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Back The Land Beneath Us Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Endorsements
  3. Books by Sarah Sundin
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Presidential Radio Broadcast
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. Discussion Questions
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

Lombardi rolled his eyes at Taylor, and Taylor shook his head at Rudder, and Rudder appraised Clay again.

He tried to look tough.

Rudder didn’t let up his scrutiny. “As a linebacker, you were fast, strong, smart, and a team player. That’s why I wanted you on my team then, and that’s why I want you on my team now. I’ll give you another chance.”

Clay’s grin burst free. “Thank you, sir. I won’t let you down.”

“But you’ll need to show some serious improvement, or you’re out. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Clay left the tent, traded a joke with his buddies, and marched back to his tent.

His secret was out. The brass knew about medical school. If he didn’t learn to fight dirty, they’d make him a medic.

Clay kicked a rock out of the road. Wouldn’t Daddy and Mama like that?

“The Lord didn’t make you a killer,” Mama had told him when he received his draft notice. “He made you a healer.”

Telling his parents about his recurring dream hadn’t helped, not even when he’d related how he felt overwhelming peace and joy each time he awoke. How he knew he was meant to die in combat saving his buddies—a good purpose he’d embraced. How the dream was a message from the Lord, a welcome one, assuring him the miserable years in the pit would soon end.

In the Bible, not everyone liked Joseph’s dreams either, but they’d come to pass.

Since that talk with his parents, Clay hadn’t mentioned his dream to a soul. It was a treasured secret between him and God.

Daddy and Mama would love to see that dream thwarted.

And his brothers? They’d shown him they believed a half-breed didn’t deserve fancy goals like going to college or becoming a physician or marrying the doctor’s daughter.

His gut burned—he’d have to mine that anger next time they practiced hand-to-hand combat.

Why did Leah Jones’s thoughtful little face flash before him? “I can understand why you haven’t forgiven them.”

“Lord, they took everything from me,” he muttered. “Let me keep this dream. Don’t let anyone steal it.”

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5

CAMP FORREST
THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1943

Miss Mayhew parked a cart in front of the circulation desk. “Here are this month’s acquisitions for you to shelve.”

“What a treasure.” Leah leaned over to read the titles, including The Clinical Recognition and Treatment of Shock. She’d have to show Clay the next time he came in.

The previous Sunday he’d insisted she call him Clay. Sometimes he visited on weekday evenings too. Although he always looked exhausted from training, he never failed to be cheerful.