Chapter 5

After getting a stretcher and returning Hawkeye to his cot, Henry asked Sidney the same question.

"It sounded like he was reliving the death of someone close to him."

"Well who died?"

"We'll concentrate on that later. Right now we have to find out what happened during the shelling."

"Why?"

"Because obviously something happened to make him reflect on the death of someone important, now let's go!"

They left the Swamp, Sidney leading.

"Where are we going?"

"Radar."

"What does he have to do with this?"

"He should know who was with Hawkeye during the shelling."

"Well when they left, it was only him and the driver."

"Good, now we'll find out what happened to him."

They went into the office and Sidney went over to where Radar was sleeping.

"Radar, wake up."

He rolled over.

"I can't go to school today, I'm sick."

He tapped him on the shoulder.

"Radar, wake up!"

He sat up quickly.

"He made me do it!"

Trapper laughed and leaned on the wall to keep from falling over.

"Oh, be quiet!"

Radar put on his glasses and looked at Sidney.

"What?"

"We need you to tell us what happened to the driver, the one who was driving Hawkeye's jeep during the shelling."

"Well how am I supposed to know? I wasn't there!"

His expression changed.

"Oh yeah,"

"What?"

"Well he uh, sorta died."

"Tell me everything about him."

"Well I don't know anything, I don't even know his name!"

"C'mon Radar, think."

"Well, he was wearing a wedding ring, so he was married. Oh, and they found this picture, it was of a lady and a baby."

"Thanks Radar, that's all I needed to know."

"You can go back to sleep now." Trapper said.

They walked out and Radar's mouth dropped open.

"Is that all I am to you? Some thing you can wake up in the middle of the night, ask for information about dead people, then tell it to go back to sleep? See if I ever help you again!"

He shouted, then threw his head back onto his pillow.

"Ow! My glasses!"

"You know, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to leave Hawk alone again." Trapper said.

They hurried back to the Swamp, but Hawkeye was still on his cot, sleeping like a baby.

"At least he's getting his rest. I'll speak to him in the morning, let's go Henry. Trapper, make sure he doesn't leave. Good night. Or should I say good morning."

"See ya." Trapper said as they left, then turned to Hawkeye. "And now to make sure you don't go anywhere, while I sleep."

Five minutes later, he had constructed a simple, but useful. something.

If Hawkeye opened the door, it would pull a string that was attached to a martini glass above Trappers cot, and the string would pull the glass over, tipping three olives onto Trapper's face.

"Easy, yet effective."

He threw himself onto his cot and quickly fell asleep.

The next day Trapper, Henry and Sidney were still asleep at 9:30, exhausted from the earlier that morning. At 9:45 Trapper woke up, groaned, and turned to Hawkeye's cot. He was sitting on his footlocker, staring at the string that was attached to the door.

"Hey Hawk, awake already?"

He kept staring at the string.

"Here, I can get rid of that now, I'm awake."

He put his bathrobe on and untied the string. Leaving all three olives in the glass, he poured himself a drink, then one for Hawkeye out of habit. He was about to give it to him, but stopped himself.

"Wait, how old are you?"

He held up ten fingers.

"O.K."

He drank Hawkeye's drink, then sipped his own.

"So. How you feeling today?"

"O.K. I guess."

"Good, you're talking to me."

"Yeah."

"When Sidney wakes up he's gonna wanna talk to you."

"Who's Sidney?"

"Oh uh, the guy you ate with yesterday."

"Oh, him."

"Yeah. Do you um, remember saying anything last night?"

"NO. I was asleep."

"O.K. just wondering. You hungry?"

He nodded.

"C'mon, let's go. I must warn you though, the food is less than filling and even less appetizing."

He led Hawkeye to the mess tent, trying to keep everything as normal as possible.

He got Hawkeye and himself some food, and sat at the table nearest the doors.

Hawkeye made a face.

"This food is awful."

"I know, but it's all we've got."

"Trapper,"

Sidney entered the tent.

"Oh hey Sidney."

He sat across from them.

"He's feeling better?"

"Yeah. He's ten, by the way."

"Uh huh."

He turned to Hawkeye.

"Hawkeye, would it be O.K. if I talked to you?"

He nodded.

"O.K., come on."

Back at the Swamp, Sidney sat Hawkeye down on his cot and sat on Trapper's.

"So," He began. "How're you feeling?"

"I'm fine. But the food gave me a stomach ache."

"It'll do that. You're ten right?"

He nodded.

"That's a good age."

His eyes dropped to the floor.

"Not for me."

"Why, what's wrong?"

He sniffed.

"Nothing."

"If something's bothering you, you can tell me."

Hawkeye kept staring at the floor.

"Did something happen?"

Still staring at the floor he said nothing.

"You can trust me."

"I can't trust anybody! They lie. He lied to me!"

"Who lied to you?"

"He lied and now she's gone!"

Tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"It's O.K., who's gone?"

He let out a sob.

"Dad lied to me!"

Sidney heard this and began to piece everything together.

"Tell me what happened."

He shut his eyes and shook his head.

"No."

"You have to tell me, what happened?"

"No! I won't talk about it and it'll go away! She left me, I don't want to see her! I don't want to see anybody!"

"Hawkeye, you have to tell me, you have to face it."

"NO! You can't make me!"

"Then I'll tell you. All your life you were told she could get through anything, stronger than all her foes. Then, she died. Your mother left you and you felt your father lied to you. You were also upset that your mother"

"Left me." Hawkeye continued. "She left me, dad lied to me. I don't want to see either of them!"

He began to cry, loud heart-wrenching sobs.

"I didn't go to her funeral, I never said goodbye! I never forgave dad!"

He drew a shuddering breath.

"I love you dad, I'm sorry, it's O.K.! You didn't lie! I love you mom, I love you! You were the best mom in the world and I miss you! Goodbye."

He began to cry uncontrollably and Sidney tried to comfort him.

After a while he cried himself to sleep and Sidney left.