A/N: This chapter is Snafu's flashback.
October 3rd, 1944
Merriell Shelton leaned back, dirtying his already grime-covered uniform even more. He didn't care, it was already more blood and muck than cloth. Under thick black brows, his pale eyes darted nervously from side to side out of habit, checking for any danger. Contented when no one jumped out at him with a gun and screaming and Japanese, he leaned back and pulled out a cream-coloured envelope from home, escaping into the words as though they could pull him back home.
Dear Merri,
How are you? Are you alright? I miss you and wish you would come home; everyone does. I listen to the radio every day, it sounds like it's real bad out there on Pelilui Peliliu Peleliu. Be careful, there are already so many men from our town killed over there. It's different now with all the young men gone off to war, like there's something missing, kinda like those 'what's wrong with this picture' things. I'm counting down the days until you're back, and I haven't lost track once.. Remember you proposed to me before you left? I wish I was back there again, with you, before this whole war business started. When you get back, maybe we'll have a small, private wedding, but I expect the whole town will end up attending. That's how it always is. Please be careful and don't get yourself killed or nothing, I couldn't bear it if I lost you. So many boys from our town have been lost already, and I don't want you to be one of them. Some man in a uniform came to see mama just the other day, and I know you know my brother Victor. Those Krauts killed him down at the German front. The funeral's in a week, but they couldn't find his body; mama's in denial, she insists that if there's no body, there's no death. I know he's gone for good, and after losing my brother, I don't want you to leave me too.
I expect you'll want me to fill you in on everything that's happened while you were gone. You remember little Alcide? She married some boy from Baton Rouge just last month and they've already got a baby on the way! As I write this, I'm working on a pair of yellow booties for their baby this very instant. Chances are, though, she'll have to go back to Baton Rouge with him. This will be the first year she, along with you and so many of the other boys gone off to war, won't be around for Mardi Gras. I didn't write you about it when it happened, but last year's Mardi Gras was something else. It's gotta have been the biggest one we've had yet, you would have loved it. It was all bright colours and loud noises, lots of fun, there was a big pot of gumbo and, to be honest, a lot of the men there had probably a bit too much too drink. I know I'm rambling now, but I don't want to write about everything going on over there, I try to keep these letters cheerful.
Your mama and papa are well, as is the whole family, and the new has been good these last few weeks or so. We all miss you and eagerly await your homecoming. I wish I could write more, and I know this letter is short, but I have to go help mama with dinner.
Love,
Gladys
He smiled, a real smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, not a smirk or a leer, but a real smile. He set down the envelope and lost himself in a world of daydreams, pretending he was sitting at home in the kitchen with his mama and papa and friends and family, and there weren't any bombs exploding in the distance, no loud cracks of a gun, no desperate calls of "Corpsman!", just him and his family in the soft Louisiana heat, just like before the war. Then he noticed Sledge staring pensively into the distance and snapped out of his reverie, brought back to the world of horror and screams of the present day. Once again, home was a million miles away.