Best job I ever had

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Hi I'm Norman Ellison a clerk, a typist trained to type 60 words a minute for important people.

Now all that is gone I've been forced into the position of bow gunner to an M4A2E8 named 'fury'

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Now all that is gone I've been forced into the position of bow gunner to an M4A2E8 named 'fury'.

On my first ride, I failed my crew and comrades by not killing a child. A child with a panzerfaust. I am responsible for Lt. Parker's death along with his crew. The memory of him killing himself will stick with me. Later during the same mission I almost got us killed because I had to reload relying on Bible our gunner to coax the German once that was over I was forced to execute a prisoner. The never-ending tank trip was nearing its end and I could do nothing but watch as a tiger ripped through the tanks around us. I killed the commander of the tiger with my bow gun before we headed to our goal, the crossroads. This is where we pick up the story, only me and SSG. Collier is left alive in the tank.

"Awww fuck I wanna surrender"
I exhaled looking at SSG Collier as if asking permission. I don't want to die.

"Please don't."
SSG. Collier looked at me knowing the fate that will await me if I do indeed surrender

"They'll hurt you real bad. They'll kill you real bad."

Every word was true and I was hyperventilating. I don't want to die like this I'm only 16 and I wasn't even supposed to be in the army! I was a clerk for the army and my age got overlooked because it's just another job that a fighting soldier doesn't have to do but now I was forced into this tank.

"Fuck, what do I do?"
I was grasping at straws, looking for any way to survive this

"There's a hatch."
SSG. Collier has lost all hope of surviving but is giving me a way out

"Ok...ok..."
I was listening to every detail

"Do you see it?"
I was pushing my fear away and preparing to act

"I see it"
I answered through ragged breaths

"You know where it is?"
The answer to this was obvious when I said I saw it but he needed confirmation that I was going to make it out alive

"I know where it is."
I looked at him with tear-filled eyes knowing the SS soldiers were outside and going to try and kill us any second now

The commanders hatch opened and Collier answered the unwelcome guest with 2 words from his trusty revolver

The hatch closed as the SS soldier collapsed dead off my new home

The hatch opened only slightly this time not allowing for any shots if fired to strike true

2 grenades were dropped in and landed next to SSG. Collier

"Go."
Was his order and I obeyed crawling out of the tank and landing in the dirt below

*BONG...BONG*

The detonations could be heard outside as I covered myself in dirt

I was in the clear until I saw a dreaded sight. A boy no older than 15 aimed a flashlight under the tank. Our eyes might my mind raced a thousand thoughts in a millisecond but my body moved on its own not to fight or to try and make a break for the safety of fury's steel but to raise my hands... I surrendered...

Norman (fury) in Girls und panzerWhere stories live. Discover now