...
After a short rest in town, Easy Company and 2nd Battalion were pulled back on the line, south of Carentan. With constant rain the first few days, men were soaked and soon got sick. Sneezing and coughing were common sounds out on the main line. Bouts of diarrhoea were common as well, as sanitation wasn't exactly their main concern. Plus, it was almost impossible to properly clean up and wash whilst out in the elements. They each had a bar of soap, but they had no hot water. And the slit-trench was a cesspit for germs…
Getting inside her foxhole, Nora sat next to Winters and pulled out her K ration pack. For the past while, they had been living off their K and D rations, which wasn't much and always left them feeling hungry and unfulfilled. Peeling back the lid, Nora took a sniff inside the can – she had ham. Ham was a lot better than eggs.
"Your belly better?" Winters questioned when he noticed Nora was eating canned meat.
"No, sir". She replied, "But I have to eat…I feel weak, sir".
"Go easy, okay?" Winters warned her, "You don't 'wanna make it any worse".
Nora took in a deep breath and said, "I might regret this". Before plopping a spoonful of canned ham into her mouth…
At her comment, Winters chuckled. He did, however, feel a great deal of sympathy toward the girl and the men who were suffering with a bad upset stomach. Away from any sort of comfort, illness was hard to deal with out in combat. "When is it your birthday?" Winters asked because it suddenly dawned on him that Nora's birthday had to be soon.
"Thirty-first of July, sir". She answered, "Right at the end of the month".
"How do you usually celebrate your birthday?"
Nora stopped eating to reply, "I get cake, sir". She said, "All I want is cake. I don't care about the gifts. I just wanted the cake, sir".
Winters smiled fondly and chuckled. "Noted". He asked, "Do we share the cake? Or do we watch you eat it?"
Nora smiled small and said, "I have to share, which is unfortunate. I'd much rather be watched, sir".
"What's your favourite flavour of cake?"
"Chocolate or vanilla, sir". Came Nora's quick response. "I am partial to carrot, however. Or a plain Victoria sponge…". She shrugged and said, "I eat any cake, sir".
Winters smiled again and asked, "What about party hats and balloons?"
"No, sir". Nora gave her head a shake. "No, I don't like party hats. And I hate balloons".
"What?" He chuckled, "Why? What have they ever done to you?"
"Balloons pop". She said, "And the party hats make my head itch, sir".
"Oh…you get the cardboard ones?"
"There are other kinds of party hats, sir?" Nora asked, mildly surprised.
"I mean…the cardboard ones are easily disposable, I guess. You wouldn't wear them again – not until it's another birthday". Winters said, "But you can get other types, yes. Perhaps ones that are less itchy and uncomfortable".
"It's not just the cardboard, sir". Nora added, "The string around the chin as well…". She pulled a face of discomfort. "It leaves a red mark and it's uncomfortable, sir".
"Yeah, I can get that". Winters agreed. He asked, "Do you like fireworks?"
"Fireworks on a birthday, sir?" Nora questioned. "I've never heard of that".
Winters shrugged, "It happens sometimes. But we usually have fireworks on the Fourth of July or New Years".
"Fourth of July…that's your Independence Day, sir?"
Winters smiled, impressed she knew that. "It is, yeah". He said, "We like to have a party and celebrate with family and friends".
"That sounds fun, sir". Nora said, "America sounds like a nice place. You must miss it, sir".
"Sometimes". Winters admitted. "But I try not to think about home much".
Nora admitted, "In Poland…I used to think about home every night. It was very quiet, after a loud and long day". She said, "No one would talk at night, scared a guard would come into the barrack. And I'd think about home…about mama and Boris. And I thought, it'll never get any better or easier…".
Winters frowned at her words, thoughts she once had while imprisoned. He couldn't imagine feeling that helpless and desperate…
"I got so very sad". Nora said quietly. "I had to stop thinking about home…I only thought about work and…how to stay alive for as long as I could". Setting down her near-empty can of meat, Nora stared up at Winters and said, "I think my belly is okay, sir".
"Yeah? Good". Winters near whispered while he processed Nora's words carefully. He always listened to Nora, especially when she brought up Poland because she shared so little but left so much to the imagination…
"I hope it stays in me". Nora said, "I need the calories, sir".
"That's – uh…". Winters cleared his throat, eyebrows twitching. "That's gross but I hope so too, Nora".
