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“I’ll take a turn carrying the stretcher once we get clear of this place,” Rio says “Let’s move”

And with that she levels her rifle and leads the way into the trees beyond the blast area

The trip back is much slower than the trip to the site Strand is not sht, and rifles do not make the best stretcher poles But finally they strike a road and hail a passing deuce-and-a-half whose driver takes pity on them

An hour and a half after being picked up they are back with the Fifth Platoon, which has been pulled off the line and back to the beach for a rest There are as yet very few tents set up, and soldiers are passed out in sleeping bags or siht is war froht hot

Sergeant Cole and the rest welcome their buddies with the usual sincerity as expressed in wry looks, teasing insults, and indifferent nods or waves

Beebee and a new guy from another squad are detailed to carry Strand to the nearest aid station Cat leads Rio down to the chow tent

“You got blood con of concern

Alarmed, Rio touches her ears “It’s dried Mostly”

“I didn’t say it was pouring out” Cat walks beside her and then suddenly stops, reaches over, and hugs Rio in an aard sideay “You did good back there” The clinch is over in a second, leaving Rio not knowing quite what to say

“Thanks I guess”

They reach the chow line, which seeardless of mealtimes

“You blew the living shit out of the Krauts,” Cat says

“You knowdaain? Isn’t this breakfast?” SOS is the abbreviation for Shit on a Shingle, the gooey, creamyalrenades it occurred to o off at once, what if the first explosion just throws them all around the place”

“I hate to tell you, but that’s exactly what happened Boh the air Whoosh Boom Sheer du words like splendid then, would they? Tell you one thing, any fish in that lake is either dead or has the worst headache of its life”

“Splendid? What are you talking about?”