Three Platoons formed a half-circle around Captain Speirs. He barked out his usual "Company, Platoon, 'tenshun!' and the stamp of Easy's boots and the clack of their rifles echoed off the cobblestones. Bordering the squad was a manor and a steepled church, and when Captain Speirs growled 'at ease', the echo wasn't as noticeable then, when Easy stepped apart and shook their shoulders a bit.
Dallin was aware that it was the end.
But it was also the beginning.
"General Taylor is aware". Captain Speirs called out, "that many veterans – including Normandy veterans – still do not have the eight-five points required to be discharged. On this, the anniversary of D-Day, the General has authorized a lottery to send one man home in each Company. Effective immediately".
Several men let out low whistles.
But Dallin noticed the Sergeant's almost smiling.
They knew what was about to happen.
All expect Shifty of course, who was unaware. And her eyes remained on her fiancé. She was going to miss him. But she loved him so much, he didn't deserve to see another war. He was their best shot and Easy's best friend. Shifty was the kindest person she had ever met. He was patient, loving and one of the best soldiers the army had to offer.
Shifty was going home at last.
Harry Welsh smirked when he only noticed one slip of paper inside the helmet.
Handing it over to Speirs, the Captain readout;
"for Easy Company…". He drew out his words for emphasis, "the winner is…serial number one, three, zero, six, six, two, six, six…Sergeant Darrell C. Powers". His voice rose like a radio announcer.
Cheers soon erupted.
And Lieutenant Welsh's smirk soon turned into laughter.
"That's how it's done, Shifty!" Luz cheered.
Dallin clapped along with the men, tears reaching her eyes. But a large smile split across her face. God, she loved him so much. Shifty looked more than shocked. He still couldn't believe it but then, his eyes looked towards Dallin. Dropping his rifle, the man broke formation and walked over to her, shaking his head.
Swallowing back the lump in her throat, she told him;
"I will see you soon, Shifty".
Tears reached his eyes;
"baby…I can't leave you". He whispered, "no, I ain't 'gonna".
"If you stay…then we both go to Pacific". Dallin reminded him softly, "but if you leave, then I see you in just one month, Shifty. Then we will get married, buy a house and have babies".
She took his hand;
"okay, Shifty?"
One tear rolled down his cheek;
"I love you, Dill".
Feeling her heart burst, she mumbled back thickly;
"I love you lots and lots, Shifty".
Arms grabbing her, Shifty pulled Dallin in for a very passionate kiss in front of the entire Company. It didn't matter much now who saw because Shifty would be discharged from the army soon and no longer a Paratrooper. Arms going around his neck, Dallin kissed him back just as hard. Though it was a goodbye, it wasn't a permanent goodbye. Dallin almost felt stupid for the tears rolling down her face while they kissed.
When the kiss ended, the men continued to clap and cheer.
Closing his eyes, Shifty pressed his lips against her forehead.
Pulling back, Dallin stared up at him.
His thumb gently wiped a tear from her face;
"see you back home, baby".
Nodding, Dallin could feel her face start to crumble.
"Yes". She choked out, "now, go…Hayseed will show you to the loot…grab what you want".
Kissing his cheek first, Shifty then turned around and left.
Hand going over her mouth, Dallin took in a shaky breath. She could feel a tiny sob escape her, while more tears rolled down her cheek. But it was of pure joy because she watched Paul Rodgers and Popeye place Shifty on their shoulders. Grant and Malarkey were soon standing beside her, each with a hand on her shoulder. While Easy were informally dismissed, the three of them remained in the square, watching Shifty being escorted away by his happy Platoon.
Of course, Dallin had to see him off. She waited by the truck, with the other lucky winners from 2nd Battalion waiting inside for Shifty. The Sergeant from Easy was saying a final goodbye to Major Winters. Dallin could only imagine how strange that would have been for Shifty and perhaps, a little emotional for them both. It was the first time Winters was saying goodbye to a man who was going home without a wound.
When Shifty made it to the truck, his eyes looked a little wet.
Reaching up, Dallin wiped those stray tears away;
"love you, Shifty".
Sighing, he pressed his forehead against hers;
"I'm 'gonna miss you so much, Dallin…I've been seeing you every day for the past-"
"I know". Dallin cut him off softly, "but soon, I will see you every day…in a bed, with no war. And no fighting. This is a good thing, Shifty. I promise you".
They kissed again.
The driver of the truck slapped his hand against the door;
"you the guy from Easy? Get in. 'Gotta get a move on, kid".
Pulling back from the kiss, Dallin smiled up at him;
"see you very soon, Shifty".
