Thank you for the reviews on chapter 1. Apologies for the shock ending ... glad you've come back and are staying with me!
Chapter 2 – "Is everything alright, Dawes?"
Forward Operating Base
She shudders, and is dumbfounded to find herself back in the FOB in a strangely familiar situation, uninjured and body seemingly intact.
Before she has a chance to figure out what the bleeding hell just happened she's startled to hear Captain James' voice, "You not hungry Dawes?"
She has a strong feeling of deja-vu as she answers him, "I'm just gonna wait for the ruck to die down, sir."
He's staring at her questioningly, as though he doesn't entirely believe her. She wonders if perhaps she's had too much sun and not enough water this morning, because she is feeling distinctly odd.
The thoughts in her nut are a jumbled mess, but she knows there is something important she needs to talk to Captain James about, she just needs a moment to figure it out. Stalling for time she finds herself saying, "Sir….."
He seems irritated with her, "Spit it out Dawes".
She's knows that she is running out of time and his patience. She desperately looks around for something to jog her memory. Her eyes come to rest on Smurf and some of the lads messing about on the exercise bike in the makeshift gym. Smurf! She has a sudden vision of Smurf being fatally shot in the neck which can't be possible because he's not twenty metres away from her. She realises it is Smurf that she needs to talk to him about. She takes a deep breath, wishing she didn't feel quite so nervous and intimidated around him, "It's just…. as a medic, I'm a bit worried that Smurf's in the right frame of mind."
Even as she's saying the words, she feels hypocritical, given the current fragged state of her own nut, but somehow, she feels it is vitally important that she shares her concerns.
He looks at her quizzically, "Why's that?"
She begins to doubt whether she should have started this conversation feeling like she does, "All that with his brother must have fragged with his head a bit."
He seems utterly unconvinced by her thoughts so far, "He's an excellent soldier. He knows what he's doing."
She feels her confidence disappearing as she attempts to explain herself better, aware that she sounds less and less competent with each word, "It's just that…. he seemed a bit…. I dunno…. harsh let's say with an ANA bloke."
He looks at her in consternation, and sounds completely dismissive of her concerns, "It's just a bit of early tour dick waving. Always happens."
He walks away leaving her feeling like some stupid school girl who has been caught telling tales and speaking out of line.
-OG-
She makes it to the safety of the med tent without speaking to anyone else.
She splashes her face with tepid water in the small sink, "Come on Molls, pull yourself together."
She has literally no bleeding Scooby as to what is going on. The last thing she remembers was being on patrol, seeing Smurf shot and then being shot herself.
She checks her arm and abdomen for any signs of injury, but her skin is unblemished.
She lies down on the bed, fretting that she is having some sort of mental breakdown and quickly falls into an exhausted and fitful sleep.
She's awoken from a vivid dream by the sound of Smurf shouting, "Dawesy!"
He pops his head into the tent, and oddly she knows that he's going to give her a cheeky smile, tap his watch and tell her that they're all waiting at the gate and that she doesn't have time to put her face on, which of-course he does.
She quickly gets ready and joins the assembled Section, anxiously wondering what is going to happen next.
-OG-
Out on patrol, everything is as before. She nervously contemplates saying something to Corporal Kinders, to warn him about the shooter, but she's not sure what she would say. She's been here before? She has a premonition? Both sound crazy. She doesn't really know what, if anything, has already happened or is going to happen.
Smurf starts up again about the little girl and she realises that the shooting moment is getting closer and that if she is going to do something, she needs to do it now.
She grabs a surprised Smurf by the arm, speeds up her pace and heads towards a nearby drainage ditch.
Suddenly the peace is shattered by the sound of a gun-shot, which she sees hit the perimeter wall of the FOB thirty metres behind them.
They throw themselves to the ground and take cover in the drainage ditch. She hears another two shots, one which also hits the FOB wall and another hitting the ground right where they were just standing.
She hears Corporate Kinders shout, "Contact left. Contact left! Take cover!" as she cowers terrified and stuck to the spot. She realises she has no idea what happens next. Her memory, if that is what it is, or knowledge of the future has come to an end.
She's aware of Smurf next to her, his eyes wide and focussed looking a little bit deranged, "See what I mean Molls? Those fuckers have spilt my family blood out there."
Corporal Kinders is trying to establish if anyone has seen where the contact actually came from. Smurf seems confident that it was from a small compound ahead of them but no-one else in the line can confirm this and Kinders seems unsure too. They all train their rifles onto the compound and wait out. Their Afghan interpreter, Qaseem, is listening on the radio, "They are saying they are targeting the female."
She feels sick with fear at this revelation and can feel herself beginning to panic.
Corporal Kinders is discussing the situation with Captain James over the radio, who issues the order for them to get back inside. Corporal Kinders tells them to run back to the base, one at a time, whilst the remaining soldiers keep an eye on the compound.
As each soldier makes it back safely to the compound, she realises it is getting closer and closer to the moment when she is going to have to move. She starts crying and shaking with fear as Qaseem reports, "They know there is a female medic here."
It's just her, Smurf, Qaseem and Corporal Kinders left in the ditch. She hears Corporate Kinders shout to her, "Dawes, you're next".
