When Tomorrow Never Came

Chapter 8

Charlie's company was no more after it was discovered the picture I had taken had a disappearing ink on the back with a list of all of our next moves. Davis decided to merge what was left of the platoon with the first and I found myself reunited with Morris and Lily, as part of the first platoon's medical unit. We were under Pines orders now. Only this time he was different to work with compared to Kasserine, his temper was short and felt like everyone was challenging him.

However breaking into Germany put a strain on everyone,the push to Aachen put Turner and Pierson into disagreeing all the time even Lily and Fletcher at each other, and Morris who was finally just a happy go lucky like Lily found her mean streak again with petty comments and dramatic eye rolls. I was once again known as the reigning queen of rattlesnakes as I too found my mean streak again. Mainly though my frustration was usually directed at Pines who had a strange power trip when he started prescribing benzedrine inhalers to soldiers against anyone's counsel.

Today we were supposed to be preparing for the next attack in the city and found a soldier abusing the inhaler, taking the cotton strip that was drenched in the amphetamine strip and eating it. I had reported him to Pines who did not react well to my findings

"I will not have my entire nursing staff second guess my decisions nor will you continue to sway the Surgeons opinion as well" he spat at my findings

"What the hell are you talking about Pines" I bit back "it's not a question I just witnessed this with my own eyes!"

"Dont play dumb I know you talked Fletcher he already came up to me this morning about Teagues now you'll yourself a favor and mind your own business." He lectured

"The hell with minding my business taking care of our soldiers is my business. I'm telling you something isn't right and you're ignoring it. Quit holding yourself up so high on a pedestal, it only leads to arrogance." I argued

Pines went red with anger and grabbed my arm, and dragged my ass to Joseph and Pierson interrupting yet another pissing match between the two of them

"This nurse seems to think she can go over my head and falsify anything she sees over the use of the inhalers" he tattled like a toddler

"Dr. Pines I am not falsifying anything, I am telling you what I witnessed and stating that letting that soldier fight in combat will get our men killed," I calmly explained "Fletcher obviously felt the same way because I haven't even talked to him"

"Who are you referring to McLaren" Pierson requested

'Private Teagues sergeant, he's been in recovery for a week now" I answered

"What was he recovering from?" Joseph followed up

"Battle fatigue, he had a mental breakdown, ran in believing he had blood rushing out of his eyes..." I explained

"He had suffered from extreme exhaustion McLaren, you make him sound like he's mentally ill" Pines argued

"You're probably mentally ill" I grumbled "the moment he woke up from being sedated you prescribed him that inhaler now he's gone from huffing the contents of the jar to literally eating it" I argued back.

"He obviously needed a boost, and you're just making a stink over something you obviously know nothing about" he whined

"Dr Pines, get off your almighty box for a second, I know that normal doses of the inhaler is fine, but an abused dosage can cause severe confusion, aggression, and many other symptoms like sexual frustration, we were trained to notice mental and physical ailments this will lead to both if it hasn't already" I answered

"How do you know he abused the contents of the inhaler?" Pines demanded

"I saw him take the contents and eat them in the recovery tent since his ass is the only one left in there" I answered agitated.