"See you soon, baby".
A kid from Fox Company offered Shifty a hand to help him onto the back of the truck. And when the truck started rolling away, Shifty remained standing and stared at Dallin. She waved at him, he continued to stare. The pair of them didn't look away. And Dallin remained standing outside of the giant villa, even as the truck rounded the corner. She wasn't alone for long, however, Winters was soon standing next to her.
His hand went on her shoulder.
Dallin watched the truck until it disappeared from sight.
When she could longer see the truck or Shifty, Dallin could feel a tear slip down her cheek. Sniffing, she quickly wiped it away, before looking up at Winters, meaning to apologise but the man's eyes were a little watery too. Frowning, she wrapped an arm around his waist;
"it went to…the right man, sir".
Nodding with a tiny sigh, Winters mumbled;
"yeah, it did".
Rubbing her lips together, Dallin added;
"we rigged the vote".
Winters choked out a small laugh;
"why am I not surprised?"
"Lieutenant Welsh was".
Winters wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Looking down at her, he asked;
"you 'gonna be alright?"
Lips twitching, Dallin nodded;
"yes…I will see Shifty in a few weeks, sir".
But she then admitted to him quietly;
"I miss him already".
…
To stop herself from falling into a pit of sadness, Dallin decided to read another chapter of The Hobbit to the children in the infirmary. They sat around her, forming a small circle. Anyone was welcome to listen, not just the children. Some of the men and women would listen to the story, but they remained lying in their beds. Dallin was aware that most of the children she was reading to were orphans. And that put a sore in her soul. Because one day, this camp would not exist, and she worried where the children would end up.
Starting chapter three, the man who Dallin first met inside the infirmary began to stir. She didn't notice it at first, not until he started to yell out nonsensical words. Because he hadn't spoken for a while, his voice cracked and was often hoarse. Dallin stopped reading and frowned, assuming the man was having a nightmare or was in a great deal of pain. It was hard to tell because his face was still bandaged up.
One of the doctors gave him a shot of something, that soon settled the man. Dallin paused her reading and walked over to the doctor;
"is he okay?"
It was Major Kent again, the same man from the camp in Landsberg;
"I'm thinking it was a nightmare or a flashback. It's not uncommon for the DP's to experience horrendous flashbacks, Sergeant".
Dallin frowned;
"he has not said anything else?"
Kent shook his head;
"no…he's started drinking more water but…he hardly eats. I can't help him if he doesn't 'wanna get better".
Dallin was about to make a comment, but Speirs soon burst into the infirmary;
"Dill…I need a word".
His expression said it all, something terrible had happened. The book slipped out of her hands, while she walked quickly over to the Captain. She could already feel her heart in her throat. Speirs led her outside and kept his hand on her shoulder while telling her;
"Shifty was in an accident…".
Dallin could hear him, but it sounded as though she was underwater.
It felt like the earth was about to swallow her up.
She was in a state of disbelief.
Dallin couldn't believe it.
"…he broke his wrist, shattered his pelvis and has a serious injury to his head but…they're doing all they can…he's going in for an operation tomorrow morning…he's only woken up once…".
Blinking, Dallin swayed a little on the spot.
Speirs's hand tightened on her shoulder;
"Dallin, I'll give you a pass to see him…but it won't be for a few weeks".
Body shaking slightly, she whispered;
"he will…die?"
Frowning, Speirs shook his head;
"no". He told her softly, "no, he's 'gonna be fine, huh? First thing he said when he woke up, was your name".
Hand going on her forehead, she let out a breathless sob;
"why does this…it is not fair!"
Speirs watched her with a deep frown;
"yeah, I know". He murmured, "it's not fair at all".
It hurt because it was unfair, and it hurt because she couldn't be there with him. Dallin was in a small state of shock. Though she had let out a sob, it was tearless and dry. Getting into the jeep, she was numbly driven back to Zell am See but Dallin didn't stick around. Looking towards the mountain path, she decided to pay McClung a visit. He was seldom around, it was his job to hunt for food, to feed the men and the DP's. Easy was lucky to see him maybe once or twice a week.
While walking up to his isolated campsite, Dallin couldn't help but think the world had turned upside down again. Shifty hadn't been wounded once out in combat but just as he was going home, the fates decided to hurt him badly. She wondered if McClung was better off not knowing, he was happy living in the mountains and hunting by himself. But the fire he started was inviting and Dallin sat down next to him.
He offered her a piece of meat.
She refused.
Shrugging, McClung said;
"it's from a little goat…chamois they call 'em…funny little things".