She looks desperately at Smurf, whimpering, "I can't do it, Smurf".
He tries to convince her that she will be ok, but she can't make herself move. The memory of being shot is too strong to ignore, "They'll shoot me."
Corporal Kinders is shouting at her to get a move on, but still she doesn't leave the safety of the ditch.
Smurf appears to be readying himself for something and she is suddenly afraid not just for herself. He has a murderous look in his eyes as he calmly outlines his plan, "No, they won't. I'll shoot them. They see you come out of this ditch and the wankers will appear…. at which point I will blow their shitty heads off. Now get up and run."
Before she has a chance to argue, he stands up shouting, "Contact ahead! I see the tosser!" and starts offloading bullets into the compound.
She obeys his instructions and starts sprinting towards the FOB, vaguely aware of multiple machine guns and rifles being fired. Although it only takes her about ten seconds to reach the base, she is expecting to be shot in every one of those ten seconds.
Before she ducks in the gate, she looks back towards the ditch to see that Smurf has stopped shooting and is sitting with his back against the ditch wall. Her initial relief that he appears unhurt is quickly replaced with an deeply uncomfortable unease when she realises he is smiling with what can only be described as a crazed look on his face.
-OG-
Everyone is safely back in the base and the lads are high with adrenalin after experiencing their first contact. She has no desire to join in and is still extremely shaken by the day's events.
Smurf is going on and on about how it was, "all a bit Call of Duty". Personally, she doesn't think it was at all like some bleeding stupid computer game, it was very much real life and death and presumably there is now someone dead out there in that compound.
She spots Captain James descending from one of the watch towers and approaching the group. As he gets closer she can tell by his thunderous expression that he is not sharing the lad's revelry.
She stands to attention as he angrily addresses the group, "What have we just learnt?"
Everyone is looking at him but no-one says anything. It is reminiscent of being told off by a teacher at school, where no-one is going to break rank and admit to anything.
He repeats his question, noticeably louder and more irritated, "What have we just learnt?"
There is complete silence.
He sounds unexpectedly calm as he answers his own question, "Every time we step outside of this compound we need to be totally alert."
She's startled when he turns to address her, "Medic". He nods towards the med-tent and she gathers he intends for her to follow him.
-OG-
She's expecting a lecture of some sort and is confused when instead Captain James sits on the bed and starts undoing his boots, "I need you to have a look at my blisters."
"Yes sir."
She's taken aback by the state of his feet, which are rubbed raw in several places and must be bleeding painful. She busies herself with gathering the medical supplies she needs to clean and dress the sores.
"What do you reckon?"
Perhaps it's because he's not shouting at her or making her feel stupid, or because he's sat down and not towering over her, or because he's bare footed and in need of her help, but for the first time ever she doesn't feel intimidated by him, "Well, they stink sir. With all due respect."
She's astounded when he laughs loudly, noticing how his whole face softens when he drops his normal stern expression. It doesn't last long as he quickly snaps back into serious Captain mode, "His behaviour when he was unloading his weapon into that compound was reckless and unprofessional."
She's caught off-guard and immediately feels conflicted because whilst she agrees with him, she also knows that Smurf just saved her life. She avoids meeting his eyes, concentrating on dealing with his feet, as he probes her for more information about whether or not she saw an insurgent in the compound. He seems to sense her discomfort and conflict because he doesn't push her too hard and although he doesn't actually apologise for dismissing her concerns, he makes it obvious that he thinks she was correct to be worried.
She's relieved when he changes the topic back to his feet, "I knew I didn't need new boots. There was nothing wrong with my old ones."
She quickly glances up at his face and is perturbed to see that he is gazing at her intently. She averts her eyes back to his feet, "They'll wear in. Let me dress your blisters and you can get back to running us around the compound."
She recognises a lighter more playful tone to his voice, "Let's see how good a medic you are Dawes."
She's replied, "The nuts sir" before she's really thought through her answer. She risks looking up again, and to her astonishment he is smiling broadly at her. She shyly returns his smile, revelling that for the moment she seems to have gained his respect.
-OG-
A few minutes later she follows him out of the med-tent, feeling happy that finally she's done something right and cautiously optimistic that this is the start of a new positive understanding between herself and Captain James. She's hopeful that if she has his respect then the lads will accept her too.
Her hopes evaporate almost immediately as he heads over to where Smurf and the lads are hanging out, and indicates with a nod of the head and brusque, "Smurf. Word" for Smurf to follow him to his quarters. Everyone knows Smurf's in for a talking to and a few of the lads make childish "uh-oh" noises. She doesn't miss Smurf's hateful look at her before he disappears into Captain James' tent.
-OG-
She enters the communications tent for the briefing to find the rest of 2 Section already there. They immediately stop talking and as she joins them around the table, they all move away from her, leaving her standing on one side of the table all alone. She's not surprised at their behaviour as this has how it has been for the past three days since Smurf received his talking to from Captain James.
Although she doesn't know exactly what was said, Smurf has made it pretty clear that as far as he is concerned she has stabbed him in the back. She knows from snide comments made to her by the lads, that he has been spreading rumours that she's some sort of dirty slag.
