The Cold Recesses of our Minds

2

This little shovel is terrible. I jam it in the ground again and begin to dig the foxhole. Liebgott helps me. We will be sharing this together. I shiver slightly. The snow falls on the ground softly. It reminds me of of little parachutes in the sky falling gently and melting but the ones that stay are the loneliest.

I sigh as the hole pretty much engulfs me. Its already huge.

"You think it's big enough?" I ask. Liebgott looks down at the hole.

"Shit, we've been working all day! I say it's big enough," he throws his shovel down. I do the same.

It's hard to tell what time of day it is. The fog covers pretty much everything. I can tell it's almost night.

"I couldn't cut this fog with a sword," I sigh. Liebgott looks at me funny.

"The hell is that suppose to mean?" He asks. I smirk slightly. I rub my hands together for warmth.

"I could use a cold shower right now," I sit in the hole. Liebgott sits down next to me.

"Warmer than this," he grabs the blanket. We lays it over us. We get closer to one another for warmth.

Two years ago I would never share a bed with a man I wasn't going to marry. Now I'm almost cuddling with one.

"Do you think we will win the war?" Liebgott shivers next to me. I look at him. We all look like hell. Red noses deep sunken eyes and pale skin. Around our eyes is red.

"I think we will, but at a great cost," I smile and look away. I can't show him I'm on the verge of crying.

Deep down inside I know we will win, but the small voice inside me says that we won't. I lean my head back.

"Remember when they said we might be home by Christmas?" I close my eyes.

"I don't even celebrate Christmas and I was going to celebrate it," he gives a small chuckle. I also give a laugh.

"I want to build a snowman or something," I sigh and open my eyes. I poke my head out of the fox hole. The snow is wet.

Perfect.

I pick up some of the snow and make a ball out of it. I show it to Liebgott. He looks up at it and smiles. The smile vanishes as I hear footsteps behind me.

"You gunna kill the Germans with that?" Captain Nixon's voice comes from behind me.

I smile and turn around. Nixon smirks as he stares down at my childish smile.

"Building a snowman sir," I salute him with the snowball in my hand.

"Carry on Lieutenant," Nixon says seriously. He walks away and nearly bursts out laughing.

I climb out of my hold and crouch while making a huge ball. I roll it away from camp. I don't need the Germans bombing him in front of my foxhole.

I sculpt him. I find a tuff of dead grass and put a mustache on his face. I then find a branch and stick it out of his arm at an angle. The other hand down by his side.

I take more grass and give his a nice hairdo. I take a step back and look at my masterpiece.

I smile and trudge back to camp. I need to find some string and a board to write on. I see Lipton and Bull talking. I walk up to then with a huge grin.

"Do either of you have a board and string?" I ask. Bull looks at me confused for a second. Lipton pulls out a piece of string.

"I won't tell Winters whatever you're doing," Lipton smiles.

"Good, I might get discharge or something," I nod and turn away. Maybe Malarkey's got something. I walk to his foxhole. He sits in it alone.

"Hello stranger," Malarkey smile up at me.

With all these smiles today it makes me wonder how long until I see them again.

"Do you have a square board or something?" I ask. Malarkey looks around. He holds up a top of a grate. I take it from him.

"I have a feeling Captain Winters won't like what you're doing," Malarkey smirks.

"He never does," I shrug and take out a pen. I engrave the right words on the board and tie the string on it to look like a necklace.

"He's not going to like whatever you're doing," Malarkey sees the sign.

"If he has a sense of humor he will," I smile and nod goodbye to him. I walk back to my snowman.

"Alright Adolf let's put this jewelry on you," I smile and put the string around his neck.

"What are you doing?" The familiar words come from the familiar voice. I turn around. Winters stands giving me the look. The look you get from someone who thinks you're an idiot.

"Building a snowman," I move away and show him.

"Heil Hitler?" He reads the board. "Isn't it Hitler?"

"Yes sir," I nod.

He stares at it for a moment. I can see a small smile playing at his lips.

"Good representation Lieutenant," he nods sternly and walks away. I see Liebgott come from our foxhole.

"Nice Hitler," he smiles.

"Thank you," I nod.

"You're missing something though," Liebgott grabs some snow and moves it to his face. He gives him a large nose. He then grabs more grass and adds it to his eyebrow.

"There we go," Liebgott nods.

"Our masterpiece," I smile.

"Probably the only one I'll ever make," Liebgott sighs and we begin to walk back to the hole.

"Some girl will be stupid enough to have your children," I joke.

"I hope so," he smiles and we jump into the hole. We curl up next to each other. I bring the blankets over our heads.

"Night Lieutenant," Liebgott yawns.

"Night, corporal," I sigh as I lean my head back.

For some reason I feel as though tomorrow will be better.

But it also could be very worse