The Nurse - Chapter 1
- a tale of love during war -
A steaming cup of tea. A crackling fire. Rain splashing on the ground.
And a new chapter to read.
Over the next few weeks, I will be releasing some of the first chapters (in order) of my historical fiction novella, The Nurse. Subscribe now, and step back in time to a world torn apart by war, yet holding on to love.
“Nearly there,” the soldier whispered as he and another man ran through the mud, carrying the stretcher that held his best friend’s broken body. “Stay with us, Ed. You’ve got to,” he pleaded. The young man’s bloodshot eyes flicked open; his pupils shaking and dilated. He lay restless, groaning deeply with every jolt of the stretcher. The sky blurred, spiralling like a tunnel, then the blackness came, and his body fell limp. Another jerk tugged him back into semi-consciousness as they slipped in the mud. He trembled all over, moaning slowly. Drops of blood fell on the ground below as the two soldiers pushed uphill, towards the medic’s tent. The sky above them was a haze of smoke and rain. Explosions nearby sent tremors moaning beneath their feet. The cries of both wounded and dying men haunted the air.
Trees that once stood proudly above the soft green grass, boasting verdant foliage hanging gracefully from auburn limbs, now resembled charred stumps, destroyed by the raging fires and machines that kept flinging the land into shuddering fits. Twisted wire burrowed deep into the ground; barbed hooks lay embedded in the uniforms of many a soldier as they lay there, unable to release themselves from the cruel entrapment.
“Denni, he’s not going to make it,” the other soldier shook his head sadly at the young man lying on the stretcher, ribbons of dried blood trickling down his pale face. No...no, you mustn’t...you’re all I’ve got, Ed. Please...no! Denni screamed silently at his best friend as they ran on. The soldier’s coarse uniform was plastered with mud. The frayed cloth around his wound was stained by the crimson fluid oozing from his body.
As the soldiers neared the tent known as the “hospital”, they could hear the soft reassuring tones of the nurses alongside the constant groans of the wounded. “Please, we need help!” Denni beckoned to one of the nurses. She quickly led them inside and towards a makeshift bed situated near the end of the tent.
“Keep that pressure on the wound; I’ll fetch some morphine,” the nurse hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked away. Denni couldn’t help but notice her hands trembling; but somehow despite the overwhelming stress this nurse was enduring, her face possessed a smile that was soothing to look at. The two soldiers lifted Ed gently off the stretcher, and onto the bed. The red stain colouring his uniform grew darker by the minute, his lifeblood draining away despite the force of Denni’s hand. Denni crouched down beside him, pleading with him to stay alive. As he implored his best friend, the nurse returned with the morphine.
“This will help relieve the pain,” she said tenderly as she administered the drug and gently removed the blood-soaked clothing. Despite the horrific appearance of his wound, she never flinched or shied away. Denni watched her in silence as she clamped the pulsing artery, causing the bleeding to stop completely. Her delicate fingers are so perfect for a task that required such precise movement, he thought.
“He was awful brave out there. That’s why he was hit,” Denni muttered, trying to conceal the anguish he was feeling.
“You’ve all been brave,” her voice, beautiful and lilting, corrected him. She looked right into his eyes; her gaze piercing his very soul. “It’s not your fault. You can’t prevent people from dying in war, but you can choose to keep fighting for their sake.” Her eyes smiled at him; the way they sparkled seemed to be a silent language - one that said “it will be alright” even when it wasn’t. A language that spoke one word: kindness. Everything she did seemed to embody this word. She’s so beautiful. So perfect. She doesn’t belong in a place like here, he thought as she wrapped the last bandage around Ed’s wound. He noticed how gently she touched him; the way she squeezed his hand so reassuringly, and the way she spoke words of encouragement to him.
“Can’t you see he’s dying?” Denni whispered hoarsely as she leaned over, gently tucking a blanket around his best friend. She looked at him and nodded slowly.
“We’re doing all we can to save him,” she replied, carefully wiping away the dried blood on his face with slow and soft movements. Then lowering her voice, she whispered, “but remember, even unconscious people can still hear what we're saying.” A deep groan caught the attention of the nurse. The soldier writhed around on his bed; his face twisted in pain. “Denni,” his voice was barely a whisper, “thank you. I...I tried...be...brave.” Beads of sweat laced his forehead.
Denni knelt beside him, tears running down his face. “I know you did, Ed. You were more brave than any of us.” He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “Just don’t go, please.” He grasped Ed’s hand. You can’t leave now. You’re the only true friend I’ve got. Please, keep holding on.
Just talk to him. Keep him thinking.
“Ed, stay with me. Remember the day you gave Rilla the ring - she’s still waiting for you. You can’t die here - France isn’t your home. You’ve always been a fighter, and that’s not always bad. Please, you’ve got to keep fighting for her sake.”
The young man squeezed his hand weakly. “I can’t. I love her. I’m scared…help… m-m— ” His eyes glazed over as his chest heaved and then fell, never to rise again. Just wait, he’ll breathe again. He has to. Nothing. He can’t be gone. Denni sat there in dazed shock. He’s gone? My best friend...gone... Salty drops beaded his palms and his chest ached constantly. His throat felt tight as if he was trying to swallow a stone.
A hand touched his shoulder. He turned his head around, and locked eyes with the nurse. Her eyes were full of compassion, tinged with the ever-present gift of mercy.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I wish I could have saved him.”
“But you never knew him. Why then?” He asked dumbly, trying to understand what she meant.
“Because every life is precious.” She smiled faintly, a single tear rolling down her face. “I know what it’s like to lose someone dear to you - I lost my brother a few months ago.”
So we’ve both lost someone through this war...we’ve both experienced pain.
Denni stood to his feet as he looked at the young woman before him. “Thank you for trying… it means a lot,” he paused. “And I’m sorry for your loss too.”
She stared up at him. “I just wish I could have done more,” she shook her head at the lifeless form lying in the bed. She looked up again, locking his gaze with such a gentle expression in those blue eyes. A slight smile wrinkled her lips; her face revealing the compassion she felt. “Over time, the hurt will heal,” she promised as she walked away.
Denni watched the nurse as she left. He could still feel her soft touch on his shoulder. Her eyes so full of kindness.
And yet, his friend was gone.
The year is 1940, and war is sweeping across Europe. Edith, a young nurse, is serving in France and trying to survive the horrors of World War II. When Denni, a gravely injured soldier, winds up in her care, a deep bond grows between the two as they find solace in their shared faith. But when the two are separated, Edith is left alone on the frontline, and her faith is tested like never before. With so much death and suffering around her, the chance of survival is slim. Will she become another victim of war? Or will she live to see her injured soldier again?