Pitschen ma en gamba - Small, but powerful [A Band of Brothers Story]

Struggles

There wasn't any penicillin in the air-dropped packages.

Ella, Gene and Spina didn't need too much time to sort through the boxes and divide the supplies amongst themselves. Plasma, bandages, suture kits, that was about all they had. Still no morphine for them. The aid station had been resupplied, but it wasn't enough to share with the various medics up on the front lines.

"I tried", Gene professed, "I told them we were down to our last syrette, but they wouldn't listen."

Ella gave him a sympathetic smile. "We know, Gene. It's not your fault that munition was prioritised." Though who's supposed to fire the ammo when we all die due to the lack of clothing, food and medical supplies is beyond me.

She banished that thought as soon as it occurred to her. Jetz ish wohl kaum dr richtig Ziitpunkt zum zynisch sii!, the girl scolded herself. They had plasma, which was a big improvement. They had proper, sterile bandages and suture kits to take care of minor wounds themselves.

Spina sighed. "At least we finally got enough blankets for everyone", he commented, pointing to the large crate sitting beside him. "Maybe more."

The brunette's eyes lit up. "That's great!", she enthused, "now the guys out on the OP have at least something to keep them warm. They can't move around to keep the blood circulating and they can't very well double up under one blanket."

Infected by her excitement, Gene cracked a tired smile and grabbed an arm full of blankets. "I'll take them", he offered, getting to his feet.

"Alright", Ella nodded. "Then get some rest, you've been running around all day. Spina and I will-" The rest of her sentence got cut off by a rattling cough.

The girl grimaced and hid her face in her sleeve as her body tried to expel whatever gunk had been gathering in her lungs. She was well aware of the concerned looks her fellow medics were giving her, but too breathless to reassure them. Her stomach muscles were starting to ache as she tried to stop coughing.

When she finally had her breathing under control again, the brunette managed: "Ergh. Sorry. As I was saying-"

This time, it was Spina who interrupted her. "How long have you been coughing?" His face was a mask of worry.

Taking a small sip from her canteen, she swallowed and answered with a shrug: "A few days."

Gene was studying her, a deep frown marring his pale features. She met his gaze calmly. "I'm fine", she said, "it's just a cough."

A moment passed. And another. And another. Then he nodded, lip twitching lightly. "Alright, Ellie. Mais fais attention, d'accord?"

The young medic gave him a cheeky grin. "Aren't I always?", she asked back. The look he sent her way before leaving spoke volumes.

***

Gene had just left the OP, his quiet footsteps fading in the distance. Silence reigned once more as slow lightly fell from the sky. Buck, Guarnere and Babe were manning the outpost and thanks to the supply drop, they now had blankets to wrap up in.

"Never calls anybody by their nickname", Bill commented, handing out the blankets the Cajun medic had delivered.

Babe remarked: "He once called me Edward", sounding somewhere between confused and mildly affronted.

Bill glanced at his friend. "That right?"

Buck turned to look at the youngest – and greenest – of their small group. "Edward?", he repeated. "That's your name?"