Chapter 11: Drugged
There's something going on, I hear noise and screaming from outside. Shots? I'm not sure, I don't trust my ears or my eyes. I've been drugged up to my eyeballs, and it's screwing with my senses. "Bear" Thistle is in the bed across the room and lifts his head weakly. 'Bodie. What's that?' he asks. He's hardly said it word since they put us together in the same room, and I reckon he's just as much out of it as I am. Bear is the only other one in my platoon who survived the attack and he's lost both legs, poor bugger.
'Dunno.' I wish I wasn't so damn tired, I am weak as kitten. Can't even lift my head like Bear for the agony it causes to my abs.
Suddenly people storm the room, almost ramming the door from its hinges. It's a small group, four of five men perhaps, and they're not looking particularly friendly. Donna is with them, she's taking the lead. She begins to snarl orders, points at Bear and snaps. 'Up his dose, 25cc. Do it. Now.'
She comes to my bed.
'Donna, what…' but she interrupts me in a hurried tone. 'Quiet, Bodie,' she snaps, and changes my IV-settings. No, no, no. I feel myself getting drowsily, even more. I don't want this! She's putting me under.
'What are you doing?' I manage to say.
'Taking Ngambo's side,' she hisses. 'Bye Bodie.'
What? Ngambo's side?
Even though I struggle to resist the upcoming sleep, I can't help feeling my eyelids go heavy. It's as if someone is covering me gently with a blanket, and I sink away deeper and deeper into a comfortable feather bed. The pain in my head and my tormented belly is fading rapidly.
She's running over to Ngambo?!
I thought her nursenary days were over. She promised me she'd stay in the army and not go for the money anymore. Donna, no!
My eyes fall shut and I feel my head loll sideways. Five more seconds and I will be gone. A thought strikes me which is so frightening that I tense up. What if she's putting an end to my life? Will I die from an overdose of painkillers and antibiotics? Is this the end?
I'm not sure anymore what is real and what is drug-induced, but I'd swear I can feel her lips touching mine and a whisper that sounds like Sorry.
The void that follows is dark and quiet for a long, long time.
(tbc)