A/N Here's chapter two. The bold writing is Hawkeye's thoughts.
Chapter 2
It had been a month since Hawkeye had woken up screaming. Everyone was still worried; Hawkeye hadn't been out of the swamp and still no one knew what was in the letter. Sidney Friedman had been called in by the others. He'd been talking to Hawkeye everyday and even he didn't know what was going on. Sidney was the only person Hawkeye would talk to and that took a lot of negotiation. Margaret visited him everyday hoping to get some sign so she could help.
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Hawkeye lay in his cot. Thinking. He knew Sidney would be along soon. He couldn't face him. Not today. He didn't feel like talking. He had to get out of there.
I've got to make a plan. I want to break away. I can't take much more of this, the non stop wounded, standing in pools of blood day after day.…………I know, I'll go in the next lot of wounded. No-one will miss me. I'll just pack a bag and run. They'll all be busy with the wounded. As long as I can get outside the camp. I'll be fine.
At that point, Sidney walked through the door. Hawkeye just turned over and pretended to be asleep. Sidney knew what he was doing so instead of the usual: "Hi Hawkeye, how are we today?" He just sat in the chair next to him and helped himself to a martini from the still.
Hawkeye felt so depressed. Who would have though a letter could do this to him? Its only paper and ink, yet its had such a big impact. He doesn't recognise himself anymore. Hawkeye is a funny guy who makes wise cracks at any given chance, not someone who feels depressed over a letter, someone who can't leave his tent because he can't face his friends. He should be talking to them, not avoiding them.
Then over the radio came what Hawkeye had been waiting for: "Incoming wounded. All medical teams to the OR. Sorry guys but this is going to be a long one."
Hawkeye couldn't help but smile. Usually when he heard that he felt sick. He hated it. But now he was overcome with joy. He knew this could be his only chance to escape. As he heard the commotion coming from the OR, he packed a few essentials, checked the coast was clear and ran. He didn't take any last looks back. He just ran past Rosie's bar, until the camp was far in the distance. The sky was beginning to get darker so he found a place to rest and hide. He wondered if anybody would miss him.