Woods of Madness

VII

It was a strange occurrence, and we were all dumbfounded by what had happened. The three of us went outside to get some fresh air. The doctor pulled out a cigarette and offered us one. "Nah, thanks doc. We don't smoke. We're goody-two-shoes," Charles chuckled, always trying to lighten the mood. But what we experienced was something we couldn't ignore, so I asked, "Doctor, have you ever experienced something like this before?"

"No, I have not. It was very bizarre," he said, looking straight down at the ground. I suppose he was trying to find an answer, just like the rest of us. "Maybe it was rabies?" Charles wondered.

"No, it can't be rabies. He would have struggled to swallow hours before, and he showed no signs of that. I don't know how to explain the foaming at the mouth and the inhuman strength," Martin said, taking a long puff of smoke in an attempt to calm himself down. It was clear that he was frustrated with being clueless, just like the rest of us.

As we stood there, breathing in the nice, cold air, we heard the door open. It was the captain. He smoked his large cigar and turned away from us, not facing our direction. I tried not to look at him either, but my two companions couldn't resist casting their gaze upon him with eyes of hatred. The captain slightly turned and muttered, "I-I'm... sorry... I-I went... too far, alright?" I was shocked that he would actually apologize, and it felt genuine. I didn't think he had it in him.

Charles scoffed and turned his back, unable to bear looking at him. The doctor let out a deep sigh and spoke, "It's best if we move on from this, so apology accepted."

"I'm sorry. I just... I'm losing it here. The enemy is fucking us in the ass, and there's not a damn thing we can do about it!"  I couldn't believe it.  It was good to know that there was something positive about him hidden deep inside.

"I know, sir. It's hard, but you're our leader, and we depend on you. So... try not to go crazy," I said, realizing my motivational speech was lacking. But I had to say something. The captain rushed towards me and hugged me tightly. I thought he was drunk, but I didn't smell any booze on him. He was being honest.

I saw Charles smirking, and the doctor didn't find the situation amusing at all. I couldn't blame him. We desperately needed a leader, and it was doubtful that James could be that person right now. "Enough time wasted. I need to perform the autopsy," Martin said as he headed toward the door. But the captain blocked his way.

"Wait, did you find the translator?"

"We couldn't find him anywhere," Charles said.

"Shit. We need to look for him. He was the only one left. The others were killed in combat," the captain said, scratching the back of his head.

"You three do that. I'll see if I can find anything during the autopsy that could explain what we witnessed," Martin said. We all went our separate ways.

I joined the captain in checking the beds for any clues on where the translator might be. "That bastard probably deserted," the captain said, trying to hide his anger. Charles and I looked around John C Hooker's bunk. We found numerous letters to his loved ones and pictures. His rifle, boots, and even his pants were there.

"There's no way he would leave without basic clothing. He couldn't have gotten far," Charles said, as we all pondered the situation. Suddenly, we heard frantic footsteps approaching us.

"Captain, captain!" the soldier reached us, stopping and trying to catch his breath.

"What is it?" the captain asked, slightly worried.

"Y-you... y-you gotta see this," the soldier managed to say between breaths. We were all concerned now and followed him. We reached the medical room and witnessed Doctor Martin trying not to vomit. We also sensed a disgusting, putrid smell. It was the most foul thing I had ever smelled.

Upon reaching the medical table, we saw the dead German. His entire internal organs had leaked out, and he was decaying rapidly. Within seconds, his body turned to dust, while his organs took a few more seconds to completely liquify. Just what is happening? I looked at pure fright and my comrades were just as scared. "What the hell is this!?" the captain screamed out in disgust and terror.

"I-I..." the doctor shook his head in absolute shock, almost falling down. Charles quickly caught him and placed him on a chair. Immediately, the captain stormed into his office and sent a telegram. He was frantic and sweating profusely.

 I was standing close to him, witnessing what he had written, pleading for backup. 

The message we received said:

BACKUP ONE HOUR HOLD FIRM  

A sigh of relief swept over all of us as the captain took a big swig from his wine bottle. He scanned the group, his gaze filled with uncertainty, muttering to himself. I couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind.

"Where are the others?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"What do you mean, sir? I called in everybody," the young soldier replied.

"No, no, no! There were more here! Where are-" His words were abruptly cut off, and we all felt a sinking feeling in our hearts as we heard the horrifying screams for help. We rushed outside only to witness several of our soldiers being dragged into the woods by Nazis, while the others fired back at us. Although we returned fire, it was futile as they managed to escape.

Anger boiled within all of us, realizing that they had deceived us for so long. Inside, the captain vented his fury by smashing objects in his office and shrieking, "Those bastards will pay!" He packed his guns, including the powerful stG, until Charles interjected, "Wait, Captain. The backup is on its way, and we don't know how many of those bastards are out there."

"Men are dying. We need to find them now!" the captain yelled frantically, but soon composed himself. "Look, I know I am a piece of shit and have done many awful things. But if I could just do this one right... I need to do it. I won't force anyone, but I am going, no matter what."

With determination, he stormed outside, and many men hesitated but ultimately followed him. Thankfully, the sun had risen, giving us some advantage. Although I had contemplated staying behind, the fear I had experienced over the past few days pushed me to join them for payback against the enemy. Charles stayed to tend to Martin, who was unwell.

"Hey, be careful, man. Try not to die," he playfully chuckled.

"Don't worry, that's just my specialty," I jokingly replied, waving them goodbye, hopeful  we will reunite. I joined the rest of the soldiers, and together we ventured into the woods.