The Nightingale || John Egan

IV

June 1943

"Your very first mission with the 100th might be during these days, aren't you nervous?"

Iris and Alissa lay in their bunk beds late at night, where darkness nurtured the sky as well as the room.
Alissa, who lay on the top looked down as Iris stared at the bed above her as she.
Iris was told about this days ago, and that day, no one knew when for now. So all lived in the anticipation.
But Iris hated how anticipation made her chest tighten, her heart beat faster and feel blood rushing in her ears.
She was not one to lie, as she found liberty of feeling herself at comfort when she knew there was no need to be dishonest.

"I am. But I have done it plenty of times, Alissa. All will be well".

"Of course all will be well, and when you come back there will be an after party" Alissa said, whispering, with a dreamy tone as if she is looking forward to it.
Iris chuckled and turned to her side, placing her hands under her cheek.
"After party?" asked Iris and spoke immediately afterwards "Well, then I guess I'll have to attend my first after party here, am I right?"
"Yes! And you'll get to know more people, you know, I hear someone's got an eye on you, dear Iris" Alissa's tone indicated to Iris that she was grinning and moving her eyebrows up and down.
"Oh, stop wiggling your eyebrows, I can sense it!" Iris whispered, she heard Alissa giggle quietly and return to her bed.
Alissa was just a year older than Iris, although with her perfectly curled blonde hair and the never missing red lip, she looked slightly older. Despite all, Iris had found a friend in her.
All went adequately, the lack of missions resulted in no grave injuries for the patients who came into the medical wing. And their injuries were usually a foolish paper cut and Iris heard come complain and she wondered what will happen if their limbs blew off, but she kept comments to herself as she did not want to give the impression of being rude.

Because it is rare to find someone who would understand her humor, although a bit shadowy.

"Have you ever bailed out?" asked Alissa out of nowhere, her question genuine.
"Can you believe in twenty missions I have never bailed out?"
"Well, be prepared for your first time".
Iris plopped on her elbows "Oh stop it!" she smiled and spoke "Are the pilots here that bad?" she heard Aliss chuckle before she replied with a no.
"Whose the best?"
"Gale Cleven, Buck".

"So there's Buck and Bucky? The two that are always attached to the hip?" asked Iris and Alissa replied with a yes.

"So," began Alissa as the both of them rejected sleeping.
"Do you have an eye on anyone?" her tone teasing as she spoke.
Iris made a sound to indicate that she were thinking but deep down, she really didn't. The only time she really spoke to the boys was when they would come in with their small injuries.
"No, you?"
"I don't believe you! We are surrounded by men, you don't find anyone handsome?" Aliss asked, shocked.
"Objectively they are not ugly. Although, why should I focus on men in the middle of a war?"
"Because you never know, and I have seen you converse with one particular man" Alissa said and peeked down at Iris, who now was sat up fully and through the dark looking at Alissa's face.
"And who might that be?" Iris asked, no one coming to mind.

"That would be the same person who I think has an eye on you".

"Can you not speak in riddles for a moment? I am honest about my response and you, Miss Kent, have avoided my question."

"I have not, do you want to know who I have an eye on?"
"Purely out of curiosity".
"William Anderson-"
"The red one?"
"Why are you so surprised? Listen, he's got all a man should have".
Iris nodded covering her face as she asked "And what should a man have?".

"Well, I only know him from afar, he's got the looks" she said calmly and fully confident.
"Isn't he twenty?"
"He's actually thirty-one".
"That correction was rather fast, Alissa".
"A nurse should know such information about their patients, Iris".
A moment of silence passed between the two before both covered their mouths to suppress their laughter in the shadows of the night that embraced the room.

::::

25th of June, 1943.
0300 Hours.

Iris was shook awake from her peaceful sleep, early in the morning. Where the sky was yet to bloom in light and where birds began chirping.
"Iris," she heard and fluttered her eyes open and was met with Alissa, dressed and all.
She held a flashlight to Iris' face as she sat up and on her own she realized what was about to come.
"You're flying today, Iris."
Iris nodded firmly and stood up as she got ready for her day.
Iris knew there was always a special breakfast on mission days: eggs, French toast, flapjacks, double rations of bacon, fresh grapefruit juice and a couple of cups of GI coffee. The men would coms to call it the last supper.
Before anything else, after Iris had braided her hair and wore her clothes, she had gone alone to have breakfast, giving that Alissa had stuff to prepare and finish.

She walked inside the canteen, although none of the boys seemed to have noticed her until she stood in queue. She realized that yes, anticipation was worse, and now taht she stood there she felt as if all would go adequately without any malfunctions.
As improbable as that might sound, but it is what it is.
She picked at the leather of her jacket when she felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned around and met with Ronald Jones, the edges of her lips lifted when he smiled at her.
"Morning, Grey".
"Morning, Jones".
"You flyin' today?" he assumed and was right as the girl nodded.
"I wouldn't be here if I weren't,".
They both took steps forward as the queue became shorter and shorter.
They spoke a bit more, they both grabbed trays and food was put on them "I don't recommend eating the eggs, Grey" he leaned in and whispered in her ear so none of the 'cooks' could hear, she looked up at him and skipped the eggs as she walked out of the line and he followed along and motioned her to come sit at the table he was walking towards to.
"Are they that bad?" she asked him as they both sat and he nodded.
William Anderson was sat at the table too, along with six other men she did not recognize.
She noticed their eyes lingering on her so she glanced at them and introduced herself "Iris Grey".

"Is she the nurse that will be flying with us on missions?" one of them asked and the question wasn't directed to her.
"Yes, I will".
"But you're-" the man began once again before another one slapped his arm resulting in his silence.
Then, William spoke begining a conversation, everyone engaging, including Iris. Questions were asked and answered.
"Well I guess you'll bring us luck, Grey" said one of the men whom she had already forgotten the name of.
"Well, I can't save all of you, can I?"

Afterwards, she stood at the back as colonel came in to elaborate the mission.
"The target for today is Bremen", he said and most giggled and whistled.
"We'll be hitting the U-boat pension the Weser River. Now, I cannot stress enough time importance of this target. We lost almost 70 cargo ships to U-boats last month alone. And if we can't get the material from the United States to Great Britain. We won't be stepping foot on the continent. The 350th will be high in position with Major Cleven as lead pilot and the 349th will be low with Major Veal as lead. I'll be up front with Lieutenant Dyein the 351st.
After formation, the 100th will join the 94th and 95th and the 96th bomber group. We will be in the low-low. In a total wing strength of 78 heavy bombers. Major Bowman, our Intelligence Officer, will take it from here. And Captain Becker will finish up with the weather".
"Major".
"Thank you sir".

Iris, from the back, listened carefully, although her main task was to help the injured and she hoped blood would not stain her hands that day.

She had fully changed in her aircraft clothing and fetched all the necessary with her.
"Good luck, Iris" Alissa said as Iris stood in front of the vehicle, Iris smiled and turned to hop on the vehicle and saw an arm reached out for her to help her up, she took it gratefully and thanked the man.
She sat next to him as he once again offered her his hand "Curtis Biddick, call me Curt".
"Iris Grey".

Then, Buck was the last on the hop on, the girl turned her glance as it landed on the man standing on the ground.
He looked at her and Iris tilted her head and looked away when the vehicle began moving and she heard his voice.

"All right. See you all later".

"That's where I'm going".