Patriots: Boston

Chapter Eleven The Will to Live

   The bedroom soon filled up with wounded militiamen on cots. There seemed to be so many, and where was Doctor Warren? I tried to tend to a few of the really desperate patients, but they all seemed like hopeless causes.
  Zeb stared out the window at the now morning light. Finally he said, "Look! They're coming back! That should be the last of 'em!"
    I ran to the window to see a small band of maybe ten militiamen walking over the hill to Doctor Warren's front door. Doctor Warren was with them! His wig was very messed up and there was blood all down the side of his face. He did not seem too pained, for he was still walking normally.
  "Mrs. Warren," I said to Doctor Warren's mother who was bringing water to a few militiamen, "Your son is back."
  "He's back? Is he alive?!" She asked in disbelief.
  "Yes," I said.
  She ran outside into the cool air, crying tears of relief. "Joseph!" She called running to him and embracing him. "Please do not ever again risk your life so precious, my son!"
  The Doctor held his mother close and said, "Where danger is, dear mother, there your son must be. Now is no time for America's children to shrink from any hazard. I will set her free or die."
"There are many young men in there who need a doctor," she said, collecting herself.
Doctor Warren came inside. The other militiamen who had escaped unharmed remained outside and sat on the fence.
"Doctor Warren!" I exclaimed running to him.
He looked shocked to see me there. "Liza! What are you doing here?" He asked.
"I'll tell you after I help you so that you can help all of these others! Are you alright? Can you work or do you need your rest? Here, sit down in that chair. Tell me what happened while I help you with that head wound," I led him to a chair and sat him down.
"Liza, what on earth are you doing here? You didn't go to...no, you couldn't have! The boys? Oh god where are the boys?!" He asked standing up.
"You first," I said forcing him to sit back down again.
I took off his wig and laid it on the table. I grabbed a pale of clean water and a rag and began to clean the wound on the side of his head.
"How did this happen?" I asked, concerned.
"In the last volley a bullet grazed the side of my head. It's fine, I'll live. How did your family fare? They are lucky to be on that quiet wharf. They are all alright?" He asked as I wiped blood off his face and grabbed a bandage.
"I think so," I said, "That is, my blood family. Zeb is alright, just a little banged up, but Isaac is not alright. He was shot twice, once in the leg and once in the arm. He wasn't shot anywhere near his main organs, but he's been unconscious ever since and has bled like crazy! He needs your help! I've done what I can but I can not do a surgery or really tell if he is even going to live!" I explained, soon I was crying again.
  "Isaac went into battle?!" He asked, wide eyed.
  "Yes, I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen," I explained between sobs.
  "Hold on," he said, "You have blood all over your skirt! What were you doing?" Doctor Warren asked suspiciously.
  "He rode back to Boston on my horse in my lap," I said, collecting myself.
  "YOU WERE IN LEXINGTON?!" Doctor Warren shouted with shock.
  "Well, because I was there, both Isaac and Zeb are still alive for the moment at least!" I said.
  Doctor Warren stared at me in disbelief. "I-I cannot believe you," he breathed.
  "Do you need to rest, Doctor Warren?" I asked, trying to change the subject. I knew it was only a matter of time before he would send us home or tell my father where we went.
  "I'll rest when I do not have all these young men to save!" Doctor Warren said as he stood up.
  "Oh, Doctor Warren?" I asked, "Do you know how my Uncle Tad fared in the battle? I housed Agnes in his stables, and he wasn't there, so did you see him during the fighting?"
  "He made it out alright. I think he went either to the tavern with some of the other farmers or to your family's shop to check on them," Doctor Warren said.
  "Great," I said sarcastically.
"Mother," he asked, "which ones are in critical condition?"
"The ones on those cots over there," she said pointing to the back of the room.
He ran over and looked at all of them. I followed him.
"There are so many, Doctor Warren," I said.
"We were lucky, Liza. The British lost so many more. We won the battle and our weapon supply is safe, and we have much fewer wounded or dead than they do," he said, checking a young man's pulse.
"Do you need any help, Doctor?" I asked.
"If you could give some water to some of the patients that would be great," he said.
I took a bucket of water over to a row of conscious patients.
"Would any of you like some water?" I asked.
"That would be very nice, thank you," one said.
I brought the bucket and the dipper to each one of them and they drank from it.
"Is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen?" I asked.
"Don't worry about us, little lady. There are many more who are much worse off. Let them be helped first," another one said.
"I could help you now though," I said, "I'm not exactly qualified to help the ones who are near dying. That is the Doctor's job, but I can bandage something if you need it."
"That's awfully kind of you, Miss, but we are just fine for now," the soldier who had accepted the water said.
"C'mon, let me do something to help you? It's the least I could do to thank you all for taking that first step in the fighting for our freedom!" I insisted.
"Fine, do my arm. It's just a cut from a bayonet," a soldier said.
I treated it like I should and did the same to the others. Zeb came in once I had finished.
"How is it going?" He asked. "Will the Doctor be able to see Isaac soon?"
"I'm not sure. He is working with the critical patients right now," I explained.
  "Liza, Zebulun, where is Isaac?" Doctor Warren called from behind us.
  "The back bedroom," I said.
   We followed him back there. There were no other patients in there for some reason.
   "Doctor Warren, we could move some others in here couldn't we?" Zeb asked.
  "That is awfully kind of you to think of that, Zebulun, but too many should not be moved or are on their death beds right now. Others should be out of here soon. So what happened again, Liza?" He asked.
  He took a bullet to the upper arm and the thigh. Both seem to be broken too. He has lost a lot of blood, and as far as I know he has been unconscious since we left Lexington. Zeb, did he wake up while I was helping the others?" I asked.
  "No," he said. "But he is still alive at least. His breathing is not real steady, but he is breathing."
