Chapter Two: Unintended Infatuation
Private K. Shea stood still for a moment, scanning the horizon for any sign of enemy activity. But all she could see was the endless rolling green hills, green trees, the greeny brown backs of her comrades and the fluff balls of wayward sheep.
She couldn't believe the contrast on the scenery that surrounded her compared to the dismal and muddy environment of Omaha Beach. She remembered how terrified she had felt when she had first dragged herself out of the churning water and onto the chaotic beach. Images of those men screaming for their mothers as they lay dying made her heart race fearfully. That could be her if she wasn't careful.
Shea frowned a little. Being submersed in your own thoughts won't help, she thought sourly, you need to keep focused. Shea then shook her head to get rid of those horrifying moments and gazed about herself again. As she looked ahead she saw Reiben on point followed by the Captain, who were both starting to climb a hill.
She didn't realise at first that her eyes had wandered onto the backside of the man in front of her, who happened to be the squad's sharpshooter Private Jackson. It was only at Carparzo's whistle and Mellish's cat call did she realise.
Blushing furiously and moving at a quicker pace, Shea tilted her helmet over her face to hide her embarrassment. But hiding herself away only fed the two soldiers' fun.
"Hey Jackson! It seems like Shea is getting a good view there!" smirked Mellish. Jackson turned his head in confusion, not to mention all of the squad. Caparzo grinned with amusement and laughed at Shea's growing discomfort.
"What are you on 'bout Caparzo?" Frowned Jackson. Miller had stopped at the top of the hill, waiting with him were Reiben, Sergeant Horvath, Wade the squad medic and Upham. The captain frowned in disapproval and irritatingly folded up his map.
"Caparzo, Mellish, Shea! Get up here already!" yelled Horvath. Shea scowled at Caparzo who merely shrugged and walked on.
Shea stayed in front of Jackson so not to get Caparzo and Mellish worked up again. Her face was still burning as they trudged onwards. Shea was greatly relieved when Upham broke the silence by annoying Mellish, only just tapping him on the shoulder.
"Hey, do you want you head blown off you fancy little fuck? Don't touch me with those little rat claws again. Get the fuck back in formation." Snapped Mellish as Upham skittered away from him, raising his hands.
"Just wondering where you're from, that's all…" Upham muttered and moved nervously up to Caparzo when he received a glare from Mellish.
"Caparzo is it?" asked Upham.
"Drop dead Corporal." Answered straight away. Shea scowled at him from behind. These two seemed to be complete jerks.
"Got you" Upham said reject-fully.
"Hey every time you go saluting the Captain you make him a target for the Germans. So do us a favour: don't do it. Especially when I'm standing next to him." Caparzo added selfishly. Upham stared at him with shock widened eyes.
"Don't come near me again, kapish?" said the private lazily as he breathed out a cloud of smoke.
"Er kapish." Shea saw her opportunity and moved next to Upham.
"Don't pay attention to them; they're just simple minded jerks who probably got the amount of brains as that there tree between the both of them." Shea told Upham with a smirk as the rest of the squad started laughing. Shea turned her head around to look at Caparzo and Mellish, who satisfyingly looked stunned by her remark.
Feeling a little smug, Shea walked on with her head up and a grin spread across her face. She could hear the two of them bickering which increased the size of her grin.
To her left Wade was inquiring Upham about his book. She listened quietly to those around her, silently getting to know them better by their habits as they crossed field after field. As she walked on with her gaze fixed forward, determined to keep her attention firmly fixed on where she was treading, she didn't noticed Jackson watching her with a small smile on his face.
In no time another backlash, in which Caparzo had no restraint from starting, had erupted. This time, however, it was about the 'bonds of brotherhood which soldiers develop during war', as Upham had put it. Shea listened a little more intently. I suppose I wouldn't be included in this 'brotherhood', thought Shea, after all I aint a guy. Before long the men had begun to talk about the Captain, trying to get poor Upham to bombard their commanding officer with questions about his home.
"You wanna explain the math of this to me?" Shea lifted her head instantly. This was the first time she had heard Reiben speak for a long while. Normally you couldn't get him to shut up, especially when he's torturing Sergeant Horvath like a school boy would to his teacher. "Why risk the lives of the eight of us to save one guy?"
"Eight Reiben?" Asked the captain quizzically. Reiben turned a little to gaze back at the rest of the squad to count them all.
"Yes sir, eight. I mean no offence at'tall but Miss Shea back there aint really a soldier now is she?" Reiben said a-matter-of-factly. Captain Miller cocked his head as if amused; he knew what was coming next.
