Double update! Taking a small break on this fic to work on my other fics, especially after this rewritten chapter turned out so long. I hope you all enjoy, reviews are appreciated and keep me motivated to keep going!
Edit: Added a bit more because some historical facts were left out, thanks Byron W.4!
Chapter 11: Battle of Carentan
Carentan, France
June 12 – 16th 1944
Marie watched the fields pass by as the truck drove Easy Company to their next destination. She felt eerily calm as she gazed upon the endless orchards that passed by; every once in a while, the shattered remains of artillery and a dead animal would be splattered across the green, making Marie realize that they were all in the middle of a war zone again. There was a nice summer breeze that day; the smell of grass would make her feel nostalgic about back home. She could picture her father mowing the lawn and barbequing outside.
Sometimes the breeze carried the pungent odor of death along with it, too, making Marie cover her nose in disgust from time to time. It was a grim reminder that she was a long way from home.
"France is beauty and the beast," Malarkey said to her, acknowledging the same sights she was observing.
She gave him a small smile, letting him know that she was listening.
"Other than all the death, this place really reminds me of Willamette Valley. I used to watch sports there in the fields all the time while hitchhiked from Astoria to Eugene," Malarkey smiled fondly to himself as the memories played in his head.
"Feeling homesick?" Marie asked him softly.
"Nah – it's just… in the States, just as we were all coming of age and getting comfortable with school, girlfriends, jobs, along came a war," he sighed, "in France, just when we were all getting comfortable with war, along comes reminders of home." He gestured to the fields.
"You're bumming me out, Malark," Toye interjected, half asleep.
"Did More tell you what we found?" Malarkey said, suddenly going off topic.
"What?" Marie questioned.
"Back in Normandy. We came across some bags in some liberated French village. We were mostly looking for candy bars, but inside we found some pink baby bootees," Malarkey explained.
"So?" Toye shrugged, uninterested.
"So, Alton is married, Joe. His wife just gave birth to their child when we first arrived in England," Malarkey added: "He started cryin' when he saw the bootees."
"Damn… I had no idea," Toye muttered.
Marie didn't say a word; she knew the point Malarkey was trying to get across. Things were hitting too close to home lately, and everyone was having a hard time adjusting as time went on. The story was a humbling reminder of what was waiting back home for them. Marie tried to think of something other than the chance that More could die and never meet his newborn daughter. She shuddered at the thought then went to focus her attention back on the field.
Dead livestock came into view, slaughtered by bullets. The torn-up flesh smelled rancid, and filled the air with its stink. Marie covered her nose with her BDU collar; her BDU was still caked with dried mud from the jump into Normandy two days before. Covering her nose was of some relief at least – she preferred the smell of mud to the smell of rotting flesh.
"I think we're all feeling a little homesick…" Malarkey sighed deeply.
"What do you miss most about home?" Toye asked him, trying to lighten the mood.
"Uh, I dunno. I guess I miss the food. I miss Bernice, basketball, singing with my fraternity choir, my family, obviously. Ya know, stuff like that," Malarkey replied.
Toye nodded at his answers. He looked over at Marie, whom was still staring off at the scenery.
"Hey, Doch."
"Hmm?"
"What do you miss most about home?"
Marie thought about her life before the war. It was hard to think back before Toccoa. It's like the life before she enlisted was starting to fade away; simply slipping between her fingertips. Easy Company was the only thing that mattered to her now.
"Well?" Toye said, raising his eyebrows at her prolonged pause.
"I miss listening to my sister sing in the church choir. I miss playing baseball with my brother. I miss my dad's cooking, and my bed," she yawned, "I miss a good night's sleep. And being able to read books regularly."
"Hmm, interesting," Toye said, looking a little puzzled by her answers.
"What?"
"It's just… I thought you'd miss dresses, makeup, cooking and stuff like that. Like bein' a girl," Toye explained.
Being a girl. Marie was never a girly-girl growing up. She never really had the opportunity to learn how to be like other girls. She was always so caught up with her schooling, and helping her father care for the family. Marie wasn't very domestic, either. She was terrible at cooking, no matter how many times she tried. It's not like she had a mother around that could teach her those things.
"I never really got into any of that stuff, and I'm a horrible cook," Marie laughed, remembering all the meals she'd try to make in the past.
"You never mentioned your mom," Malarkey pointed out.
Marie felt herself stiffen. She didn't answer; instead she looked back out at the orchards, trying to imply that she didn't want to talk about her mother. Just like when the topic was brought up on the SS Samaria and in Normandy: Marie avoided the subject like the plague.
"Marie?" Malarkey queried, leaning over to his side so he could look at her face. She ignored his stare, focusing only on the land. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired," she replied curtly, still not looking at him.
'Just tired', the perfect excuse getting out of anything. Lord knows that she had to use that line to get out of conversations like this more times than she could count. More dead livestock passed by the truck, making the beautiful scenery become tarnished once again. The smell and scenery was like some terrible form of irony or a forewarning to what was approaching.
Malarkey decided not to push Marie for an answer about her mom. Although the more she didn't answer, the more curious he became about it.
0000
Carentan was a small town of only four thousand people. A few of the companies, including Easy Company, were waiting around for orders outside of the town. Marie, Malarkey, Luz, Perconte, and a few other guys were all sitting under a large, stone monument. Marie lied down next to Malarkey on the steps of the monument, staring up at the blue sky as time ticked on. No one knew what was happening yet, they weren't sure if they were passing the small town, or taking the main road toward Cherbourg.
Malarkey and Toye were cautious of Marie's mood after her refusal to speak of her mother on the way. She remained mostly quiet, and so did they. She didn't mind the silence; she found it more comforting in times like these.
Malarkey pulled the cigarette from his mouth, wanting to break the silence: "Want a smoke, Marie?" He asked her.
"No thanks," she replied.
"You don't smoke or drink, how are you able to stand all this?" Perconte asked her in a tone of disbelief.
"I don't know," Marie said with a shrug, "I just think things out instead of trying to forget them."
It was a lie; she disliked cigarettes and alcohol for deeper reasons than she could tell him.
"That must be frustrating," Perconte answered, arching a thick brow at her.
"You have no idea," Marie chuckled.
She closed her eyes, letting herself bask in the sunlight. She felt like she could drift off asleep again, but a voice shook her out of it.
"Hey, fellas!"
