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By 18:30, all the tables had been pulled frohtfall had co of the air; the rain had blown through All the soldiers had gathered outside, noisily talking ahing and joking and passing flasks of shine He took a bench with Hollis at the back of the hall, facing the screen, a sheet of plywood covered in ash Michael was so his new friends from the motor pool
Michael had done his best to explain how the movie would work, but still Peter did not quite knohat to expect, and he found the idea vaguely troubling, not rooted in any physical logic he understood The projector, which rested on a high table behind thees onto the screen-but if that was true, where did these ies come fro electric cable had been run froenerators; Peter could not help but think hoasteful it was to use precious fuel for the simple purpose of entertainment But as Major Greer stepped forward, to the excited hoots of sixty men, Peter felt it too: a pure anticipation, an almost childlike thrill
Greer held up a hand to quiet the men, which onlyon the Count!" so in front of the screen, Greer wore a thinly concealed smile; for the moment, the hard carapace of military discipline had been allowed to crack Peter had spent enough time in Greer’s company to know this was no accident
Greer allowed the excitement to die down on its own, then cleared his throat and spoke: "All right, everyone, that’ll do First, an announcement I know you all have enjoyed your stay out here in the north woods-"
"Fucking A right!"
Greer shot a frown in the direction of the ain, Muncey, and you’ll be sucking latrines for adracs, sir!"
More laughter Greer let it go
"As I was saying, with the break in the weather, we have some news General?"
Vorhees stepped forward fro, off to the side "Thank you, Major Good evening, Second Battalion"
A shouted chorus: "Good evening, sir!"
"It looks like we’ve got ourselves a bit of ahere with the weather, so I’ it Oh-five-hundred, report to your squad leaders afterchow for your sections We need this place racked and packed by lights to south Any questions?"
A soldier raised his hand Peter recognized him as the one who had spoken to Michael in the mess hall Sancho
"What about the heavy mechs, sir? They won’t make it in the mud"
"The decision’s beenL and Q Your squad leaders will go over this with you Anyone else?"
Silence froht then Enjoy the show"
The lanterns were doused; at the back of the rooan to turn So there it was, Peter thought; the moment to decide was upon them A week had suddenly become no time at all Peter felt someone slip onto the bench next to hi a dark woolen blanket over her shoulders, against the cold
"You shouldn’t be here," Peter whispered
"The hell with that," Sara said quietly "You think I’d ht Encircled nu in sequence: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Then:
CARL LAEMMLE
PRESENTS
"DRACULA"
by BRAM STOKER
FROM THE PLAY ADAPTED BY
HAMILTON DEANE & JOHN L BALDERSTON
A TOD BROWNING PRODUCTION
A chorus of cheers rose up from the benches as, incredibly, the screen was filled with thea mountain road The picture was bleached of all color, coray-the palette of a half-remembered drea "Dracula?"
"Sound!" one of the soldiers bellowed, followed by others "Sound! Sound!"
The soldier operating the projector was frantically checking connections, twisting knobs He jogged briskly forward and knelt by a box positioned under the screen