A repetitive deep thud creeps into my slumber through the unconsciousness of my mind. The body that I rest on has sprung out of sleep, kicking my head into consciousness in an instant. With wide tired eyes, my gaze falls on Tommy positioned in a crouch steadily bringing his index finger to his lips. The deck ricochets the echoes of metal clanging against metal and the shuffling of frantic soldiers. Silence begins to occupy the stiff air as frightened eyes are fixed onto the entrance of the deck.
I pass Tommy a frightened nod before he begins maneuvering towards the group of frozen soldiers.
Alex beckons Tommy to position opposite him with the ladder between them. The heavy thuds rise in volume, the soldiers ready their firearms firm and white-knuckled. Alex and Tommy raise from their crouch with arms out, ready to capture.
Hands reach for a pair of blue pant legs, dragging them below deck. Multiple hands grip onto his uniform, restraining him from any movement. Alex seized his collar, belonging to a pair of frightened eyes
"Are you German?" Alex growls, clenching his jacket of navy blue
"N-No, Dutch. Dutch, here to pick you up. To help you" The man stutters in cold sweat
"Why'd you leave your boat?" Alex growls
"In case the German come, we wait at the beach with the soldiers. We wait for the tide."
"The tide should be in, then" Alex pesters, unconvinced
"N-No, not for another hour" The seaman shakes his head
"An hour?" Tommy retorts
"Then why'd you come back?" Alex growls
A sharp ring slices through the tension, replacing it with fear. The soldiers frantically let go of the man to lower themselves and shield their head with their arms. Tommy throws an arm on top of me to bring me close enough to shield with his body. Slowly, they lift their gaze locked in their position to fix their eyes onto the lone bullet hole.
Two more sharp bullets pierce through the silence, sending the soldiers to hide within their arms again while others ready their firearms for combat
"No! Then they'll know we're in here" Tommy shouts in a whisper
"Why else are they shooting at us?" The shorter soldier's face envelopes in disbelief, followed by the remaining soldiers
"Look at the grouping," Tommy nods over to the grouped bullet holes "target practice" Tommy looks the soldier sternly, the soldier remains stiff and uncertain. His eyes dart around, shoulders returning to a natural slouch. The soldiers are no longer white-knuckled their firearms resting beside them, relaxed but attentive.
A light trickling perks my hearing, my body shoots up looking over to the source of the sound
"Look..." The soldiers quickly follow my gaze, cursing in anger
"Cover it. Go, go" The long-nosed soldier ushers a fellow soldier forward. Obeying, he maneuvers through the growing puddle of water to reach the bullet holes. However, before he could raise his hand to the hole two more bullets pierce the boat and enters the soldier's neck. The soldier is thrown off balance, landing on his back to erupt a series on agonizing screams. Two soldiers rush to his side to attempt to conceal the overwhelming screams.
Instinctively, I rush over to the screaming soldier and attempt to ease his pain. I cannot treat him. He needs to be given to the medical tent. The bullet rests below his tonsil, the tools I have equipped are not adequate
"Do something!" One of the soldiers scream
"I can't!" I exclaim with eyes focused on the protruding blood. Rummaging through my bag, I retrieve a generous amount of cotton and place it right on the injury. The screaming soldier responds negatively, thrashing wildly. The soldiers pin him down further allowing me to wrap gauze around his neck to secure the cloth. The blood stains the cotton as a quick pace leading my hands to apply more cotton with a second secure.
Sliding out a morphine syrette, I nearly tear his sleeve to reveal skin. Ripping the seal off the syrette, I slide the needle into his arm which proves to be easy as he does not react to it.
"Thirty minutes." My gaze is met by the two soldiers keeping the screaming soldier at bay "Thirty minutes until the morphine kicks in" The two soldiers nod, holding their position. Water continue to flow into the holes, reaching the soles of our boots
"We have to plug it" Alex says with furrowed eyebrows
"After you, mate" the long-nosed soldier remains in his position. Multiple rounds pierce through the boat, the two soldiers and I shield ourselves and retreat to the further side of the boat. However, as my body maneuvers an overwhelming tense pressure explodes in my gut. The pressure knocks my body back, making balance a challenge. My legs collapse under the pressure with my body slamming against the ship. Trailing my hand to the source of the pain, heat resonates through my body just as my fingers come in contact with hot red liquid
"KATHY!" Tommy shouts deeply, shoving any obstacle in his way and fumbling over to my direction. Pain, a burning and stinging pain conquers my mind.
Am I going to die?
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Bury
Fanfiction| Operation Dynamo is in effect, 1,300 nurses are appointed to aid the soldiers in Dunkirk. | Katherine Bennet, a young nurse appointed to stay at Dunkirk and offer help in the heart of terror.
