Tales from the Foxhole

Husk

Cold. That's the only thing Lieutenant Abbott could feel as he huddled himself against the engine of the tank. Not that it provided any warmth. Their fuel ran out hours ago. His breath came out slowly as mist, though it was hard to see in the dark. Across from him sat his gunner, Corporal Adora, who was holding onto their driver, Private Adam. The two tank crewmen looked almost identical, which made sense, since they were twins.

Adam lay his head on his sister's shoulder. His own breath came out in much smaller pockets. If not for the lack of light inside the tank, one could see the blood dripping down his chest.

Abbott remembered the first day he met those two. They were so bright eyed, excited to be part of his platoon. He scoffed at their eagerness. He'd seen it a thousand times from a thousand other soldiers. They either died naive, or their world was ripped apart by bullets and shells. He didn't want to get to know them too well. He knew that eventually, they would die like all the rest. Like his friends, who had all signed up together.

They were promised the world, and instead, they die on some forgotten continent. With no guarantee that their sacrifice meant anything in the long run. Abbott took a peek through one of the small viewports.

He could see the ground was covered in snow, with little flakes falling to add on to it. Tanks littered the field. Their husks were silent and still, much like their crews. And what did this carnage gain? Nothing. They gained nothing. The Wardens still held the ground. No doubt those blueberry bastards were nice and warm around fires in their bunkers.

It seemed so quiet. So easy to just run. But he knew better. There was always someone watching, waiting for an easy target.

"S-sir." Abbott turned to Adora. His tired eyes met hers. He could see despair within her blue eyes. But also determination. She took a shaky breath, then continued. "W-we need- need to move. A-Adam needs a medic."

"I know, Adora. But it's too risky."

Adora stared at her commanding officer in disbelief. Too risky? What was so risky about it? No Warden patrols showed up. It was dark and snowy outside. Their lines were only a few dozen yards away. They could make it, easily! So why won't the lieutenant go for it?!

"Adam is freezing to death, sir! So am I, and You are too!" She shouted. Abbott quickly hushed her.

"Sniper. They have one watching us from the bunkers. I don't know which one."

"H... How-?"

"I saw one of the other crews run for it. He made it ten feet." He gestured to her wounded brother. "How far you'd get with Adam before he kills you too?"

Adora watched her commander lean back against the engine block and bow his head. "Face it, Adora." His voice carried the sorrow of a man about to meet his end. "We're dead."

She couldn't believe it. Adora was horrified. She'd seen how sad and alone the lieutenant had been since she started. She could see it in his eyes, his motions. He didn't care if he lived or died. He had already given up. But a small part of her hoped that he would care enough to see her and her brother through to the end. He'd shown how skilled he was, and how brilliant he was in battle. Every choice he had made had been the right one in her eyes.

But now she understood what the others meant. What their nickname for him truly meant. Husk. A shell without a soul. Well, she wasn't going to take orders from a dead man.

Adora pulled away from Adam to the driver's hatch, then slowly opened it. Snow fell through the hole as the hatch lifted up. It creaked and groaned as it moved for the first time in hours. She only hoped it wouldn't echo. She peeked her head out and swiveled around. She could see a clump of trees in the distance. But to get there required her to run through the scattered remains of tanks and an open field beyond. Not an easy task. But doable if she isn't spotted.

She ducked back down into the tank and pulled her brother over. He grunted as pain shot through him. His lips bled as he bit down hard to avoid screaming. Adora rubbed his back. "I know." She soothed. "But you gotta move, okay?"

She helped her brother climb out. She winced as she heard a thud. He must have hit the dirt. Adora began to climb out, but stopped. She turned to Lieutenant Abbott. He had not moved from his spot. He sat against the tank with his head down low. The young girl scoffed and climbed out, having the decency to close the hatch behind her.

Adora helped Adam to his feet, placing his arm around her shoulders. They started walking at a very slow pace. Their boots dug into the snow, with a small trail of red contrasting against the white. Something dinged off the tank. Adora went cold. Fragments of a sniper's bullet flung past her. She wasted no time and picked up her pace.

But she only got a few feet before Adam collapsed into the snow. She fell with him, doing her best not to land on top of him. In an instant, she ducked behind another tank. Adam groaned and struggled to move.

"Adam, stop!" Her brother turned to face her. Her heart dropped as she saw the tears in his eyes. "Don't move! I'll help you in a sec."

"S-Sis." Adam grunted. "G-Go." He coughed, spitting blood onto the ground. He slumped down into the snow and stopped moving. Adora could only watch in horror as her brother went limp in the snow.

Her twin brother, who she promised to protect. The one who signed up because she wanted him to go with her. What was she thinking?! Now Adam was going to die, and she was going to die! Abbott was right. They were all dead.

A burst of machine gun fire should have signalled her end. But she didn't feel anything. No bullets whizzed by her or slammed into the tank.

"Adora!" Her eyes snapped over to her tank. Sitting halfway out of the turret was Lieutenant Abbott. "Take Adam and run!" He fired another burst from his submachine gun toward the line of bunkers. Adora did not hesitate. She burst from her cover and scooped Adam. The unconscious soldier lay limp against her shoulder and his feet dragged across the ground as Adora ran for the safety of the trees.

Abbott did not stop firing. When his gun clicked empty, he ducked down to reload. A few bullets impacted his turret as multiple snipers and riflemen returned fire on him. Without a care in the world, he popped up again and fired toward the Warden line. A round grazed his shoulder. But he did not care. Another blew off a finger. But he did not stop. He would not stop until Adora and Adam were safe.

Then he could die a death that meant something.

Adora did not stop until she and Adam were surrounded by trees. She could hear Abbott firing away in the distance. But she did not stop. Not until a figure appeared before her. A Colonial Soldier who stared back at her in shock. She stared back in disbelief. She made it? Was she... safe? More Colonials appeared from their foxholes, all giving her the same looks she was giving them. Yes, she was safe.

That was when she collapsed. The soldiers rushed forward and caught the twins before they could hit the ground. An officer approached the scene and took command. "Get them to the medics, quickly!" Three men nodded and carried the pair off to the rear, where a medical station was set up.

The other soldiers stared at the graveyard of tanks, and the single man firing from the husk of his tank.

A bullet slams into Abbott's chest. But he does not stop firing. His gun clicks dry. His last mag was empty. He pulled out his service revolver and cocked back the hammer. A second bullet strikes his hand, knocking the weapon from his hand. He turned back to reach for it, but stopped. He couldn't see Adora and Adam, nor their corpses.

They made it. For the first time in years, Abbott felt like smiling. As bullets whizzed all around him, he climbed back down into the tank and sat in his seat in the turret. Blood pooled around the floor, dripping down from the seat into every nook and cranny of the turret.

Abbott looked around and remembered. All the friends he had served with in this tank. Their home away from home. His tomb. He felt strange. It wasn't cold anymore. He no longer shivered as his body froze. Was this... happiness? Is this what it felt to feel happy? Abbott hoped so. He wanted to die happy.