yaay more Reviews! Thankyou so much! Here's the story... :D
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
''Nurse Crawley'' a stranger called. ''Are you quite alright?'' It spoke again, it was only when the women tapped her on her shoulder did she break the trance that had taken over. Sybil looked into the nurse's face ''I'm fine, just a little tired is all.'' The women nodded and carried on with her duties.
She could not let herself believe the fact that it was Tom lying crippled in the bed before her. Her mind was running riot thinking of every possibility this could not be her Tom, Surely there was more than one Tom Branson in the trenches. She pondered the thought bringing both sorrow and relief into her already befundled feelings.
Sybil's heart beat rapidly in her chest threatening to burst as the man in cot 19 carefully and with presition turned his bludgeoned head towards her, his eyes swollen and puffy rested on Sybil, she wanted so much as to see them, if it was her Tom the eyes would be a beautiful pristine blue, they would be swimming with hope, ambition and fearless pride.
She sat still for a moment surveying his every feature, surely something was to give him away, his hair was similar of course, if not a little darker, his ears were red raw, and his face had its obvious malfunctions; having exhausted every prospect of finding a physical feature which related to her love she spoke to him again hoping so much to see whether an Irish brouge could be heard under the robust and cracking voice.
''Will that be all sir?'' Were the only words she could bring herself to say.
With great difficulty the man replied ''Yes, thankyou..'' he paused adruptly and she saw his eyes squint with frustration as he surveyed Sybil still sitting on the chair before him. ''thankyou, nurse.'' With that the man withdrew his gaze and continued to stare at the pale ceiling.
Throughout the rest of the day Sybil cared and nurtured the other men but never once did she stop thinking of unknown Tom Branson whom lay in bed 19.
He had seen and experienced it all, death, life, friendship and loss.
''Why?'' he whispered to himself ''why had it been him not me, he whom had taken the bullet for king and country and not I.'' He often pondered upon that fateful day, when the sky was clear and the sun beamed down upon their heads. He never forgot the moments when his friend fell to his death, the thud that rippled the mud.
If he could survey were he was, by god he would, but his eyes stayed closed and painful. Branson desperatly tryed to listen to his surroundings, picking out an accent what gave away his wereabouts, all that radiated through his blistered ears were murmurs, most like a humming. He had only been able to understand what people said to him whom were close by, and for the last few hours only one person had spoke to him.
A nurse had heard his plea for water, and obliged to his request, her voice, or murmur, sounded tranquel and calming to begin with but her last question had been spoken in a hushed and adgitated tone. Had he annoyed her with his invalidity? Oh how her kindess had so very much reminded him of his darling Sybil whom he had not written two in over 2 months, how he longed to see her, to tell his he was alright, home, safe at last. A murmur reached his burning ears, Branson could almost clearly hear what the person was relaying.
''Goodnight young man,'' he felt a presence to his left.
''If you have any trouble during the night please don't hesistate to call one of our night nurses whom will be on duty throughout, goodnight now'' Her voice, murmur, was unlike the one he had heard earlier it sounded brouge but clear, she was an older lady he could tell, but kind hearted all the same.
Branson finally felt at peace to be safe again, yet knowing his love was somewhere in the world unknowing that he was out of the firing line. A feeling a guilt swept over him and quickly burned a hole in his heart, if only he could see her, he thought again. If only she were here, if he could atleast tell her he was okay, atleast physically. Although, if her parents had any sense they would have tranported his dear Sybil to London by now, inviting handsome young, and maybe the odd old, bachelor to an aray of balls and courtings, they would fling themselves at her no doubt, she was beautiful of course, whoever thought different was either foolish or blind.
Somebody switched of the lights and darkness engulfed the peninsular and with darkness came dreams, nightmares, flashbacks. As the other men struggled around him he thought morbidly to himself. I won't be the only one weeping tonight.
3 weeks later
It had been 3 weeks since Sybil had spoke to the man in cot 19, ever since then she had been told he was seriously ill with Shell-Shock, so serious many other patients were extremely disturbed by his constant night terrors, this was a serious matter in the eyes of some senior nurses whom feared for the young man and patiens wellbeing, due to this he had been moved into a smaller ward which had only 3 beds, he was the only patient.
She had tryed so much to see the man, see if it was her Tom who lay there, but her trying was pointless beyond words as she had been denied any access into his room, the nurses stated ''He's in a very unstable state, I am sorry Nurse Crawley'' She could not tell the other nurses whom she hoped this man would be as a relationship between patient and staff was highly prohibited and he would be forced to be cared for elsewhere.
Sybil entered the desolate Mental Patient ward which in recent weeks had become rather deserted only now housing 19 patients, many of the original men had overcome their illness and had been sent back onto the frontline, she prayed for them all each night.
She was just about to pour water into a beaker for the man in bed 10 when the Senior Sister approached.
''Nurse Crawley'' she spoke in her deep, brash voice. ''Nurse Slater has been taken ill and her patient is in need of urgent medical attention and reassurance, would it disrupt your duties if I were to ask of you to care for her patients today?'' Sybil almost burst with anticipation, she knew whom Nurse Slaters 'patients' were, and the thought brought hope into her heart.
She repiled a little to adruptly beaming in delight ''That would be no problem sister, I will make my way over there now'' Sybil dropped the beaker onto the side and swiftly made her way to Ward 3. Skipping slightly she reached the heavy door and pushed it open.
Three beds lay in a single line across the furthest wall, 2 lay unoccupied for the moment, however, the 3rd was wrapped in a curtain, which covered the whole proximity, dismissing anything or anyone, with out further ado Sybill took a deep breath and proceeded to her patient.
