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

Hershey Bars

Cataloguing the supplies was disheartening. The medics had had very little to begin with and even with the new shipment, they weren't much better off. Sighing, the brunette put the bottles of plasma back in their crate.

At least they had supplies now, she thought to herself. They would make do, they had managed with less. She never wanted to feel so helpless and desperate again like on Christmas Eve, where she'd been forced to administer a placebo to the wounded Lt Welsh.

"Hey Shorty, have you heard about the patrol?", Vest asked.

She shot him a quizzical look, barely glancing up while her fingers sorted through IV lines. Why does he sound so excited? "Which one? The one tonight?"

"Yeah, that one. You know who's going?"

Vest had yet to see any real action. As part of HQ staff, he was mostly in the rear, taking care of supplies, doing mail call and writing mourning reports. Just like all those who hadn't been on the front lines – or in combat at all – he was eager for stories and gossip.

She didn't answer for a moment, too focused on counting up the delivered IV kits. She had lost count once already. Comparing the number she got with the number on the form, she ticked the item off on the list and went on to put the kits back into the box.

Then, she replied: "From what I know, everyone from 2nd and Shifty are already fixed. Malarkey leads." She had overheard Liebgott, Grant and Babe griping about the list in front of the showers.

Try as she might, the small medic couldn't hide her discontent. Malarkey needed to stay behind and rest, not be thrown into another combat situation with the pressure of command. She couldn't help but think back to Babe's bitterly sarcastic remark: "He only lost his 5 best friends, what the fuck's he got to live for?"

It only confirmed to her that she had made the right decision to put herself on that patrol. If something happened, god forbid, if Don couldn't hold back the demons clawing at his soul, she would be there and could try to do damage control. She had done it before, she could do it again.

"Malark, you kidding?", Luz exclaimed. "Jesus Christ, can't he ever catch a break?"

Ella sighed. "Yeah. But I can't go to Speirs and tell him to draft somebody else. Everyone's running on fumes." She cursed under her breath as she lost count for the second time and had to begin all over again.

She had to count the syrettes a third time when Vest suddenly handed her a letter. "There you go, Ella, from your Mama."

Mumbling a thanks, the brunette tucked the crumpled envelope into her jacket for later. Now, she really just wanted to check her supplies, sign them out and deliver them to the aid station before getting some sleep.

***

She got distracted for the fourth time by the arrival of Cobb and Johnny Martin from 1st Platoon. They immediately recognised what Luz was counting up and began badgering him for some of the coveted chocolate bars.

"God damnit Johnny, you're breaking my heart, I'm telling you", Luz sighed distractedly as he counted the Hershey bars.

"Oh come on, George", Johnny said, "just give me, I don't know, ten, fifteen bars."

Rolling his eyes, Luz reached over into another box and slapped a pack on the counter. "Juicy Fruit", he declared tensely. "Happy?"

He would love to give them some, hell, if it were up to him, he would give everybody an entire box of Hershey's, but there weren't enough and it was his job to distribute supplies evenly.