War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 451 The Falling Birthday Cake

Starting from August 8st, the work of the patrol team became much more relaxed. It was enough for Marshall to go to the guard tower on the edge of the camp for half a day every day. As for Wei Ran, it was even more leisurely. idler.

With this rare opportunity, Wei Ran finally had time to take a camera to various places in the camp to take pictures, or simply hide in the tent to kill the sweltering heat outside.

I don't know if it's because of my name as a veterinarian, or because of my relationship with Marshall, these days, all the captives caught every now and then, regardless of whether they were injured or not, were sent to him to dislocate their limbs.It was also by this opportunity that Wei Ran volunteered to participate in the torture work.

Although he couldn't understand Japanese, it didn't prevent him from practicing all the torture methods that Gorman taught him.After all, it is rare to have such an opportunity to act recklessly without any psychological burden, so it is natural to grasp it well.

As for whether the captives were willing to speak, that was naturally not something he should care about.However, this is exactly the case, and instead, he has firmly established the title of "Veterinarian Victor" in the minds of these idle soldiers, so much so that they almost forget the fact that Wei Ran is actually a medical soldier.

In addition to some adjustments brought about by interrogating the prisoners every now and then, the good news that came from the front line frequently these days was also one after another.

First, the Third Marine Division captured Agra, the capital of Guam, and then the main force captured the crucial Tiyan Airport.A week later, on August 8th, even the most difficult to conquer Santa Rosa Mountain had been completely conquered by the 8th Division.

And with the good news one after another, the camp in the rear became more and more relaxed, which actually verified the "safe and boring" written by Pastor Tom on that skull.

On the other hand, after a week of recuperation, Tom still walks with a limp, but the wound has basically healed, and now he has started to sell his God in the camp.

Even Randy, who was the least injured, applied to join the patrol a few days ago because he was bored. He followed Marshall and stood guard every day, manipulating the searchlights to find the mice hiding around.

Unfortunately, as the war progressed, the camp in the rear had never been attacked again, and even various wild animals began to appear around the camp.

As for the black Will, I have to admit that this old black's physical fitness is really good. Although he was stabbed in the shoulder and thigh at the beginning, it didn't affect him singing to the wounded. The white soldiers here ignored his skin color.

But at the same time, what Wei Ran and the others didn't know was that there was a near-crazy head hidden in a cave exuding a strong smell of corpses on the edge of the buffer zone, which was only 300 meters away from the edge of their camp. beast.

In the dark cave, this nocturnal beast has been hiding here for a whole week.Except for carefully going to the forest late at night to find some water to drink, most of the time, it hides in this small and deep cave, relying on those cans to maintain its life.

But now, the cans in the cave have been eaten up, and even the legs of a charred corpse still have traces of cutting.

"pat"

The switch of the tin flashlight was pushed by a dirty and greasy finger, the faint light flickered, and finally lit up a dim light.

"Hey hey hey"

The red-eyed beast with its lower body naked let out a series of infiltrating laughter in the cave filled with the smell of corpses, but then closed its mouth abruptly as if it was frightened by something.

Nervously, he went to the entrance of the cave and listened. The beast heaved a sigh of relief. After searching through the tin cans all over the floor, he finally found a kettle, unscrewed it, and poured the last sip of water into its mouth.

However, within 5 minutes, its stomach began to roll, and then it staggered to the corner of the cave and squatted down.

After some vomiting and diarrhea with suppressed voice, it staggered to the entrance of the cave, breathed in the fresh air greedily, let the moonlight the size of a fist hit its face, and the tears overflowing from the corners of its eyes covered it. A trace of crystal clear.

After a while, it blocked the suppressed sobs in its own throat, but its red eyes looked at the bayonet placed not far away.

Trembling, it reached into its coat pocket with its dirty hands, and the beast took out a cloth bag the size of a cigarette case. It looked at the dirty pattern on the small bag with tearful eyes, and unconsciously The word "mama" came out.

After a long time, it put the small bag back into its pocket, gritted its teeth and picked up the greasy bayonet beside it.

However, after lifting it up several times, it found that it didn't have the courage to stab it into its stomach.

Angrily, he threw it into the depths of the cave. The desperate beast looked at the stinking corpse outside the cave, gritted its teeth, picked up a rifle from its side, and shook its head tremblingly. Loaded.

At the same time, the edge of the camp was next to the guard tower of the patrol team. One of Tom and Black Will was in charge of playing the guitar, and the other was in charge of singing birthday songs. Tom, who was wearing a pastor's robe, walked slowly towards Randy who had just finished his duty. , and Marshall, who asked for leave in advance, also walked over holding a cake that was not too big, but with candles stuck in it.As for Wei Ran, he held the camera at the very edge, waiting for the moment when the shutter was pressed.

"Randy, happy birthday." Marshall looked around at the soldiers joining in the fun, and said slightly louder, "Happy 20th birthday to you."

"Today is my birthday?" Randy asked dully, still carrying the rifle in his hand.

"At least it's today on your soldier's card"

Tom, who was in charge of playing the guitar, came up and played the birthday song around Randy, and said, "Randy, make a wish! Marshall traded the photo he gave me for this cake." here."

