3
A bomb landed a bit too close to BJ for comfort. Of course Hawkeye crawled over there as fast as he could, but the necessary life-saving supplies were weighing him down. With 20 feet between the two, it might be a while before Hawk could get to his friend.
"Where are those two? They should've been back six hours ago!" Sherman screamed as he finished closing up his patient.
"I'm worried about them too, sir," Radar stated.
"Well, I'm not," Frank said as he laughed "They're probably taking their sweet time. Knowing Pierce, they might've picked up some Geishas and gone over to the field of combat to listen to the bombs blow up. After that, they'll go to the 8063rd and marvel over girls there. I'd be surprised if they even get back" As usual, Frank's skill as a doctor was closely rivaled by his skill at paying attention to his patient. Neither was really helping the boy on his table.
"Sir," Nurse Kellye was saying to Frank.
"Shut up, Nurse."
"Sir! You're losing your patient." Frank shrugged.
"Major, if you don't do your best for these boys, your rank will be so low that even Klinger will have more pay than you!" Colonel Potter snapped.
"Yes, sir," Frank muttered, turning back to the table. The patient was easily saved, even by a quack like him.
Hawkeye had managed to get over to BJ. He wasn't in the best of shape--neither was Hawkeye, of course. Obviously, Hawkeye was going have to put on an act so BJ wouldn't get scared. The first thing that he'd have to do was establish some sort of communication with BJ. Without sight or sound, BJ wouldn't even know that Hawk was there.
"Hawkeye, Hawkeye! Where are you?" BJ screamed again. Hawkeye remembered a book about Helen Keller. Her teacher, Annie Sullivan, had used the sense of touch to communicate with her. But since he didn't know sign language and neither did BJ, he'd have to figure something else out. He slowly drew letters on BJ's hand with his finger. "Hawkeye" was the first word he spelled.
"Are you okay, Hawk?" Hawkeye grabbed BJ's hand and put it across his chin. He then nodded his head. "I'm not. I feel awful. I can't hear myself talk and I can't see. I can't even walk. I think I sprained it." Hawkeye looked down at his own leg and wondered how he was ever going to get out of this one.
"Which leg, BJ?"
"My left leg...it hurts so badly...I can't stand the pain." Hawkeye knew that he could pull it off if BJ thought he was limping with him. Since BJ could see anything, Hawkeye could make BJ think that he was all right.
Hawkeye spoke into the air again. "We've got to get out of here, BJ. We'll die if we don't." As they left, a trail of gunfire followed. They had to get out, though. Hawkeye put his friend's head down and continued to limp out of danger.
"Did we lose all the penicillin?" BJ asked. Hawkeye wished that that bomb had never come. Not only did it cripple them, but their unit was in trouble. Without that penicillin, the 4077th MASH would have to deal with many deaths. He put BJ's hand on his chin again and shook his head.
They spent the night in an old abandoned hut. The ground was hard, but at least they weren't sleeping in the cold wind. It began to rain just like that. The lightning lit up the sky, so much for a nice day.
"Hawkeye?" BJ asked.
"What?" spelled Hawkeye with his finger.
"I'm glad you found a way to communicate with me. I feel lost right now. I don't even know where I am."
"A hut."
"But where is this hut? Are we close to the 4077th?"
"Who knows?"
"I wish we were back in that hot tub drinking cider with me watching you give what's her name kisses. I wish I were still talking with Harriet. I hate it here."
Hawkeye got up and grabbed his medical bag. He began bandaging up BJ's face. His ankle was bruised. BJ wasn't in very good condition, and he wouldn't be able to get very far walking. Hawkeye's face was swollen from the explosion. It looked like it had been sunburned, but badly, and with blisters. His smashed leg was bad.
Somehow, Hawkeye and BJ managed to get themselves over to the 8063rd. As they came into the camp, Hawkeye noticed how similar it was to their MASH. Hawkeye limped over to the commanding officer's administrative center was. "Hello, Colonel Lacy. Look, I'm Captain Pierce from the 4077th. Remember me?"
"Actually, I don't. Your face is all burnt up and you're bleeding all over my floor, you and your friend both. Wait a minute...I need a closer look."-he pulled Hawkeye closer- "You're that idiot that won the three-legged race with Houllihan. I didn't recognize you at all. Let's get you two prepped for surgery before that leg has to be removed."
"Can I use your phone?"
"Uhh . . . sure, I guess.
"Hello, 4077th M*A*S*H, Corporal O'Reilly speaking."
"Hey, Radar I am glad you're still alive and well. How are you?"
"Hawkeye is that you? We thought you and BJ were dead."
"Okay, listen; tell Colonel Potter that BJ and I were hit by a shell coming from Seoul. Half his order of penicillin was destroyed. I'm requesting that BJ get sent over there for treatment after he has surgery. He can't hear or see. Tell him I'm going in search of more penicillin. I'll send over what I can."
"Okay, Hawkeye." Hawkeye hung up the phone.
"You're not going anywhere. You're getting a surgery and then having a rest," Colonel Lacy stated.
"Okay. Can you send my friend back after his surgery, along with some penicillin for the 4077th?"
"Fine with me however, you're in no condition to be moved."
Despite his assent, Hawkeye didn't let them put him under for surgery. They gave him a local anesthetic and fixed his leg. Hawkeye was not only in pain, but in danger of dying. Still, he kept thinking of the penicillin and all those sick patients. Hawkeye saw BJ lying on the next table. He saw how extensive BJ's surgery was. "Sorry, my friend...I wish I didn't have to lie to you. I know it would be better if I stayed with you but I've got to do this for the patients." With that Hawkeye was up and gone.
"8063rd calling Snow White; Snow White, are you there? This is Dopey, Over."
"I read you, Dopey. Over," Radar replied.
"We're sending over a few packages. Some penicillin boxes and one BJ Hunnicutt, copy?"
"Loud and clear, how are you delivering repeat, how are you delivering? Over."
"By chopper Snow White, over."
"I copy Dopey, over."
"Over and out, Snow White." Radar ran into Colonel Potter's office.
"What is it, Radar?" The Colonel asked.
"A chopper is bringing in BJ and the penicillin. You want me to get team one ready to meet them?"
"No, team one just got out of surgery. Send team two."
"Attention, all personnel, only one chopper today. Repeat: only one. Team two report to the pad."
They got BJ into post-op with the penicillin, which was distributed to what patients it would cover. The worst got it first. Margaret was tucking BJ in. Potter sat down beside him. "BJ?"
"He's just getting his hearing back. You'll have to get close," Margaret said. Her voice was soft and calm. It hid her intense worry for Hawkeye. She had tried not to worry, but that hadn't worked, so she was carefully hiding it instead.
"What?" BJ said as he tried to sit up. Colonel Potter sat closer and projected his voice a little bit more. That, of course, meant that he yelled in BJ's ear.
"Are you okay, son?"
"I'm almost fine, now. Where's Hawkeye? I think he was worse than me, but he tried to hide it. Did you get the penicillin?"
"Not entirely. Look, I'll be back soon. Don't worry about Hawkeye. Colonel Potter went over to see Radar. Opening the office door, he called out, "Radar, get--"
He was interrupted just then. "Colonel Lacy's on the phone, sir. He wants to know why you called."