Marie's eyes flew open, she recognized that voice. She turned her head to see Talbert leading some men over to where they were resting. There was someone else Marie could almost make out; she shielded her eyes from the sun. It was Emilia. Emilia's face was streaked with paint from the jump and some dirt from her journey. She looked strangely beautiful with the marks on her face. The darkness on her face made her dark eyes seem bolder, also complimenting her darker shade of skin. Some of the men from other companies whom had never seen Emilia stared at her, admiring her beauty, mostly in awe. Emilia strode past them, proud and confident, holding her head high. Talbert walked beside her, stealing glances at her in admiration. Their arms were locked together as they strode toward Easy Company, but Talbert pulled his arm away to wave the members of Easy Company over toward them.
"Emilia!" Marie shouted happily, bouncing up onto her feet and taking off in their direction.
She collided into her friend in a hug, laughing with relief that Emilia was alive. It had been three days since she'd seen her last, and the entire time she feared she was dead.
"Whoa! You almost knocked me over!" Emilia laughed, pulling Marie back and clutching onto her shoulders. "Calm down!" She eyed her overly excited friend, quizzically.
"I thought you were dead! You didn't show up where the rest of us were, I was worried."
"Worry-wart," Emilia teased. "We were miss-dropped and had to make our way back here. It just took a long time."
"Yeah, most of us were scattered to hell and back like sticks in the wind. We honestly wouldn't have made it here without Em," Talbert told Marie.
He gazed fondly at Emilia as she spoke, and she returned his look. Marie noted the silent exchange, but said nothing to break the moment.
"Well look who decided to show up. Floyd!" Luz called, making his way over to the group. Luz and Talbert both shook hands, giving each other a pat on the back.
"Thought we'd never find you guys. Well, until we ran into Emilia," Talbert said.
"Hey, Tab," Liebgott called, unfolding a Third Reich flag to show him, "get a load of this, real nice huh?" He showed everyone his newest souvenir, proudly.
The men continued to catch up. Marie and Emilia made their way back to the monument. Emilia stopped walking for a minute, and tugged on Marie's sleeve.
"See the guy laying down?" Emilia whispered. Marie looked over toward Malarkey and Perconte, a blond-haired soldier was lying beside them, his eyes shut in the sunlight. "He's an odd one."
"What's his name?" Marie asked, mildly curious, "I think I remember him from Toccoa, but I don't remember his name."
"Private Albert Blithe. He just stares out into nothing from time to time. He's really quiet, teary eyed, and jumpy. A bad combination," Emilia explained, a hint of reprimand in her voice.
"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," Marie dismissed.
"I'm serious. He travelled with us the entire time. We found him hiding in his foxhole, not even trying to find his way around," Emilia shook her head, "I do remember him from Toccoa, he's always been… off. But in combat he seems even worse."
Marie rolled her eyes at her friend, thinking that she was being overly critical. She went over and returned to her seat next to Malarkey. Emilia did the same, greeting Perconte and Malarkey, and eyeing Blithe with uncertainty.
"Got any souvenirs, Em?" Perconte asked.
"No, sorry Frank," She answered.
He showed her all the watches he'd collected. Blithe looked disturbed by the fact that Perconte was taking the watches from dead soldiers. Malarkey took a drag of his cigarette, not listening to the conversation. Marie laid herself back down on the steps beside her smoking friend.
"Still no Skip," He mumbled.
"He'll turn up," Marie tried to reassure him, but her voice didn't sound confident.
"Meehan's still missing," Malarkey added.
They both laid there in silence, until their break time was interrupted.
"Let's go! 1st platoon! Easy's moving out, on your feet!" Welsh shouted.
Everyone stood up to listen and gathered around Welsh for the briefing.
"Listen up, it'll be dark soon. I want light and noise discipline for now on. No drinking, no smoking, and no playing grab fanny with the man in front of ya, Luz," He said, staring over at Luz.
The men sniggered. Marie and Emilia cracked a smile, glancing over at each other.
"So, where we headed, Lieutenant, huh?" Someone asked from amongst the company.
"We're taking Carentan. It's the only place where armor from Omaha and Utah beach can link up and head inland. Until we take Carentan they're stuck on the sand. General Taylor is sending the whole division."
They already started to prepare to move out, separating into their platoons. Marie didn't want to leave Emilia after finally being reunited with her, but she made her way back to 2nd platoon, watching Emilia fall in line with Tab and the rest of their platoon.
"Remember boys, give me three days and three nights of hard fightin', and you will be relieved," Luz said in his best General Taylor impersonation.
"1st Platoon, you fall in behind Fox Company, you people from 2nd platoon, follow us," Welsh finished.
Now everyone started to get up and leave.
Fox Company, maybe Diana will be there, Marie thought, trying to hang onto the little hope that she could still be alive.
It was still somewhat possible, not everyone was located yet.
"Another thing to remember boys, flies spread disease, so keep yours closed," Luz piped up again in General Taylor's voice.
On the move again, they made their way over to the road that would lead them into Carentan. Marie remembered the scenery and smells of their trip here, making her stomach stir. She felt anxious and uneasy, like she did before Brécourt Manor. She swallowed the feelings down, attempting to keep them at bay, as they approached their next objective.
The cheery mood would evaporate after the sun started to set. Fox Company, who was ahead of Easy, had gotten lost while following Easy Company into Carentan on Nationale 13. After crossing the Douve River, the company got trapped in a swampy area. Losing Fox Company had gotten very much on everyone's nerves, including Welsh's who now only had Dog Company in reserves to support hem. Although no one wanted to admit it, the reason Easy Company was so efficient in the dark was because of Sobel and those Friday night marches he made them go on.
Easy Company wouldn't say it out loud, but for once they were thankful for some of the torture Sobel had put them through.
0000
It was now D-Day plus six, and the actions toward taking Carentan were still underway. Marie lay on the ground, next to the dirt path as she stared up at the small town ahead. It seemed eerily quiet as they all waited in their positions. Marie stared at the large Café building, feeling the usual anxious butterflies in her stomach. She was getting tired of this assignment, they'd been going nonstop for days now, and it was really starting to wear on her and the rest of the men. She'd patched up so many bloody soldiers that she was afraid they wouldn't have any left by the time this whole thing was over.
Easy Company was explained that the Germans wanted this small town because they needed to bridge their troops from Omaha and Utah beach. Easy Company, along with some of the other companies that followed, spent the days camped out on the roadway by Douve River. She hated staying there, early in the morning horrible piercing sounds of sirens would wake them all up, followed by the sounds of Stuka's bombing Carentan. They all took cover in ditches, waiting for it to pass. Now everyone was gathered for the big attack. F Company was on the left flank, and D Company was in reserve. Marie saw Barbara again before they'd gotten into position, looking worried but eager to get this started.
Over the past few days Skip Muck had finally reunited with Easy Company, much to Malarkey and Marie's relief. But Diana Schumacher was still missing.
