no depleted.
He was no longer feeling the pain of this world.
Slowly, so very slowly, he let out a sigh. Like he had been holding it in the entire time.
He was dead.
"DAMNIT! GOD WHY!! DAMNIT, FUCK THIS, FUCK THIS WAR."
Tears mingled with sweat on my cheeks, as i sobbed. I was so sick of this, of everything. This whole damn war. Why did perfectly innocent young men have to DIE in this HOT, sweaty, Stinking tent.
I collapsed to the floor, where i sat in the fetal position for a few seconds while the doctor and nurse that had been asisting me left.
I gathered myself, and my dignity, and rose off the floor to see who's poor mother would be getting a visit from the Western Union people.
slowly lifting my hand to the boys neck, i gatherd his dog tags in my hand, and fingered the embossed lettering before taking a look.
heaving a deep breath i glanced at them.
Eion Michael McCullough
3670782 t42
Boston, Massachussetts
Catholic
Oh My God. Eion.
after that everything went black.
--