𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

16. THOUGHTS

" Where did you get that from?" Josephine asked, her eyes staring at his hands. You'd think whatever Will was holding onto would a bit more significant than a cheese sandwich, which he had brought forward from his pocket.

He tilted his head and glanced up at her with a raised eyebrow. "You want me to be honest?"

"Yes."

"I nicked it from an oncoming truck."

Jo simply stared at him. "All that for some stale bread?"

"I have very low standards," he chuckled in a low voice, bringing forward the grayish piece of food. "Do you want some?" Jo could barely tell if he was serious or not.

She blinked. "No."

Silence before her face broke into a grin, the first one he had ever seen from her. Snickering he brought the food back, closer to himself.

"You should never offer a french person bad cheese," she mumbled jokingly.

"Who said this was bad?"

"William, the grass is quite literally withering around you," she spoke back quickly, leaning back into her seat and looking away, not being able to shake off the soft smile left from earlier.

Her eyes fell onto a soldier with crutches passing by the two of them. The young man glanced at them and greeted the nurse with a nod.

Jo's lips pursed once her focus shifted onto his legs. Or should you say- leg? He had gotten one of them amputated. She grimaced to herself.

That took a turn.

"Do you think we'll ever leave this place?" she finally mumbled after many seconds of silence in between her and Will.

"Of course," he spoke quietly.

"No you don't understand," she shifted in her seat, turning towards him. "I can't escape it."

He understood. Escaping, a seducing word that made everything feel so pointless. Why deal with hardship when you can't simply leave it?

"I-" he let out a forced breath and pressed his lips together in an attempt to smile.
"I don't really know. You can only ignore it for that long."

Through the corner of her eyes, she observed his face.

She didn't know if she would want to forget this anymore. None of the solutions seemed to fit her thoughts and feelings. Nothing seemed right. Maybe forgetting it and living on for the rest of her life would be the best. She was young, she had opportunities and a long life ahead of her. Would the thoughts and memories from the war only drag her down?

"What do we do when it's over?" she asked, her finger fidgeting as they laid gently in her lap.

If she didn't have the answers- perhaps he had.

Will thought back to what it was like before. Back home. How good it was. He wanted it to always be like that.

"I guess we'll just try to forget," he then said.

Jo hummed, whatever answer that was. Noticing the words he used. The same words which had crossed her mind.

"I don't know if I want to forget." Finally admitting.

Will stared at her, wondering what her words meant. Wanting to know if they were about him. And if not; what would she want to remember?

"I don't even know if I'll make it out of here," said Will then, causing Jo's eyes to meet his within seconds.

"Don't say that," she tried smiling, but failed. "You will," she continued. "Just like I am."

She didn't know if she believed her own words, but it felt good saying. Not only to him but to herself as well. Telling herself that she would get home.

It was hope and it was dangerous.
But at that moment, it was needed. She knew. She was there. She saw the great void in his soul, and he saw hers.

"Though I'd like to forget that stupid sandwich of yours."

-

It was grey out. The clouds hovering above the battalion, like a dark blanket; stopping the sun from reaching the ground.

Jo stood in the medical tent, just like she had been the past days, wrapping blankets gently and putting them onto the table next to her. Lost into her thoughts and humming to herself.

"Mademoiselle!" Miss!

Jo turned her head at the voice, knowingly and looked over at Julian, sitting in his bed. The bandages that used to be wrapped around his head were now gone and instead his dark brown and quite messy hair pointed in all sorts of directions.

"Yes, Julian?" she said.

He was waving for her to come over to him. With a rose eyebrow, she tilted her head and spoke up again.

"Je suis occupé. Es-tu blessé?"
I'm busy. Are you hurt?

He blinked. Why did he seem surprised by her words? "Non." No.

"Y a-t-il quelque chose d'important?" she mumbled softly and looked up at him for a split second. Is it something important?

Julian glanced around.
"Er, sure," he spoke, leaning back. "Pourquoi pas?"
Why not?

Jo stared at him, taking a deep breath and putting down her things. She slowly made her way over to him while his gaze remained on her.

"Je rentre à la maison." He said, with a smug smile quite nonchalantly. I'm going home.

Jo stopped herself. Blinking and parting her lips into a surprised smile."Tu es?" You are?

He winked at her dramatically, looking up at the ceiling and smiling to himself.

"Après deux ans," he started. After two years.
"J'ai enfin fini avec cette merde." I'm finally done with this shit.

Jo looked down, snickering. Lucky bastard.
She noticed him looking back at her in the edge of her eye and did the same.

His smile had faded just so slightly.

"Sur le chemin de la maison..." he trailed off. On the way home... "Je m'assurerai de retrouver ton frère." I'll make sure to find your brother.

Josephine pressed her lips together and nodded slightly.

"Merci, Julian."

Thank you, Julian.

-

Hello everyone!
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/connie