I know the first Chapter was a bit angst and 'frown-ey,' but it gets better.
Callie Pov.
The days following my enlistment were a haze. The chief accepted the councils application and I signed a contract to return to work in six months. I left the next day, I couldn't face anyone. I knew it was dangerous, reckless even but I needed it. I needed to be a badass, I needed to get my magic back. I slipped a letter under Marks door, promising to ring him in a few days and left out the remainder of my rent for Cristina. And left with nothing but a fragile ego and a sports bag.
I signed in for duty, went for my induction to the medical team and attended the necessary self-defence programs that was required. And then I did something so horrible, so stupid that I really did question my intellectual ability. I agreed to a two month tour of Mali and be shipped to Africa. Not Iran or even Saudi Arabia. No. I was going to Africa, I was going to be in the same continent as her.
The Director had called it a 'tribal indifference' and that surgeons were needed to be deployed immediately. It was stupid, reckless even, but I agreed. And within 26 hours I was standing in Mali at deaths door.
Shacks were on fire, children were crying over the distant sound of gunshots. I swallowed the lump in my throat. If I was going to find the inner rock star, it was going to be here. That's if I survive. Tribal indifference my ass.
Day 12.
14 men died today. There had been an ambush south of the village. The U.N. had called in for more reinforcements, but the violence only seems to increase. I managed to ring Mark again today. He was angry as I expected but worried. Apparently the troubles are covered every hour in the news as the death toll rises.
I collapsed into my bed, and put my fingers up to myears. The screams they never seemed to leave, echoing through my ears. That night was the first night I slept without crying, I had bigger problems than being abandoned in an airport.
Day 15.
Angola had been taken. The neutral state was under a cloud of suspicion over the few days but this morning the troops were deployed and the news spread through the medical centre like wildfire. The violence was heading further south, I thought the knot in my stomach tightened. My eyes watched the narrow ridge of land that separated Tanzania from Zambia. It was the one area that I listened out for everyday- Malawi.
It was the one of the protected states, so in theory it wouldn't be attacked, but so was Angola. It seems in war torn Africa, no one or state was safe.
Day 19.
The hot general surgeon Lesley, asked me out today, I said that I was to busy. Which isn't really a lie.
Day 21
The troubles has spread across Mali. I fear that I wont be reassigned fast enough. Lesley, myself , Smith along with 12 other physicians are to deployed to another zone any day now.
Day 26.
A soldier carried a woman into the clinic today. Her clavicle was protruding through the skin, leaving the wound exposed. Her left leg was blown off in what I suspected to be an explosion, judging by the burns covering the area. Her right leg needed to be displaced and popped back into place.
" I'm going to administer some pain meds, they will help take away some of the pain, okay" I said. The woman nodded bleakly. The pain was evident across her face.
" I'm going to return to the field" The soldier said as he let go of the woman's hand. His english accent evident.
" Were are you from?" I asked. But to no reply. It was frustrating trying to help a patient when they didn't speak much or any English. I lifted the Tibia, when the woman's hand suddenly pointed to the wall. I looked over at the map that hung on the wall. Do you want to show me? I asked curiously.
I took the map down and showed it to the woman.
" If you can show me where you live I can help you." I said again. Her finger pointed down to a blue area. I looked down. My breath hitched in my mouth, fear radiated through me. Tanzania had been taken, Malawi would fall.
The walls of the clinic shook, knocking my equipment to the floor. I fell to the ground, dust instantly surrounded the room. A series of bangs followed, the woman shouted something that I couldn't understand. There was a loud platter of bare feet and in the doorway I watched as crowd of men gather, there skin darkened with dried blood, and their guns pointed.
The room shook again and I looked up as a large section of plaster and wood came down.
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