16
The Siren Song
Johnny Strange
The jungle was alive—horrible smells, strange sounds, creaking, rustling... Johnny Strange lay in the foxhole he and Sniper had pounded out of the sandy rock that comprised Hill 281 and listened. Billy lay next to him and Bud was in the next foxhole over. Johnny could hear a squadron of mosquitos right by his face, testing the netting they had spread over the hole. A few of the voracious buggers had gotten through, and he could feel them biting at any exposed parts. He remembered a story one of the Aussie coast-watchers that came on board told the believing kids below decks on the transport—about the two huge mosquitos who fought over a wounded soldier, trying to decide whether to eat him on the spot or carry him back to the jungle. The argument was deci
