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9
Landon
“Hey Doc, you missed breakfast.” Sgt. Sierra moved out of the way to let Landon pass. The ship groaned as it was rocked from side to side on the waves, metal creaking in protest from sitting still for too long.
“Yeah, I was trying to send an email but comms are still down.” He kept his tone even so as not to let the frustration of the past hour he’d spent slamming letters on the keyboard show.
“That sucks,” Sgt. Sierra groaned. “I was just heading that way. My girlfriend was supposed to fly in from Texas for homecoming. She’s going to be so pissed. Twenty bucks says she breaks up with me now.”
Landon’s shoulders stiffened as he forgot his own problems for a blissful minute. “I’m sure everything will be alright, but I’m here if you want to talk about it.”
Sgt. Sierra chuckled. “Nah, man. I’m good. Save the wizard hat for the other guys. Today’s going to be a rough one. Let me know if you need any help.”
Landon finished the granola bar from the last care package he’d received and closed his wall locker just as LCpl Wallis poked her head into the berthing.
“Hey HM2. I hit my hand and something is wrong with it.”
“Let me see.” Landon met her at the door. She held out her purple bruised and swollen thumb. The edges of fading yellow discoloration spread down to her wrist, the nail bed was raised with a blood blister underneath, and she flinched when he pushed against the finger pad. “When did you do this?”
“A couple of days ago.” She shrugged.
He released her hand. “And you’re just telling me now.”
“I figured I’d go to the ER when we got home if it got any worse.” She cradled her arm to her chest and avoided his stare.
“What exactly did you do?” Landon folded his arms and waited for the truth.
“I, uh.” She looked away. “I slammed it in the taxi door when we were in port.”
Landon laughed. “How drunk were you?”
“I made it back on ship, didn’t I?”
“Come on.” He shook his head. “Let’s get you to medical and get it checked out.”
Chief Elyse was leaning against CDR Jenkins desk and going over notes with him when Landon entered with Wallis in tow. “Morning Commander. Morning Chief.” He nodded in their direction. Chief Elyse gave her signature hate filled scowl as she gathered up the reports.
CDR Jenkins leaned back on his rolling chair and looked Landon over, reading his name plate silently. “HM2 Ward. Were you the one who brought in Martinez the other day?”
“He was already here, sir,” Landon explained. “I just came to check on him and left the request for meds from you with the HN who was here on duty.”
“Good call.” CDR Jenkins nodded. “Make sure you check on him today. What do we have going on here?”
“Blunt force trauma to the left thumb.” Landon motioned for LCpl Wallis to take a seat on the patient bed.
“How’d that happen?” CDR Jenkins rolled his stool over to get a closer look. Wallis’s eyes were pleading as she stared at Landon and CDR Jenkins manipulated her finger to check for a break.
“Coffin rack mishap.” Landon turned and searched through the medical cart for some tape.
“Has anyone seen Martinez?” Landon poked his head into Charlie Company’s berthing.
“Yeah, he was in the mess deck at lunch,” Cpl Hemming said in a thick southern drawl. Landon’s stomach growled, reminding him that he’d missed two meals today. After LCpl Wallis’s thumb was wrapped up, he was caught in the passageway by a Marine with a nose bleed and had to turn around to take him to medical.
“Did he seem okay?” Landon asked.
“He’s as upset as everyone else.” Cpl Hemming packed his dip can and twisted off the lid. “But he wasn’t breaking down crying like he did the other day if that’s what you mean.”
Landon sighed, running his hand over his head. “Alright, tell him I’m looking for him if you see him.”
