Women of War - A Band of Brothers Story

Women

A/N: Hello guys. I can't believe it's been so long since my last update... I feel terrible! I had a hard time writing this chapter, for various reasons, and in between, my brain was filled with too much stuff from writing research papers for university, so I literally couldn't write a single sentence that didn't sound like it belonged in an essay. I hope you can understand.

This chapter marks the end of episode 9. I have already started working on the content for the next chapters (and the final episode), but there's 3 months to cover, so if you have any requests or ideas for what you'd like to see happen or what you think the women should do/experience between Berchtesgaden and VJ-Day, let me know. I can't promise that I'll be able to fit in everything, but I'd still love to hear your thoughts.

Now enough talking, I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Seeing the state of the prison camp and its inmates, Esther had felt like she was stuck in a nightmare. So many people, kept in such misery, humiliated and mistreated in the worst ways imaginable. Corpses everywhere, emaciated bodies with twig-like limbs tossed aside without thought or care.

The company commander had pulled her aside to translate when a young man, shorn and with a face filled with pain and grief, tried to talk to him. It had been gruelling, repeating the atrocious things the man spoke of, but she'd held onto her composure and stomach contents as best she could.

Until the man revealed why he and everyone else had been imprisoned. The word "Juden" rang in her ears and knocked the wind right out of Esther's lungs.

She didn't remember translating the rest of the prisoner's explanation, though she must have done it. She didn't remember excusing herself or walking away. She didn't remember leaving the compound.

All she remembered was the roar of blood in her ears and the sensation of free fall in her gut – like she'd been shoved out of an airplane with no chute – and then dropping to her knees and choking on bile and sobs.

She had nothing more to throw up, no tears left when Sergeant Caracea, shell-shocked and overwhelmed like she hadn't seen him since D-Day, told her that there was a women's camp nearby. Her stomach sank lower at the news, but she looked at her sergeant and declared that she'd go there.

He studied her. "Are you sure?"

"I'm going, sir", she insisted, iron determination filling her veins.

Her resolve wavered when the women's camp came into view. It looked no different from the camp she had just come from; the same barbed-wire fences, the same inward-facing watch towers, the same stench of fire and decay. The gates were wide open and in the sea of sluggishly wandering prisoners, the soldiers moved to and fro in subdued but focused industriousness.

Hashem yishmor. Why did I come here?

Climbing out of the jeep, Esther gave the driver a small nod and steeled herself. I'm here to help and offer comfort where I can. She approached the small group of Fox Company officers clustered outside the perimeter fences.

They accepted her salute and the company XO, 1st Lieutenant Tuck, sent her to find First Sergeant Malley to get her assignment. Confirming, Esther passed through the gates, very carefully not thinking on the fact that the mud beneath her boots was mixed with ash and human waste.

***

The shock and horror of the first camp hadn't left the Easy Company women yet when they pulled up to the women's camp. Reporting to the officers there, they headed into the compound and were once more faced with the appalling conditions that reigned in these places.