bob

A thick fog covered the entirety of the woods on the morning of December 20th. With hardly any visibility, the outposts created just behind the front of the woods seemed like a waste of time. It was hard to spot the enemy across the large field between them and Foy. During the night, the sound of battle could be heard as 1st Battalion stormed into Foy – only to meet the Germans who were advancing through Noville. Both units fought through the night and the early hours of the morning. In the end, 1st Battalion pulled out of Foy – meaning the Germans now had Foy, Noville and most of the towns and villages around Bastogne. Winters's HQ was set up behind Easy and the 501st were on their right flank. Dog was somewhere to Easy's right and Fox was on the left. No one was placed in reserve this time. They didn't have a man to spare.

Rubbing a sore spot on his lower back, Toye climbed out of the foxhole and rose to his feet. He noticed the fog first and then Buck, who was approaching the Sergeant. "Did a cloud drop on us, Buck?" Toye remarked with light humour.

Buck snorted. "Looks that way, huh?" He asked, "How'd you sleep?"

"I've had better nights". Toye said, "You?"

"Gurno's boot was up my ass all night".

Toye grinned. "Jesus".

"You're telling me…". The humour left Buck's eyes when asking, "How's our kid?"

Smile dropping from his face, Toye shook his head. "I ain't sure what the hell's going on".

"She hasn't said a word?"

"Nope". Toye replied, "It's like she's shut down – closed up shop".

"We'll give her a job". Buck suggested, hopefully. "Keep her focused – maybe that's what she needs out here".

"She dug our foxhole". Toye said, "We did a pretty good job – got a roof and everything. But she didn't say a damn word while doing it".

"Where is she now?"

Toye gave a small nod toward his foxhole. "Sleeping".

"We're sending out some patrols". Buck said, "We've 'gotta see what's cooking".

"Yeah – alright". Toye said, "Which side do you want me at?"

"Right". Buck told him. "Grants taking the left".

"When?"

"Soon as you can". He said, "I ran into Heffron – he's coughing up a damn storm".

Toye sighed. "Jesus…well, he can't come".

"I'll keep him on OP". Buck assured him. "But your other fellas are up. Leo's got Hughes and Jackson chipping at their foxholes. Ed's doing the same. And your new guys are eager to get up and start moving around".

"I ain't taking the whole squad for a patrol". Toye mumbled. "I'll leave you some of them here for OP".

"Suites me". Buck smiled.

Toye rubbed his back again. "It's like I slept on a damn rock…".

"Aging sure has its drawbacks, Joe".

Toye huffed. "Yup".

The smile on Buck's face dwindled. "You 'wanna leave Nelly here?"

"Yeah". Toye said quietly, "Probably for the best".

Buck's eyes held a serious look. "Is she breaking?"

Toye shook his head. "I don't know, Buck. I'll keep an eye on her".

Buck left to speak with the other NCOs, leaving Toye to handle Nelly. Their roof was made up of branches, mud and a poncho. Toye lifted the roof and jumped down into the foxhole – Nelly was still curled up into the blanket, sleeping. Sitting close to the girl's head, Toye set his hand on her shoulder and her eyes opened. Turning her head, she stared up at the Sergeant.

"Morning, kid". Toye greeted. "Bit foggy out there but we've got work to do – let's get up".

Pulling the blanket off her body, Nelly sat up and shouldered her rifle before climbing out of the foxhole. Toye was right – it was foggy. But not just a "bit" foggy. It was like stepping into a fallen cloud. Nelly had never seen fog like it before. She had seen thick smoke but never thick fog. And it was cold – it was freezing, and it would only get worse. Shoulders tensed, they hiked up to her ears, in an attempt to keep warm. Nelly's hands went into her pockets, buried deep inside thin fabric. Her fingers twisted between loose pieces of thread.

"I've 'gotta take out a small patrol soon". Toye told her, "I want you to stick around here and help Buck with OPs".

With a somewhat dazed look about her, Nelly stared straight ahead and nodded. Nothing. She didn't even give him a hum of acknowledgement. Toye placed his hand on her shoulder and led Nelly away from the foxhole and toward 2nd Platoon's CP – which was a foxhole that Guarnere and Buck shared. Guarnere sat inside the foxhole, connecting wires up to a filed telephone. He had to have contact with their outposts at all times – the only way to do what was through a field telephone.

