Nathan Thorn
June 6, 1944
Omaha Beach, Normandy France
Nathan: Fuck!
Daniels: Zussman!
He lays on the ground but points at the entryway.
Zussman: Twelve o'clock!
Daniels and I quickly turn and fire on a Kraut gunning for us at the doorway.
Daniels: Come here, buddy!
We move back to the injured Zussman.
Nathan: Fuck, fuck, fuck!
His face is contorted in pain and shock.
Zussman: I can't walk..
Daniels: Oh shit.
Zussman: Get me the fuck outta here.
He says, panicked.
Nathan: Daniels! You drag him, I'll cover!
Daniels: We're gonna get you outta here, stay with me!
He begins dragging Zussman and I bring up the MP-40 and lead the way. Explosions go off around us and I spot something. It's the CCP!
Nathan: We need to get the fuck over to that CCP!
Zussman: On your left!
I quickly turn and fire on the incoming Germans as Daniels continues dragging Zussman. His groans of pain make my stomach twist.
Nathan: Fuck! We gotta take cover!
I shove Daniels over some sandbags and push Zussman over them as well. I leap over and duck just in time to escape the hail of bullets.
I shoot up, and fire on the bastard Krauts.
Zussman: How many?
Nathan: Too many!
I take out the rest with Daniels.
Daniels: We're clear! We gotta move!
Zussman: You call that fucking clear?
I would've laughed if we weren't in our current predicament. Daniels continues dragging Zussman to the CCP. I watch as a flamethrower burns away several men.
Nathan: Jesus..
Zussman: I'm losing too much blood.
Daniels: Hang in there!
A half a dozen more Krauts come and we take them down.
Nathan: They just keep coming!
I yell in disbelief. I grenade lands right next to Zussman.
Nathan: Fuck!
I dive to grab it and I throw it, and it explodes away from harm's way. I see the trench to the CCP but I also see more Krauts coming.
Nathan: We gotta move!
I shove Daniels down the trench and push Zussman, as gently but as quickly as I can before they come. I dive in right after, narrowly missing the bullets from the Germans.
Nathan: Jesus fucking Christ!
Me and Daniels take out the Krauts.
Zussman: Oh, man I'm bleeding out!
Daniels: Just keep pressure on it!
We make it to the stairs to the CCP but threat Krauts coming from the end of the trench and they spot us.
Soldier: Come on up here! Move! Move!
He shouts and me and Daniels quickly grab Zussman and haul him up the stairs as fast as we can. The Krauts round the corner and take aim but are taken out by the soldier up top.
We lay Zussman down and he takes off his helmet, weakly.
Daniels: Medic!
Zussman: I need morphine..
Nathan: Fuck! I don't got any!
Daniels: Here.
He bites off the cap and sticks the morphine needle into his leg. Zussman gasps become a little slower as his body visibly relaxes a little.
Nathan: You gotta hold on, man.
Daniels: Those girls in Paris are waitin' for ya.
Zussman: Really?
He chuckles weakly.
Daniels: Course they are.
Zussman: H-How about..another look at y-your girl? Huh?
I chuckle a little. Despite his pain, the fucker still cracks jokes.
Daniels: Are you kiddin' me?
Zussman: I-It's okay, I c-cant see shit anyways... I'm just gonna rest- rest right here..
Daniels: No, no, no. You have to stay awake!
Zussman slumps his head back and I grab him. His eyes open again and I see panic and fear in his eyes. Desperation.
Zussman: Help me...
Nathan: Where the fuck is that medic!? Come on!
A medic comes after a moment and holds Zussman's wound.
Medic: I got this! Go!
Turner comes up to both of us after we stand.
Turner: He'll take care of him. I need you with me, Daniels, Thorn. Listen up! There's a GPF cannon by the farmhouse up the road. It's tearing up the beach! Let's move!
Both me and Daniels look back at Zussman, neither of us wanting to leave him.
Daniels: We'll come back for ya!
We leave the CCP with the rest of the squad.
Pierson: Y'all are slower the pond water!
We push further up the hill.
Turner: When we get to the farmhouse, be ready to engage.
Pierson: Move fast! There tearing that beach to shit!
We make it to the farmhouse and I spot an MG.
Nathan: MG in the hay loft!
We dive for cover as the MG's bullets tears up the dirt around us. We begin to fight back. I storm the farmhouse, killing several Kraut at close quarters.
I get to the hay loft and draw my machete, bringing it down on the MG gunner. I quickly sheath the blade and grab the MG-42, unloading onto the courtyard below.
Nathan: Come on, Jerry! Is that all you got!?
I scream out, still mowing down scores of them.
Explosions clear out the rest in the field. Must be our fly boys.
Aiello: Look at 'em scatter!
Turner: We got them!
Pierson: Alright boy, we mopped 'em up good.
I hop down from the hay loft, making it the cannon.
Daniels: Nathan! Thermite!
He passes me the helmet filled with thermite explosives as I open up the latch to the cannon, pulling a pin to a grenade.
Nathan: Fire in the hole!
I put the grenade in the cannon and take cover. A moment later, the thermite and grenade explode, completely destroying the GPF cannon.
Turner: Good work, Nathan. Alright fellas, rally on me to the assembly point.
Me and Daniels book it back down the hill to see Zussman laying on the ground with Aiello attending to him.
Zussman: Daniels..
Daniels: He gonna be all right?
Aiello: Yeah, they taped him up pretty good.
He says, tossing away his cigarette.
Zussman: Should've state on the boat.
He mumbles and I chuckle.
Nathan: Now he tells us.
Daniels: What you did back there, Zussman, I owe ya.
Zussman: I'd call it even with you boys.
Daniels: We'll see this through.
Zussman: To the end?
Daniels: To the end.
Nathan: To the end.
I look up to see Turner and Sergeant Pierson approach.
Turner: Beach head secured. We'll bivouac at the second hedgerow after the ridge.
Turner walks past us as I stand up, finally taking a look at myself. I'm almost completely covered in blood and I don't even know who's it is. I killed so many people today. I killed someone.
Someone taps my arm and I stiffen, holding my hands up in defense by quickly lower when I see it's Sergeant Pierson.
Pierson: Welcome to the "Bloody 1st". You're a long way from Texas, Thorn.
He walks off, leaving me back on my lonesome.
Nothing will ever be the same again. I've killed animals before. Shot plenty of bucks and other wild game but nothing... Nothing compares to this. This was like butchering a hog. The screams.
Nathan: Oh, God.....
I whisper to myself. Praying that the screams will stop.