Harry Welsh went ahead and moved 1st platoon up. Marie caught sight of Muck and Emilia, praying that they'd be okay. All four of them were finally back together again, she didn't want that to be taken away already. Before she knew it, the Germans started firing their machine guns down the middle of the dirt path. Much to Marie's horror, mortar fire mixed in with the rest of the bullets. Everyone sprang for the trenches, trying to shield themselves from the oncoming fire. Everyone was now in a panicked frenzy. The Germans had split up the platoons right down the middle and now had them all in a perfect position to be wiped out. Marie joined the rest with digging their foxholes deeper with her hands, trying to get lower to protect their heads from getting hit. It was the heaviest gunfire Marie had ever experienced to date, and Easy Company hadn't even had a chance to fire back.
"Get those MGs moving, will ya?" Strayer shouted over all the gunfire.
The MGs were right out in the open. Marie watched as no one moved, everyone stayed down in the ditches, digging deeper in a panic.
"Move out! I said move out! Let's go!" Winters started hollering.
Buck joined in trying to get everyone moving up to take cover in Carentan, but still everyone remained still, frozen in fear. Marie couldn't bring herself to stand up in the middle of the gunfire and mortar fire. Her legs felt too weak to support her body.
Winters continued to yell, looking angrier than Marie had ever seen him before. Finally, Marie forced herself up and scrambled forward, her heart stuck in her throat. She felt like she was going to die at any moment as she blindly ran forward. She took cover behind an unmarked building, almost slamming into it full force. Marie frantically looked around, she realized that her and Malarkey had gotten split up in the whole barrage. She felt horribly alone without him in this heavy fire. Marie glanced across the building, next to her cover she saw Lipton and Perconte taking cover behind a building parallel to hers. A soldier standing by them had gotten shot and now was lying on the ground, motionless.
Marie went to check on the solider, but Lipton held his hands out signaling her to stop. The man was already dead. Marie felt sick to her stomach as she waited until it was safe to cross over. Lipton gave her the all clear and she quickly dashed over to his side. Marie's knees gave out on her, her fear overcoming the objective. Bile rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. She felt Lipton lift her up, he held onto her shoulders tightly, studying her eyes with a gentle approach like a doting father.
"Are you okay? We can't stay here, Docherty," he told her softly, "these men are depending on you. You need to get your act together."
Marie only nodded, unable to bring herself to speak. Perconte tapped her on the back affectionately before taking off out of cover. Marie peeked out from behind the building, enough to see Welsh throw a grenade in a window, taking out some of the German artillery. She glanced around and noticed Shifty pinned against the wall, soldiers dropping like flies all around him. She felt her heart tug for him as his life was at risk from his current position. It was too dangerous for him to snipe anyone from his current position.
"Guarnere! Clear that sector on the right!" She heard Lipton yell, making his way over to a set of outdoor stairs that would help give him a better view of Carentan.
She watched as he made his way down the road, tripping slightly as he tried to duck after the sounds of bullets and mortar fire roared overhead.
"You okay, Shifty?" He called.
Shifty gave him a nervous thumbs-up, his hand trembling.
A bullet whizzed past Marie's head, missing her only by a foot. She jumped, and moved out, knowing that if she stayed at that position any longer she'd most likely be shot. She ended up running and joining Shifty; not the safest place to be, but she didn't want to be out there by herself.
"How you holdin' up?" Shifty asked her, raising his voice over the gunfire.
"So far so good! I can't find my platoon anywhere, though! The Germans split us right down the middle!" Marie replied, her voice straining over the thundering sound of exploding mortar rounds.
"Medic!" Someone suddenly screamed in the distance.
Marie squinted, trying to see who was screaming. She started forward, but she felt Shifty grab her elbow with his free hand.
"You can't run out there!" He exclaimed, giving her a bewildered look.
"I have to!" Marie riposted, yanking her elbow out of his grip.
She felt bad being short with someone as kind and somewhat shy as Shifty, but her patience had worn too thin, remembering how often Winters had held her back during Brécourt. She dashed out from cover, trying to pinpoint where the screams were coming from.
"MARIE, LOOK OUT!" She heard Shifty shrilly scream from behind her. She turned her head toward him, but before she could see him an explosion hit nearby.
She was sent flying backwards, her feet knocked out from under her; her vision blurred and her hearing deafened. Everything happened too fast for her to comprehend. Dust and debris kicked up over her as she felt herself go airborne and land harshly on the unforgiving ground, and skid to a stop. Bright lights flooded her vision, leaving only white. Her ears could only hear high-pitched ringing that drowned out everything else. She rasped for breath, as her lungs burned and her abdomen and back screamed in protest as she attempted to suck in air. Her muscles convulsed violently as she tried to move and lift herself up.
Oh, my God, I'm hit! She screamed over and over again in her head.
Her vision adjusted again, she could see the clear blue-sky overhead along with the tops of some buildings that surrounded her. The ringing slowly began to cease; she could hear muffled screams and mortar fire around her once again. She sat up slowly, feeling her heavy head spin with agitation and slight nausea. She started to cough, her throat filled with dirt and dust, all the while noticing that she was covered in it as well. Her head throbbed as she touched it gingerly, noticing a trickle of blood running from her forehead, running down her face like warm soup. Her helmet had been knocked off during the whole barrage.
Shifty was kneeling in front of her, looking dreadfully concerned, his mouth was moving but Marie couldn't fully make out the words. She felt her senses slowly come back, along with the rational fear of being out in the open. She started to struggle toward her helmet. Shifty clutched her hand and shook it, trying to get her attention. She looked into his young face, blankly.
I wonder if I have a concussion, she thought mildly to herself.
"Marie! Marie! Please say something! Are you all right? Marie!" Shifty pleaded over and over again.
Marie's muffled hearing subsided. She shook her head as she felt herself regaining her clarity.
"Y-Yes… I'm okay! I'm okay!" She responded at last, shakily standing up with Shifty's help. "I need to find the person who was calling for a medic."
"You're in no condition for that! I need to get you out of here!" He said, still holding onto her.
She reached down and retrieved her helmet and placed it back on her head, ignoring his warnings.
"Marie!" He shouted again.
"I'm not wounded! You need to take cover, and I have to do my job!" She replied, starting to turn on her heel but he stopped her.
"You were just almost hit by a mortar round! And besides, Bull already took care of the wounded man!" Shifty explained.
Another round hit close to them, making them both lose their balance and fall to the ground as the Earth shook below them.
"We can't stay here!" He grabbed her and dragged her back to cover.
"What happened to the soldier?" Marie demanded.
