Isolation & Fear (Damned of the 2/19th Book Seven)

Who do the ladies love?

Room 275
Third Floor, Far Hammerhead Hall
2/19th Barracks
2/19th Special Weapons Group Area
Secure Area
Alfenwehr, Western Germany
04 December, 1987
1300 Hours

The release of pressure as Little-Bit, Debra, took off the splint from my leg, holding the back of my ankle up, made me gasp in a combination of pleasure and pain.

"I have to check the bruising under the splint," She told me.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I snapped, holding onto the sides of the mattress. The pins and needles hit my leg and I snarled.

"Calm down, champ," She said, rubbing the bottom of my foot. "That hurt?"

I shook my head. She looked up, saw why I said no, and blushed.

"Oh, sorry," She said.

"Don't be," I told her, "Not you, it's just..."

"Being touched," She finished. I nodded. "I'm sorry," She said.

She had been keeping a distance from me of at least a double-arm's length interval. Staying out of the reach of a sudden lunge. Fenatyl sometimes made me aggressive, and always made me loopy for sure. Sometimes I had thought she was other people, and acted accordingly.

"I'm in pain, woozy from painkiller, you're being safe," I told her.

"You stink," She told me.

I just nodded at that.

"You need a shower," She said.

"That mean you're going to let me get up?" I asked.

She chewed her lower lip, rubbing my calf. The bruising on my ankle had faded over the last week, as well as the bruising and swelling around my knee and in my thigh. The red marks from her splint and the elastic band ankle brace were more alarming than the bruising.

"I'm not sure if that leg can take your weight," She said.

I just shrugged. "I can handle it," I told her.

Her eyes were thoughtful as she looked at me, still chewing on her lip. She didn't have any gum, wouldn't have any until tomorrow's MRE.

"I can help you shower," She suggested.

I shook my head, "You don't want to do that, Debra," I told her honestly.

She looked at my erection again, blushed deeper, and shook her head. "That thing has a mind of its own, I'm not scared of it. I'm gay, not a coward."

"I know you aren't," I said soothingly. "But you're going to have to be naked. You're out of underwear, so it's wear a uniform, wear a PT uniform, or be naked."

She blushed and nodded. She straightened up, shaking her head suddenly. "You need a shower. I can smell you all the way across the room."

That made me laugh.

"Need help?" She asked me.

I shook my head, using my left arm to brace me as I sat up and pulled my legs around. My knee bending made sweat break out across my body and I groaned before I could help myself. It felt like there was gravel, or ground glass, inside the joint. It gave a loud pop that made Little-Bit flinch and then reach for me.

"You OK?" She asked, pulling back and straightening up.

I just nodded, putting pressure on my feet. My mid-thigh burned, my knee was sharp pain, but the last of the Fenatyl in my system and my willpower kept the pain tolerable. I closed my eyes, centered myself, and got up, putting most of my weight on my right leg.