Scene
Nine
Sub-Scene
One
The
death of one
The
infirmary at Caesar’s camp in the nearby town of Amsterdam, a small town of
five thousand then, had a huge hall there and was furnished to be the nursing centre
by Caesar for the wounded. On that day, it was filled to the brim by the
wounded brought there by the trucks.
“Get
me some bandages, nurse.” Doctor Goodwin called out while he tried to keep the
wound from losing more blood. “Hurry up there.”
The
good doctor was a veteran of the Romans’s battles, and he was used to the sight
of many dying boys. He had done his share in the numerous battles, or drive-by
shootouts. He was not even dressed in the white coat, but the overall red colour
served him well. He had on his rubber gloves and resorted to using his elbows
to rub the itch on his chin.
“Bandages,
Nurse.”
“Coming,
Doctor. I am looking for some.” Nurse Gray called back. They were short of
nurses, bandages, and everything else needed by the doctor. Even the black
coffee.
“Where
is my coffee?” Doctor Goodwin called out. “I am seeing double here.”
“I
have double tits, if you are looking.” Nurse Gray said. “Your coffee is...
Fuck, someone poured it over that guy’s wound. We ran out of clean water.”
“It
will work. The coffee is cleaner than the... Who poured my coffee?” Doctor
Goodwin was experiencing withdrawal symptoms from caffeine.
“Doctor,
the old man needs care.” Nurse Florence called out. The nurse led the older man
to the nearest chair. “Stay here, and we will attend to you.”
“Thank
you, Nurse.” The one who sat was Enobarbus. He was holding his chest with his
hands. He saw the wounded boy; it was familiar, but he could not place the
name.
“Son,
were you in the battle?”
“Yes,
Boss. I was. If the others do not come to pull us out, we will have to return
here in wooden boxes. They brought us out and then told us we were to go back
in the morning. It was then that I got shot.”
“That
last attack was a bad one for us.” The other boy on the far side spoke. “Peter
got it in the chest. Me? I was shot in the butt.”
“Boss,
are you hurt?” The first boy whom Enobarbus spoke to asked.
“I
am……. Please bear witness to my words. …... Bear witness to me, oh you blessed
moron: when the time comes that those who rebelled are remembered with hatred,
remember that poor Enobarbus repented before you for rebelling.”
“Confession,
Boss?” The first boy asked. “I may say it better. Even though I walk through
the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
staff comfort me.”
“Oh,
you moron, I am telling you that royal mistress of genuine melancholy, pour
down the poisonous mists of night upon me, so that I may no longer live, now
that I no longer wish to.” Enobarbus struggled to speak. “She poisoned me to
betray my boss.”
“I
…….” The first boy was cut off by Enobarbus.
“Take
my heart and throw it against my sin. which is weak from grief. It will burst
into pieces, and all my bitterness with the thoughts will end with my death.”
Enobarbus felt his spirit was leaving his body.
“Mark
Antony, your nobility is even greater than my fault, which is terrible. I wish
that you would forgive me for those sins that I have committed against you, but
I want the rest of the world to remember me as a deserter and someone who
abandoned his master. I……. Oh Antony! Oh, Antony! “Enobarbus collapsed on
the seat.
“He
is asleep. The first boy said, “Or I think he fainted. No one ever said such a
despairing prayer to lull themselves to sleep.”
“Wake
up, sir, wake up. Speak to us.” The second boy limped over. “Can you hear us,
Boss?”
“Death
has struck him down,” Nurse Florence said as she approached the dead old man.
“Come
on, then. He might still wake up.” The first boy protested.
“Do
you want someone to attend to your stomach? You are spilling your guts there.”
Nurse Florence looked at the boy. “You are still young and may still live. He
is gone. Heaven or Hell will take him, but here I am to take you to the
doctor.”
“Who
the fuck throws my coffee away?” The nurse heard the doctor.
“That
doctor will see you soon. Then make him a cup of coffee. He deserves it or you
will die regretting not doing it.”
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