LIKE STEEL || Tommy Shelby

III. RUDE AWAKENINGS

- RUDE AWAKENINGS -

Bombs exploded in the distance, but nobody flinched; they were all well past that point. Though sun had finally set, night did not fall; the clouds had kept the sky dark all day. Despite the darkness, the action never ceased. The medical tent was flooded with rain- drops seeping in through the makeshift walls- and the floor had turned to mud. Men flowed in like the water, each of them already ghosts.

She tried to run to them, but her feet were caught in the mud. Grunting, she pulled her foot, but it didn't budge. Finally, with one last jerk, she freed her foot, but her shoe stayed behind in the mud. She kept moving.

The tent was a cacophony of noise. Men screamed her name, but she couldn't reach them fast enough. They cried out in agony, but no matter how fast she worked, she couldn't save them.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to help the dying men, but all she could hear was them shouting out her name.

"Nurse King! Nurse King!"

Guns exploded in the distance, thumping loudly- constantly.

No. Not guns.

With a start, Rose sat up from bed. Moving the wipe the sleep from her eyes, her hands came always wet with tears.

Throwing off the covers, she grabbed her robe and ran to the door. Pulling it open a crack, she saw her next door neighbour, a young man who worked in one of the factories, standing there in his pajamas.

"Mr. Welsh, what is this all about," she asked, pulling open the door further. From her door, she could see men and women running out of their houses.

"The police, Nurse King," he said, still out of breath. "They're raidin' all the houses. Looking for those ruddy communists, I bet you. I know you ain't getting up to no good or anything, Nurse, but I just thought you ought to know."

Sticking her head out the door, she could hear people shouting and horse hooves on the pavement.

"But why is everybody running?" she asked, the shouts getting louder.

"There are these new officers from Belfast. Their leader is apparently a right piece o' work. Police around these parts are not always friendly, but these men..."

She knew what he meant; after the war, some men never left the front behind. They never left the anger behind.

"Alright," she nodded, "You go get Mrs. Welsh and the baby and I will take you three to the clinic with me. We will be safe there."

He ran off with out another word to get his wife and daughter. Closing the door, she ran to her room and quickly grabbed a bag, shoving a change of clothes inside.

By the time she made it outside, Mr. Welsh was waiting, baby and wife in tow.

They practically ran to the clinic, not stopping for any interruptions. Rose pulled her robe tighter around her body, unlocking the door with frozen hands.

She ushered the family inside, locking the door behind them.

"You three can stay here until this all dies down. I expect I'll be getting a few patients in here soon enough."

They just nodded, offering her small smiles.

***

She had been right. Only a few minutes after they had gotten in to the clinic, both men and women came pouring in with cuts, scrapes and bruises. One man even had a broken arm.