“More!” said Hazel, then remembered that she was not in the airfield bar anymore, but forgot how she got here, in a AA gun dugout in the middle of the night with a three quarter full bottle of “Rabbit Punch” sitting between her knees.

“Bum ‘oles!”

Forgetting. Must be working then. Must be late. S’OK, not flying till day after tomorrow. Probably.

Forgetting? What am I forgetting? Hehe Hehe. “God I’m drunk” she thinks. She smoothes her ears down and breathes in and holds it. There it is, coming back-

The med centre, four of five hours ago. Following Boss and Doc, straight to the ward from his office.

Snowy - half his face covered in bandages, both arms in plaster, tubes everywhere and machines going ping. Doc saying “Irreparable nerve damage” and “punctured lung” and stuff about never being able to move the right side of his face again.

Boss standing there looking blank and stiff. Then touching Snowy on the shoulder. Softly.

The empty sick feeling in her stomach and the smell of medicine and antiseptic. The smell of Snowys fur as she kissed the un-marked side of his face. The fact he never moved or opened his eyes.

Then the walk behind a fast moving and visibly angry Boss, straight to the mortuary.

Boss barking, “Show me!” at the attendant and the drawer sliding out. Boss pulling the zip on the body bag down.

The face of a female rabbit, older than Hazel and a bit younger than boss. Matted blood in the fur just behind her ears. The lab technician not noticing anything and blandly stating, “you got this one I believe” as he left.

Did it get colder? Did she actually see – what, tears in Bosses eyes? “No! Impossible!”

She remembered reaching out to him and stopping as Boss slowly stroked his had down the cheek of this, “Enemy” pilot.

“You OK Boss? Did you know her?”

Boss turned and walked past her fast, she remembered the look on his face and the words he said as he went by. Oh yeah, that was the thing she was trying to forget. Drinking to forget.

“My Sister”

and he was gone.