At first, she thought she'd be able to brave it out, but it's got so unpleasant that she's moved herself out of the dorm tent and into the med-tent.
In the last 24 hours, it appears that they've now stopped to talking to or acknowledging her altogether, which although pretty bleeding lonely is actually preferable to the horrible remarks and constant bullying.
She senses Captain James enter the room behind her as everyone stands to attention. She listens carefully as he briefs them on plans to establish an ANA checkpoint in an old compound in the mountains and intelligence which suggests that there are the remains of a Russian minefield along a dried riverbed near the compound, which would be more than capable of blowing off their socks. She watches as he surveys the room at the end of the briefing and is aware of the almost unperceivable frown crossing his face as his eyes rest on her for a moment.
-OG-
They're walking single file on their way up towards the mountain checkpoint. She's at the back of the line, just in front of Captain James. The lads are still ignoring her as they partake in some idle banter to pass the time on the hike. She's trying to not let them get to her, instead focussing on her surroundings. As she looks around, she can't help but be impressed by the in the beauty of the landscape.
Despite the heat of the day, she lets out an involuntarily shiver, once again experiencing that strange sensation of someone walking over your grave. For a reason that she can't quite comprehend, she suddenly feels uneasy.
With impeccable timing, Captain James is at her side, "Is everything alright, Dawes?"
She considers this simple, but loaded question. She recognises the concern in his voice and is fairly certain that he knows something is going on between her and the lads. She knows she should tell him what has been happening, but she really doesn't want to compound the situation by telling more tales.
She attempts to keep her answer breezy, "Yes, sir. Everything's fine. Just admiring the view."
He sounds puzzled by her answer, "The view?"
She keeps her eyes forward, knowing that if she looks at him her resolve will slip, "Yes, sir."
She conscious that she's not doing a very convincing job when he tries again, "You know you can talk to me at any time, Dawes."
Despite feeling that she's made the wrong decision, she maintains her line, "Yes, sir" and he returns to his position at the back of the Section.
-OG-
Mountain checkpoint
Captain James assigns tasks to everyone to give the checkpoint, what he calls, a "Kirsty makeover". She sets to work with an ANA medic establishing a basic treatment facility in the compound.
A little while later, she stops for a water break and notices the little girl who is sometimes hanging around the FOB. She gives her some pens and attempts to talk to her, but the girl doesn't seem to understand her questions and just gives her a nervous smile. She calls over Qaseem and asks him to translate for her, which he gladly does, seemingly pleased to see her making an effort with his people. She learns that the little girl is called Bashira and as she thought, is the same age as one of her sisters. She has the idea to ask Bashira if she would like to be her sister, which seems to delight her. She feels ridiculously buoyed by the interaction and happy to have made a friend.
Her happiness is dampened when Smurf joins her a few moments later, clearly having witnessed the exchange between her and Bashira. He breaks his silence treatment, glaring at her with disgust, "That little wanker is a dicker. She's spotting for the Taliban and reporting back." She can hardly be bothered to engage with him, "She's just a kid Smurf. Chill out". He shakes his head before walking off muttering, "Yeah. A kid who goes back and tells the Taliban exactly where we are."
-OG-
They've been working hard for a few hours and the checkpoint is taking shape.
Everyone is startled by the sound of a gunshot and Nude-Nut shouting, "Man down! Man down!"
Instinctively she drops to the ground, takes up her weapon and finds a defensive position behind a sandbag wall, scouring the landscape for activity using her rifle scope. She hears Captain James asking for information over the radio and it becomes apparent that it is Smurf who has been shot, somewhere across the riverbed minefield and that he has the only vallon with him.
She focuses on her search and is the first to locate him, "200 metres. Half left. Beyond the bridge."
They all hear Smurf on the radio, "I've been shot. I'm pumping blood." He sounds panicky and Captain James is unable to get any useful information about the shooter from him. Someone shouts that Smurf needs a medic, but she's already gathering her med Bergen together and getting ready to move, "I can get to him, sir. I know my mine clearing drill."
Captain James hesitates for a moment before he nods at her and shouts for a couple of the lads to accompany them down to the bridge to give her cover.
As she approaches the minefield, she drops to the ground and lying on her tummy, starts checking for mines whilst following the path of footsteps. She hears Smurf calling her name. She's inching forward slowly, "I'm on my way. Talk to me."
Smurf sounds petrified as he tells her that he's losing blood fast from a wound at the top of his leg near the goin. She instructs him to put a tourniquet on it, but he says he can't because the wound is too high. She knows that time is limited with an injury like that and that she needs to get to him quickly.
She's agonisingly close to him when he stops answering her questions.
She's shouting his name and hears Captain James asking, "You alright Dawes?" just before she feels her foot come to rest on something metallic and solid.
She closes her eyes, prepares for the inevitable, and experiences a strange moment of calmness. The mine explodes and she is scattered in thousands of little pieces across the dusty Afghan riverbed.
-OG-
Oops, I did it again. But hopefully you appreciate where this is going now! Please review and let me know what you think so far.