The Way Back

- 4 -

"Easy's moving out! On your feet." Harry Welsh called out, his voice echoing across the plaza. 

Lia and Piper gathered together behind the group of men. Welsh ordered light and noise discipline. The sun was setting and they would soon be marching in the darkness. She knew of the plan already; taking Carentan. 

George Luz spoke up, his voice mimicking General Taylor. "Remember boys, give me three days and three nights of hard fighting, and you will be relieved." A round of laughter echoed from the men. Lia shifted her rifle in place. 

"You stick close to me, yeah?" Lia spoke low to the girl next to her, who was joining in on the quiet laughter. Piper turned, her eyes bright as she nodded her head. 

"Another thing to remember, boys. Flies spread disease, so keep yours closed." Luz spoke up again, his voice a direct mimic of Taylor. This time Lia fought to keep a smile from spreading onto her face. 

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The soldiers halted outside of Carentan, holding on a small gravel hill. Winters spoke to Welsh in hushed tones. Lia Creed crouched with both of them. "Creed. You and your men will follow with 2nd and 3rd platoon." The pair nodded. 

Winters gave the green light to Welsh, and 1st platoon rushed forward. Within moments, a German voice called out to fire. Machine gun fire rained down on the men already over the other side of the hill. 

The rest of the platoons ducked down into the ditches on either side of the path, trying to avoid the gunfire. Lia glanced around, noticing no one was moving forward to assist the Welsh and Luz already inside Carentan. 

"Get your asses up!" She yelled out to the men around her. No one moved. Behind her, she heard Winters yelling the same thing. Lia cursed out at the soldiers. They were sitting ducks here, and were leaving their own men to defend themselves inside the town.

She turned, grabbing  Albott and Laurier, two men from Vitale. "You two know better! Get the hell out of here now!" Bullets smacked into the gravel all around her. 

Lia pulled more men up, yelling at them to get them on the move. She grabbed onto Piper beside her. "We need to get you into a good vantage point." The pair rushed forward, finally able to rally the men around them. 

The two girls pushed their backs into a building next to Sargent Lipton. A younger soldier ran forward, trying to tell Lipton of a gunner. A bullet ripped through the soldier, sending him to the ground, the crack of a single shot echoing just before. 

Lia looked at Piper, pointing to another building just across them. Vantage point. 

She watched as Piper darted over, faster than anyone she had ever seen and disappeared into the building. 

Moments later, another rifle crack echoed, a single shot from the same building Piper entered. Lia saw the end of a rifle disappear back into the upper window. "Sniper down!" Lia heard the young girl call out. 

She peered around the building, watching as a brave soldier ran at the machine gunner. He tossed a grenade through the window, falling down for cover just below it. As the explosion went off, sending dirt and debris out the window, Lia rushed forward. 

She came upon a fallen man, still alive and in the open. "Shit." She mumbled. 

Lia threw her rifle over her shoulder, grabbing the man by his arms. "Come on, lets get you out of here." 

From a building to her right, a German soldier came running out. His eyes connected with hers. As he swung his own rifle up, she unholstered her side arm. A single shot directly between the eyes took the German to the ground.