"Poor soul got his leg blown off," Shifty answered.
"They got us zeroed! Spread out!" Marie heard Lipton bellow out to everyone.
She saw him on top of the staircase, waving his arms in the air like a lunatic. She felt her stomach drop. This was bad, very bad. She wondered how long she'd been out of it - she hadn't even noticed that Lip had been yelling the entire time. Lipton started to run down the stairs, waving everyone off, screaming loud enough for all of Carentan to hear him. Marie and Shifty started to make their way out of the area, listening to his orders without hesitation. She turned her head to see Lipton standing out in the open, still carrying out his desperate message.
"Get the hell out of there! Get the hell off the street!"
Marie saw a group of Germans loading up an 88mm. They were aiming it right at Lipton. She felt her heart freeze. She stopped following Shifty, and ran into Lipton's view.
"INCOMING!" She shouted at Lip, pointing at the 88, but it was too late.
The round was fired only a few feet away from him. He was sent sailing backwards as if someone had hooked him with a fishing line and was reeling him in. She watched as he flew against a building wall and slump unmercifully to the ground.
"Carwood!" She cried, dashing over to him as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her. She came sliding to a stop beside him. She saw that he was staring at her, panting heavily, his eyes wide and alert. That was a good sign.
"Lip!" She heard someone else yell. She turned to see Talbert making his way over to them. She turned her attention back to Lip, whom looked like he was in shock. She saw that a piece of shrapnel had left a large gash across his cheek.
She saw Lipton look down at his lap, she followed his gaze and saw that he had a puddle of blood pooling in between his legs. She glanced over at Tab whom looked back at her tentatively, biting his lip. She couldn't spare Lip his modesty with this one. She started to tear open his pants, but she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She had to look away, her face hot. She never felt like this toward other male patients, but she knew Lipton well enough for her to feel awkward. Tab peered inside his ripped pants instead, and nodded at her for the all clear.
"You're going to be okay, Lip. Everything is right where it should be," Talbert assured him.
Lipton nodded, relived, but still too shocked to speak. Marie mouthed "thank you" to Tab whom nodded at her in response. She took out a cloth from her pack and wiped off Lip's face, his gash was deeper than she thought. She cleaned up the cut the best she could with the supplies that she had then bandaged it quickly.
"You're doing just fine, Lip," she cooed softly, patching him up and checking his body for other injuries. She gave a thumbs-up to Tab.
"I'll take him back to battalion," Talbert told her, helping Lipton up.
Marie nodded: "Take good care of him, Tab!" She called after him.
Marie ran back deeper into the town, spotting Emilia and Edward Tipper about to enter what looked like an antique shop. She was relieved to see Emilia unharmed.
"Em!" Marie called. Emilia whirled her head around.
"Marie!" Emilia aspirated, jogging up to her friend.
"Any wounded here?" Marie asked, scanning the area.
"No, but what the hell happened to your head?" Emilia exclaimed.
Marie touched the side of her forehead, still feeling the wet warmness of blood, and how it had streaked down the middle of her face. It didn't feel painful, but it must've looked worse than she thought. She was about to explain when the building that Tipper went into exploded, sending both Emilia and Marie to the ground with a harsh thud.
"Jesus!" Emilia cried, getting right to her feet to stare at the now ruined shop.
Marie sat up slowly. She noticed movement from within the shop, and miraculously saw Tipper come out, running on pure adrenaline.
The sight of him made Marie's stomach lurch, but she fought not to make a face and scare him. His face was covered in blood, and half of his left side now looked slightly disfigured, drooping like someone who just suffered a stroke. It was a miracle that he was standing, his legs looked severely torn up and so did his feet, hell, the sides of his shoes looked like they were completely blown off. Marie glanced over at Emilia, whom gaped at him in pure horror.
Joe Liebgott was standing by. He was the first to approach Tipper. Marie watched as Lieb expertly put on a relaxed face, soothing the severely wounded soldier. Marie marveled at him, thinking that he should've been the medic. She shook herself back to reality and crouched beside the both of them. Lieb cradled Tipper in his arms, softly telling him that he 'looked good', 'was doing fine.'
Lieb and Marie both locked glances. He knew that Tipper's condition didn't actually look good, he looked like a walking corpse. Marie started going through her pack, forcing herself to smile for Tipper's benefit.
"Hang in there, Tip. I've got some morphine for you. It'll take all the pain right away," she took out a syrette and jabbed it into his upper thigh.
His wounds were beyond what her limited supplies could fix. He'd have to be taken back to battalion, and would most likely be taken to a military hospital and shipped home. The war was already over for him. Lieb watched her, his eyes neutral and battle fatigued. Carentan was already taking its toll, and Marie felt had been almost unconscious during most of it because of that mortar round that had knocked her over. She took out some gauze and started wrapping up Tipper's more serious wounds, applying pressure to stop the bleeding before he was taken away. Marie watched as he was escorted off, Liebgott following in tow. She walked over to Emilia, whose eyes were following her wounded friend. They stood side by side, not looking at each other.
"I was going to follow him in there. I told him it was too risky to check," Emilia said in a hollow voice. Her lip trembled as she spoke to Marie.
"It's not your fault, Em," Marie replied, softly. She placed a hand on Emilia's shoulder, who jumped at her touch. Marie motioned for the both of them to keep moving, it wasn't safe to stand out in the open – this was becoming more and more apparent.
Marie and Emilia ran around a corner, and saw Easy Company's chaplain, Maloney, saying prayers to a group men wounded lying on the ground. Gunfire surrounded him, but he looked so casual and leveled in the middle of the chaos. Marie was about to make her way over to them, when she heard some familiar voices call her name.
"Marie, Emilia!" Muck signaled her over, they were standing under the cover of a slight underpass.
Malarkey was standing by him, staring over at Maloney in wonder. Marie ran over to join them, bringing the nearly unresponsive Emilia with her.
"How you ladies holding up?" Muck asked, smiling nervously at them. His smile faded when he saw the look on Emilia's face. "What happened?"
"Tipper was hit. It's bad," Emilia replied, her voice low.
Malarkey stared over at Marie, she gave him a weak smile. His eyes fixed on her forehead and face. He reached up and ran his thumb gently across her forehead, down to her temple. She cringed at the slight pain that shot across her head from his gentle touch. He studied her BDU, it was covered with debris and dust from head to toe.
"What happened to you?" Malarkey asked, almost demanding.
Marie didn't want to tell him, she knew he'd chew her out for what she'd done: running out in the open and letting her guard down. She tried to brush off his question, pretending not to know what he was talking about, but he could always see right through her.