"Joe, Nelly". Guarnere greeted without taking his eyes off the phone. "Ready to see what's cooking, Joe?"

"You'd bet". Toye said, "Nelly's 'gonna hang back here with you and Buck".

Guarnere gave a nod, "Sure thing".

Toye gave Nelly's shoulder a squeeze before letting go. "I'll see you later, kid".

Guarnere shifted his eyes toward the girl for a brief moment. And then looked away when she remained silent. "Don't worry, Joe. She'll be here when 'ya get back".

"See you soon, Bill".

"See 'ya". When Toye walked away to fetch who he wanted for the patrol, Guarnere cleared his throat and looked over at Nelly. "'You know how to do this?"

She nodded.

"Well, you do it, Nelly". Guarnere said, "I've got other shit to deal with".

Stepping into the foxhole, Nelly sat down and grabbed the wires. Guarnere watched what she was doing for a moment – making sure Nelly was telling the truth. Satisfied, he left the foxhole and went off to tick other things off his long list. Guarnere had to place other guys on OP duty. And he had to figure out where they could find fresh water. But Guarnere soon found the man he was looking for – Babe.

"Where 'ya going?"

"OP". Babe replied.

"Nah, not anymore". Guarnere said, "Medics ain't got much. Take Spina, go back to Bastogne and see what you can find".

A tiny grin met Babe's lips. "And if they're serving hot food?"

"Then eat the damn food". Guarnere said – firmly. "Don't waste a hot meal, Babe. I ain't sure if we'll ever see one again". He added, "See if they've got something for that cough, huh?"

Babe nodded and asked, "Where's Bricks?"

"Back at our CP". Guarnere said, "She's wiring up the phone".

"Is she alright?"

"Don't worry 'bout, Nelly". Guarnere said, "You've got a job to do".

A sad smile reached Babe's face. "Cat still got a hold of her tongue, huh?"

Guarnere nodded and said through a tiny sigh, "Yeah…fucking cat – I'll rip its damn head off".

Babe huffed out a small laugh.

Guarnere gave a nod in the right direction. "Get Ralph, get lost".

"See 'ya Bill".

As soon as Babe disappeared in the fog, Lipton approached Guarnere and shook his hand. "Bill". He greeted him with a tiny smile.

"How's it going, Lip?"

"Take it you haven't seen Dike?" Lipton asked while ending the handshake.

"He ain't been around here". Guarnere grumbled. "Maybe Babe'll find him in Bastogne".

"Sure hope not". Lipton said, "We need him here".

"How's our line looking?"

"We're stretched out". Lipton said to him quietly, "A Kraut wandered into Winters's CP a couple of hours ago to take a shit".

Guarnere raised an eyebrow. "Jesus Christ". He said, "To Battalions right?"

"We think they're dug in behind our Battalion". Lipton said.

"I got Joe out on the right with a patrol". Guarnere said, "We'll soon find out, huh?"

"Right by Halte Station". Lipton pointed out. "On the Bizory and Foy Road".

"Krauts have got Foy, Noville, Bizory…are we fucking surrounded again?"

"It's looking that way, Bill". Lipton said to him softly.

Guarnere huffed out a laugh and said, "Good luck to them, huh?"

Lipton smiled small and the comment before mentioning, "I just spoke to Buck".

Nodding, Guarnere's arms crossed over his chest. "What'd he say?"

The 1st Sergeant sighed. "Nelly ain't talking".

"I got her working". Guarnere told Lipton. "She's still got a head on her shoulders, Lip. She ain't useless out here".

"But she's not talking". Lipton pointed out softly. "That's a problem, Bill".

"Heh – she'll talk". Guarnere didn't sound worried. "Ain't the first time she's been quiet, Lip. I ain't worried 'bout our girl".

"You tell me if you start to get worried, alright?"

"I will".

...

Men didn't start arriving back until it got dark. Guarnere was at the Platoon CP, manning the phone while men were stuck in OP for their two-hour shift. Not a lot had happened, patrols went out, men took any old job to keep warm and Guarnere hadn't heard anything alarming back from the men on outpost. He had mainly kept a close eye on Nelly while he did his job – Guarnere kept her close to him throughout the day. Babe arrived at the CP with no new medic supplies but a funny story about a German named Hinkle.

