Albanian Escape: The True Story of U.S. Army Nurses Behind Enemy Lines

5. Separated and Lost

5 Separated and Lost 17 November 1943, Wednesday-071S: Between Matlshave and Bargulla Only ten minutes after awakening, the group questionedJohnny again about the missing members of the party. "Do these people know anything about the other Americans?" Jens asked. Johnny looked puzzled. "Other Americans?" he asked. "Yes, ten others, ten more Americans," Baggs said. This time they tried more elaborate sign language to try to get their message across: they lined up, saying their names as they pointed to themselves, and held up one finger for one, two fingers for two. Finally they went on counting the ten Americans who should have been on the end ofthe line. A light began to shine inJohnny's eyes as he started to count the same way. His face lit up as he said, "Ten more! Ten more!" He turned to Thrasher and asked, "Ten more? Not all here. Where they are now?" The group shouted, "We don't know, Johnny. We've been asking you about them." He looked at them incredulously and said, "Others?" He slowly swept his hand along the length of their line. "I don't know where are more Americans." Thrasher's face turned as red as a stoplight. He became visibly angry, and Jens feared for a moment that he was going to choke the kid. Instead, he dropped to the ground, pounding, kicking, and yell- 70 Albanian Escape ing. Thrasher's violent reaction, the relief of knowing that Johnny finally understood, and the realization that the group had followed this willing young Albanian with neither of them knowing what the other had in mind was just too much to bear at the moment, and Jens broke into hysterical laughter. The whole response lasted about a minute; then silence returned. Baggs sat down and quietly explained their wishes to Johnny agam. "Okay!"Johnny said, then motioned that they should move on. At the first few houses they came to, Johnny seemed to engage in endless conversation with the inhabitants. Some of the villagers tried to talk to the Americans. They had not seen or heard of any other Americans but weren't going to miss the opportunity to look at and talk with these. The Italians who had been following them the day before must have gone in another direction when they heard the gunfire at Matishave. It's small wonder that the Ballista, or whoever they were, fired on us, Jens thought. We must have looked like a small army approaching that hill. The Americans were very glad that the Italians had taken another route. The sunshine and brisk air seemed even fresher to them after having been pinned down by gunfire the day before. Shortly after noon they arrived at a cluster of houses. Johnny tried to get them some food, without success, but at least they drank water and rested. Jens was beginning to feel very hungry and was sure the others felt the same. It was Wednesday and they had had no food since Sunday in Berat. They set out again and at 1700 they arrived at Bargulla, a village of seven houses nestled on a small plateau. It was getting dark and cold and Jens hoped the villagers would take them in to a warm fire and perhaps even a cup ofsome kind ofhot tea. The usual crowd ofthe curious turned out-to look them over rather than greet them. Little girls aged six or seven stood busily knitting while listening to the conversations, scarcely glancing at their work. Johnny talked to the village elder for at least thirty minutes, then returned to the group and in a matter-of-fact manner told Thrasher, "Other Americans here two nights." Separated and Lost 71 The group bombarded him with questions. "Are you sure?" "Two nights ago or for two nights?" "How many?" Johnny talked to the village elder again, then said, "Other Americans say too, 'Where other Americans?'" The party laughed with relief. The elder made known that there were at least ten Americans, maybe more, and gestured in the direction of their departure. The group decided to leave immediately and hike all night if necessary, in order to catch up. But the elder not only indicated that it would take all night to reach the next village but snarled and snapped to warn them of wolves on the trail. And so, greatly relieved to know the others had not...