At the same time, Will, the black man, enthusiastically opened his arms and lifted them up a few times. The surrounding soldiers, including the idle platoon leader and Company Commander Lewis, also joined in singing the birthday song. .

"Thank you! Thank you!"

Randy drew a sign of the cross on his chest, leaned in front of the birthday cake and began to make a wish, and the flames dancing in the caress of the sea breeze also illuminated the faces of Marshall who was in charge of carrying the cake and Randy who was making a wish.

Tom, who was wearing a pastor's robe, was still playing the guitar while circling around the two of them. Even Will, who was in charge of singing, walked over holding a white harmonica tied with a bow.

And two 300 meters away from the rotten-smelling hole, a thin figure also came out holding a rifle. When the birthday song sung by the chorus vaguely reached its ears, the despair in its eyes instantly disappeared. replaced by hatred.

Taking a deep breath, it slowly lay down next to a decomposed headless corpse, put the dirty rifle on the corpse's leg, and gently moved the muzzle to point at the faintly visible candlelight in the direction of the singing , pulled the trigger indiscriminately.

Almost at the moment when the gunshot rang out, Wei Ran, who had already pointed the camera at Randy, also pressed the shutter.

"Dang!"

The guitar in Pastor Tom's hand fell to the ground, and the birthday song that was about to be sung came to an abrupt end. Even the cake, which had not had time to blow out the candles, fell to the feet of Randy and Marshall amid the panicked shouts of the crowd. .

"Tom!"

Marshall was the first to react, dropped the cake in his hand and rushed over to help Tom who was about to fall to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, Randy, Wei Ran, Black Will, and more soldiers rushed over together.

And the searchlight of the sentry tower above the head also instantly shifted to the direction where the gunfire sounded.But the nuclear soldier who shot to death retreated again the moment he fired the bullet, and then dropped the rifle in his hand and went into the cave again.

"Get out of the way!"

Wei Ran yelled at the top of his voice, and violently tore off the priest's robe on Tom's body, but when he saw the wound on the other side's body, his heart sank to the bottom.

The bullet went in under Tom's right rib, near his hipbone, and out of his leftmost rib, just below his rib, and landed again in his bible, which he used as a lucky charm.

"Quick! Go get Harrison and Bullock ready to help! Quick!"

Wei Ran yelled at the top of his voice, hurriedly took out a morphine from the medical bag and put it on Tom, then picked him up and ran towards the operating room.

"why."

Marshall slumped on the ground, looking with red eyes at the Bible that Wei Ran had just dropped, and then at the cake not far away that was trampled by the panicked crowd. At this moment, his face was full of despair.

"Now is not the time to be sad"

Will put the gift that he hadn't had time to send into his pocket, then picked up the camera that Wei Ran had just dropped, then stretched out his hand to Marshall, and said amidst the aimless shooting of the heavy machine gun above his head, "We Now it's time to be by Tom's side, and we should believe that Victor will definitely bring Tom back."

"Yes, yes! We. Let's stay with Tom!"

The panicked Marshall stood up with Will's help, stumbled and ran towards the operating room.

After a while, Wei Ran carried Tom to the operating table, and with the help of Harrison and Dr. Bullock who rushed over, he immediately put on the blood plasma and started the treatment.

However, all three people present knew that this time, even God might not be able to save Tom's life.

"Victor"

Tom's weak voice made Wei Ran stop what he was doing, and bent over to put his ears together.

"let them in"

"Hold on!" Wei Ran finished speaking, and shouted at the top of his voice, "Marshall! Randy! And Will! Come in!"

Before the words were finished, the three people who had been waiting outside the operating room rushed in and surrounded Tom.

Turning his eyes to look at the crowd, Tom looked at the Bible in Marshall's hand that was stained with his own blood. He smiled with difficulty, and said in a weak voice, "Marshall, please. Please, please do two things."

"Say it, say it!" Marshall knelt on the edge of the operating table and nodded hurriedly, "I agree!"

"You need God. God's salvation, that bible is given to you, let it guide you."

"Promise you, I promise you!" Marshall squeezed Tom's hand, "I swear to God!"

"Help me hide it from my Laura, like... your sister Caroline."

Tom took a breath. "The war. After the war. Send the gift back with me."

"I'll help you! I'll help you!" Marshall agreed again.

"Will." Tom looked at the silent black Will, "The engineering battalion can't be without a priest, please, please please."

Seeing Will nodding, Tom, who already had a premonition that he was running out of time, turned to look at the tearful Randy, "Randy, happy birthday, remember our bet, help me to see who guesses"

"Tom? Tom!"

Randy looked at Tom who slowly closed his eyes before he finished speaking, grabbed the edge of the operating table in pain, hit his forehead frantically, and kept cursing why his birthday was today.

"Pull him away" Wei Ran dragged Randy away and pushed him to Marshall.

After a while, Harrison and Dr. Bullock stopped their work one after another. In the brightly lit operating room, the mass held by the black Will for Tom also sounded.

(End of this chapter)