Although his hearing was no longer impaired Bransons eyes were still extremely sore so sleeping was the best thing to do, he did it most days, never nights. Suddenly he had heard somebody enter the room, he rolled onto his side and shutting his throbing eyes quickly wishing not to be disturbed.
After mintues of silence her heard slight foot steps reach the curtain that serparated his from the world, the person moved it aside and approached his once more. A gasp came from the foot of his bed causing him to turn to face the persuer, wanting to shout at them for disturbing his solitude. He stopped his tounge as the women drew closer, his vision still blurred the only thing that Branson wcould make out was a plain, white/grey nurses uniform and thick, dark raven hair. Branson attempted to make out her face, she was not Nurse Sllater, that was certain.
Then the intruder spoke and his heart skipped a beat.
''Tom?'' She cried, he could hear the tears in her voice, through happiness or sadness he did not know. All her knew was that she had found him, he had found her. Sybil, his darling beautiful, loving Sybil was here. He did not believe it to be true, surely it was just a wonderful dream.
''Sybil?'' He quizzed tears rippling in his swollen eyes, ''It cannot be you?'' he felt the warm tears freely roll down his bruised cheeks, if he could only see her. ''It is!'' She whispered, ''I am here with you'' He felt her fingers intertwine with his own, his pulse quickened at the contact. He could hear her softly weeping to his right and reached to comfort her; his actions were denied as a sharp pain rose into his head causing him to flop back onto the pillow crying in pain.
''Tom!'' Sybil cried, her hands reaching out to him, wanting to stop the pain. She found a wet cloth and placed in on his head, his breathing was raspy and his eyes still looked extremely sore. ''Are you alright? The mentally scolded herself, Stupid question Sybil of course he is not alright.
''I'm okay, now'' Sybil saw a slight smile arise from his pained lips and she had to smile. How long had it been since the two had been together, almost 3 years, it had only make her love him even more. ''I love you dearest Sybil'' Tom spoke, his hand finding hers once again, he squeezed it and smiled, reunited at last. ''I love you two, my Tom, forever and always.'' She kissed his hand.
Branson's heart soared as he heard her speak those words, after so long he had begun to deny her love for him, maybe it had been a fling, a simple once in a lifetime romance. Her words had banished those thoughts and he loved her even more, if that were mearly possible. ''I can't see'' Branson admitted wanting so much to see his loves face.
''I know Tom, and I am sorry about that, but I am sure it'll return within a couple of weeks, it wont be perminant I promise.'' Her reassuring words filled him with gleeful hope.
Sybil stirred awkwardly in her chair still grasping hold of Tom's hand, she wished to ask what happened but pondered whether he would want to speak of the horrors of war.
''What happened?'' She felt him wince at the question, surely it brought back painful memories. ''I...I...he'' Branson struggled for words, he had hoped to never relay the story. ''Perhaps you should tell me when your better'' She smiled at the idea, the two back together again, properly. However, Branson again tensed at her words and spoke in a weak voice.
''I shall never get better'' His words cut throught her like knives. ''Of course you shall, you're in the best of care'' She laughed easing the mood. ''No, love, I physically will get better but..'' He withdrew his hand from hers. ''The images and memories of war will haunt me for the rest of my days, not one night do I go to sleep and not dare close my eyes for one moment in fear of returning to the front and witnessing such horrors all over again.'' He looked away from her pityful gaze.
Reaching for him she replied. ''I know what you are say-'' He raised a hand to silence her. ''Please, do not try and say you know what I mean becasue, and I am so glad, that you don't and never will.'' She stared at her Tom, how war had changed him, once so vibrant and outspoken, now he sat scarred and broken, the tears began to fall again.
''We will work through it, I will help you, you'll see, I love you'' She reached out again to take his hand but he flinched at her touch. ''Sybil'' He spoke her name as if a god or sacred being, so careful and precise. ''you are so beautiful and young, I love you so much I cannot bare it.'' She stared longingly into his tortured swollen eyes and witnessed his pain. ''However, this is the reason I must let you go. I am not good for you anymore, I am a hopeless case, you deserve so much better.'' Fresh tears streamed down her face as she looked into the eyes of the man she so dearly loved.
''I am sorry to cause you so much heart break but it will easy, as if I never existed, you'll see, I will leave this hospital and go back home, you will find a handsome, rich man, whose family appears appropriatly in Burkes Peerage; you and your family shall be much happier with me out of the picture.'' As Tom spoke the words his heart shattered with loss, how he wanted so much to believe her, that they would 'work through' his grief, but he knew that would never happen, he now realised they had no life together.
Sybil could not bare to hear him speak like this, her heart tore in two as he spoke each wretched sentence.
''No!'' She cried her cheeks burning, she sniffed from crying as new tears formed in her dark eyes. ''I will never let you go, we have been through to much together, I don't care how hard it is, we will fight your pain and we will fight it together.'' She took his reluctant hand in hers and whispered. ''Tom Branson I cannot say enough that I love you with all my heart and I am willing to break down any walls which stand between us and it will be hard I understand but together we shall power through anything, you may be wounded but that does not change the way I feel for you.'' She sighed and looked deeply into his weary eyes. ''We are one, never to be apart.''
Tom didn't have it in his to argue, he simply smiled at his love and silently kissed her cheek not wanting her to catch any of the cold-sores which littered his mouth. With that all humor and 'normality' returned to the room.
''I'll take that as a 'I give in' gesture.'' Sybil spoke with a smile. Tom smiled back brandishing yellowish teeth from under paling lips.
''I'm a man Sybil, I never give in.''
The two lovers reunited at last laughed together. Sybil did not return home until the next morning having spent the night in the arms of herBrave solider, Tom.
That was so fun to write! Don't worry is does not stop there, I will, however, skip a few months on the next one just to keep it flowin' hehhee.
Thankyou so much for reading and remember to Review! - They make my day :D xxxx