Chapter 4. Over the top

Finn smiled as he ran the silver chain of the necklace through

his fingers. A flat pendant hung from it with a simple "V"

engraved on it.

He'd found it after getting back to Oxford as he packed his

things, ready to report to the Army Medical Core.

He'd never seen it before - Vie must of slipped it into his pocket

when they were saying their goodbyes at the train station.

How long ago was that? It couldn't be more than a year and half.

- it felt like a lifetime ago.

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''Stretcher bearers up." It was the last call before the signal to

attack. Finn pocketed the necklace.

The stretcher bearers stood in teams of three at the back of the

soldier's trench. Finn was paired with a hardened veteran named

Winston and between them stood a new recruit named Olwynne.

Nothing was said during Finn's training in England about

how front line troops treated stretcher bearers. He soon found

out when he arrived at the regimental aid post in France.

In the anxious minutes before an attack, some soldiers wouldn't

look or talk to them. because they thought it was bad luck.

Others jostled them and tried to touch the stretchers they carried

for good luck.

Occasionally, soldiers abused them.

"Why don't you bastards do something useful and pick up a gun."

"Who the fuck are you talking too?" Olywynne said, and started

after the soldier who'd said it.

Winston tugged on his uniform. Olwynne turned around red in the face.

Winston shook his head. "Don't take it personal Olle, their blood is up,

they don't mean anything by it."

Finn could see that Olwynne was still angry.

Winston stood in front of him and straightened his uniform like he was

a nervous schoolboy on his first day of school.

"You stay low and keep you head down." Winston said.

"You stick close to me and Finn and if your lucky we'll all live

through this today - so that tomorrow or the day after, we can

line up and do it all over again."

The colour started to drain from Olwynne's face.

The Captain blew his whistle.

"Here we go boys." Winston said.

*