Chapters 6 - 10 Summary

Mark moves through the line cut through the wire in front of 'A' Company. The snow stops, and he waits near the ruins of the farmhouse in fear. He hears a voice ask in German, 'Bist du da?' (Are you there?). The voice says they are going back, so Mark follows and pushes into a tangle of roots, checking his rifle carefully to ensure the sight hasn't moved. At dawn, he flexes his fingers. A blanket of snow covers him. MacDonald moves into position with Cuthbert and, when a shot rings out, the dummy kicks in his hands. Fergus curses. The German is in the same stand as Mark.

Mark's ears buzz. Using periphery vision, he sees the Mauser barrel. He imagines the shape of the body, using the Mauser as a reference point to locate his hips. He can't...