Remedy

03

The nurses which were also to help out regarded Dot sceptically. She seemed to be one of the youngest gathered, along with a young woman named Alice.

Instinctively the two became instant friends. "What do you think it'll be like over there?" Alice questioned while they walked behind the small group of older nurses. Dot pondered over her question and looked at her. "What? It's merely a question." Alice said in a huff when Dot looked at her blankly.

"I don't know." Dot answered and swung her case from one hand to the other. It was truly an unfathomable question. She knew nothing of war, of fighting. But, it didn't take much for her mind to wander. When people wanted to hurt each other, and she meant truly hurt, there probably wasn't a limit to what level they'd go to to achieve this goal.

"You two did have the option of helping the injured when they returned." Margaret said from over her shoulder. Her eyes dully looked at the pair walking side by side at the back.

"So did you," Dot answered and suffered a half-meaningful glare from the older woman. Already there was tension amongst them, for no apparent reason. Looking down at the ground Dot half thought the tension was from the unexpected, and maybe her appearing late didn't help matters.

"You say you came here with your brother?" Alice questioned while leaning closer to her, nodding slowly Dot watched as a thoughtful expression flitted onto her new friends face.

"Yes I did." Dot answered and looked around the street at the masses gathered, there were so many people. Frowning lightly she shook her head, there were so many young boys enlisting. Looking down at the ground, Dot hated the tight grip which suddenly encased her heart.

She was afraid of what she may encounter, she could freely admit that to anyone. But she also feared for what all these young men were going to see too. At the moment they were all smiles and laughter, she wondered how long that'd take to vanish. Shaking her head she tried to rid herself of these bleak thoughts.

Hearing her name being called she stopped walking. Looking at Alice and then at the group of nurses, who in turn looked from the uniformed man to her with hesitant and pitying looks, she rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Where are you going?" It was Margaret who yet again made her voice be known, sounding short and blunt as Dot just sent a sideward glance her way.

"We're all going to the same place are we not?" Dot answered while smiling at Margaret, despite the fact that Margaret was the nurse in charge of their small group, Dot didn't exactly see the point in listening to her just yet.

Being disobedient wasn't going to fair well. But because her brother was now standing beside a tawny steed she opted to go see him and his new friend. There was no rush. Let there be rush when it was needed. For now, staying in a naïve bubble sounded perfect to her. She knew it would burst eventually and realisation would come crashing down, but for now, no. Blissful ignorance could stick around for as long as it wanted. She had spoken the truth. They were all indeed travelling to the same destination. Considering the number of people who had enlisted, there was going to be training and practising for a few days away from the town.

Dot already knew the likelihood of her being able to travel with her brother was unlikely. Unlikely seemed more like impossible. "Who is your friend, Arthur?" She questioned while stopping a few paces away from her brother and the horse.

"This my dear sister is Dutch." Arthur rubbed his hand on his new companions nose and looked at her. "Dutch, this is my sister Dorothy." Dot fidgeted and nodded slowly. "You are going to have to conquer this fear you know."

"Especially considering they are going to be used to pull the ambulance carts around." A new voice spoke, Dot turned and looked at a dark haired man.

"I don't think you're filling her with much confidence Charlie." Arthur frowned. He had only just become acquainted with the Lieutenant, but the quick whit and aura of casual ease which came from him, made it easy to get along with Charlie quite easily.

"I am deeply sorry," Charlie smiled and stepped forward. "As for you," Charlie directed his attention to Arthur. "It's Lieutenant Waverly." The tone of voice was meant to be authoritative, commanding and an attempt at imposing. But really, the grin which was struggling to appear on Charlie's face made it clear he wasn't be too serious.

"Why so formal all of a sudden?" Arthur's sentence got a smile from Charlie, the grin couldn't stay away for much longer before it spread across his face.

"It's good to see you have made two friends. A horse and Lieutenant Waverly." Dot smiled and rocked on her heels.

"Follow by example Blake, your sister is very polite perhaps you could learn from her?" Charlie shrugged nonchalantly while waving a hand in the air as if that helped him with his words.

"Actually, Charlie I believe she was humouring you." James said when he appeared by Dot's side. Charlie seemed to contemplate over his sentence and looked at Dot, she in turn nodded slowly. She did look apologetically at him, a sincere smile on her face as Charlie's smile faded slowly and he waved a finger her way, Dot just raised an eyebrow.

"You are secretly a mean woman, Miss Blake." The finger was still being waged, yet the telling off tone Charlie used was way too informal and joking for it, her, or anyone else to believe and take seriously.

"Oh, please don't be so formal." Dot smiled and took a step back when Dutch took a step forward to try and nudge her head against hers. Or sniff at her, or do something in her general direction, she didn't want to know what.

"May I inquire as to why you are here and not with the nurses which you had to run after?"

"A tad blunt there, Captain," Charlie said while tipping his hat to them and turning to walk off.

"Him," Dot answered while pointing a finger at her brother, Arthur jumped and shook his head. Smiling lightly she let out a slow sigh. "I am going to have to run after them again aren't I?"

"Sadly yes you are," James answered and looked over his shoulder. "They have moved on and you are, yet again, left behind."

"Did you want to borrow Dutch to catch up with them?" Arthur smiled and received a hit to his arm.

"Don't tease your sister. After all when you get injured from practising routines who may get lumped with tending to your wounds? Yes, that is right; me."

"Are you threatening me in some way?"

"Indirectly."

"Perhaps you can continue your sibling argument later?" James chimed in, in all honesty Dot had forgotten he was there. This always happened whenever she got caught in an argument with Arthur. Trying to get the last word in was always top priority.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)