The soldier was mesmerized by the piercing eyes of the woman sitting by his bed. Reflections of soft candle flames danced within her iris. The tent was dimly lit, but the incessant groans of agony, the smell of ammonia and the droning artillery made the soldier aware that he must be in a forward field hospital "You see soldier.. We are in a bit of desperation in this battle. We are short on men, and our front is about to collapse.. We cannot let this front collapse... Can we?" The melodic whisper continued.. "You went up the trenches yesterday with your platoon and 80 yards out, a mortar shell tore you apart.." "But you... You are part of our new program.. We have concocted a mixture.. A sap that flows with your blood, but will gel if it stops flowing and will keep your brain and your heart in stasis for a period of time.." "We had our body runners drag you back in" An artillery shell landed in a near distance and the tent shook, causing her to pause.. "Efficient and quick scavenging is the essential part of this program.. It is really no different than gathering fire wood.. A limb there, a leg there" The soldier was in a daze and barely registered the nurse's hands threading up and down in a sewing motion.. Her thin smile showed great patience and compassion as she continued.. "Have you ever been to an orchard? Have you ever seen a Peach branch grafted onto a Plum tree and that branch will continue to live and bear Peaches while the rest of the tree bears Plums?" "Well, this same sap allows human body parts to be attached to their respective places and the part will bond fast and function as it would.." "...on anyone's body".. Her voice trailed.. "So we have a sorting line.. Of parts.. And who is in need of what.. The rest.." As the nurse pulled up a string, paused her talking and snipped it with her teeth.. "...is just sewing.." "You see, they are just Parts.. Just specific functions that you need.." "In this case, functions to pick up that rifle again and silence the artillery that has been shattering us.." She paused.. Leaned in closer to him, as if to emphasize her next sentence.. "You.. Are the sum of the the parts.." "Ah.. All done" With that, she pulled away the blanket that was covering the soldier's body.. What he saw was a maze of stitch lines that criss crossed his body.. It was a grotesque quilt of skin and flesh.. He slowly willed his hands to rise, and they did.. Only to see that they were not his hands.. The fingers were longer, the wrist thicker.. "What have you done?.. What am I?" "You are alive.. and a functioning soldier" she replied gently.. "Rest up my dear.. We will do another push at their lines tomorrow"... *************************************** The cackle of the enemy machine guns were incessant as the soldier ducked and weaved in the rain and mud.. He returned fire periodically.. More accurate than before.. His hands were more steady.. But there was something very wrong.. He dove into a shallow mortar crater to a rest and raised his hands.. He could not remember right holding his wife back home, he could not remember right caressing her.. In its place are flashes in his mind of tree logs he never felled.. Operating machines that he never knew.. And senses of walking through the wet lands that he's never been.. Maddening panic seized him.. The sum of the parts was not him.. Far from it.. The sum of the parts was something he cannot handle.. The limbs may function under his will but they too have wills of their own.. Not controlling but permeating his conscious with their fragment memories of touch and feel.. That were not his.. A soft sweet voice entered his head.. "We cannot lose this battle".. The soldier repeated the phrase... ...and with an agonizing cry, picked up his rifle and jumped out of his crater sprinting towards the enemy line, firing rapidly.. The bullets struck and tore through him.. Ripping him in chunks as he crawled to a stop and fell.. The rain pelted his face as he looked up at the grey sky.. And after a while, felt himself dragged back across the mud by the medics during a break in the fire.. "What did she call them?.. Body runners.." He saw them pick up limbs and pieces of flesh from his platoon as he was dragged back.. Limbs that would be him when he comes charging back a few days from now.. If there is a him by then.. "..No different than gathering firewood.." The sweet voice echoed as his thoughts faded.. *************************************
If you want a music pairing for this story, I was listening to Lorde's version of "Everybody wants to rule the world".. ️
Thank you very much everyone A big shoutout to a wonderful Kaw friend who used to work in the OR.. Who nudged me to put the pen down on paper
Makes me stare at my two 10-inch surgical scars on my ribs. :'( Brings memories of sexy nurses Great read AOE.
Just remember that whenever you see your troops fully regened next time, a lot of sewing had been done..