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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" It's not always just your heart. Sometimes your mind breaks as well."
- r. h. sin
***
New Year's came, and so did the moment Joe Toye's arm got pinged by a stray bullet, sending him for a few days to be patched up again. Once it was 12 am on the New Year, you could see in the silent night as snow fell, men get up and shake hands and pat others on the backs, celebrating the new year in quiet solemn manners. Charlotte was alone that New Years Eve, Gene having gone off to the aid station, and returning in the early hours of midnight with supplies, leaving her huddled in a blanket. A few guys came up to her foxhole hole to hug the young medic, and she'd gladly accepted it. Skip, Martin, Bill, Malarkey, Chuck and Shifty to name a few. When Gene returned he hugged the girl tightly, and kissed her temple, before the two cuddled closer under the blanket in hopes of getting warm on this fine New Year's morning. New Year's Day came and went and by the next thing they knew it was 1945. Easy Company was still alive, and it was January 1st, 1945. The day was spent no different than the rest, as people ate, and slept, went on patrols, OP duty, and multiple runs to nearby towns for supplies. Charlotte, assigned by Winters himself had been told to set out for the rest of 2nd Battlaions' CP's, Dog and Fox, to ask for any medical supplies that they might have, because even though Patton broke through, didn't mean they had enough supplies to last them. She took off through the snow with her white helmet and old looking medic brassard, arms wrapped around herself tightly as she hurried through the forest. She came upon Dog Company and moved slowly through the multiple groups of foxholes until she arrived at the CP. The CO, 1st Lieutenant Joe F. McMillian sat huddled on his stool near a fire, food cooking overtop it in a can, and Lieutenant Speirs stood just next to him, talking to him quietly under his breath in a hushed raspy voice.
" Doc." McMillian said looking up from Speirs and his food to see the cold girl standing there freezing. When Speirs looked up he expected one of the medics from Dog, but saw the young medic there, arms wrapped around her freezing body, nose bright red and eyes exhausted looking.
" Sir." she said with a nod, and cleared her throat before a cough escaped, a nasty one at that. He looked at the girl softly, as she began talking to McMillian about the loss of medical supplies and the urgent need for some more. Speirs figured that the girl was definitely sick, cold and tired. He felt a slight weight release from his shoulders, when he got the relief that she was still alive, especially when he'd received the present from her a few days prior for Christmas.
" Stay here and make yourself warm, I'll have a runner head out and ask for supplies." McMillian said leaving the tiny tent and calling for a runner. Charlotte immediately moved closer to the fire and crouched next to it, holding her fingerless gloved hands out in front of her, to slowly warm them.
" Hi, sir." she said softly, yet stiffly.
" Charlotte." Speirs said with a nod, as he took a seat on the extra stool next to McMillian's. He leaned forward and got a good look at the young medic, who didn't look so young anymore. She looked like she'd been to hell and back. She'd lost weight, her body looking so tiny in her uniform and overcoat and winter coat, the boots looking big on her feet. Her ears were covered in ear muffs, a beanie over that with a helmet on top of that, her braids sticking out the bottom. Her face was a pale color except for the red nose, and her eyes were glazed over and exhausted looking, and completely worn out. Charlotte's lips were a pale, almost blue color, and her fingertips were white, with low blood flow to the tips. She was shivering like mad, and her gaze remained tired and unfocused. Speirs looked over his shoulder and saw a blanket, thin yet capable of warmth on the ground. He stood and grabbed it, shaking the snow from it before turning and gently wrapping it around the girl's shoulders. She looked up at him, and saw the glimmer of a smile on her lips, as she pulled the object closer around her shoulders.