"Nothing happened," She lied, although the blood streaked down her face was enough to give it away.
"We need to keep going. It looks like we're finally pushing these bastards back a little bit," Muck said, peering out of cover. "Em and I need to find 1st platoon anyways."
"Marie-" Malarkey started.
He gripped both her forearms, not letting her leave. She struggled, knowing that they needed to move out. She hated it when Malarkey did things like this at the worst times.
"Let's not do this now. We have to go," Marie said through gritted teeth.
"Go on ahead, we'll catch up, Skip," Malarkey told his friend.
Muck nodded, and brought Emilia along with him. She wished that they would've stayed behind, but she knew that Emilia was too dazed after what happened to Tipper to do anything to help her anyway. Marie avoided his gaze, not wanting a lecture. It was just a little scrape, not a big deal at all. Malarkey was just being over-protective. He released one of her arms and tilted her helmet up.
"Damn, Marie…" He whispered, studying her forehead.
Marie felt her heart speed up, she hadn't seen her head yet, she was afraid that it was worse off than she thought.
"You need to patch this up right now."
"How does it look?" Marie asked him in a nervous voice.
Malarkey didn't answer, prolonging her anxiety. He released her helmet then gripped her arms again. His worried eyes made Marie feel guilty. If the same had happened to him, she'd have felt the same way.
"A mortar almost got me. I was thrown a few feet, but I'm fine. The same thing happened to Lip, he's fine too," Marie explained quickly, trying to make it out not to be a big deal.
Malarkey didn't respond, he worked his jaw in thought, his eyes laced with concern. She stared back at him, hoping she looked confident enough for him to drop the issue.
"I'm taking you back to battalion to get that checked," he finally said, pulling her along.
0000
Back inside the battalion med station, Doc Roe checked over Marie, and cleaned up the blood on her face. To her relief, she didn't have a concussion, just a bad gash on her forehead. She was able to go around and help patch up wounded soldiers. She went around and made sure some of their legs were elevated, made them proper tourniquets, and disinfected freshly open wounds. She was happy to finally be of use, she felt since the war started she hadn't done much for the effort other then run and circles and almost get blown up.
She noticed Albert Blithe sitting on the floor, his back leaning up against the wall. She gazed at him quizzically as he stared into nothing. She thought to herself that maybe Emilia was right about him. She saw Roe nearby and tapped him on the shoulder.
"What's wrong with Blithe?" She whispered.
"I dunno, he came in here claiming that he couldn't see anything," Roe shrugged.
"Out of nowhere?" Marie was skeptical of Roe's words.
"Just like that," Roe said, snapping his fingers.
Marie thought it over for a minute. She remembered hearing about something like that called "hysterical blindness" in the classroom lectures back on Toccoa. Roe didn't look like he believed Blithe at all, but hysterical blindness could be a possibility.
"Maybe it's hysterical blindness. Enough psychological and emotional-trauma could've triggered it. It was pretty hectic out there," Marie suggested.
Roe nodded, agreeing with her: "I thought that, too."
Before they could go on, Winters came gimping in.
"Are you okay Lieutenant?" Marie asked, coming over to his side to help him stand upright.
"Yeah, I took a ricochet near my ankle," he said, gritting his teeth as he walked.
Roe helped him sit down on a makeshift bed so he could examine his leg. Marie saw the pieces of shelling sticking out of his skin. It looked deep, but not bad enough to where he'd have to be shipped back to England.
"What happened to your head?" Winters asked Marie.
She automatically brought her hand to her forehead. Roe had cleaned it up and slapped a big band aid on it, but it still stuck out like a sore thumb. She felt self-conscious of how noticeable it was.
"Uh, nothing, sir. A mortar round just knocked me for a loop," She answered.
"That's not nothing," Winters retorted. He grimaced as Roe started to carefully remove the shelling from his leg with tweezers. "You need to be more careful out there, Sergeant Docherty."
"Yes, sir," she felt herself become irritated again.
The same thing happened to Lip, and she's sure to other soldiers out there fighting. They were welcomed with sympathetic words, while Marie was just scolded and babied for being careless.
"I'm going to check on Blithe," she said, dismissing herself.
She kneeled in front of Blithe. His eyes didn't seem to catch her presence at all. She went through her medical pack and found a small flashlight.
"How are you doing, Albert? I'm Marie Docherty, I'm gonna take a look at you, okay?" She told him in a soft voice.
Some tears rolled down Blithe's face. "Okay…" He muttered.
She shined the flashlight at his pupils, waiting for them to dilate. His pupils reflexed to the light, but Marie was already expecting that since his retina and optic nerve wasn't damaged as far as she could tell. She brought up her pointer finger, and moved it back and forth in front of his eyes, but his eyes did not follow her finger. He just kept staring straight ahead, into nothing.
"Am I going to be okay?" He whispered.
Marie didn't know what to say. There was no cure or treatment for hysterical blindness. It was usually temporary and all that could be done was to wait it out.
"I'm sure you'll be just fine, Private. All you need to do is relax," Marie cooed, gently running her hand through his bangs that hung in front of his forehead. He flinched when she first touched him, but seemed to calm down after a few moments.
Buck entered then, and went over to see Winters. Marie and Buck both nodded at each other in silent greeting, before she turned her attention back to her blind patient.
"Battalion wants us to hit east and head up to high ground the set up a defensive position," Winters told Buck.
Marie listened in, turning her head to see Roe doing the same thing. They'd been in Carentan for days, and all she wanted to do was leave.
Eventually she stopped listening to their conversation and focused on Blithe. He was still blind, no matter how much she tried to help him relax he didn't seem to snap out of it. She overheard Winters say to Roe 'magic treats him?' She knew he was talking about Blithe. Winters sat up, Roe finished treating his wound. Winters limped over to Marie, and patted her on the shoulder. She looked up at her CO's kind face.
"May I have a minute with him?" He asked her in a hushed voice. She nodded, standing up and letting Winters kneel beside him.
"You can take a break, Docherty," Roe spoke up from behind her.
"If anyone needs a break it's you," She told him.
"I'm right behind you," He assured her, "Spina is taking over in a minute, along with another medic from Fox Company."
She nodded, and decided it would be a good idea to get some fresh air and check up on Emilia. She left the med station and went to find her friends.
0000
Despite all their efforts, the siege of Carentan still wasn't finished. Marie had found Emilia and was able to coax some of the shock out of her. She'd never seen Emilia so down before, but seeing a good friend get hit that bad would never come easy, even with all the training they'd endured. Marie imagined if Em, Muck or Malarkey had gotten hit like that. The very thought made Marie shudder and want to vomit. If any of them died, she'd never be able to get over it, and that scared her. This was war after all; any of their lives could be taken at any moment.
