Where White Feathers Fall: In Progress

The clouds covered the sky with an eerie dark tone, the rumbles of war just etching over the boundaries of the area Allison was stationed at. Her brown eyes gazed at the sky, the humidity hanging in the air along the smell of gunfire wafting just some distance away. The crate of medicine held tightly in her grasp as she prayed to the Lord that the men fighting this cruel war…whether perished or survived, would be protected by Him. A muffled voice in the bustling old town house called out to Allison, bringing her back from her thoughts. She swiftly steps inside, the clacking of her shoes echoing in the hallway. The sting of the blisters on her heels from walking in them for so long started to ache with pain, but that didn’t stop her from looking out for those men who are fighting so hard for justice. She turns into the room on her left, the beds layer down evenly with men. Some covered with bandages, some with cases on their arms or legs, even amputees. The coughs of exhaustion stretched on. The worry of a man going into cardiac arrest in the back of every nurse, doctor, surgeon, on every person's mind. One thing about being a nurse, is that it’s not only in that person's hand to help them survive, but God's plan as well if He graces them to live or tell them secretly that it was time for them to go. Allison places the crate on a small table, “here’s the batch of bandages you asked for…” she said quietly, her brown eyes flicking to the man laying on the pristine white bed sheet, only for it to be blotched with red stains of blood from trauma wounds. “Thank you, Allison” The deep voice answered, an older gentleman surgically stitching up the injured man’s gash with intense focus was the doctor she was assigned to in case of immediate care. “Of course Dr. Filler” Allison turned and began to glance at the clipboard she held onto for what seemed like days, the names of soldiers scratched on, what injuries they sustained, and if they were deceased or alive. She grimaced at the word, “deceased”. While death isn’t something to be afraid of, considering that the Lord has plans for each of His children even after death, Allison’s mind churns what became of such men or women after death, but it was nothing to be concerned about when war is concerned. Mourning is acceptable, but to stay in mourning for days wouldn’t be ideal. She glanced through the names of each on her clipboard, doing routine checks on their wellness. She shifts her gaze to the most recent tenant of their makeshift hospital, Ronald Gillard. She walks to the designated bed that he laid in. He ended up getting shrapnel in his left shoulder, but the Lord graced him with a medic who took notice only 10 minutes after the impact. Allison closed her eyes and thanked the Lord for His grace, and that it was a given opportunity for the chance to speak about the Lord to these men under her care. As Allison draws closer to his bedside, she sees he was already awake and reading a small book. His bandaged shoulder looked stained with red from the blood he lost. She walks over to his bedside, putting down the clipboard on a separate small desk. Ronald, or nicknamed Ron for short, took notice of her presence immediately, giving Allison a winning smile. It was said that the nurses who are women tend to boost the men’s morale, giving them hope or that softness and care that male doctors wouldn’t give as much tenderness than women. A sense of home from their wives and girlfriends back in their own country seen through the female nurses that work hard to keep them connected to their home rather than the war they fight now. “How are we feeling today, Ron?” Allison spoke softly in a casual speech as she always does to her patients. “Doing much better, Miss Allison. Thank you” Ron shifted his weight on his right, since the wound still ached, it caused a wince in his expression from moving his shoulder just slightly. “Glad to see you seem more chipper this afternoon.” Allison continued, becoming routine to grant small talk to make the soldiers more comfortable, even in this gruesome situation of the world. As Allison leaned over to check if his bandage needed to be replaced, Ron gave a small chuckle, “that’s only because I get to see pretty gals like you tend to me.” Allison began to take his medicated pill out of the capsule and poured a glass of water for him, “I’m only here to see to it that you feel right as rain, Ron” She spoke in a light tone, her smile curled just slightly. She didn’t mind the compliment, but she didn’t want to entertain the flirtatious actions. “Yes…that is true” Ron gave a solemn nod, taking his medication as Allison put down the glass of water once he was finished. Allison continues her routine check up on him, checking his pulse, his temperature, all the following criteria’s to make sure he is in healing condition, and not deteriorating. Once she had finalized her report on her clipboard, she bids Ron goodbye for now, and walks up to the front desk to hand in her report on her patients. She places the clipboard gently down, her eyes trained to a young blonde woman, her curled hair that was in neat condition was slightly loosened, her soulful eyes carrying the weight of dark circles from sleepless nights. Allison knew that look all too well, she and the rest of the staff all knew the feeling of tiredness and exhaustion shackling their ankles. All Allison could do was to pray to God that she, and the rest of her staff members, could be strengthened and well for the next batch of wounded soldiers that will reel in a moment's notice. Allison’s eyes scanned to the outside, thinking of the Lord's Words. Scripture popping in her mind like bubbles, bursting with fruitfulness that her spirit hungers for in times of despair. She sat in a raggedy old wooden chair that creaked with age, leaning back as