The Light In The Dark.

Chapter 33 - Bastogne Part 3

It was now January 2nd 1945, the 101st were still in their positions in the Ardennes forest holding their line securely. They had began moving and pushing back the enemy lines, taking parts of the forest back to prepare to take Foy. Hoobler had taken out a German Officer on horse back, taking his Luger as a souvenir. It had been the most dramatic moment of the day.

Once they had returned to where Easy was digging in, he had been going round bragging to everyone how good of a shot he was and showing off his new toy. No one had seen Hoobler so happy. Judith couldn't help but laugh at the man, watching him go from foxhole to foxhole.

Not too long later, a single gunshot sounded causing everyone to drop down and cover themselves, until the shouts for a medic started.

"Oh god, it's Hoobler ! He shot himself!"

Joyce was on the scene with Eugene as they tended to the man. Joyce and Eugene tended to the wound as best as they could, but the blood kept gushing. Hoobler stopped struggling. Joyce looked up to his face, his eyes were now lifeless. Her lip quivered.

"Oh god." She muttered before stumbling away.

Frank Perconte caught up to her, stopping her and hugging her tight.

"Doc Roe said it was the artery, you couldn't have done anything more. You did great. You did what you could." Frank told the blonde medic.

"I-I-I... oh my god Frank. I couldn't save him." She sobbed into his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get you some warm coffee and cleaned up." He told her.

All the men and women got on with covering their foxholes with covers, doing their best to ensure they had enough cover for tree bursts and artillery. Some sat around talking to each other about their situation, singing Dikes praises. The cold winter air blistering their lips as they shivered.

A lot of people had lost a lot of colour in their skin due to the cold weather they were met with.

After a little bit of time passed, word came that Lieutenant Peacock was being sent home for a bit, which everyone was happy about. Maybe not for the right reasons but nonetheless they were happy about something.

A little bit later, men came to interview the men and women and take pictures or videos of them, they were told to act happy and honoured about being saved. Though they all knew they didn't need to be 'saved'. It was to keep morale up for the people back home in America. They were being served hot food. That was one thing they were all happy. Joe Toye had returned from the aid station, after being hit in the arm, after three days.

All of the men and women were gathered around enjoying the warm food, chatting amongst one another.

"Almost every single one of these guys have been hit at least once."

Monique looked up to Muck who was talking to one of the new replacements.

"Bull, he got a piece of exploding tank in Holland. This woman, Joy, got a bullet to the leg, also in Holland." Muck pointed to the two.

"Now Liebgott, the skinny little guy, he got pinged in the neck in Holland. Right next to him, that other skinny little guy, got shot in his scrawny little butt in Normandy."

"And uh, Buck got shot in his rather large butt in Holland."

Judith giggled, Monique just smiled and shook her head from where she stood besides Don Malarkey.