Staring into the flame, Dallin whispered;
"Shifty is hurt".
McClung frowned;
"what?"
"He got into…trunk accident. He stays in hospital now. Speirs tells me he gets an operation tomorrow-"
"that's bullshit!" McClung exclaimed while rising to his feet, "absolute…bullshit! He never got hit once, why the fuck is he getting it now?"
He kicked a rock into the flames.
"Dammit!"
Dallin's face crumbled;
"I know…". She said, while her breathing hitched, "I know…it's not fair".
Burying her face into her hands, Dallin breathed out a sob.
Tears rolled down her cheeks;
"what if…if he-"
"nah, come on…". McClung sat down next to her again, "he's 'gonna be fine, Dill".
"I can't, Earl". Dallin cried, "Shifty…he is my…my whole…my heart…".
Struggling to breathe now, Dallin's sobbing got louder;
"I will die…without him…".
McClung wrapped his arms around her, holding Dallin into his side tightly.
Shaking his head, he firmly told her;
"we ain't losing him, Dill".
"I just…I want to…to hold him". She said brokenly, between sobs.
"I know, Dill". McClung murmured, "and you're 'gonna…you know, you and Shift are 'gonna hold each other for years. And you're 'gonna get married, have a ton of babies and you're both 'gonna be tired as hell from those little ones waking you both up".
"Hey". A quiet voice greeted.
McClung looked up;
"was wondering when you'd show up, Popeye".
For once, the man wasn't smiling.
Popeye sat down on Dallin's other side and mumbled;
"can't do nothing but think…I ain't much of a praying man but…I sure as hell pray for our buddy".
"He's 'gonna be fine". McClung told him, "that boy has too much to live for, he's 'gonna put up one hell of a fight".
A spell of silence went over them.
Where they could only hear the crackling of the fire and Dallin's wet sniffs.
Then, McClung whispered;
"was too busy hunting up here…didn't even get to say goodbye to him".
Dallin pulled back from the hold and looked up at him.
Tears still rolling down her face, she whispered;
"he knows that you will miss him, Earl".
He sighed;
"yeah, well…should've come down, and shook his hand or something". He mumbled, "told him that he sure done me proud…he done all of us proud".
Dallin's face crumbled again;
"he knows". She croaked, "I tell him…every day".
Popeye rubbed her back;
"I'm glad you told him that all the time, Dill".
Nodding, she mumbled tearfully;
"I am proud…of you all". She said, "you were all…boys, we were just children in Toccoa. And I am so honoured because I got to watch you all grow up and turn into men. I see you all become Sergeants…I cannot think of anything more rewarding".
Sighing, Popeye pressed his face against her back;
"thanks, Dill". He whispered.
"Do you remember high school graduation?" McClung asked.
"No". They both replied.
McClung smiled a little;
"well…me and the fellas, we reckoned we'd all be buddies for life, you know? When we all go home, it ain't 'gonna feel like graduation. Cause I didn't just meet a bunch of buddies, I met my brothers…and an unexpected sister".
"We ain't going nowhere yet". Popeye said, "we still got one month".
"Then we 'oughtta make it count". McClung whispered, "until we know that Shift's 'gonna be alright".
With a small smile, Popeye asked;
"you hear about that huge kiss out on parade, Earl?"
Shaking his head, McClung chuckled softly;
"wasn't you kissing the Lieutenant, Pop?"
Popeye shuddered;
"nah…was Shift and our Dill…we was all cheering them on, huh?"
McClung sighed;
"young love…".
"I reckon I cheered the loudest, you know". Popeye mused, "reckon Shift'll pick me to be his best man".
McClung sent him a tiny glare;
"the games on, Pop".
"You know, I don't care who he picks, Earl". Popeye said, "we're both pretty great".
"Whoever he don't pick, they can name their first kid after him".
Popeye nodded in approval;
"that's a good idea".
"Fuck the fuck off…". Dallin mumbled, "I do not want a Popeye or One Lung McClung. You are both crazy boys".
The pair of them chuckled;
"hey, we'd be happy just to know they're healthy, Dill". McClung smiled. "And you know, they 'gotta see their Uncles Pop and Earl during the holidays, huh?"
"Dill, if you cook up a mean turkey, we'll come for Thanksgiving". Popeye added.
Looking at them both, she asked;
"you both promise?"
"Yup". McClung grinned, "you can cook, right?"
Dallin shook her head, with a tiny snort;
"no…Shifty will cook".
Popeye laughed;
"I 'wanna see that fella in an apron".