12 Seconds (#1 in Military series)

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Sat on the edge of the cot, sheets folded at the bottom, Julia finished her second bowl of food when the medic returned.

A few years younger, the medic’s straw-coloured hair was pulled back in a tight bun with the sleeves of her jacket rolled up to her elbow.

Julia had long since dispensed with her jacket. Ripped off at the arm and burnt in other places, Julia was going to need to apply for a new uniform when she got back.

“Has still not woken up yet?” The medic asked as she passed Ray’s bed on her way to Julia.

Julia just shook her head, her shoulders sagging slightly, “The doctor came in. They said they were transporting him by helicopter in the morning.”

“He’ll be prepared for transport and sent back home; they’ll be more medically equipped to look after him there.”

Julia noted the kindness in the woman’s voice. The name ‘Starling’ was etched onto the breast pocket of the medic’s uniform, “Thanks, Starling.”

The woman smiled as Julia spoke her name, coming to stand in front of her and motioning for her to lift up her arm.

Julia obliged, the brown t-shirt she wore tightening as she moved before it worked its way free from her belt slightly.

Starling went to work on cleaning away the dirt and sand from her wound, “This is deep,” she leaned close and inspected the slash across the back of her arm, “How did you get it?”

Julia looked across at Ray as she remembered, “Shrapnel, from an RPG.”

Starling paused and lifted her gaze to look at Julia, amazed at what she had gone through, before she collected herself and carried on treating her wound.

“What’s going to happen to Kazeem?” Julia’s eyes wandered past Ray’s cot to Kazeem who was lying beside him, still sleeping from the surgery.

Starling felt ashamed for what she was about to say, “We’ll patch him up as best as we can but then he’ll be taken to the hospital a few kliks over.”

Jules frowned, “But that hospitals- Why can’t he go with Ray?”

Starling averted her gaze as she wrapped the bandage around her arm after stopping the bleeding, her voice soft as she spoke, “Because he’s an Afghan national. He has to stay in this country.”

Julia scoffed, about to argue but it was no use.

She was tired, her entire body ached, and the rules were rules.

Kazeem would be shipped off to a hospital that had been previously bombed and expected to live. Jules would make damn well sure he did and she would not leave this country until she was certain of it.

Her voice was quiet but Starling heard her as she remembered him being shot, “He saved my life.”

Starling’s throat began to close as she gathered up a small cotton piece of wool and wiped away the blood that had dried on her head.

Julia winced when she pressed down on a tender spot but she brushed off the woman’s concern.

Gathering up the rubbish, Starling turned to Julia, “Is there anything else that hurts?”

Julia felt her lips pull back in a sarcastic smile, “Everything?”

“No, I mean-”

Julia held up a hand letting her know that she didn’t mean it, “I know, I know. And no, I’m just a bit bruised.”