The Trenches
Georg grabbed Maria's hand and ran to the nearest trench. He roughly threw her to the ground and ordered her to cover her ears. Maria huddled near Georg as the bombs fell. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest; she whispered words of prayer. The trench shook and the noise was deafening. Dust filled it and the bombardment felt like an eternity. When it finally stopped there was an eerie silence. Maria was dazed and confused in the dark trench, but she felt Georg's warm presence. He was close, very close, but his voice felt far away. He was talking to her and shaking her, his voice sounding worried. She wanted to tell him that she was all right, but no voice came out. Her eyes clouded and everything became dark.
As soon as the bombardment stopped, Georg felt Maria's body go lax against his chest as she fainted. Gently, he placed her head on his lap as he reached for his flask. He carefully poured whiskey into her mouth and forced it down her throat. The affect of the alcohol and the burning sensation that came with it caused Maria to gag and open her eyes. Georg was relieved to see that she was awake.
Georg helped her sit up and lean against the wall of the trench. He placed his flashlight between his teeth and used his hands to examine her. He quickly passed his hand along her head and neck looking for blood. The bright light of Georg's flashlight against the dark trench irritated her eyes as he examined them. She closed them and was vaguely aware of Georg's hands run along her chest, back, abdomen, arm and legs, looking for any injuries or trauma to her body. There were none.
Georg placed a firm hand under her neck and bought his flask to her lips once more as he commanded her to drink. While Maria felt shaky, her senses were gradually returning to her.
"Are you hurt?" he asked. The concern in his voice was touching.
"No, I'm alright," she insisted in a trembling voice. "What happened?"
"We were attacked."
"Oh!"
"You fainted for a few seconds," he explained as she blushed. "The first time is always scary," he said in a calm, soothing voice.
They were sitting so close in the dark trench. The only light between them was coming from his flashlight. She could hardly see him, but she felt that he was very close.
"People are probably hurt," she suddenly said, remembering just why she had fainted. "I should go."
She attempted to rise, but felt his strong hands on her shoulders preventing her from moving.
"Rest a few more minutes. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others."
"I'm really fine," she stubbornly replied.
"Drink some more and then we'll see." She had forgotten how stubborn he was, as well.
She drank some more from his flask, and was struck by how intimate the action of drinking from his vessel was.
After another sip, Maria gagged and shook her head. "This tastes awful. What is it?"
"Whiskey."
"You like this?"
"It works," he said with a relieved smile. The fact that she could register the taste of his drink convinced him that she was all right.
"I'm really feeling better, Georg." His heart filled when she said his name. Convinced, he stood up and offered her his hand. She took it and let him guide her out of the trench. As she stepped out, she tripped into his arms. They stood there for a moment oblivious to the chaos around them, only thinking of the moment that passed before the attack. He held her in his arms and she never felt safer as she did then. They would have stayed together like that had not the sound of sirens forced them to return to their senses and to reality. He was a captain, she was a nurse, and their base had just been attacked. Their first priority could not be each other right now.
They walked towards the sound of the chaos. Georg remained close to her. He didn't want to lose sight of her. The sky was red from fire and smoke so that it was difficult to see. They held hands as they tried making it through the mayhem.
"Captain! Captain Von Trapp!" Georg turned to the sound of a familiar voice calling him. It was Johannes. He was hardly recognizable with his blond hair and uniform covered in dirt, blood, and ash.
"What happened to you?" Georg demanded.
"I was with Shmitty and Lorn when we were attacked. I don't know where they are."
"Give me your tourniquet!" Georg commanded, noticing a large gash on Johannes forehead.
"My what?" asked the disoriented young sailor.
"Your tourniquet, boy! There's blood pouring out of your head!"
Johannes touched his head and indeed noticed his finger covered with blood. "I don't have one, sir. I didn't carry it with me tonight," Johannes said quietly to the disapproving captain, who was already busy wrapping his head with one of his own tourniquets.
"Always carry two, all the time! I always do," Georg instructed as he finished dressing the wound. "It will save your life, or someone else's. Where are the others?"
"I don't know, they were next to me."
They heard a cry nearby, and through the smoke Maria saw two men. She ran towards then. One was bleeding in his leg and the other had multiple wounds. Maria knelt and began treating them as Georg and Johannes joined her.
"Lorn! Shmitty!" Johannes cried.
Maria locked eyes with Georg. She sadly shook her head towards Lorn. There was nothing she could do to save him. "Give me your other tourniquet?" she asked. Georg handed her his last one. She wrapped the tourniquet around Shmitty's leg to stop the bleeding as Georg kneeled next to his dying sailor. Having seen many men die before his eyes Georg knew what needed to be done.
He reached into his pocket for a pill and his flask. He helped Lorn swallow the dose of morphine to ease the pain of dying. Maria watched as Georg cradled his dying sailor. The young boy of seventeen lay in his arms crying and gasping.
"It's alright, son," Georg whispered into his ear. "Everything will be alright."
"I'm so cold," Lorn shuddered.
"I know, son, I know," Georg replied with a soothing and paternal voice. "You'll be warm soon. Just close your eyes and rest. Everything will be alright."
Georg held him till the end. A somber Maria, Johannes, and Shmitty watched as Georg laid him down one last time.
Georg locked eyes with Maria once more. His eyes were no longer somber – they were calm, calculated, and resolved. "Lets get these boys to the infirmary."
Wordlessly, Georg lifted the wounded Shmitty and carried him over his shoulder to the infirmary. Maria walked right next to him as she guided the injured Johannes.
As they approached the infirmary, two soldiers carrying a stretcher met them. They relieved the burden from Georg, but he had every intention of following Maria into the infirmary.
But before he could, he heard someone calling him. "Captain von Trapp!"
Relief was evident in the young sailor's voice when he saw the Captain. "They attacked your sub and it was hit. Lieutenant Braden is dead and the Admiral is looking for you," he quickly said.
Georg cursed under is breath at the news. If the Admiral was requesting him, he had to go to him, no excuses. He turned to Maria. "I have to go," he said.
She nodded bravely but she was still pale. Georg stood for a moment longer looking deeply into her eyes; he could have stood there looking at them all night.
"Will you be alright?" he asked.
Once more, Maria nodded.
With a sigh, Georg reluctantly turned and followed the solider into the car that would take him to meet the Admiral.
A/N Thank you for the reviews...To be continued...