she stared up at the stringed up strobe light. Her thoughts wandered at the thought of the man she met 3 years ago…a man she came to have fallen in love with. How she loved the smile he wore, the uprightness of a man that is after God's own heart. She closes her eyes, wondering if that man, however far away he is, was still alive, or if he was safe in God's arms. The Lord has good plans for him, she was sure of that. She gave a silent pleading prayer to the Lord, falling into a light sleep shortly after. “Get him inside! Now!” Someone shouted from outside the dark wooden front doors, causing Allison to jolt awake. She rubbed her eyes tiredly but quickly, her vision came and noticed a bloodied soldier carrying another, the barely conscious soldier having his arm slinged over him. She stood up, the chair skitting back with a screech. The two men covered in stains of red and the slick of rain told Allison that they must’ve come a long way to get to the nearest medical facility they could find without it being an enemy camp. Without a second thought, she rushes to their aid, the rain stamping harder on the ground, the soil becoming muddy by the second the water falls down from the sky. Allison’s hand wrapped behind the injured soldier, helping his comrade carry him with the other side now being held up as much as possible. Allison could feel his haggard breathing, his breath jagged as he tried to gasp for air and not lose consciousness. Everyone in the hallways made way like Moses parting the Red Sea, the steps rushing to get the soldier to an empty bed of any kind. “Right here” Allison instructed clearly to the fellow soldier helping carry him, Allison’s foot kicked the door open just slightly to make room for herself and the two men to squeeze through. Finally noticing a twin sized bed in the corner of the room, Allison and the ample bodied soldier swiftly and gently laid the wounded comrade down, a grunt of pain escaping him as he was being put down. Without fail, Dr. Filler rushed in with no time to lose. Quickly stepping up and checking the wounded soldier over, the doctor instructed clearly and accurately, “Allison, go get some gauze and my surgical tools” he ordered. Allison darted to and fro, handing the tools to Dr. Fillers meticulous working hands. Over a grueling two hours later, the soldier was stabilized. Allison, now tired and her apron covered in blood splotches, sank in the chair in exhaustion. She thanked the Lord over and over for His mercy and Grace upon the man, that He helped Allison and the doctor working on him to live. Allison took a deep breath and finally glanced over to the soldier, his long lashes fluttering in much needed deep slumber, his hard chest rising and falling in rhythm. His slicked hair from the rain was now dried up, the split ends scattered from the back of his head, the longer strands almost covering a portion of his face. Allison gazed a bit more at the young man, his bandaged calf and chest from a good amount of shrapnel, grenades and the like, made Allison thank God he managed to keep his appendages intact but not without scarring in the future. She sighs deeply, her mind wandering. In a blink, she noticed something about him, she stood up and walked over to his sleeping body, something seemed to gleam from the lamps flickering light on the table. The plunking of the rain drops hitting the window seemed to grow louder. Her body leaned slightly to get a closer look, and around his neck, was a silver chain with a cross and a ring next to it. Allison felt her heart hitch to her throat, the ring looked eerily similar to the one she had with her…the ring of the man she loved the moment they met just those 3 years ago, given as a promise that when he returned, he would marry her with God as their guide in their relationship. But Allison didn’t know whether to believe it was his ring or not, it felt like ages since they last spoke or seen each other. Of course she prayed fervently for the man’s safety, but the thought of his death and not being able to enjoy this God given life with him…broke her. When the moment came where he left to be deployed, she wanted him to stay, asking God to please safely guide him back home to her. When she did not get any letters from him after a few months, she grew worried. Once that worry faded away over time with the Lord as her peace, she decided to be in the United States Army Nurse Corps, providing comforting words about the good Lord Himself, and saving lives as much as she could with God's help. Her eyes stung with hot tears, ready to burst. She knelt down slowly by his bedside, her hands shaking. Her emotions claw at her mind, heart and soul, she didn’t know whether to smile and cry for joy, or be fearful of what is to come once this man wakes up. Allison’s vision swam with filled tears, blinking her eyes caused the tears to stream and plop silently on the fresh bed sheet. Her small hand grasped his calloused hand. When was the last time she ever held this man’s hand? She remembered when he went to deploy, she didn’t have a camera on her to take a memory photo with him, so the only thing she could remember was his distinct features that God gave him. How could she have not noticed sooner that it was him? Allison’s voice trembled, her hand closed around his limp hand as she placed her head down on her arm that supported it. “Oh Micheal…” her voice breathed his name, for the first time in so long, she never spoke his name out loud. His name attached a plethora of memories together when he was with her, she wanted to preserve it, and she did with utmost care. “Lord…oh Lord my God…” she spoke the Lord's name, repeating His name even though the words can’t seem to reach out of her mouth of what she wanted to say to Him. But the Holy Spirit knew exactly what was on her heart, and she felt the peace of His presence shortly after.