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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" Mistakes are meant for learning not repeating."
- unknown
***
Charlotte woke the next morning, October 17th, with a bite in the air, and a stuffed nose. She managed to roll out of bed, and pull on her boots. She walked downstairs into the morning air and sniffled again before heading over to the medic hut, where puffs of smoke were emitting from the top. She crossed her arms over her chest and continued forward towards it. She opened the door a familiar blast of warmth hitting her as she emerged into the building. Soldiers remained, but casualties weren't as high as they were. In the stalemate, only people injured on patrols were the only ones ever in the medical hut. She wasn't as tired today, actually eating food that went into her stomach, and taking her time. She felt better than normal and she was glad. That evening, when a bitter chill was in the air, Charlotte sat nestled, reading an old tattered english book she'd found in a house, in hay with a lamp near her. Liebgott was next to the girl, resting in the hay, his head nodding off towards her shoulder. Her eyes traced over the words slowly, soaking in the knowledge and the feeling of reading actual literature, something she hadn't seen in a while. Liebgott shifted next to her a bit, and curled into a more ball like figure against the girl, and she could only smile softly to herself. She reached over and rubbed his head of hair lightly before going back to her book. A few men returned from the staggered patrols, and Winters immediately looked up at their arrival.
" Ok, I want Alley, Lesnewski, and Liebgott out on patrol." he called over the group. Charlotte sat up and gently shook Liebgott awake from his much needed sleep. He looked up at the girl in a slight daze, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
" You have to go on patrol." she said quietly, making sure to put the helmet firmly on his head. He let out a quiet groan and got to his feet before picking up the gun. He gave a small wave to the girl before following the other two soldiers out of the room. She went back to her book, and flipped the page. A batch of food was cooked up half an hour later, and the girl quietly ate in the same spot with her cup of food, enthralled with the book in her lap. 1st platoon with some members of 2nd including Charlotte, lay around the barn enjoying themselves and laughing. She looked up finding her eyes resting on Winters, who sat at the table nearby, cleaning his rifle. He seemed to notice the young girl watching him and looked up meeting her eyes. He sent a friendly smile her way before going back and cleaning his rifle. She looked up a group of soldiers coming in from patrol, being told to go towards the back of the barn to bed out. George Luz, flopped near her onto the hay pile and gave her a small smile before ruffling her hair. She had to smile at the brotherly motive, before going back to her book.
" New guys giving the replacements the what for, and why is." Talbert said walking over with the dog that supposedly been following him around since yesterday.
" Hi, Tab." she said, smiling warmly at him, as he smiled back at the girl.
" Hey, sunshine." he said, as the dog trotted up to them. She squealed, shoving the book closed and jumping up with a giggle towards the dog. She began petting the dog, and ruffling its ears as it panted and wagged its tail. The dog was adorable and she couldn't help but smile and make her voice turn babyish at the adorable animal.
