War Girls Complete Collection Chapter 211

Chapter 25: Stan

I

n January 1945 Anna stood beside Professor Scherer and a circle of doctors. Stan didn’t like the expression on her face one bit. This morning she’d come to change his bandages, and the stench of rotting flesh combined with the dark green pus seeping from the wound had put a frown on her otherwise beautiful face. This woman simply couldn’t hide her emotions.

“Herr Zdanek,” one of the doctors said with a grave voice, “your leg is gangrenous.”

Gangrenous

? Surely there was something they could do about it.

“We have run out of treatments to try. And at this point there’s nothing else we can do. The miraculous drug penicillin might have helped, but despite all our efforts we haven’t been able to secure a supply.”

Stan wondered at the truth of the words or whether they wouldn’t bother to go to the trouble for a prisoner of war, even though he allegedly was the godson of Churchill.

“What I want to say is that the infection is beginning to spread to the surrounding tissues, and we need to remove it.”

Remove the infection. Fine. Why are they making such a fuss about it

?

It wasn’t as if the doctors had consulted or even explained the treatments to him earlier. A horrible suspicion crept into his thoughts and he looked at Anna again. But she averted her eyes.

“So remove the infection,” Stan said.

The doctor gazed at Professor Scherer for help and the uneasy feeling in the pit of Stan’s stomach intensified.

“What Doctor Huber meant to say is we will have to amputate your leg to save your life.”

“You want to cut off my leg?” Stan hissed in shock.

Anna stepped forward, offering him what compassion she could. “It’s the only way to keep you alive. There’s no way to heal the tissues once gangrene sets in.”

“I’ll arrange it for this afternoon,” Professor Scherer stated and fled the room, the other doctors trailing behind

Anna lingered in the room. When the doctors left, she stepped beside his bed, sorrow etched deeply into her expression.

“Is this really the only way? I’ll be a useless cripple. A burden for my family.” He closed his eyes for a moment afraid he’d shed a tear if he kept looking at her. Who would care for him? Anna? His brother? His sister? They had enough on their hands without the encumbrance of a cripple in the family.

Anna clasped his hand for a moment before she met his eyes. “This is not the end of the world. You can walk with crutches. But you’ll be alive to do it.”

“Better to let me die.” Stan flopped back against the pillow turning his head away. He wouldn’t be a real man anymore without his leg. He’d be a shamed and ridiculed good-for-nothing.

“Stan. Please look at me. You’re such a strong man; you can master this. Even without your leg, you’ll still be strong and have much to offer this world. Your family loves you. Jan needs you.”

Stan scoffed. “Nobody needs a cripple. Leave me alone.”

Anna’s mouth opened, but no words came out and she bowed her head with a sad smile before she left his bedside. Stan didn’t care. He wouldn’t be a burden to anyone. If it were up to him, they could just let him rot away. But if he died, Peter’s sacrifice would be in vain.

And that burdened his soul more than anything else.

Could he really betray his brother by not embracing the chance to live?

In the afternoon

a tousled mop of dark hair peeked inside the room.

“Hello, Jan,” Stan said.

“Anna told me they have to cut off your leg.” The boy came to Stan’s bed.

Stan grimaced. “They should just let me die.”

“No! You can’t say that, Uncle Stan.” Jan’s eyes widened in horror. “You can’t leave me alone.”

You’re not alone. You still have Anna and her family

, Stan wanted to answer but thought better of it. He gave a heavy sigh. “I won’t be of much use to anyone…”

“That’s not true.” Jan violently shook his head. “See how fast I can run with one leg.” He hopped across the room on one leg, making Stan chuckle.

“See? You just have to exercise a bit and you can be even faster than I am.”

If only it were that easy

. Stan didn’t have the heart to disappoint the eager boy with adult worries. Hopping fast across the room didn’t make one a man. Being able to work and support his family did. Who would employ a cripple without formal education? At twenty-six years of age all he’d learned was how to tend a farm and how to fight.

With only one leg he wouldn’t be able to do either one. Instead of one day having his own family he’d live his life at the charity of relatives who’d kindly shelter and feed him. Thanks, but no thanks.

Jan returned to his side and wrapped his skinny arms around Stan. “Anna said you promised my dad that you’d take care of her and me until he returns.”

“I did,” Stan said through gritted teeth. Obviously Anna had primed the boy.

“And promises have to be kept, right?”

“Right.”

His naïve gaze stared Stan down. “But you can’t do this when you’re dead.”

“Right.”

Jan raised his head, his glacial blue eyes shiny. “So you let them do whatever they need to keep you alive. Promise?”

“Alright.” Stan sighed. He was powerless against the determination of his nephew.

“Swear it,” Jan demanded.

“I swear I will do everything to stay alive.” They shook hands and Stan managed a faint smile. “Are you satisfied now?”

“Very much. I’ll come and visit you every day until you can leave the hospital.”

Another thought sent shivers down Stan’s spine. Even if he completely healed and was allowed to leave the hospital, where would they send him? He was still a prisoner of war, albeit a very privileged one.

Later, when Jan had left, Stan relapsed into his tortured thoughts. Anna meant well and her visits were welcome, but the bright spot in his existence was Jan. Every day Jan’s energy, determination and zest for life amazed Stan.

After all Jan had been through, he should be broken. Desolate. Terrified. But he was nothing like that. If Jan could be a happy boy after his awful ordeal, maybe Stan himself could experience joy again even after having his leg amputated?

When they came for him in the afternoon, he wasn’t so sure anymore.