The sun was high as the long day dragged on. Marie and Emilia sat with Muck, Malarkey, More, Penkala and Blithe. Having some R&R after the fight today was much needed and appreciated. They sat outside, the bright sun shining down on them to the point where it almost felt harsh. Marie could already feel a sunburn forming on her pale cheeks. She watched as Muck unwrapped a packet of cheese and went to take a bite, waiting to see what he thought of it before she tasted her own. The men were talking about the possibility of getting to Berlin by Christmas, but Marie didn't think the war would be over that quickly. Wishful thinking like that could be dangerous.
Muck gagged on the cheese, sticking his tongue out in disgust. Marie couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. It had been a long time since all four of them got to truly laugh together. It felt blissful, like the old days.
"Enjoy it while it lasts," a new voice cut in. Everyone stopped laughing and turned to see Lieutenant Speirs standing before them. Marie stiffened instantly, remembering the day when her, Malarkey and the POWs. "We'll be moving out soon," the mysterious Lieutenant informed them.
"Moving out of town, Lieutenant, already?" Malarkey questioned.
"That's right," Speirs replied, walking past the group.
Marie stared up at his tall figure, entranced but also slightly afraid by his presence. She saw Emilia doing the same, her mouth slightly agape.
"Don't they know we're just gettin' settled here?" More interjected, annoyed by Speirs' news.
Speirs stopped walking and turned around to face More. His steely gaze made a chill run down Marie's spine. He glared for a moment longer then continued to stalk off to wherever he was headed.
"Nice, Groucho," Muck said to More flatly.
"What?" More replied defensively.
"Real smart. You know you're taking your life in your own hands. Ain't that right?" Muck told him, looking over at Malarkey for confirmation. Marie nodded at Muck, letting him know she agreed with his statement.
"What are you talking about?" Emilia asked, confused.
"I told you, we didn't actually see it." Malarkey answered, giving Marie an uneasy stare.
She gulped, the memory flooding back to her. They explained to Emilia about how Speirs gunned down all those POWs after he'd given them each a cigarette, a few days back on D-Day. There were disputes to whether he really did it, or if one of his men did it. The rumors sounded hard to believe, Muck being one of the ones whom didn't think he did it, but Malarkey thought he did.
Whether he did or not, they would never find out. Speirs would take the truth to his grave.
"Well whatever he did, he's handsome as sin," Emilia commented, ending their arguing.
Marie couldn't help but crack a smile at her words. It was true, Speirs was attractive to the point where it seemed deadly. He had a nice rugged quality to him, but Marie was still a little afraid of him. Ronald Speirs wasn't her type, anyway.
"You're smitten with Speirs?" Penkala asked her incredulously.
Emilia rolled her eyes: "No, of course not. He's just easy on the eyes is all."
Marie gave Emilia a devilish smile. She knew who Em was really sweet on, she could tell whenever Tab was around she looked at him differently, and he did the same. After years of Emilia taunting Marie about Malarkey, it was finally her turn.
"Yeah, Speirs isn't your type. We all know who you're into," Marie added, smiling impishly.
Emilia shot her a baneful look. The boys stared back and forth between them, as Emilia glared at Marie openly, and Marie held onto her mischievous smile. Marie was ready to open her mouth and reveal Emilia's little secret, but Em raised up her hands to quiet her down.
"Oh God, we aren't going to sit here and talk about school girl crushes, are we?" Muck said, over-exaggerating a groan.
"You're not a little bit curious?" Marie asked him.
"Well, if it's one of the guys, maybe," Muck admitted, giving Emilia a teasing smile. She sighed, shaking her head at them.
"Who is it?" Penkala asked Emilia.
"Whoever he is, he's one lucky bastard," More muttered, giving Em an amused smile.
Before anyone could say another word, Welsh's voice filled the air, commanding 1st platoon to move out. Marie watched everyone get up, waving goodbye to Muck and Emilia. Blithe didn't move though. He hesitated, his movements slow to react.
Finally, he followed the rest. Marie shook her head as she watched him, Malarkey standing beside her, his gaze following hers. He nudged her gently in the forearm, cocking his head in a different direction.
"We need to go," he told her.
She nodded and followed him to 2nd platoon's position.
0000
The gunfire on the outskirts of Carentan forced them to take cover in the hedgerows. It was now nighttime and Easy Company was still stuck waiting outside in the dark. Marie's stomach growled loudly as she sat in her foxhole, listening to the distant occasional shots from German gunfire, and to a few of the men singing cheerily. The sky lit up with lightning every once in a while, followed by booming thunder that made Marie jump, thinking it was a bomb. She had no idea what the guys had to be so cheery about. They were stuck out in an unknown field outside Carentan, sitting in the dark while Germans shot off weapons nearby.
She got up from her foxhole, feeling that she needed to stretch her legs. She massaged her kneecaps, trying to spark life back into them. The Germans were waiting toward the south, regrouping and prepping for battle to fight for the small town back. At dawn, they would strike. Marie hoped that this would be the last time they'd have to fight in Carentan. She was rapidly growing qualmish of this town. She started trudging through the grass, thick with dew and dampness from light drizzle earlier. The mosquitos were out in full force tonight, much to everyone's irritation. She smacked at her neck as they bit her countless times; there was no way she could stay still the way they were swarming in the fields. She stumbled around, blindly, focusing most of her attention on escaping the little buzzing vampires.
Marie lost her footing for a moment, almost stumbling fully into a foxhole. She found her balance, perched on the side, almost completely sliding in. She startled both of the soldiers inside; she could see them, dimly, ready to draw up their rifles.
"Docherty? Jesus Christ, don't do that," she heard Martin's voice grumble from below.
He drowsily wiped his eyes as Marie climbed into the foxhole, trying not to bump into the other soldier. She noticed that Blithe was with him, and he was crying again.
"Sorry, Johnny," She whispered apologetically.
"Whatcha doing wandering around here? You're pretty far from your platoon," Martin asked her, shifting in his spot to get more comfortable.
"The singing was getting on my nerves a bit. I'm not feeling happy enough to join in. Not to mention these mosquitos are just awful tonight," Marie told him, still scratching at her bitten-up neck.
He nodded sleepily: "You should get some rest, we have a big day tomorrow. At the crack of dawn, you know the krauts'll be stirring us awake."
"I don't think I can sleep knowing the Germans are so close," Marie admitted meekly.
"It'll be fine. Blithe's keepin' watch," Martin assured her.
