Fortunate Sons

Chapter 40: Arise O Dawn

The forest smoked and smoldered with trees reduced to long black picks, the smokey vapors rising into the air like morning mist. Ash, dust and the shriveled remains of the fallen Cuong Thi littered the ground as men and women came from their hiding places to see what damage had been done.

Dr. Pearlman, Sue and the two Colonels couldn't believe it. The sight of the once lush and green forest was now a blackened mess that divided two nations like a black partition. The ground was still hot from the fire with trails of tiny red hot embers that hadn't been stamped out. The acrid smell of burned vegetation hung heavy in the air, clinging to the backs of their throats as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Truc and Mai came from their hiding places only moments later, their rifles slung lazily across their torsos and a deeply frightened expression worn on each of their faces. Ogun removed his soot smeared helmet as he looked out over the land, amazed that any of them had actually survived.

"My God it's all gone," Dr. Pearlman muttered. "I can't believe anything survived."

Sue looked down towards the road where she saw the two dragons curled together, almost as though they were protecting something. Cautiously they approached, fearful of what they might do if provoked. But amazingly, the two were as calm as water after a storm.

The she-dragon nudged her with her large snout and moved the paw covering something nestled within the crook of her huge leg. Taylor's eyes were half open, his face pale as a sheet with smatterings of blood and dirt all over him. Sue helped him up, but no sooner did he try and stand than he collapsed right into her arms. His breathing was so ragged she feared he would barely live.

"It's ok, it's ok," she murmured. "You're ok."

Sue felt the back of Taylor's neck. His skin was clammy and cool while his hands shook and trembled. "We'll get you out of here," she assured him.

"Blood...." Taylor tried to say in between ragged breaths. "So much.....blood...."

"Shhh, shh it's ok," Sue said.

It wasn't long before the familiar buzz of a helicopter was heard high up in the sky. The two dragons took off like a pair of frightened deer, disappearing into what remained of the jungle before three choppers landed right in the open field.

Two men hurried out into the windy field with a litter, clutching their hats to keep them from blowing away. As carefully as they could, Dr. Pearlman, Sue and Colonel Swyft carefully laid Taylor down on his back while the pair of medics carried him away. Only a select few were allowed to climb in with them but after much debate, Mai and Truc were permitted to go along for the ride.

Dr. Pearlman, Sue and the others began to work tirelessly to save Taylor's life. Taylor's vision was hazy and his head heavy as he began slipping into delirium. What was even more frightening was that he was numb to everything around him. He didn't feel the IV needle slipping into the vein in his arm. He didn't feel his jacket being removed nor did he shudder when that dratted, freezing cold piece of metal came in contact with the bare skin of his chest to listen for the beat of his heart. Everything ached and hurt worse than it had the day that Ogun had found him in the woods.

"He's got a pulse," Dr. Pearlman said to Sue. "Thank God. I thought we lost him for a minute."

No sooner had he spoken than Dr. Pearlman felt a light tap on the knee. Taylor's right hand twitched from side to side, almost as if the young soldier were trying to get his attention. "I'm still alive here," he rasped.

"Ha ha!" Dr. Pearlman chuckled victoriously. "It speaks!"

A weak laugh came from Taylor as he tried hard to prop himself up. "Easy, easy" Dr. Pearlman insisted as he helped Taylor sit up. "Ok, ok there we go.....you're good......you're good."

Taylor put his hand across his back and found that he was bleeding again. The stinging in his foot had grown worse too, a stabbing pain shooting from where the splinters were lodged right up through his ankle. He could barely flex his toes or move his foot such was the God awful pain. His eyes watered, his ribs ached and what was worse was his desperate need for water.

"I.....I need water," Taylor stammered.

Dr. Pearlman twisted the cap off his water bottle and handed it to Taylor who took a huge swig. The hot water ran down the back of his throat and into his system but he didn't care. He was just glad to have had any at all.

"Here," Dr. Pearlman said. "Lie back down and rest. You need it."

Taylor laid right back down and tried to close his eyes but the pain was too much to ignore. Sue, Dr. Pearlman and two of the PJs bandaged the ghastly wounds on his back, but the splinters had proved to be the toughest part of the job. So many tiny pieces had been lodged into his foot that not even the two rescuemen could get them.

"Hey," one of them said to Truc. "You've got tiny fingers, you think you can help?"

Truc looked at her twin who gave her a nod and the pair were both handed a set of blue plastic gloves. Truc grabbed hold of the first splinter, half the size of her pinky and sharp as a needle. She gave a firm yank and pulled it right out, the tip completely covered in dark red blood. Taylor bolted upright and let out a bellow loud enough to wake the dead and startled everyone in the chopper cabin.

"OWW!!! OH MY GOD!!! WHAT THE HELL?!!" He bellowed. "What the hell did you do that for?!"

"I'm sorry," Truc apologized. "I gotta get'em out."

"Oh God, that really hurt," he moaned. "Please don't do it again."

But neither Truc nor Mai heeded his words. Mai yanked another splinter right out, prompting a string of curses from Taylor that would have made Chesty Puller himself squirm.

"One, two......three!"

"OOOOOOWWWW!!! GODDAMNIT!!! YOU SUCK!! YOU SUCK!!! YOU SUCK!!" Taylor ranted.

Sue and Dr. Pearlman tried their hardest not to laugh, but so many of the curses that came out of Taylor were so outlandish that they couldn't help it.

"Oh God, how many more are left?" he winced.

"Two more, two more," Truc said.

"Oh God I think I'm going to die," Taylor lamented.

After a few more quick yanks of the wrist, Truc and Mai pulled out the last two splinters while one of the rescuemen bandaged Taylor's badly damaged foot. He looked worse than ever, so pale and white that he could have blended in with a bedsheet. His eyes were bloodshot and he shivered as though he had been doused in ice water.

"I'm freezing," he said sleepily.

Sue brushed away a few tendrils of red hair that clung to Taylor's sweaty forehead before covering him with a wool blanket. "We're almost there," she assured him. "Hang on just a few minutes more."

He clutched her small boney hand in his, held on and didn't let go.