Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ １００ － Ｌｏｔｔｅｒｙ】

Chapter 100 - Lottery

The drinking picked up from there. It was just a nightcap every night, it helped her sleep.

After a week of R&R, the men would be back to training. Peggy hadn't known there was still another war on for the Americans. But when she found out her heart was crushed. This was not how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to go home now.

Why the fuck would they have a points system anyway?! Just bullshit! And it meant next to none of the enlisted were going home, but all the officers with their prissy attitudes could.

But in that week, Peggy tried her best to have as much fun as she could. Some of the guys went hunting, and Peggy went with, just to spend time with her family.

It was good to be able to not take anything seriously for a week.

She went for a lot of walks around the lake, it calmed her, and was good for her soul. She wore civilian clothes, and danced with the guys in the afternoons and evenings, drinking just enough to feel light and buzzed. It was so freeing to dance with them in peacetime, with her skirt whirling around her. And in those moments the weight of the world was lifted from her.

The anniversary of D-Day rolled around, and everyone started boozing a little early. Nothing major, just a small one early on so everyone felt a little looser, a little lighter. But then they all had to be in their uniforms standing to attention by platoon.

Peggy didn't know where to stand.

Someone yanked her in line with Second Platoon so she stood to attention in the Class A's she'd altered back in that barn in Aldbourne.

"General Taylor is aware that many veterans, including Normandy veterans, still do not have the eighty five points required to be discharged." The points system made Peggy unbelievably angry on behalf of her brothers, because they had all fought and fought and fought and given more than any many should be expected to give for his country. And yet their country still expected more. "On this, the anniversary of D-Day, he has authorised a lottery to send one man home in each Company, effective immediately. For Easy Company, the winner is," she saw Welshy pick a slip out of the helmet that Tab held. That slip was given to Ron, who opened it and read it out. "Serial number 13066266. Sergeant Darrell C Powers."

Peggy could've cried she was so happy. Finally, someone would get to go home safe. And she was so glad it was Shifty, and cheered and whistled to let him know that she couldn't think of anyone more deserving.

"Sergeant Grant will see to it that Second Platoon takes over at the crossroads checkpoint, beginning tonight at 2200 hours." That killed the mood.  Like come on Ron, it's the anniversary. But as always, there was work to be done.

But what he said next destroyed any shred of joy.

"General Taylor has also announced that the 101st Airborne Division will definitely be redeployed to the Pacific. So, beginning tomorrow at 0600 hours, we will begin training to go to war."

Fuck.

No.

This was not how it was supposed to be. They'd never allow her to follow them halfway round the world. Never never. So she would be forced to say goodbye not knowing if they'd ever make it home.

Peggy couldn't take it. She couldn't lose them like this.

So when they were dismissed, she vanished.

She went down to the lake with a bottle of whiskey to sit on the pier and think.