Marie looked over her shoulder at the teary-eyed shoulder, staring off into the darkness. Marie didn't feel very confident with Blithe keeping watch; she didn't know how Martin could fall asleep so easily. This was a man that randomly went blind, after all.
"Medic!" Someone cried in the distance.
Marie was immediately on her feet. She looked back at Martin, whom shrugged unknowingly but looked alarmed. She jumped out of the foxhole and went off to find who was screaming.
"Where are you?" She called, squinting her eyes in the darkness.
She saw a few figures gathered around a tree, and someone slumped over to the ground. She jogged over, clearing out the crowd so she could get a better look.
It was Floyd Talbert.
"What happened?" She demanded, turning her head to look at the men standing idly by.
One was rambling on hysterically, saying that he 'thought he (Talbert) was a kraut' over and over again. She noticed Lieb amongst the crowd, he slowly kneeled beside her.
"Kid thought he was a kraut," Lieb whispered to her, "he got stabbed by his bayonet a few times."
Marie didn't like the sound of the situation. Talbert was gored by their own, and in the chest too. She tore open his clothing, straining to get a better look at his wounds. There were two wounds, one high near the sternum and another lower by the abdomen. She went through her pack as quickly as she could, taking out bandages, gauze and sulfa powder. She cursed herself for not having a flashlight in her pack anymore, trying to patch up the wounded in the dark was very difficult.
"How long has he been laying like this?" She asked Lieb.
"Uh, I don't know. Just fix him," Lieb clipped, on edge because of his nerves.
"Liebgott, it's important that I know! Puncture wounds have to be bled out for a minute before they can be treated so the wound can clean itself out," she replied evenly, trying to keep the situation calm for Tab's sake.
Talbert sat there, leaning against the tree, whimpering in pain.
"Yeah, I'd say it's about five minutes," Lieb answered.
Marie then proceeded to clean out his wounds. Preventing infection was her first priority when it came to injuries like this, applying pressure and stopping the bleeding came later. After she cleaned them out, she wrapped him up with gauze and bandages, making sure they were tight enough to halt the bleeding.
"You're doing just fine, Tab. The wounds look almost superficial, so you should be just fine," Marie assured him in a soft voice.
Honestly, she wasn't sure if he was going to make it, medics could never be too careful. But she didn't let the uncertainty show in her face or her voice.
"Em's going to be upset," he rasped.
Marie pursed her lips, knowing that he was right. Emilia had just witnessed Tip getting seriously wounded, and now Tab was going to be taken off the line for stab wounds.
"I'll take care of her," Marie told him. "You just worry about getting better."
She heard quick footsteps approaching; she looked to see Roe coming up at them, holding onto his helmet as he ran.
"Whatta we got?" He asked, instantly at Tab's side, and studying Marie's treatment techniques carefully.
Marie explained everything to him, and before she knew it they were loading Tab up on a jeep to be taken back to battalion, where he'd be shipped back to England for treatment. She felt a weight in her stomach, knowing that she'd have to confront Emilia with the news.
0000
Morning signaled that another battle was going to commence. It was now D-Day plus seven, and Marie couldn't believe that a week had passed since they'd all dropped into Normandy. The days seemed endless and bunched together the longer they were all stationed in the dismal town of Carentan. Everyone lay on the outskirts of Carentan, getting their ammo ready for another attack.
Marie had managed three hours of sleep, but it was a restless and unsatisfying. She kept thinking of Emilia's reaction when she told her the news about Tab. Marie planned to tell Em right when she woke up, not wanting to put it off any longer. She saw Em gathered around with Welsh, going over maps, routes, and possible strategies with him on today's attack. Donald Hoobler sat on stump beside them, humming to himself as he reloaded his sidearm. Marie waited awkwardly behind the hedgerow, stalling for as long as she could.
"No, we don't know what they've got. We may be attacking a weaker force, possibly more paratroopers," Welsh explained to them, studying the map that Emilia was holding out for him. He noticed Marie standing by, and acknowledged her with a welcoming smile.
"You know how they can be," Hoobler added (talking about paratroopers), receiving a few smirks and laughs from the nearby soldiers.
"What brings you to 1st platoon?" Welsh asked the nervous medic.
Marie smiled thinly, her eyes falling on Emilia: "I just need to speak to Sergeant Valdez, sir."
"Make it quick, I've got to finish briefing these guys" Welsh told her.
"What's going on?" Emilia questioned her, cocking her head.
"Well…" Marie paused, biting the inside of her cheek.
She hated doing this right now, Emilia had been so distant since she witnessed Tipper's almost demise. Now she had to tell her the man she possibly had feelings for had been shanked by one of his own guys.
"Talbert was wounded by a bayonet last night. One of the jumpy Privates mistook him for a kraut. He's patched up and has been sent to the hospital," Marie continued on, quickly spilling out her sentence.
Emilia didn't respond, she gazed at Marie with heavy eyes, and then looked back down at her map.
"I see," Emilia replied in a low and mechanical voice.
"Jesus! He gonna be okay?" Hoobler asked Marie.
"Yes," Marie lied. Truth was she had no idea what Tab's condition would be.
Welsh gave her a sad look, but continued on with the briefing: "Fire and maneuver, that's the name of the game, fire and maneuver. Dog and Fox company will be on our left flank, moving with us. Any questions?"
Before anyone could speak up, the sudden bursts of 88s erupted. Everyone immediately took cover, diving anywhere they could reach. A man standing by Luz's foxhole got hit right in the neck, blood squirted out as if it were a geyser. He collapsed, while Luz pulled him into the safety of the foxhole with his free hand. His other hand was latched onto his radio receiver.
"Here we go again!" Hoobler exclaimed over the gunfire.
Marie ran over and leapt into Luz's foxhole, almost landing on his lap. She took out some gauze and bandages, quickly doing everything she could for the wounded soldier, who's blood continued to profusely pump from his neck. She crawled out of the foxhole, and ran over to 2nd platoon. Easy Company was giving everything they had against the Germans, but this time it didn't seem enough. It felt like the Germans were the ones pushing them back this time.
Marie saw Guarnere in the distance, covering fire on a small hill. She made her way over to him, skidding on the ground to a stop, trying to avoid being hit with any bullets.
"Everything okay down here?" She asked her squad leader, panting. She hadn't had time to catch her breath since the unexpected barrage started.
"No wounded that I've seen, yet!" Guarnere yelled back to her.
An explosion rocked them both, followed by splintered trees crumbling around them, shooting bark in every direction like wooden bullets. Marie planted her heels in the dirt, forcing herself not to slide down the hill by the impact. A deep rumbling shook the ground, as if a giant was stomping across the lands.
"What was that?" She shouted over to Guarnere.