A tiny smile reached Nora's lips. With her elbow, she gently nudged Winters's arm and told him softly, "Hope is everything".
Winters stared down at her, "Is that what kept you going in Poland?"
"No, it was…". Nora huffed quietly and admitted, "It was when America joined the war, sir".
A sad sort of smile reached Winters's lips at that comment…
"We got hold of a radio". Nora explained, "And it was broadcasted that Pearl Harbour had been attacked, America was going to war". She said, "We were…very, very happy. The Germans were not happy". Nora snorted softly. "They were frightened".
"I'll bet". Winters mumbled. He said, "I pray your friends in Poland feel hope now that we're here".
Nora thought back to the people she had once shared a barrack with. If they were alive, she was sure they'd feel a lot of hope that help was here, and the war would end. But just as Nora began to open her mouth to respond to Winters, her stomach gurgled. "Oh, no…". She groaned and then quickly scurried out of the foxhole, racing toward the slit trench…
…
On the 25th of June, orders came from Strayer to gather intelligence. Nixon relayed his orders onto Winters, who held up his hands and told Nixon to ask for volunteers. Nora watched the two friends and saw the irritation creep onto Nixon's face. Nobody liked asking for volunteers and no one liked to volunteer. Before Nixon could round Easy up for volunteers, Nora stepped forward…
"Where are they going?" She asked.
"A farm". Nixon replied, "Not far from here, not even a mile outside of our line. But we can't see past the hedgerows".
"I'll go". Nora offered with a shrug.
"What…".
"What?" Both Winters and Nixon demanded.
"Absolutely not". Winters declined. "No, you'll be staying here".
"Sir…". Nora began to protest.
"No". Winters cut her off firmly. "You're not trained for small scouting missions, Nora. It would be very irresponsible for us to let you go…Nix?"
Nixon, however, seemed indifferent on the matter. "Well…I mean…".
"Christ". Winters sighed, sending his friend a small glare. "I said no, that's final. Nora's in my Company, I'll decide. She's not going".
Nixon faced Nora with a somewhat apologetic expression. "Guess you're staying here, kid. Don't worry, I'll find some volunteers".
When Nixon walked away to find himself some volunteers, Winters faced Nora. "Are you out of your mind, Nora?" He questioned.
Nora sighed. "I guess so, sir". She confessed to him, "You embarrassed me, sir".
"That wasn't my intention". Winters said, "However, you caught me off guard".
"I just…". Nora tried to explain herself, "I just thought I could do it, sir. I feel useless sometimes and I want to feel useful, sir".
"Nora, you're not useless". Winters's voice softened.
"I haven't done anything meaningful out here, sir". Nora quietly argued. "I've translated some, but that's about it".
"Nora…". Winters frowned and stared down at the girl. "You've done incredible things out here. You've helped the wounded, comforted the men…". He huffed, "You've kept me smiling. Don't ever doubt your usefulness, because you matter a great deal to Easy Company".
Nora went quiet for a moment, processing Winters's words. "Well…I forgot about those bits". She admitted, causing Winters to smile small with amusement.
"You don't have to fire a weapon to be useful out here, kiddo". Said Winters. He added gently, "I'm sorry I embarrassed you, Nora. I truly am".
"I forgive you, sir". Nora replied softly with a smile.
Winters smiled and admitted, "I'm actually proud of you…you felt brave enough to volunteer for a scouting mission".
Nora shrugged. "Combat has changed me, sir".
"But not too much, alright?" Winters smiled softly…
…The scouting mission didn't go as well as they hoped. The farmhouse was occupied, that much was clear, but Albert Blithe got hit in the shoulder by a sniper. Lesniewski dragged Blithe back from the line of fire, and Roe met them in a small clearing behind a hedgerow. Nora stood next to Winters and Welsh. Lieutenant Welsh didn't look happy at the sight of blood coming from one of his men. Too many men had been wounded now, Welsh was tired of it all. But thankfully, Winters came with some good news. Easy Company were being pulled off the line, to a reserve camp, and then they were going back to England. Blithe just missed it, and it was his birthday.
Trucks collected them and took the tired Paratroopers off the line. Sent to Cherbourgh, troopers aimlessly wandered the battered city. It was a holding station, where soldiers awaited ships to take them to England. In the bustling and battered city, tents were erected with small cabin beds set up inside. Also, they had shower tents but no clean uniforms to put on afterwards. So, Winters would spend his own money to have his men's uniforms washed and dried…
"Are you feeling okay?" Nixon questioned Winters, once his friend announced he was going to have his men's uniforms washed. "Combat fatigue?"
