Chapter 9: The Blue Hole

Two men in the platoon put in papers that week to get out of the digging. Hollis doesn't. He's honest about why — he doesn't want a desk, and he'd rather be somebody than stay a face in a line — but he also can't tell anyone what the hole in that mountain is going to be. So he fills canteens and walks the road and keeps his mouth shut. What I keep chewing on is Boyd: "This is one. Don't come back for another." Was that kindness, or a door closing for good?
If you'd like to read ahead, early chapters are available on my p*****n: https:///zuochuang