Behind the barrier-we cant jump it, not now, she said. It was amazing, how the thing had gone up while they stood there, piecemeal by rickety piecemeal, made up of logs and metal shards, and strips of things meant to tear human flesh beyond repair. Even if she couldve fit through it, that wouldve left her in the middle of the worst of the cross fire, and that wouldnt do. Especially not with Ernie tagging along.
So they wound their way through the soldiers, getting sworn at, shouted at, and shoved toward the safety they didnt want every step of the way until theyd gone far enough east, away from the relative safety of the rails, that the barricade hadnt yet found purchase and the road was not quite the highway of bullets that it had become farther up the way.
Mercy dashed into the road, crying out for Larsen-wondering if shed passed him already in the turmoil, and wondering if hed even survived falling out of the swiftly moving cart. Captain? Mr. . . . Mr. Copilot? What was his name again? Scott something? Mr. Scott? Can anyone hear me?
Probably more than a few people could hear her, but it sounded like the fighting was heating up back where the cart had crashed and been disassembled, and no one was paying any attention to the cloaked nurse and the bandaged dirigible crewman.
Anyone? she tried again, and Ernie took up the cry, to as much effect.
Together they tried to skirt the line of trees and keep their heads low as they walked up and down the strip where they concluded the cart had most likely come apart. And finally, off to the side and down a rolling culvert, into a cut in the earth where spring rain had carved a deep V into a hill, they got a response.
Nurse? The response was feeble but certain. It called like the men called from the cots, back at the hospital. Nuss?
They scarcely heard it over the battle, and it was all Mercy could do to concentrate on the sound-the one little syllable-over the clash a hundred yards away. The footsteps were still stomping, too, and stomping closer with every few steps; she shuddered to imagine what kind of machine this might be, that walked back and forth along the front and sounded much larger than any gun . . . maybe even larger than the Zephyr itself. Whatever it was, she didnt want to see it. She only wanted to run, but there came that voice again, not quite crying, but pleading: Nurse?
Over here! Ernie said. Hes down here! And he was already sliding down there, toward the rut in the earth where Larsen had landed.
I thought it was you, Larsen said when Mercy reached him. I thought it must be. Wheres Dennis, is he all right?
Hes fine. Hes on his way to the rail lines, where the trainll pick him up and run him to Fort Chattanooga. We had to make him go, but he went. I told him Id come looking for you.
Thats good. He closed his eyes a moment, as if concentrating on some distant pain or noise. I think Im going to be just fine, too.
I think you might be, she told him, helping him sit up. Did you just crash here, or roll here? Is anything broken?
My foot hurts, he said. But it always hurts. My head does, too, but I reckon Ill live.
She said, Youd better. Come on, let me get you up.
I remember there was a big snapping sound, and everything came apart. And I was flying . I remember flying, but I dont recall anything else, he elaborated while the Mercy and Ernie pulled him upright and to his feet. His cane was long gone, but he waved away their attempts to assist him further. I can do it. Ill limp like a three-legged dog, but I can do it.
I dont suppose youve seen the captain, or the copilot, have you? asked Ernie.
No, I havent. Like I said, I went flying. Thats all.
Youre a lucky son of a gun, Mercy told him.
I dont feel real lucky. And whats that noise?
Its the line. Its caught up to us. Come on, now. Other side of the road. Get down low, and make a dash for it-as much as youre able. You landed on the Yankee side, so dont go thanking your lucky stars quite yet.
But soon they were ducking and shuffling, flinging themselves across the road and back to gray territory, and not a moment too soon. The barricade-makers were shouting orders back and forth at one another, extending the line, setting up the markers along the road. They ordered Mercy and the men to Clear the area! Now!
Larsen yelled back, Were civilians!
Youre going to be dead civilians if you dont get away from this road! Then the speaker stopped himself, getting a good look at Mercy. Wait a minute. You a nurse?
Thats right.
You any good?
Ive saved more men than Ive killed, if thats what you want to know. She helped hoist Larsen down over the drop-off at the roads edge, leaving herself closer to the dangerous front line. She stared down the asker, daring him to propose one more stupid question before she kicked him into Kansas.
We got a colonel with a busted-up arm and chest. Our doctor took a bullet up the nose and now weve got nobody. The colonels a good leader, maam. Hell, hes just a good man, and were losing him. Can you help?