While Nora snorted softly at the remark, Winters said, "I'm not going to spend it on booze, so, what the hell". He faced Nora, "Do you 'wanna help me collect all the uniforms?"
"Absolutely, sir". Nora easily complied…
…With their uniforms being washed and dried, the men took a much-needed shower. Nora had to wait until the shower tents were quiet and Winters would stand outside the tent, making sure no one walked inside while Nora was showering. Scrubbing all the mud, blood, and combat off of her body, Nora watched the brown water swirl down a small opening on the ground. Once Nora was washed, she dried herself off with a towel and then wrapped a woolly blanket around her body. She had nothing to wear, a blanket would have to do. Slipping on her shoes, Nora exited the shower tent and smiled up at Winters.
"A lot better, sir". Nora said lightly.
The men could get away with going shirtless and wearing their trunks, while their uniforms were drying off. Of course, Nora didn't want to walk around shirtless. Winters set his hand upon her shoulder and began leading them toward their tent. A hot meal would be served at supper, the first hot meal the troopers would have for weeks. Nora was looking forward to their meal. Wearing freshly washed and dried uniforms, the men ate a hot meal before calling it a night. But Nora couldn't fall asleep, despite feeling exhausted and full from supper. With Winters breathing deeply, she quietly left the tent. Outside, the night air felt cool. Nora could hear the waves gently crashing against the shoreline and she moved toward the edge of a slope, where she could watch the dark water…
"You shouldn't be here". A voice suddenly appeared beside her.
Nora sharply turned and her eyes widened at the sight of Lieutenant Speirs…she froze.
Speirs sighed, "I'm assuming you can't sleep. It's crazy, isn't it? You'd think we'd sleep like babies but we're awake".
Nora's voice was barely audible, "Yeah…crazy, sir".
Speirs rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you, Clopper. You can relax".
Without thinking, Nora said, "You shot your own Sergeant".
Speirs stilled for a moment, surprised by the blunt statement. Eventually, he said, "I did".
"Why?" Nora quietly asked.
Once more, Speirs fell silent. He drew out a long sigh and stuck both hands into his pockets. He told Nora, "He was drunk, being too loud, and not following orders. He was going to get my men killed".
Nora said, "You didn't send him off the line, sir".
"I ordered him to go back to the CP, sober up". Speirs said, "But he didn't follow orders…".
"So, you shot him". Nora cut the Lieutenant off.
Speirs sighed, irritated. "You didn't let me finish, Clopper".
Nora pressed her lips together, to keep herself from speaking…
Speirs continued, "He went for his machine gun. I told him, 'Don't pick up that weapon unless you intend to use it'…I shot him". Speirs said, "In the chest, I…". He ducked his head for a moment and let out a long breath.
Nora asked quietly, "And the prisoners?"
"They had nowhere to go". Speirs said, "It had to be done". He added, "There's no room for pity or compassion out here, Clopper. If you feel sympathy toward the enemy, you'll die. It's either kill or be killed, pick a side".
Nora frowned, "You feel nothing".
Speirs uttered quietly, "It had to be done".
Nora thought she could hear a note of regret in Speirs's voice, and she felt sorry for him. Maybe he felt something after all. Staring up at the man, Nora couldn't see a villain but a lost boy, who was searching for the answer to a deep, burning question. "It's not a bad thing to feel something, sir. Men who feel frightened, are the bravest of all…because despite feeling so scared, they keep going. They're not cowards for feeling compassion. They're just human, sir".
Speirs said, "They don't want us to be human, Nora".
"They don't get to decide that, sir". Nora said, "In Poland, we weren't treated as humans, we were treated worse than animals in a zoo. But we got so much satisfaction when we helped others because it proved to the Nazis that they couldn't take away our humanity. And I lived through that…I was a person, who lived through all that. I did bad things, things that would make your insides squirm…but I always remembered, I was loved. I was once a person who lived a normal life".
Speirs swallowed. And his eyes seemed to glisten. He blinked and looked away from Nora, taking a moment of silence to process her words. "It had to be done". He uttered quietly.
"It did and it's okay that it means something to you, sir".
There was a spell of silence. Speirs briefly looked at the girl and said, "Thanks".
A tiny smile met Nora's lips. "You're welcome, sir".