"I fell into the foxhole and a voice yells out from under me – 'Hinkle? Ist das du?' I scrambled right 'outta there and yelled back, 'Hinkle my ass'".

Guarnere snorted out a laugh. "Jesus". He asked, "So, you didn't find nothing?"

"No". Babe said, "Germans captured the 101st Medical Company. They took everything".

"Fuck…". Guarnere said through a tiny sigh. And then asked, "You get a hot meal?"

"Yeah, we did".

Guarnere nodded, "Good". And he huffed out another laugh, "Fucking Hinkle…".

Babe smiled – still amused by the ordeal. "It's pretty funny".

"The fellas will love it, Babe". Guarnere said, "You should tell 'em after you tell 'em we don't got no aid station, doctors, nurses or fucking medical supplies…".

After a short pause, Babe asked, "Where's Nelly?"

Guarnere pulled down his blanket a little, revealing the top of Nelly's helmet. Nelly was curled up against him, face buried somewhere below his ribs. And she was clinging onto Guarnere, like a teddy bear. Babe raised an amused eyebrow at Guarnere. "Shut up…". The Sergeant grunted.

"Joe back?" Babe asked.

"Not yet".

And then, appearing out of the fog was Toye. And he was running over to Guarnere and their CP – with an urgent look. Upon seeing the look on Toye's face, Guarnere peeled himself away from Nelly and climbed out of the foxhole to meet Toye halfway. The lack of warmth woke Nelly up – she sat up and looked over the edge of the foxhole, watching Guarnere and Toye.

"Shit". Babe whispered to himself.

Pulling herself out of the hole, Nelly rose to her feet and stood next to Babe. Something wasn't right – something must have happened for Toye to run. And appearing behind Toye, was a few guys from their squad. Jackson, Ed, Leonard and Lesniewski. But no Hughes.

Babe whispered again, "Shit…". When it suddenly dawned on him.

However, just as that thought was brought to Babe's mind, Hughes soon appeared next to Ed. Babe's shoulders dropped with relief – Hughes was okay. They all got back safely. Letting out a long sigh of relief, Babe set his hand on Nelly's shoulder. No one got hurt and no one died but something had happened.

"We ran into a damn patrol". Toye said to Guarnere. "At that fucking Bizory road – by the railroad tracks".

"What've they got?" Guarnere asked.

"Mortars, MG-42s…one of them threw a potato masher at Jackson, it bounced off the kid's helmet". Toye said, "We put up a fight but got the hell out of there – I told Winters on the way back".

"Krauts are right behind us". Leonard added. "And in front of us".

"Yeah, genius…we're surrounded". Guarnere muttered, "Shit – we 'gotta push those bastards away from our rear".

"What about Bastogne?" Jackson asked, "Are they behind us there?"

Guarnere nodded. "Chuck ran into some trouble – Babe fell into a damn Kraut foxhole on the way back from town".

"Shit…". Hughes said quietly, "They're everywhere, huh?"

"Hey – head up". Guarnere gave Hughes's arm a clap. "We're doing fine".

"Get back to your foxholes, guys". Toye ordered his squad. "Get something to eat".

"Thanks, Joe". Jackson sent him a tiny smile.

"Don't mention it, kid".

Guarnere's arms crossed over his chest, as he attempted to stop himself from shivering so much. When the rest of the squad left, he gave Toye a nod. "Okay, big guy?"

"Fine". Toye shouldered his rifle. His eyes soon spotted Nelly, who was standing next to Babe.

"Don't worry 'bout her". Guarnere said, "She's been my assistant all day".

Toye looked somewhat amused when staring at his friend. "Poor kid".

Guarnere chuckled. "Heh – I went easy on her".

"Winters is asking about her". Toye said, "Word must've got round to him".

"Ah…probably Lip or Buck – I ain't worried 'bout Nelly". Guarnere said, "She's still doing her job, 'ya know?"

Toye nodded and said, "I ain't taking her nowhere until she starts talking".

"No, you can't". Guarnere agreed. "Patrols rely on communication".

"I just don't get it, Bill". Toye murmured. "Why the silence, huh?"

Guarnere elbowed Toye's side gently. "Talk to doc".

"Yeah". Toye said through a sigh. "I'll talk to doc".