The Greene Effect - REWRITE!!

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE - THE FINAL BRIDGE

Amelia Greene -

This bridge holds a significant part of German history. It's definitely in a school history textbook somewhere, with a passage underneath telling the story of how it was built and which significant figure in history walked across it.

But they were willing to blow it all up to keep us from getting across. In fact, they've been willing to blow up their cities and homes to block the Allied forces out. All of this destruction and death caused driven by a single phrase - get out.

I suppose they should've thought of that before invading Poland, or allying with a country that would soon attack our land. Hitler should've known that tyranny has no place in this world, and soon enough, his name will go down in history as the man who failed.

Years of pain and grief are finally going to mean something. The end we've all been waiting for is so close, I can nearly touch it, but we've got one final battle to fight.

And then we can rest.

Today is the day and the moment is now. We are taking the Rhine, the final step into Germany.

Winding around the roads, of the mountain cliffs, the river shined below us in the sun, thick and blue. The forest thinned up over here, both an advantage and a disadvantage. But the clear sight of the bridge does nothing but pump us full of more determination.

We're coming, Zussman.

My eyes land on Pierson, sitting across and a few seats over from me in the back of this truck. A million words come to mind but I know I can't say any of them there. His hands shake slightly with nerves, but for once, the pre battle aggression is non existent.

In fact, he looks rather content for a man about to lead us all into the possible final major battle of the Western front.

I have yet to tell him those three forbidden words. I'm sure he knows by now, but I'd like to tell him, anyway, just to see how his eyes react.

"Alright, there she is," he says to the group, "the last bridge over the Rhine." There are no second chances. If we lose this bridge, we lose it all. Fragile like life itself.

"We get this convey across, we're in the heartland. We'll bust 'em open." Daniels continues, the same patriotic pride in his eyes. He was born just in time to fight. It's like it's written in his DNA code.

Aiello speaks next. His eyes grow with the fierce gaze that's kept him alive for the past three years, one that's kept me sane as well. "All right look, it's all or nothing. It's all been leading to this."

We meet eyes, and he nods, telling me that he'll see me at the end of this. He better.

Despite the pressure on my shoulders, I find myself to be less nervous than ever before. The only thought in my mind is, I'm ready.

This is for Turner, and Perez, and Anthony, and Zuss -

A whizzing noise starts over our ears and a man across from me falls dead with a bullet in his chest. "Hold tight!" Pierson yells out, and we all lean forwards, closing in on each other.

Metal clanks as bullets hit sides of our vehicle. The driver picks up his speed, but I hear another explosion up ahead, altering our path. Our truck swerves throwing us all to the right, and then stops, turned to the side. Our driver must be dead.

I look across the river, instantly spotting at least a dozen MGs firing our way, able to reach across the wide river. I keep my head down, my nose twitching upwards.

"All right!" Pierson drops the truck back. "On me! Come on!" The boys and I jump into a small crater created by the previous explosion, waiting for his next orders. "We gotta secure the bridge entrance!