"Excuse me?" Shea retorted, how dare he treat her like that. "I may not be a legally qualified soldier but I did however did go through basic training. And darn well I would know how to shoot you in that damn mouth of yours!" Shea practically shouted at him. The troop was divided, half were completely and utterly stunned while the rest were snickering and laughing.
Reiben whirled round to face Shea, whilst the captain signalled to Mellish to take Reiben's place at point. "I know how to shoot too doll, you see this here trigger?" Reiben wiggled his finger from where it sat and then casually pointed to Shea's own trigger. "You pull it back." Reiben smirked and turned back around. "Oh and don't forget to keep you're rifle still or you would miss my 'damn mouth'" He hollered over his shoulder.
Caparzo followed Reiben in fits of laughter and joined Mellish while the rest of the troop snickered quietly. Even Wade and Upham were laughing but they patted Shea's shoulder in comfort as they passed, showing that they were on her side, if anything. Horvath was frowning slightly but continued to walk in silence. Jackson felt impressed at Shea's confrontation and still wore a slight smile which no one had noticed. Although irritation that was directed at Reiben prickled in his chest, Jackson knew Shea would be able to be a worthy opponent for the cocky New Yorker, and it made him grin all the more.
Captain Miller sighed and shook his head. This was gonna be a long trip. He looked at the folded page of a map in his hand and the compass in his other.
"20 degrees," he muttered and then thought tactics, time to calm them down a bit. "So would anyone like to answer Reiben's previous question, the one concerning of why we are risking our lives?" The squad fell silent and even Shea's quiet rage subsided a little. It was either because they all felt the same or didn't want to say a thing or because the hill was too steep to use up any concentration whilst trying to climb the thing.
"Hey, think of the poor bastard's mother" chided Wade as he clung to his pack, easing the weight off his shoulders.
"Hey Doc, I got a mother, all righ'? I mean you got a mother. Sarge has got a mother. Shit, I bet even the Captain's got a mother." Reiben turned round to look at the Captain, who stared back with a look that said 'no' on his face. "Well maybe not the Captain, but the rest of us got mothers." He added.
"'There's is not to reason why, theirs is but to do and die.'" Chanted Upham happily.
"La-la la-la la-la la-la la-la la-la la-la." Mellish sang mockingly. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean Corporal, huh? Is that we're all supposed to die is that it?" He glared at Upham.
"Upham's talking about our duty as soldiers" Stated Miller.
"Yes, sir." Acknowledged Upham.
"We all have orders to follow. That supersedes everything including your mothers." Finished the captain.
"Yes, sir. Thank you sir." Upham answered gratefully.
"Even if you think the mission is fubar sir?" Asked Reiben, swinging his rifle in each direction he scanned.
"Especially if you think mission is fubar." Replied Miller. Shea cocked her head slightly. She had to admit that Reiben had a point, no matter how frustrating this guy was.
"Um, what's 'fubar'?" Upham asked in confusion.
"Oh, it's German.Yeah." Answered Mellish with a nod.
"Never heard of that." Said Upham still confused. Shea smiled, everybody knew or at least heard of 'fubar'. Everybody used it. Heck even Davy used it.
Shea almost stopped in her tracks. She hadn't thought of Davy for along time, not since she had first been deployed for the D-Day landing. Yet she wasn't gonna think of him again. It hurt too much. Luckily for her Jackson joined in the conversation and grabbed her attention.
"Sir, I have an opinion on this matter." Said Jackson, chewing a piece of gum, perhaps.
"Well, by all means share it with the squad." Said Miller, an amused smile was daring to appear on his face.
"Well, from my way of thinking, sir, this mission is a serious misallocation of valuable military resources." Stated Jackson in his southern accent.
"Yeah, go on." Came Miller's voice from in front.
"Well, it seems to me, sir, that God made me a fine instrument of warfare." Jackson raised an arm to the sky, referring to the Almighty.
"Reiben pay attention. This is the way to gripe!" Said Miller smiling a bit, indicating his thumb back at Jackson. Shea uttered a small chuckle. "Continue Jackson." The captain added.
"What I mean by that sir, if you put me and this here sniper rifle anywhere up to one mile of Adolf Hitler with a clear line of sight sir. Pack your bags, fellas. War's over. Amen" Concluded Jackson, with a nod of his head and patting his rifle. Scattered nods and quite 'amens' drifted within the group. Reiben however was not so satisfied.
Author's Notes:
Hokay ……. Chapter 2 ……. Right I know most of it is virtually the conversation in the film but I just tried to incorporate Shea's reactions and such into the squad … I hope you guys like this chapter toooooo D