Last time on Survi . . . uh, Colonel Hitler:
"Jud . . . Judy, what is it? What's the matter?"
Reynolds fought for breath. "It's Colonel Blake. I think . . . I think he's having a heart attack!"
**************************
Captain Douglas' brown eyes widened. "Quick, Judy! Get a stretcher! Find Captain Browning, tell him to come to OR, on the double!"
Reynolds ran off. Douglas went into Henry's room and checked the unconscious colonel's pulse. "It's weak," he murmured, "but we might be able to save him. Colonel, just hold on for your dear, damn life!"
Douglas' shoe kicked something. He leaned over and picked it up. It was Henry's canteen. Douglas took the cap off and held the opening up to his nose. "Rum!" he exclaimed. "That's what brought the heart attack on, coupled with his injuries."
Reynolds and another nurse rushed into the room with a stretcher; they gently lifted Henry onto it and went as fast as they could to OR. Captain Browning, a talented young surgeon, was already there, scrubbed up and ready to go.
Captain Douglas scrubbed up, and the two surgeons made their way to the operating table where Henry lay, his shirt opened up. Douglas and Browning started the operation and everything was going well, until . . .
"Damn it! His heart stopped!" Browning shouted. "Reynolds, get me some adrenaline; prepare for open heart massage."
Browning massaged Henry's heart for a full half-hour before he managed to get it started up again. "Well done, Captain," Reynolds said, smiling underneath her surgical mask.
"Hold on," Douglas said, raising a hand, "Browning, I think you contaminated the area."
Browning gasped. "What?"
Douglas continued. "Because the heart area had already been contaminated the first time, you just made it worse! Henry's not going to make it, I'm afraid."
With shaking hands, Browning closed the skin, and peeled his bloody gloves off, sighing. "I really thought I had done it."
At that moment, Henry woke up from the anesthesia. "Captain! He's awake," said Reynolds.
Captain Douglas went to Henry's side. Henry still had his eyes shut. "Colonel? Colonel Blake?"
Henry didn't respond, and Douglas said, "Henry?"
Now, he opened his eyes. He stared straight into Douglas' eyes, and murmured something. "Excuse me?" the doctor asked, leaning in closer.
Henry tried again, louder, but his voice was fading.
"Tell . . . Lorraine, that I . . .I have always loved her, and that . . .and that I'm sorry . . .about the girl in Tokyo."
Henry closed his eyes, and the color left his face.
"Colonel? Colonel?" Douglas said, shaking him. He put his ear to Henry's chest, and heard no heartbeat.
Douglas stood up solemnly. "He's gone."
**************************
It was beautiful.
Henry looked around him, amazed.
"Wow . . ."
"Jud . . . Judy, what is it? What's the matter?"
Reynolds fought for breath. "It's Colonel Blake. I think . . . I think he's having a heart attack!"
**************************
Captain Douglas' brown eyes widened. "Quick, Judy! Get a stretcher! Find Captain Browning, tell him to come to OR, on the double!"
Reynolds ran off. Douglas went into Henry's room and checked the unconscious colonel's pulse. "It's weak," he murmured, "but we might be able to save him. Colonel, just hold on for your dear, damn life!"
Douglas' shoe kicked something. He leaned over and picked it up. It was Henry's canteen. Douglas took the cap off and held the opening up to his nose. "Rum!" he exclaimed. "That's what brought the heart attack on, coupled with his injuries."
Reynolds and another nurse rushed into the room with a stretcher; they gently lifted Henry onto it and went as fast as they could to OR. Captain Browning, a talented young surgeon, was already there, scrubbed up and ready to go.
Captain Douglas scrubbed up, and the two surgeons made their way to the operating table where Henry lay, his shirt opened up. Douglas and Browning started the operation and everything was going well, until . . .
"Damn it! His heart stopped!" Browning shouted. "Reynolds, get me some adrenaline; prepare for open heart massage."
Browning massaged Henry's heart for a full half-hour before he managed to get it started up again. "Well done, Captain," Reynolds said, smiling underneath her surgical mask.
"Hold on," Douglas said, raising a hand, "Browning, I think you contaminated the area."
Browning gasped. "What?"
Douglas continued. "Because the heart area had already been contaminated the first time, you just made it worse! Henry's not going to make it, I'm afraid."
With shaking hands, Browning closed the skin, and peeled his bloody gloves off, sighing. "I really thought I had done it."
At that moment, Henry woke up from the anesthesia. "Captain! He's awake," said Reynolds.
Captain Douglas went to Henry's side. Henry still had his eyes shut. "Colonel? Colonel Blake?"
Henry didn't respond, and Douglas said, "Henry?"
Now, he opened his eyes. He stared straight into Douglas' eyes, and murmured something. "Excuse me?" the doctor asked, leaning in closer.
Henry tried again, louder, but his voice was fading.
"Tell . . . Lorraine, that I . . .I have always loved her, and that . . .and that I'm sorry . . .about the girl in Tokyo."
Henry closed his eyes, and the color left his face.
"Colonel? Colonel?" Douglas said, shaking him. He put his ear to Henry's chest, and heard no heartbeat.
Douglas stood up solemnly. "He's gone."
**************************
It was beautiful.
Henry looked around him, amazed.
"Wow . . ."