charlotte tarvers is only 14 when the war breaks out, but 17 when she signs up. she's heard the stories from her parents, lovers who found each other by chance on the front lines in world war one in the country of france, now passing down the storie...
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" Sometimes we need someone to simply be there...not to fix anything or do anything in particular, but just to let us feel we are supported and cared about."
- unknown
***
Heavy breathing woke her from her position against Gene's shoulder. She opened her half-shut eyes and looked to Gene and saw him breathing heavily, like coming from a bad dream and she immediately placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him. She saw that everyone had little pink noses and felt her own nose in that same condition.
" Joe." whispered Gene, and she looked at him confused. Liebgott? Toye? What was he talking about? But he kept repeating his name, and he, in a daze, began pushing the blanket from his lap, and onto to Charlotte who began rubbing her eyes with his fingerless gloved finger. Gene pushed up and out the foxhole, making Charlotte crack her aching bones in all directions and follow him out into the icy blast of air. Gene stood and stopped when he noticed Charlotte climbing out after him. She stood and looked at Gene, looking cold as she had ever been, but a small smile on her pale face. Gene nodded his head to the left and the two medics walked close together side by side after having actually rested for once, and gotten more than 20 minutes of sleep. But then suddenly, she felt warmth on her skin, and she felt it growing. She stopped looking up at the sky, where blue peaked through the snow capped trees and rays of sun, sunshine rays peaked down onto the surface of the Earth.
" Gene!" she squealed and he stopped and turned to see the girl pointing at the sky, he eyes alive more than he'd seen in days, and he smile lighting up her entire face. Just as he turned up to the sky, the blue sky and sun peaked through just as American planes shot overhead. Cheers from the men went up everywhere and Charlotte's own cheering. People started racing towards the clearing, and a giddy Charlotte decided to follow, Gene on her tail as the cheering and whoops continued. A few gunshots rang out of pure joy, as red smoke began to explode in the opening, signaling the drop for supplies. The men raced out into the clearing smiles crawling all over their faces, as they looked to the sky and the planes overhead. A second group of planes came shooting through however and their shots aimed straight for the group of soldiers standing on the forest edge. Yet of course, the air force wouldn't recognize them. Charlotte darted back inside the safety of the forest as she saw Lipton yank Gene back towards her. She gently caught the ranking medic by the arm and gave him a gentle giddy smile yet again in his direction. Some men even began shooting at the planes, but voices, including Lip's called on them to " Cease Fire ".
" Cease fire, goddamnit!" Lipton yelled where he crouched with Gene and Charlotte.
" Sergeant, I don't understand, it was our own planes." Gene said exasperated toward Lipton.
" Shh!" Lipton said, and the 3 looked up to the sky as C-47s flew gently overhead.
" C-47s." she said to the two, peering up at the planes with curious eyes. She would never forget jumping out of them on D-Day.
