Nineteen-year-old Judith Sanders, a talented photographer, is sent to the front lines to capture the unfiltered reality of war.
Assigned to Easy Company, Judith follows them through Toccoa and into the horrors of war in Europe.
As time goes on, Ju...
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Sunbeams streamed through the thin curtain in the Sanders family's kitchen, casting patterns on the already set table, ready for breakfast.
Mrs. Sanders, Judith's stepmother, stood at the stove frying eggs—normally Judith's task on Sunday mornings. But since last night, when the letter from the magazine arrived, Judith had hidden in her room, pondering how she could explain to her parents that in just a week, she would start taking photos for the magazine with the army. She might even end up at the frontlines, capturing the war through her camera.
Judith couldn't put it off any longer.
She walked down the stairs of the small house and quietly sat at the table, where the rest of the family was already seated. Her stepmother was busy lecturing Judith's little sister about table manners, as the girl had a habit of resting her elbows on the table during meals. But it wasn't going as planned. The girl just rolled her eyes and proceeded to eat. Judith's father remained oblivious to all this, deeply engrossed in his morning newspaper. Occasionally, a frustrated hiss escaped him whenever he read about one of his business partners making a foolish deal.
Judith ate her breakfast in silence, waiting for the moment. But the moment never seemed to come. So, she spoke up, even if it didn't feel right.
"I... I need to tell you something."
No reaction. The crying of five-year-old Peter drowned her out. Judith cleared her throat and tried again.
"Father?"
This time, Thomas Sanders looked up from his economic article, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"I told you about my new job."
"Photographer, yes. Did you find a job?" He sounded surprised. Judith was glad, he paid attention and didn't just go back to reading his newspaper, as usual.
"Yes, do you remember the magazine I mentioned? They sent me the official offer yesterday."
"Judith, sweetie, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you," said Susan, her stepmother, who had always supported her stepdaughter's dream. Judith smiled shyly, nervously wiping her palms on the rough fabric of her chair. Now she had to drop the real bomb. She took a deep breath, the smell of freshly baked bread filling her nose. Judith exhaled.
"I'm going to be a war photographer."
There it was. The words hung in the air as if they had to fight their way across the short distance to reach her family's ears. For Judith, it felt like an eternity, but in reality, only a few seconds of silence passed before her father lowered his newspaper. Slowly, he folded it and placed it neatly on the table.
"What does that mean?" her 14-year-old sister Annie asked, as she wiped Peter's nose. He had stopped crying, sensing the tension in the air. Peter was sensitive like that; he didn't like silence.
"I don't know yet—"
"You don't know yet?!", her father interrupted sharply. "Judith, please tell me you know more than 'I don't know.' You should have a clear idea of what you're getting into!"
His tone was just as tense as Judith had feared. It was exactly what she had wanted to avoid. She kept her voice steady.
"Of course, I know what I'm doing. I just don't know all the details about the future yet."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Susan asked, trying to remain calm, though anyone could see the unmistakable worry on her face.
"Well, at first, I'll only be going to a bootcamp to photograph the soldiers during their training."
"That doesn't sound too bad, right?" Susan said, visibly relieved.
"Is that all?" Thomas asked, his brow furrowed. He wasn't convinced.
"Well..." Judith hesitated, nervously wringing her hands. "Not exactly."
Both parents raised their eyebrows in unison, almost as if they were the same person.
"Uh... yes, it might be possible that I, um, go to the front as well," Judith mumbled.
Silence again.
Judith stared at her hands, missing the worried looks her parents exchanged. She didn't notice Susan shaking her head as she tried to soothe little Peter.
"No, Judith," her father said, his voice softer than she expected. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."
"That might be true. Still, I want to do my part, just like everyone else."
Judith noticed out of the corner of her eye that Susan wanted to object. Quickly, she continued.
"I'm not a good nurse, and I'm not a good assistant. But I am good with a camera. So please, let me contribute in the way that I can. I need to do this."
Silence. Judith could almost hear the gears turning in her father's mind. Every breath felt more unsteady than the last. Her heart pounded in her chest.
"Alright."
"What?"
"Alright."
"I—"
"Listen, Judith," her father interrupted, "I need you to understand what you're getting into. I do believe that you're strong, but stronger people than you have crumbled under the conditions you might face. I can't bear the thought of you being helpless, stuck in a trench somewhere in Europe, with no one to tell us what happened. You could be gone, and..."
His voice broke. Judith knew he had seen terrible things during his time fighting in Europe. Susan gently laid her hand on her husband's arm to calm him.
"I'm sure Judith will make it through boot camp," Susan said. "And maybe she'll never even get sent to the front. I don't think they'll send anyone who isn't fully prepared."
And with that, the conversation came to an end for the time being. Judith finished her tea and helped clear the table. She wanted to savor this last week with her family. In her heart, she knew that she would go to the front. She would do anyhing in her power to prepare herself.
She would go there. The people needed to see what it really was like.
And when Judith Sanders set her mind to something, it would take more than a few men in the army to stop her.
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A/N:
The first official chapter is out!! I'm so excited
Also, I already got a few readers on the prologue which makes me so happy!!
The next chapter is already in the works, but it probably won't come out until the weekend
