‘Yes?’ Scarlet replied.
‘I’m to find out who’s in charge here. Of your unit,’ the woman said. ‘I understand there is a unit here that’s temporarily joined the 81st?’
Scarlet nodded, wondering why this unfamiliar nurse was looking for her superior. ‘Yes, that’s right. We’re waiting for our field site to be taken before setting up our mobile hospital.’
The other nurse grimaced. ‘I’m afraid to say the battle has been hard-fought, but you’ll be moving soon. I’m Lucy,’ she said, extending her hand. ‘I’m with the 50 Mobile field hospital, but I’ve been sent to assist with your new set-up. There will be a group of us coming to assist your unit.’
Scarlet’s heart began to pound as she held her own hand out to grasp Lucy’s. ‘I’m Scarlet. Pleased to meet you.’ It was a relief to know there would be more nurses joining them.
They stood for a moment, awkward, until Lucy spoke again. ‘How are you faring here? The conditions are satisfactory?’ She sighed. ‘I’ve been nursing for some time, but nothing prepares anyone for all this.’
‘We’re desperate for hot water and sleep,’ Scarlet replied, ‘but otherwise we’re all right.’
‘This will seem easy compared to where you’re heading, believe me.’ Lucy shook her head. ‘We’re all in this for the long haul I suspect. I can’t see things getting better any time soon.’
Lucy gave a half-smile and Scarlet attempted to do the same, not sure about this confident nurse who appeared to know everything. ‘I’ll take you inside, then.’
After a day that had put a genuine smile on her face for once, Scarlet had the sinking feeling that she wasn’t going to have another day like it for a good long while.
‘You’ll be looking for our matron, over there in that office,’ Scarlet told her, stopping and pointing the way. ‘If you can’t find her, then I’ll locate a senior doctor for you.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Lucy?’ Scarlet called, above the arrivals of ambulances and nurses shouting for assistance, the constant merry-go-round of busyness starting all over again after the short lull.
‘Yes?’
‘If you’re joining us on your own without your unit, ask for me by name. I know how much easier it can be to have a friend when you don’t know anyone.’
Months ago, she might not have said anything, wouldn’t have thought about someone else’s plight, her thoughts far more selfish than they could ever be now after what she’d seen. But that was then and this was now, and she would do anything she could for another if it meant making their life a little easier. Besides, Lucy was obviously experienced, which meant there was a lot she could learn from her.
Lucy nodded. ‘Thank you, but I’ll be fine. I have a job to do, that’s why I’m here.’
Scarlet was taken aback. They all had a job to do, and she was only trying to be friendly.
‘Of course,’ she replied stiffly, not sure what else to say.
‘Thank you for your assistance.’
It had been an awful day at their new field hospital. Scarlet rolled her sleeves up and took a deep, shuddering breath, staring at the blood that stained her hands. She’d had some horrendous moments over the past couple of weeks, but nothing, nothing, compared to the day she’d just had.
‘I can’t do it,’ Ellie whispered.
When Scarlet turned, body slowly swivelling, she saw Ellie standing, tears streaming down her cheeks, hands shaking violently at her sides, teeth biting hard into her bottom lip. She hadn’t seen her for hours, they’d both been attending to different doctors and patients, and she wished she’d searched for her before now. She was pressed up against a bed, clutching it as if she were about to fall.
‘Come here,’ Scarlet whispered, holding her arms out. ‘Everything’s going to be fine, I promise.’
The truth was, it was a promise she couldn’t keep, but they were the words Ellie needed to hear, and if she had to soothe her then she had no problem being the one to say it.
‘I want to go home,’ Ellie mumbled. ‘I want to go home! I want to go home! I want to go home!’
Scarlet froze. Ellie began to scream the words, louder and louder. There were so many people around them, an entire hospital full of patients and other nurses and doctors.
‘Ellie, shush,’ she whispered, holding her tighter as her friend stood like a statue, yelling.
‘I want to go home!’
Where was Spencer? She needed help.
Ellie crumpled then, slipped straight to the ground, and Scarlet dropped beside her, holding up her limp body. Her friend’s eyes were lifeless, like there was nobody home.
‘Ellie, we can get through this. You need some sleep.’
They’d gone twenty-four hours with no rest, hardly a bite of food, either, and she was feeling shaky herself.
‘What’s going on here?’ Lucy appeared, helping to scoop Ellie up and hauling her to her feet. It took both of them to hold her up.
‘We need to get her into bed,’ Lucy said brusquely. ‘She needs a decent sleep and food, and she’ll be fine. I’ll take her.’
‘Nurse!’ the exasperated call of one of the doctors rang out, clearly needing assistance with a patient.
Scarlet sucked in a breath and stared at Lucy. She didn’t know whether it was the right thing to let Ellie go with Lucy while she went to assist the doctor. Lucy hadn’t exactly been friendly since she’d arrived, more interested in the work they were doing than making friends with the other nurses. The new nurse seemed insanely competent: never tired, always working, smiling to her patients but then straight-faced and serious as she attended her surgeries.
‘I’ve seen a lot of this,’ Lucy said, giving Ellie a shake that made Scarlet gasp. ‘You go and answer that call. I’m more than capable of assisting her.’
She was going to protest, but if it gave Lucy time to get Ellie away without any more fuss, then she’d keep on going no matter what, although if she was honest, she was feeling shaky herself. ‘Please look after her. She’s struggling, and if you’d known her before – well, it’s not like her.’