It was now night time, Eugene and Evangeline were lent against a cement pillar watching a young marine who looked about 19, counting.
Evangeline then called over to him." What you doin' Daniels?" He looked over petrified, traumatised.
"Counting Japs " He timidly states then turned back around to continue what he was doing.
Evangeline and Eugene both exchanged worried glances and she began to pick her nails.
Gunner Henny then went over to the poor boy and tried to order him to help 2nd platoon load up but Heldaine stopped him. "Gunner, go find someone else, maybe Jenkins over the other side ?"
Henny nodded and moved away.
"He can come with me, help me count the bandages and get himself some shut eye?" Evangeline offered looking over. Heldaine nodded slightly and crept forward taking the gun from Daniels. She got up and wrapped her arm around the boy.
"Let's get you some sleep ?" She quietly spoke once she had managed to get him up.
" But there are so many to count" he spoke like a small child as she led him to the sickbay.
" I know sweetheart I know" Evangeline choked out, her heart breaking for him, the poor soul.
By the time 08:00 came around everyone was moving out again, the cook was walking around with a pot handing out pork chops.
They weren't the best but after having to eat tinned shit for the last few weeks Evangeline was happy to eat something solid and not out of date.
She ended up walking next to Eugene whist Shelton Parked himself next to him on the other side.
"Saw you reading last night" he said looking over at Eugene slyly, " writing too"
"My bible?" Eugene replied glancing at Shelton wearily.
" we ain't suppose to write shit down, give the japs valuable intale if they find it" Shelton carried on.
"I guess I won't show it to them then" Eugene replied keeping his eyes forward and waking with the rest of the group. Shelton smirked satisfied with his answer.
Evangeline's smile faded remembering the similar conversation she and Oswald had the night prior.
"You got a smoke?" Shelton asked. Eugene pulled out two cigarettes, one for himself and one for Shelton.
"Thanks Sledgehammer" Shelton grinned popping the cigarette in his mouth.
" Sledgehammer?" Evangeline questioned grinning at the new nickname Shelton had given her friend.
"I like it" She looked at Shelton and Eugene new deemed 'sledgehammer' and gave him a half smile.
" you got it Raggedy Anne" Shelton winked making her laugh " throwing your self around like a rag doll out there" .
" Jesus Christ" Bill spoke up in amusement as he scurried up behind us along with Burgin.
" don't worry Bill Layden , we'll call you bull-peen-hammer" Shelton called back.
" A little hammer for a little man" Evangeline chuckled making the guys laugh.
" Alright rags .... snafu" Bill shot back," shit n ass .... fuck up".
"Is that the best nickname you could come up with?" Evangeline laughed.
"Oh! A little joke from the little man!" Shelton, now deemed 'snafu' , joked back.
K company all followed Heldaine like lost puppies up the rocks, he said to them that they would be setting a perimeter for the Japanese soldiers. Evangeline had zoned out of the conversation he was having with Bill and Eugene, when the Japs has caught sight of us and began to fire.
"Pull back! Let's go!" Hillbilly shouted dragging her by her bag pack (much to Evangeline's dismay) back down the slope to cover. By that point both Heldaine and Hillbilly , hell, the whole company were all desperate to get a hold of coms, every attempt made was unsuccessful.
K company was stuck, sat in a small rocky trench trying to say as low as they could do theJaps wouldn't try to blow their heads off.
" I'm gonna have to go back , get more men up here and the orders changed" Heldaine finally announced. " Hillbilly if I don't come back the company's yours" He tapped Hillbilly on the shoulder and quickly ran off.
" He's gonna come back right?" Eugene asked
" Disobey and you get a court-martial" Shelton mumbled leaning back on a rock with another cigarette in his teeth.
Whilst they were waiting the marine who was in charge of handing out the post was wandering around.
" Sledge, Yoet, you two have something" he said handing the both of them their letters.
" Thanks" Evangeline stated bluntly noticing her mothers hand writing and putting in it her Brest pocket to read later.
YOU ARE READING
The corpswoman (Based off of the HBO mini series 'The Pacific'.
Historical FictionThe year is 1942, Evangeline Yoet was a 19 year old, girl who had finished medical school and was looking for a job. After her brother goes missing and presumed dead after joining the marines, she joins as a corpsman in the hopes of finding her brot...
