Maybe One Day

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Women's Camp

When I heard the roaring of an approaching truck that was supposed to hold medical supplies from the pharmacy in town, I turned away from Winters and the others to where my medics had been working triage. After the supplies arrived, I didn't leave. When I went out into the yard to help others, I caught glimpses of the men who were shocked, some I could see were making an effort not to cry. Working my way through my patients, I made sure that each of them were being treated as they should: Like human beings that deserve love and kindness. 

"Nobody ever deserves to be treated like this." grumbled Geney, his jaw set as he rifled through a box of medical supplies.

"You're right. Make sure you take breaks, alright?"

He nodded and went back to treating patients. I had finished administering my treatment to a man who had been telling me all about his family when Lip came in, looking for me. Medics from the other companies were arriving and they wanted me to go to the women's camp. 

"Geney, you're in charge here while I'm gone. Lip, get Luz, Bull, Heffron, Perconte, and Christenson. I want them with us. I'll be waiting in the Jeep." 

I grabbed as many medical supplies as possible, taking a couple crates with me. Winters had informed me that the Medical Corps and the Nurse Corps would eventually be arriving, but we didn't know when. I fully intended to help these people until I dropped dead. I waited a couple minutes before they all arrived and piled in. I took a moment to steady my breathing and calm my heart before putting the Jeep in drive and starting the ride to the Women's Camp. When we arrived outside the wire, Dog, Fox, and Item company medics were waiting for us, as well as the CO, and a lot of the troopers as well. The scene before me looked very similar to that of the men's camp, but I stopped my observation there and found the CO. 

"Sir." I saluted. 

"Major Winters said you'd be briefing the men when you arrived." 

I nodded and hopped up onto the hood of the Jeep and shouted out for the men to gather up around me. 

"Listen up! The women and children inside need as much help as possible, so I expect you to be kind, caring, and patient with them. A lot of them will be scared of you, but please be careful. They've been through hell and back. Give them any rations that you have, your blankets, your water. When we open the gates, I want all the medics on me to help set up triage. A truck should be here soon carrying some tents, cots, blankets, and medical supplies. Is that clear?"

A chorus of 'Yes ma'am's!" resounded from the crowd before me and I hopped down with the help of Lipton and Bull. Dog Company's CO had some men cut the chains barring us from entering the camp and we slowly opened the gate. I strode in slowly, hushing the men around me as I walked up to a woman standing with her child. 

"Wir sind alle hier, um Ihnen zu helfen, das verspreche ich. Keiner dieser Männer wird dir wehtun. Wir haben Decken, Essen und Medikamente. Wir sind hier um zu helfen." (We are all here to help you, I promise. None of these men will hurt you. We have blankets, food, and medicine coming. We are here to help.")

"Ja wirklich?" (Really?)

"Ja. Verspreche." (Yes, I promise.) 

My words echoed in the mouths of women and children around me, and I quickly put the men and medics to work. Triage was set up in moments, and we began assessing patients. When it was time for my breaks, I took my camera out and tentatively took pictures of things happening around me. The world needs to know about what happened here. I wanted nothing more than to cry and scream. If I had lived in Germany still, this would have been me and my family. I shuddered at the thought and continued on my rounds. Some of the women still shied away from us, so I took it upon myself to treat and look after them.