Colonel Berry

Chapter Thirty-Seven

David watched the Leutnant run his finger down a sheet of paper tacked to the wall beside the telephone, then stop to glance over his shoulder at him before lifting the receiver from the hook and dialling. Oh, God! I hope my sensing was right. That it's not a clever trap. Was it wrong to bring Carl and Horst into confidence? Have I been exposed?

He chuckled to himself as he looked down at his family jewels stretched across the bloody chopping block that was his seat. How more exposed than this could I possibly be? He blew out a quiet sigh. I could still love her without this. But would she still love me? Crazy, David. I've moved beyond that now. I'm more than just a penis. If they spare my balls, I'll still have the desire. And my mouth and fingers to satisfy her.

David winced his eyes closed as details from the interrogation report filled his mind. But that's moot, isn't it? Most are left to haemorrhage to death, or to rot to death from gangrene. He heard the Leutnant speak, and he strained to catch what he was saying without success. Courage, David. Remain strong. Strength is the way out of this. For the team. For the war. Show weakness and..."

A loud order interrupted his thoughts. "Release him, Schneider."

With another quiet sigh, David opened his eyes and looked across the room to the Leutnant, still with the receiver to his ear, but dialling again. Then he lost his focus with the changing pain of the two cuts closing when the cord was released.

He looked down at the dark purple of his head, the engorged blood now freed and adding to the flow from the cut there. Then he allowed sound to accompany his sighs as each testicle was released.

As his arms and wrists were unstrapped, he moved his hands to squeeze the wounds between thumbs and forefingers in an attempt to slow the bleeding. Keep quiet, David. Don't complain — yet. See where this is going first. Pretend I'm too focused on this to...

His thoughts were interrupted by the Leutnant's voice, "A doctor will be here shortly. The Adjutant has confirmed your meeting, and he is informing the General of your delay."

David nodded as he continued squeezing his penis to slow the bleeding. Should I remain focused on this? Or turn aggressive? Risk inciting...

"Your story seemed too implausible," the Leutnant continued.

"And you say you've been trained to tell the difference between truth and lie? Hah! You need to interrogate Blaumann. His report was mostly fabricated nonsense, yet it was believed. Ask the guard who was with him what he had seen. Unless he is also a liar, he will confirm my story."

The officer's face reddened as David continued, "You need retraining. Better, you need to be removed from this position and be sent to the trenches where I'm told the real truth is."

"I've not before been in error with my judgement."

"And how do you know this? How many innocent have you mutilated because you cannot tell truth from fabrication?" David nodded down at his bloody hands and penis. "And how would I replace this if you realised too late?"

"We have never realised too late. You still have your..." The Leutnant paused as a man in a white smock approached, and he turned to speak to him. "He is on a mission at the order of the Kron Prinz, and one of our guards mistook him for a saboteur, leading to this."

The doctor took a quick look as he set his bag on the floor and opened it, calling over his shoulder to his assistant, "Basins of water. Towels."

A short while later, David winced at the sharp sting as tincture of iodine was swabbed into the two cuts. Then he watched powder being shaken from a can and pressed into the cuts to staunch the bleeding.

"We must suture these closed; otherwise, the regular stretching from nocturnal erections will cause their repeated reopening, ulceration and an increased risk of infection."

David nodded. "I have a meeting for which I'm now late, and I don't want to keep him waiting much longer."

"It will take but a few minutes." He sorted through his bag. "Do you wish some Heroin for the pain?"

"No, I need to be sharp and focused for the meeting."

Two medical assistants arrived with basins of water and towels, and the doctor washed away most of the blood, then he lifted the penis and laid a clean towel beneath it on the seat.

David gritted his teeth as the needle was pierced through his skin and the suture was drawn tight and knotted. After eleven more, he blew out another held breath when the doctor said, "That was the last one."

The doctor washed the area again and painted it with tincture of iodine, then he applied ointment from a tube. "The stitches may be removed in a week to ten days." He wrapped the wound next to head in a thin layer of gauze and rolled the foreskin over it. Then he wrapped the other wound and fastened it with tape. "Change the gauze twice a day, apply Acriflavine and watch closely for infection."

"Thank you. I'm travelling from Switzerland, and I don't know this area. Where will I find these?"

"In any apothecary shop." The doctor placed a small tube and two rolls on the towel. "But these should be sufficient to see you properly heal. At the first sign of infection, immediately consult a doctor. Do not engage in coitus until all oozing of fluid has stopped, the cuts are fully closed, and all signs of redness have disappeared. After that, you'll be able to fully function as a man."

David sat in silence, allowing the tension of the past while to slowly ease while the doctor packed his bag. Then he said, "It appears you do this often."

"Mostly closing amputation stumps to stop haemorrhage, and where possible, maintaining the ability to micturate – to pass water."

David nodded, then as he washed the blood from his hands, the doctor finished packing and left without another word.

A short while later, when he had nearly finished dressing, another loud thunk and scream shattered the relative quiet of the room. Oh, God! Hope that was only a smashed ball, not a... David looked up from tying his shoe at the sound of the Leutnant's voice.

"I'm ordered to escort you to the General's office."

"If even a hint of the contents of the letter spreads, it will be your parts on the chopping block. And you can be assured Prinz Wilhelm does not make errors in judgement." David smiled, then he lifted his chin toward the desk and added, "And you've left it out in the open for all to see."

"Sorry, Sir." The officer blanched, then he rushed across the room to retrieve the letter.