Hines battled to a crouch. DO IT. FIRE AND MOVE AWAY FROM THERE. He flung his rifle muzzle over the window sill. When another mortar exploded, he jerked on the trigger and expended his magazine in a two second burst.
It took him a moment to realize he had fired, but he had. He’d done it. Now, let someone else come to the window and relieve him.
Hines yanked his rifle down and looked at the men behind him, but nobody moved. The grunts stared. Suddenly, Hines’ nerves turned to jelly. He wanted to blubber, lash out at them. In his miserable wretchedness he nearly laughed.
Delirious, Hines lurched to his feet. Caught between shame and fury, he jammed a fresh magazine into his rifle and leaned through the window. A round smacked into the window frame, but Hines didn’t flinch. He drew a bead
