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Field Trip: Part 2
Apr. 3rd, 2015 10:08 pmIn four days, they mechanic-hike their way across to the North coast of France, where the cemeteries of the American soldiers lie. The fresh air seems to have worked its magic on Grover, who Bonnie recalls has rarely looked so relaxed, but Lucy still seems on edge.
On day four they trade in their mechanical services for a few bottles of quality French wine, which they sip on the beach in the warm spring sun.
"How are we going to find him when we get there?" Grover asks, after a pause in the conversation. "I mean, if the grave was marked, he wouldn't be missing."
"I don't know." Bonnie admits. "Ask around, I suppose. It was only just over a decade ago, maybe someone might remember him."
The others consider this. It isn't the strangest idea she's ever had. After all, a nearly seven foot tall man with tattoos down both arms and legs might have been noticeable either as a survivor or as a victim. Nobody really wants to face the prospect that they might have come all the way around the world to not find him.
There are several cemeteries, of which the American ones follow a particular style, row after row of impeccable white crosses. As they reach the gate of the largest, they stop and stare. It really hits home the number of people that died, each one a lost soul that never got back to their loved ones.
"I'll take the left, you take the right, Groves takes the memorial?" Lucy says after a moment.
It becomes apparent very quickly that the graves are not in alphabetical order, though the memorial is, for different battles. After careful inspection of a couple hundred, Bonnie looks up to see Grover waving them over. Her heart sinks slightly. If Grover's found him on the wall, that means he's still missing.
"You found him?" she asks, her throat tight, when she crosses the cemetery to reach him.
"I'm not sure." Grover says. "There's more than one Murdock WA up there. But there's a museum with a register."
They look carefully at the names Grover has found - there are three 'Murdock WA's in the list of those lost at sea, but one is from the wrong battle. They also find a Murdock W. Lucy joins them as they go into the museum, which has the same hushed quietness, and Grover tries to translate with the curator to have a look at the register.
It's a horribly big book. But this one is in alphabetical order, and as they reach the page of Murdocks, Bonnie starts to scan the list for identification number she got from the military.
'Murdock, William Alan - Unidentified.'
"So they really didn't find him." Bonnie says, her heart sinking slightly. That would have been much too easy.
With Grover translating, she tries to describe Bill to the curator, with a picture, to no great success.
"Bonnie?" Lucy stands by the display case, where she has been looking for any clue she could find.
"You found Bill?" Bonnie turns around.
Lucy peers closely into the case.
"No... I think I found us."
On day four they trade in their mechanical services for a few bottles of quality French wine, which they sip on the beach in the warm spring sun.
"How are we going to find him when we get there?" Grover asks, after a pause in the conversation. "I mean, if the grave was marked, he wouldn't be missing."
"I don't know." Bonnie admits. "Ask around, I suppose. It was only just over a decade ago, maybe someone might remember him."
The others consider this. It isn't the strangest idea she's ever had. After all, a nearly seven foot tall man with tattoos down both arms and legs might have been noticeable either as a survivor or as a victim. Nobody really wants to face the prospect that they might have come all the way around the world to not find him.
There are several cemeteries, of which the American ones follow a particular style, row after row of impeccable white crosses. As they reach the gate of the largest, they stop and stare. It really hits home the number of people that died, each one a lost soul that never got back to their loved ones.
"I'll take the left, you take the right, Groves takes the memorial?" Lucy says after a moment.
It becomes apparent very quickly that the graves are not in alphabetical order, though the memorial is, for different battles. After careful inspection of a couple hundred, Bonnie looks up to see Grover waving them over. Her heart sinks slightly. If Grover's found him on the wall, that means he's still missing.
"You found him?" she asks, her throat tight, when she crosses the cemetery to reach him.
"I'm not sure." Grover says. "There's more than one Murdock WA up there. But there's a museum with a register."
They look carefully at the names Grover has found - there are three 'Murdock WA's in the list of those lost at sea, but one is from the wrong battle. They also find a Murdock W. Lucy joins them as they go into the museum, which has the same hushed quietness, and Grover tries to translate with the curator to have a look at the register.
It's a horribly big book. But this one is in alphabetical order, and as they reach the page of Murdocks, Bonnie starts to scan the list for identification number she got from the military.
'Murdock, William Alan - Unidentified.'
"So they really didn't find him." Bonnie says, her heart sinking slightly. That would have been much too easy.
With Grover translating, she tries to describe Bill to the curator, with a picture, to no great success.
"Bonnie?" Lucy stands by the display case, where she has been looking for any clue she could find.
"You found Bill?" Bonnie turns around.
Lucy peers closely into the case.
"No... I think I found us."
