The next couple of hours went by slowly for Jack. The sentries made their normal rounds. Juan-Carlos and Ramiro spent the rest of the day in their house.
About twenty thirty hours Jack heard a snap as a branch broke behind them. Jill and Jack both froze. Their heads did not move but their eyes strained to look at each other to see if the other heard the sound, then they both moved their eyes to the direction of the sound. There were several more snapping sounds like twigs breaking, and each one was getting closer to them. Jack quietly slid his pistol out of his holster and released the safety. He maintained complete stillness. Jack was glad that he had taken care to camouflage their equipment with branches, leaves, and pine needles. He had even covered Betsy with branches and leaves so it wouldn’t be visible from the Zaragozas’ helicopter. Jack hoped the intruder would not see them. He hoped that whoever it was would pass by them without noticing them. But, if necessary, Jack was ready to kill anyone that would present a danger to them. Just to be extra careful, he reached down with his free hand and unsnapped the catch on his knife and quietly slid it out of his sheath. Now, with a weapon in each hand, he waited for the inevitable.
Finally, the person crested the top of the hill about sixty feet behind them. Only it wasn’t a person, it was beautiful deer. Jill and Jack again looked at each other, only this time they smiled and relaxed. Jack quietly holstered his pistol after putting the safety back on, and he slid his knife in the sheath. Jack looked at Jill. He watched her eyes grow wide as the deer nibbled vegetation and worked its way toward them. The deer had big antlers, and large beautiful eyes. Its coat was a deep brown, and thick. Jack noticed that the deer’s left ear was ragged and torn. It had the appearance of an old injury that had since healed. He wondered if the injury was the result of a cougar attack. Evidently the deer never noticed Jill and Jack with all of their camouflage. The deer strolled slowly by them looking for food. When the deer was about two feet away, Jack glanced at Jill. He noticed her eyes filling up. This day got off to a really bad start for Jill with the bird strike, but this is certainly a nice way to end it.
The deer slowly made its way past them and down the deer trail. Jill and Jack were careful that they moved their heads slowly as the deer strolled by. The deer never noticed them and disappeared into the woods.
Jack looked at Jill. “I think our camouflage passed the test.”
“Jack, that was sooooooo fantastic.” Jill wiped a tear from her cheek. “It reminds me of the many hunting trips I went on with my brothers and father. But I’ve never been so close to a live deer. I loved it. Who would have guessed that in the middle of a combat situation I would experience a wonderful time like this? I have a fine bed of pine needles, a trusty and skilled partner, and a front row seat to watch the deer. I don’t think anything else could happen to make this better.
“It was exciting for me, too.” Jack paused. “It’s strange, isn’t it?”
“In what sense?”
“Think about it. Here we are in a combat zone. Stalking people and watching deer walk by. Normally, when we are not in combat, we watch people walk by, and stalk deer on hunting trips.”
“That is a weird thought.”
Jill and Jack were quiet as the sun went down. Neither spoke for a long time.
Jack finally broke the silence. “Would you like some hot chocolate before going to sleep?”
“Ooooooh, that sounds like what I need. It has been a crazy day.”
Jack dug out some cocoa powder from one of their MREs and mixed it with water in her metal mug. Then he set up the cooker and put a fuel tab in it. He lit it with a match and put Jill’s mug on it.
Jill was watching the whole process. Her eyelids were starting to droop as the water heated. When the cocoa and water was hot enough, Jack took it off the cooker and handed it to Jill. Then he tilted the cooker so the fuel tab slid onto the dirt. Jack then threw a handful of dirt on top of it to extinguish it.
“Jack, aren’t you going to have any hot chocolate?”
“No, thanks.”
Jack watched Jill’s eyes. They were gaining focus. She was deep in thought.
“Jack, is there something you aren’t telling me?”
“How’s that?”
“I haven’t seen you drink anything lately.”
“Well, I didn’t want to say anything. I’ve come down with a UTI.”
“You have a urinary tract infection?”
“Yeah, I have been trying not to go, because when I do go, it feels like I am peeing thumb tacks.”
“Oh no, you don’t need that now. And the antibiotics that we have will not do anything for that type of infection.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be a long couple of days . . .”
After Jill finished her hot chocolate, she turned her back to Jack, covered herself with her blanket, and said, “Good night, Jack. Thanks for watching out for me today.”
Jack smiled. As he lay on the ground next to Jill’s pine-needle bed, he watched her shoulders go up and down slightly with each breath she took. He noticed the up and down motion slowed, and so he knew the hot cocoa finally kicked in and put Jill to sleep. When I first met Jill, I wasn’t crazy about having a woman as a partner, but I didn’t know her. Now, I’m glad she’s my partner.