  "You cleaned and bandaged the wounds, Liza?" Doctor Warren asked.
"Yes, sir," I said.
  "I'm going to take a look to see exactly what we are dealing with," Doctor Warren explained.
   He unwrapped all my handiwork and looked. He flinched and shook his head. He felt Isaac's forehead. "They are really bad wounds, children," he said, "And as much as you did for him he is running a fever now. He is sick already."
  "He will live though, right?" I asked, getting nervous.
  "I do not want to say no, but I also do not want to say yes. This can get worse, and he will die, or it can get better and live," Doctor Warren said. "This my least favorite part of the job. I am sorry to have to tell you two this."
"Is there anything more we can do to save him?" I asked fearfully.
"If he has the will to live, he will have a higher chance of surviving this than if he does not. It's up to him and God now," Doctor Warren said. He seemed to not want to look us in the eyes.
He left the room and rushed to the other room to check on more patients. I took a clean rag and dipped it in cold water. I rung it out and folded it. I took the damp rag and wiped the sweat off of his sickly pale face. I laid it on his forehead and took a step back. Zeb looked at me. I looked at him. I was trembling. He grabbed my hand again. His hand was shaking.
"He's only a kid," Zeb whispered, "It should have been me. It would be better for everyone if this was me instead."
"No," I whispered, "I need you both alive. Everyone loves you. My family needs you alive in order to survive. We need Isaac alive too."
"I should have done something. He is like a brother to me. I should have been there for him more and taught him how to shoot. If he had known how to shoot this may not have happened! It's my fault!" He said in deep distress.
  "Do not blame yourself, Zeb! It is not your fault in any way," I said, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes.
  "You think he'll live?" He asked hopelessly.
  "There is no telling," I said.
   I felt like I was going to cry again. I was tired of crying so much lately. Crying was not going to save him, but praying would.
   "Zeb," I asked, "Do you want to pray a rosary?"
   "You really think that will do something?" He asked.
   "It might. If Doctor Warren can not save him, God is who we turn to for a miracle. That's what we need, a miracle," I said.
   Zeb knelt down beside the bed. I knelt  beside him. We began with the Pater Noster. We continued with the prayers until we were done. We prayed the hardest we had ever prayed in our lives. When I looked up I saw Zeb's face tearstained. I had never seen him like this. I handed him my handkerchief. He wiped his eyes quickly. He seemed embarrassed. I looked at him and put my arm around his shoulders. Soon I was sobbing again. He pulled me close.
   "Keep praying for a miracle," he whispered to me.
  "I am," I whispered.
   Just then Isaac had a coughing fit. I jumped up.
  "Isaac!" I whispered desperately.
   He was waking up and wincing and gasping for air.
   "Come on, stay alive!" Zeb pleaded.
   "Isaac, can you hear us?" I asked.
   He continued to gasp for air and reel with pain.
   "Stop moving like that, you're scaring me! It will only make it hurt worse!" I pleaded tearfully. "Zeb, get Doctor Warren and ask him about the pain medication! Hurry!"
   Zeb ran away and back with Doctor Warren very quickly. He gave Isaac some medicine and ran back out. It would be a while for the medicine to kick in. I grabbed Issac's hand that wasn't in the sling. He was still gasping for air.
  "He's dying isn't he?!" Zeb asked hysterically.
  "Not on my watch!" I sobbed. "Isaac, please please stop reeling and try to breath normally! Don't leave us now! Dear Lord please keep him alive if it is your will! Not our will, but yours be done, but this son of yours has a whole life to live serving you! Please! Please preserve his life!" I sobbed and cried out.
  This continued for what seemed like forever. I kept praying and sobbing until he just stopped reeling and gasping for air. His hand went limp in mine. Had he died? I could hardly breath.
  "He's dead," Zeb said.
  "No, wait!" I sobbed.
   I felt for Isaac's pulse on his wrist. It was still beating, rather quickly but slowing down. It never stopped though. I never let go of his hand. Isaac's deep brown eyes opened slowly. He was looking straight at me for a second, then his eyes closed. He looked at Zeb and closed them again. His eyes opened again. He winced.
"Liza, is that you?" He asked weakly.
"Yes, I'm right here and Zeb is here too," I said gently.
"Where am I? Why am I in so much pain?" He asked.
"You are at Doctor Warren's in his back bedroom. You were shot twice and the doctor and I tended to you," I explained.
"I feel really sick, and I don't remember anything about what happened. Am I going to live?" He asked.
"If you have the will to," Zeb whispered.
"What?! I'm going to die if I don't want to live? How can I save myself by willing myself alive! That's impossible!" He said, getting worked up and trying to sit up.
I stopped him. "Shhhh, save your strength and stay alive. Do you want some water? Do you think you could hold down any food?" I asked.
"I don't know," he breathed.
"You should have some water. You have lost so much blood you are probably dehydrated," I said.
"I lost a lot of blood?!" He asked, growing paler with shock.
"Liza, quit telling him exactly what happened! You're freaking him out!" Zeb whispered to me.
"Zeb, go fetch the drinking water bucket and dipper," I said.
Zeb did as I said. I took the dipper and raised it to Isaac's mouth. He drank from it.
"Thanks a lot," he whispered, his eyes closing again.
"Stay alive, Isaac," I whispered.
"Don't worry, I'm just going to sleep," he said.
"You mean a nap, not sleep, right?" Zeb asked.
"No, Zeb, I won't will myself to death. I'll be alive for you guys. I promise," he said.
I looked at Zeb. He was smiling sadly.
"You promise?" I asked. A tear escaped from my eye and rolled down my cheek.
Isaac wiped it with his hand. "I promise," he whispered weakly.
I feared these were the last words he would speak to me.