A wave of German soldiers charged us. It looked like a cattle stampede. Several of our Chauchats opened up from their positions and mowed down a few of them. Some went down, but some kept coming. Brooks and I shot off rounds as Goldstein and Swanson did likewise from their position. We picked off a few more Jerrys.

Out of ammo, I had to reload. Brooks rifle jammed. One enemy soldier had so far managed to escape the hail-fire of rounds flung at him. He shot at us as he closed in for the kill.

Shoot him! Brooks screamed.

Im trying to reload. You shoot him!

I cant clear my jam!

A few feet away the Jerry got off a shot. The round struck me in my left shoulder throwing me back hard against the parapet. Brooks had no choice but to raise his bayonet towards the Jerry just as he jumped into our funk to do the same. The Jerry caught Brooks bayonet in the gut. It went clear through and came out the other side. It had that odd swooshing sound I had heard before. The body went limp with a shrill and landed on Brooks. I pulled myself up and rolled the dead Jerry off Brooks.

He grabbed the limp body and stabbed him with his side knife. You bastard! He stabbed the carcass over and over again.

I pulled him off. Jay, come on. Therere others.

Tears streamed down his face. Why dont they just give up?

Theyre asking the same of us.

Awright dammit! He dragged the body out of the hole. Ill never give up. If they want it that way, so be it. Were gonna give it to em. He wiped tears from his eyes with the back of his hand and set the mans body on the edge of our funk like a sack of sand. You okay?

Im okay? I forgot Id been hit. The bullet had missed bone and had gone right through the fleshly part above my collarbone. Almost a scratch. I applied pressure.

Brooks cleared his jam. He stood right up in the hole and rested his rifle on the dead Jerry taking aim on the tree-line.

I reloaded my rifle.

Brooks squeezed off a few rounds at the second wave now fast approaching. These crazy bastards. He took out two more. Theyre still coming. They fell over like those stand-up board figures at a carnival shooting gallery.

I think I got one a few seconds later, but it was hard to tell with our Chauchats firing away and the others in the funks nearby shooting their rifles also. It didnt matter, I guess. What mattered was that the enemy fell or retreated.

We heard a mortar strike a few funks over. We heard someone screaming for help. The second German wave fell back to regroup. Ill check it out, I said to Brooks.

I scurried on over to the next funk and jumped on Goldstein. He almost shot me. What the hells the matter with you, Hank?

Jesus, Im sorry. I jumped up and ran like the blazes. I skipped right over the empty funk and jumped down into McFarley and Sullivans funk. It was empty. I found their gear, torn to shreds, and mud splattered all over the place. Something had struck here.

I scanned the outside of the funk. Sullivan sprinted towards me and fell into the hole.

Where the hellve you been? I asked.

I went out to take a crap when this all started, he said trying to catch his breath. I was stranded down by the latrine.

Glad to see its been put to good use.

Wheres Thomas?

I was gonna ask you that.

Shit, look at this place. He sifted through his tattered belongings.

I think a Minnie got it. Youre damned lucky.

I noticed a piece of a boot just out beyond the funk. Oh no, not again. I crawled out to take a look and almost collapsed. Jesus Christ. I saw flesh and bone sticking out of it. I thought of Ferrero.

Get down, goddammit! McFarley high-crawled along with no legs below the knees. He cradled his rifle in his arms. Bleeding like the dickens from his stumps he managed to crawl out several yards in front of us to assume a firing position. Come an get me you bastards! He squeezed off a few rounds at the retreating Jerrys and threw a grenade.

I rolled back into the funk for cover. He must have been blown right out of the funk, his legs going one way, and his body the other.

McFarley continued high-crawling after the enemy. Ya dirty rotten Kaiser-lovin bastards! Come back and fight! He took aim and squeezed off another couple rounds. He collapsed and died a moment later.

I put my head down in the mud. I began to shake. Tears streamed down my face. I pounded on the wall of the funk with my rifle butt.

Hank, you okay? Sullivan covered the enemys retreat.

Crazy son-of-a-bitch. I tried to catch my breath, with my heart leaping around in my chest.

It started to drizzle. I looked up at the sky. Just wonderful. I massaged my aching shoulder and felt my face twitch. I rubbed it, smearing mud all over. Damn, damn, damn. I dropped my rifle and had to hold my shaking hands close to my belly.

Come on, Hank. Dont do this.

I looked at him like a lost soul in purgatory. Okay. I nodded. Cover me. I went out and dragged McFarleys body back behind the funk. I found his legs and set them down next to him. I covered him with his jacket. I guess he didnt feel any pain after all. That schnapps did the trick.