Of course it was Today

Alde and I were taking a stroll through the outer defenses, and we were talking, she wanted to be a pilot after the war, but now found it silly, she like chocolate cake, and had a taste for wine, but she wasn't long enough for this world as German reinforcements cut her down, luckily a engineer tossed me a rifle as I hit the dirt, and I was in "the zone" as I took out one after another, 8 men down and PING, another 8 and PING quickly I dispatched of quite a number, but they were to many for just me to handle, but I heard LadyByrd's engine as she rolled forward, and fired HE, shredding the bastards, but the Tiger out of the fight, though it threw a track, leaving it immobile.

The driver Curtis poked his head out and yelled "enough lovey-dovey, let's kick some ASS!" I scrambled up the front of it as Curtis avoided the 88, but every second that gun gained on us little more! We were halfway around the tank as the 88 line up, and BOOM! The Sherman blew out the Tigers back in a second! The survivors, there were two, clamored out wit their hands up, but I was to pissed to take prisoners, so I blew them to hell with my 1911, not stopping until I heard clicks.

Maybe it was too much but I didn't care, what did Alde do wrong? They killed her, Clayton and so many others, they didn't deserve mercy like normal men did. Afterwards I reloaded my pistol and sat in my cupola, and began to crack, Clayton understood what he was getting himself into, and he was ready, but Alde was just a girl who wanted to live a happy life, and they ruined that, socialists and their stupid fucking war, what did they want with Europe, hell what did we want? I wanted revenge, but until then, what? Who decided that I lived and not Alde, not Clayton, not all those men more deserving. FUCK IT ALL! I'm going to be a good man, but not for society's I'm going to do my best for Alde for Clayton, who did his best for me!

We gave Alde a quick funeral, and headed East, to Paris, this war would be long and bloody, but Im not showing the Germans any mercy! We loaded, and fueled LadyByrd, as it may be a while before we get another chance, and we began our long journey.

Quickly we became bored and began sharing stories, Ed started "I know it hard to believe but I's gots a girl back West, a purty thang, and I'd met her in a crazy way-" Chief interrupted with "At a family reunion" the whole tank burst into laughter, but Ed continued on "I's found her feeding my hawgs, she was running from her daddy who did turrible, turrible thangs to her at night, so I'd took her in"

Chief smiled and started with a sighting of a monster called a Wendy's Go "I was out hunting with my rifle from the Mexican wars, and I came across the biggest damned buck you ever saw, he was six foot tall, and so broad at the shoulder"-"That's a Moose you wagon burner!" Ed retorted smiling with his little quip Chief grinned "and it stood up on its hind fucking legs, and became as ugly as Ed over there, so I shot it quick!"

Quickly the tanks mood improved as slightly less Christian stories were swapped, and by nightfall Curtis read us his bible, though I wasn't a good Christian, I believed in God, and the Son, who didn't?

We slept peacefully, taking turns on watch, and for once, nobody had much to laugh about, they started to realize Clayton was really gone, for good. Chief actually cried, though I can't blame him, I wanted to, but unlike him I was scared to seem weak, so I never mentioned it to anyone else, but I did place a hand on his shoulder, never having been good at consolation, I just said "no matter what I'm hear for you, Clayton trusted your strength, and therefore so do I" he didn't respond, but after a while he must have cried himself to sleep, those Germans took our best damn friend, and they would pay twentyfold in blood before we were satisfied. The next morning we rolled out, Chief in a far better mood.