"Panzers!" Guarnere bellowed.
Large German tanks suddenly appeared out of nowhere and were rolling ominously across the fields. The sight of them made Marie's heart skip a beat; Easy Company were extremely unprepared for this. The tanks started to fire, obliterating everything in sight. Trees were knocked over and reduced to stumps, timbering down and almost hitting panicked soldiers. It was a nightmare. Marie let herself roll down the hill, out of sight from the incoming tanks. People in their foxholes were getting blown to bits; even the cover of the foxholes couldn't protect them against the horrible destructive force of the Panzers.
"Malark, get over here!" She heard Buck's voice call among the chaos.
She crawled forward on her hands and knees, keeping her eyes peeled for Malarkey. She saw Malarkey making his way across a pasture. He was about a hundred yards away, too far for Marie to follow him. Mortar fire rained down around him, making Marie's head swim with fear.
She closed her eyes, feeling the pressure from the tumultuous atmosphere set in. Everywhere she looked trees were exploding. Marie covered her ears and started to scream, releasing all the built-up stress inside her, though her panicked cries were easily drowned out by the chaotic, deafening noises that surrounded her. She knew she was a sitting duck in her current position, but part of her didn't want to move. A tank missle had struck a tree a few yards from her, its stump had almost been sliced right down the middle like a stick of butter. It started to fall, unable to support its weight. The sound of the explosion had knocked Marie back to her senses, she noticed the tree about to crash down upon her and was able to evade it last second by scrambling away in an unorthodox fashion.
In the distance, Dog and Fox Company were retreating, leaving Easy Company's right and left flanks wide open. Easy Company was the only company holding the line now. This had been the first-time Marie had thought that they were all actually going to die. She stood up and decided to run to see Malarkey anyway. This could be her last chance to ever see him alive, so the risk was worth it. She booked it across the pasture, tanks and mortar fire raining down all around the fields. She saw the lone building where Malarkey had run into. It grew closer and closer with every step as Marie pushed herself toward the doors.
She stumbled inside, almost landing on her face as she thrust open the doors. Roe and Malarkey jumped, startled by her abrupt entrance. She stood immobile at the building entrance, trying to catch her breath while her lungs struggled for air.
"Good timing, Sergeant. I need your help," Roe said in a hurried voice.
Marie saw that the building was full with wounded soldiers, all waiting in line to be treated. Roe was currently wrapping up a soldier's bare chest. Roe's sleeves and hands were soaked in blood; she watched his steady and methodical patchwork.
Malarkey held his right hand, waiting in line like the rest of the men. She realized he had been wounded. Alarmed, Marie jogged over to him, checking him over.
"I took a piece of shrapnel to the hand," Malarkey told her, holding up his bloody hand, sliced in between two of his fingers, and ran down to his palm.
"That's a Purple Heart wound, Malark," Roe calmly said to him.
Malarkey gazed over at him, stunned by the scene of so many badly bloodied and wounded men in one setting. Outside the tanks still roared with vengeance, a grim reminder of what was waiting outside those doors.
"I don't want any Purple Hearts. But how about a bandage?" Malarkey replied.
"I've got one, Don," Marie answered, rummaging through her pack.
She pulled out one and started to wrap up his hand. Marie bit her lip in concentration as she patched him up, making sure his right hand would still be of use to him.
"Thanks, hon," he said hastily. He went over and grabbed all the ammo his hands could carry.
"You're going back out there?" Marie asked him, knowing it was a dumb question.
"Of course! Stay here and help the Doc!" Malarkey told her, running out the door and back into the fray.
She said a silent prayer to herself for Malarkey, Emilia and Muck.
0000
It was mid-afternoon now, and the hope of conquering Carentan was diminishing. There were so many wounded and close casualties stacking up that Marie and Roe could barely keep up with the demand. She was running drastically low on morphine and sulfa powder, leaving only some bandages and gauze left in her pack. She needed to stock up on her supplies, but it was impossible at the moment with the Panzers roaming around Carentan. Marie felt that they were going to be overrun at any moment. She pictured the tanks crashing through the building and crushing them all relentlessly. But there was a sound outside that Marie hadn't heard since Carentan had begun. The men outside were cheering. She looked puzzled over at Roe, whom returned her confused glance. She decided to go outside and see what the sudden lifted mood was about. Outside she saw more tanks, but they didn't look like Panzers. She ran over to the hedgerow, keeping her head low. She spotted Muck and Malarkey taking cover in the hedgerow, cheering along with the rest of Easy Company.
Marie crouched beside them, staring at the newly arrived tanks as they rolled across the field.
"Check it out, Shermans!" Muck said gleefully to her, elbowing Marie to get her attention.
It was the 2nd Armored Division and they brought about sixty tanks as reinforcements. Marie's mouth gaped at the sight of an armory of tanks pushing back the Germans. She couldn't help but smile in relief at the sight.
"About damn time!" Malarkey exclaimed.
Marie saw as Easy Company started to shoot unmercifully at the retreating Germans, desperate to escape the Americans as they crossed the fields. The sight made Marie actually feel mutely satisfied, although she wouldn't admit that aloud.
Before she knew the blitz was over. Easy Company emerged from their cover and went to check the fields, riddled with debris and death from the long, hard fight. Marie saw Winters had found a wounded and dying German soldier, laying on the ground. He had ordered Malarkey to put the poor soul out of his misery. Malarkey followed orders, whipped out his P38 from its holster, and put one right between the German's hopeless eyes. Marie closed her eyes and looked away. The German's young face was pleading with Malarkey to pull the trigger and get it all over with, his mouth moved wordlessly as he stared up at the three paratroopers. Marie stared into the German's blue eyes, bloodshot and tearing from fear and fatigue.
Winters saw her distressed posture and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She turned to face his sad, smiling face. She couldn't bring herself to return the smile.
"Good work out there today," he complimented.
Marie laughed humorlessly: "I wasn't much help out here in the field, sir."
"Of course you were! You patched up dozens of soldiers with Eugene Roe today. You'll get the hang of things, Docherty. It was one of the hardest fights we've had on Carentan yet."
Marie instinctively raised her hand and touched the gash on her forehead, remembering the previous battle. Winters glanced at her forehead then back at her, giving her another melancholy smile.
"Don't be so hard on yourself," he told her softly.
He trudged off, leaving her, Malarkey, and the dead German soldier. Malarkey walked up to her, studying her face for a moment.
"We're still not done with Carentan yet, are we?" Marie asked her friend, not really wanting to hear the answer.
Malarkey smiled wearily: "No… I think we have a few more things to check on. We're Easy Company, Marie. We're never done."