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three
1915
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WEEKS, Thomas managed to stand on his own two feet. No more wheelchairs, no more crutches; he was free at last. His once broken leg was almost as good as new. Sure, he had a slight limp, but Dr. Fraser assured him it would eventually disappear as time went on... He simply needed to walk it off. Either way, he'd be returning to the front soon – Verdun as the officers mentioned.
For once, taking into consideration doctor's orders, Thomas started to walk again. At first, he'd stagger across small distances; from his cot to the door, then after a while managed to reach the mess hall. One morning in particular, he achieved the feat of touching the entrance door's handle, proceeding to pull it open, walking through the doorframe and finally letting the pure, unfiltered sunlight touch his skin.
It felt rejuvenating.
Thomas leaned against a brick wall, cigarette between his lips, his gaze lost on some unimportant detail of the camp. He enjoyed being outside, feeling the soft breeze caress his skin; if he closed his eyes, he could imagine himself back in Birmingham. It had the same shit smell, composed of smoke and dust – it felt like home. He sighed, letting grey clouds escape the confine of his full lips, only to be carried away on the soft wind, dissipating in the air.
Despite being at peace with the idea of joining his brothers and comrades on the frontlines, he still couldn't help the growing cloud of unease that lurked around himself, casting darkness upon him. It was a constant reminder that he would be separated from Yelena.
No matter how much he tried avoiding thinking about it, his thoughts constantly drifted back to the brunette nurse. Thomas couldn't understand why she plagued him in such a way, no one had ever made him feel such a way before.
The man took a slow drag of his cigarette, his gaze slowly sliding over to a group of nurses smoking at a short distance. Their uncontrollable giggles and upbeat tones created an uninterpretable conversation. Their enthusiasm was what attracted his attention to the group in the first place.
The women fell into a rapid-fire and intense discussion, some of them blushing and others snickering youthfully, happy smiles shared from every individual. It was a rare sight for Thomas, for anyone in this time of war; a refreshing view that brought light in a dark and desolate space. It brought him a faint sentiment of inner peace, perhaps not all worldly light dimmed in the presence of war.
The man was pulled from his thoughts when the group of nurses broke out in a happy cheer, welcoming a newcomer Thomas was well acquainted with. The familiar brunette shot the women a smile, her lips moving and forming words that Thomas was unfortunately exceedingly distanced to hear the woman's harmonious voice. The space separating them was far too much for Thomas to bare, the mere meters feeling like countless kilometres. His heart ached.
