Bitter Pill to Swallow

Chapter 21

Valerie woke the next morning with a crick in her neck and a stiff back. The artillery barage had continued all through the night, and they'd all barely managed a few hours of broken sleep at best. She sat up with a groan and stretched her sore limbs, sighing in satisfsction when they made an audible crack. Gene shuffled around beside her but ultimately remained asleep, and Valerie smiled fondly at him before peering out over the edge of their foxhole. The horizon was just beginning to brighten with the pink tinges of dawn, and the air around her was eerily still. She looked through the fog and tried to spot movement, but there was none. She knew they were still out there though, she could feel it.

As the day began to break others began to rise, and Valerie jumped from her foxhole and made her way through the town in search of Speirs and Robertson.

"Hell of a night we had eh?" Speirs's voice came from somewhere behind her, and she turned to find him leaning against a wall with a cigarette in hand.

"That's one way to put it," she sighed as she approached him, leaning against the wall beside him with a tired huff.

"Cigarette?" He asked, offering the box to her. She smirked as she took one and allowed him to light it for her, breathing out the smoke with a sigh and letting her shoulders sag. "Suppose its only a matter of time before the Krauts wake up and it all starts again," he continued, and she groaned morosely.

"No doubt," she grumbled, "let's just hope someone sees fit to give us some support today because if they don't then I'll be having words with Ike."

"Now thats a conversation that'd make news headlines," Speirs snorted, shaking his head in amusement, "'Easy Company Lieutenant gives Supreme Allied Commander the what for.'"

"Y'know Speirs I like the sound of that," she chuckled, "has a nice ring to it." He was about to retort when they heard the roar of plane engines heading their way. "Aw shit here we go again," she cursed as she and Speirs ran across the street towards a cellar door. But before they reached it the planes flew over them, and she huffed out a disbelieving laugh as she watched the British planes dropping artillery over the German position.

"Guess you won't get your headline after all," Speirs smirked, and Valerie shook her head in amusement.

"Guess not," she sniggered, "I better head back to the boys in case they come in on foot, I'll see you around Speirs." He gave her a lazy salute before taking off in the other direction towards his own company. Valerie hurried back to the foxholes at the edge of town, and slid in beside Guarnere when she spotted him.

"Bout time the Brits gave us some support," she huffed as she landed beside him."

"Yeah tell me about it," he grumbled, "not like we've been out here all night gettin' blown to shit or anythin'."

"At least they're here now," she sighed wearily, "get your squad ready in case the Krauts come in on foot, we're not out of the woods just yet."

"You got it ma'am," he replied before leaping from the foxhole and rushing off to gather his squad. Valerie flitted between the foxholes, barking orders and making sure everyone was alert and ready for any eventually. The Germans did attempt to attack on foot, but Easy kept them from pushing too far forward, and a raucous round of cheers went up when the British Shermans rolled in and finally sent the Germans packing.

"Alright 2nd batallion, we're moving out to Uden in fifteen," called Major Strayer as the companies regrouped in the town centre. Valerie felt her stomach drop at the thought of Uden and what they might find there.

"Easy company," she called out, fighting to keep her voice from wavering, "pack it up. We're moving out in fifteen." Once she was sure everyone was cooperating she wandered down the street and took a few shaky breaths.