Mercy’s
First Semester
W.M. Bunche
Fiction
September 22, 2016
Synopsis:
“Mercy’s First Semester” is about the ramifications of war
and the perplexing impulses which lead to obsession and peril in the lives of
all. Set in Brooklyn, “Mercy’s First
Semester” brings together four improbable individuals: Mercy, an Iraq war
combat veteran suffering from PTSD; Mr. Mina, a compassion fatigued social
worker who refuses to give up on his patients even when his livelihood
threatens his marriage; Dr. G, an atheist professor, who is fond of Mercy in
ways he cannot comprehend; and Eva, Mercy’s childhood crush who reconnects with
him on Veteran’s Day. Mercy saved his
men. Can he save himself?”
Excerpt:
The
Golden Hour
SPRING
BREAK 2013
Joshua
Toussaint Mercier (aka Mercy) remembered the golden hour. The critical life saving hour following a
traumatic injury. With proper medical
treatment, there is a great possibility of survival. Without proper medical treatment, Taps. He remembered the roar of the medevac
chopper’s blades rotating overhead, kicking up desert dust. His bullet riddled body lay on a gurney. It was shuffled onto the chopper by four
armed soldiers. He never thought he
would be the patient. He thought he
would die by bullet or bomb, not feeling a thing. He would awaken when Jesus resurrected
him.
His
vision hazy, he recognized the outlines of a white cross and the colors of an
American flag. As his mirage continued,
the ambulance drove him to the ER. He
never heard the siren blaring. Juan
Pablo, by his side, rode with him in the ambulance. He told the EMTs Mercy was his best
friend. Mercy faded in and out of
consciousness as the EMTs treated the gunshot wounds in his chest. According to the EMTs, Mercy was in critical
condition.
In
the OR, on the operating table, the intensity of the overhead surgical lights
blinded Mercy. It was no different than
the triple digit noon sun in Iraq, except this time his body shivered. The gloved surgeons with surgical gowns seemed
like adults leaning over an infant.
Nausea set in. His airway was
safe but there were internal chest injuries.
His breath was shortened and it hurt to inhale. He breathed easier with the oxygen mask.
The
fentanyl IV drip made the pain dissipate.
Fentanyl was twice as strong as morphine he remembered from his medic
training. He stared up at the
ceiling. The metallic scent of iodine
assaulted his nasal passages. All sounds
disappeared around him except his own heartbeat. He reached for his chest but his hand fell to
the bedside. The luminous room darkened
like an eclipse.
About W. M.
WM Bunche is a cold war veteran and Commendation Medal
recipient. He attended public schools in
Brooklyn. He is a fourth generation
veteran whose military roots trace back to the Civil War. WM has completed the Marine Corps
Marathon. He lives in the New York City
Area.
Contact W. M.
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