The War Continues for Nurse Jenny Ch. 02

Book Two, Chapter Two

This is a fictional account. Sorry for the delay but I tried to include pictures to augment the story but either Literotica or I can't seem to figure it out so here it is again without the illustrations.

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May shook Jenny's foot, waking her all too early. At least that was what Jenny thought as she moaned and tried to roll over.

"Get up, both of you," May yelled.

"It can't be time already," Jenny heard Bea say.

Jenny had not slept well. Her sexual frustration, after witnessing the sordid activities of Viv and Dorrie in the showers last night, had her tossing and turning for a while before she finally fell asleep. Bea must have had the same reaction, because she seemed to be in the same sleepy state.

"Can't we have five more minutes?" Jenny pleaded with May.

"Suit yourself but, if you want breakfast before the start of our twelve hour shift, you better get your buns out of bed, both of you," May proclaimed.

"You'd make a good head nurse," Bea stated as she sat up in bed. "You've got the crabby discipline down, already."

Jenny laughed but May shot back, "If I didn't have to head nurse you, all would be well."

"Now, now; only fooling with you," Bea claimed.

"Well, if you hadn't been fussing so much last night before falling asleep, you might feel better," May quipped. "I heard you jumping around in bed before I fell asleep."

"Yeah, I was a bit restless," Bea admitted smiling wearily.

"Me too," Jenny agreed.

"I think I was dreaming about riding Prince," Bea said, but laughed right away.

"Is Prince your horse back home?" May asked naively.

"No. This was Prince Charming," Bea exulted.

Jenny laughed heartily but May only frowned. "Funny, Bea," she said.

The nurses got up, and it took all three of them to wake Viv and Dorrie. With the oppressive heat, everyone started the day with a shower. The nurses all made their way across the short field in robes for their short window of free time in the showers, each thinking in their own minds about the night before. Two of them had wild sex in the showers, with lots of guys, after the party. The others had witnessed it all, and had run across this very field in the dark, to keep from being caught spying on them.

May and Bea were the quickest and grabbed the first two showers. Jenny and Dorrie beat Viv, so she had to wait for a stall to open up. However, this put Jenny and Dorrie in one of the two back stalls. Jenny looked up to the hole, expecting to see an eye peering in, but there was none. Even so, it made her nervous to strip before entering the shower.

Jenny took a quick shower and Viv was able to follow her. When Jenny exited the shower, she once again glanced to the hole, hoping not to see someone watching her drying off. As Jenny dried, she watched Viv drop her robe and enter the shower. She tried not to stare but, when she saw the bluish bruises on Viv's tits, she couldn't help herself. As Viv entered the shower and closed the curtain, Jenny also saw a few other bruises on her hips and rear. 'My god,' Jenny thought. 'What do those guys do to her?'

From that point, onward, the day quickly resembled so many others. Fresh wounded and sick arrived almost constantly, from either Guadalcanal or ships. The nurses worked without break until 1:30, when they got a half-hour break for lunch. To have even five minutes to themselves before needing to head back, they all hurried each day to the mess hall to grab food fast. The mess hall was open about twenty hours a day, so there was always food.

The nurses grabbed their plates of the day's surprise food and headed to a far table. They liked to sit alone despite offers constantly from the Marines and sailors. If they ate quickly, they had time for two cigarettes for those who smoked and a few minutes of conversation, if they hurried. Jenny was sitting near Viv when Dorrie got up to get more juice and talk with a sailor over a cigarette. The sailor, who May liked, joined May and Bea at the table which gave Viv and Jenny a moment alone.

"Still think I'm wrong about one of us not making it, after living in this hell hole for a while?" Viv stated.

"I don't know if you're right or wrong," Jenny replied, "but I certainly pray you're wrong."

"It might surprise you, I do too," Viv allowed. "I hope I'm wrong, too, but I know differently."

"Any clue who, or why?" Jenny asked, and then thought better. "On second thought, don't tell me. I don't want to know. That would be even worse."

"No, not yet, so you're safe," Viv said.

They were silent for a minute as Viv smoked and Jenny stared off into the distance by the docks. It was a bright sunny day and, under different circumstances, Jenny could see herself at the beach or on a picnic, enjoying the beautiful hot day.

"You noticed earlier," Viv claimed.

"Noticed what?"

"In the showers, you noticed my bruises."

"Yes."

"You probably guessed how I got them, huh?" Viv queried.

"Yes," Jenny said, but didn't tell they had watched too.

"It's okay," Viv said.

"Why do you let them hurt you?" Jenny asked.

"They don't mean to. It's only play and some of it actually feels good. They're just drunk, mostly, and don't realize how hard sometimes," Viv professed, but sadly.

"Viv, are you okay? Why do you let them do it to you like that?"

"I guess I just don't care, Jenny. I'd rather give these poor suckers a good time than worry about myself. Maybe it's why I'm here, in the first place. Dorrie, too. We're only nurses during the day. Sometimes I wonder if our real duty isn't to allow these poor bastards a minute or two of pleasure before they potentially sacrifice themselves. Some of 'em are gonna die, and they don't even really understand what they're sacrificing their lives for!"

"You and Dorrie can't single-handedly solve all their problems, or please all these guys," Jenny stated.

"We know that. But at least we can give a few of them some fun, before they die. You know some are still virgins?" Viv said, but again sadly.

"I feel for them, like you do, but I can't ... "

"Bring yourself to fuck a bunch of them at one time? No ... I guess that falls on whores like Dorrie and me, do to it. You're better than we are, Jenny. You need to stay ... "

"How am I better than you two?" Jenny demanded. "We're the same ... "

"Time to go," May shouted, interrupting their conversation.

"You're better. Don't try to fight it, any more than we don't try to fight who we are."

"You're better than that," Jenny claimed. "You deserve everything that the rest of us ..."

"Jenny, we're meant to do this. Don't you see? It's fate, for Dorrie and me, just as it's your fate to be held to a higher standard. Embrace who you are, Jenny, just like we do," Viv said as they started walking back.

Viv's words troubled Jenny for the rest of the shift. How was it that Jenny's fate was different than Viv's or Dorrie's. Why wasn't she acting like a slut, and fucking or blowing guys at random. Nothing about their reality made sense to her, yet in a different way Viv was right, and everything was taking its proper course. 'Is this the meaning of life?' she thought. 'Is Viv so insightful as to see it before and better than I can? If so, why isn't Viv the one held to a higher standard and me, the slut?'

August was now a distant memory and September was upon them, as the nurses carried on their daily duties on Tulagi. The base was expanding constantly, and more Marines and sailors were added to Major Russ Felton's brigade all the time. They were expanding the docks to allow for bigger ships. Supplies and personnel were constantly moving in or out. The campaign was advancing from the earliest days.

Henderson Field had been operational since the latter part of August. It was used to press the attack on the Japanese ground forces on Guadalcanal, and also to harass Japanese shipping and resupply attempts. The Japanese did manage to get supplies through, mostly at night, but the costs in planes, ships, and men were staggering. The repeated Japanese attempts to bomb Henderson Field produced an astonishing number of bomb craters around the airstrip, but never managed to stop its operation for long.

Allied Forces, aided by British and local scouts, started to take the fight to the Japanese on Guadalcanal. They were able to break out of their defensive positions around the airstrip and push the Japanese back into the jungles and hills. Fierce fighting resulted, every day, as the Japanese knew the loss of Guadalcanal to the Allies would be a severe blow to their presence in the area. It would also give the Allies a strategic airfield from which to harass Japanese shipping and supply lines.

The basic operation, code named Watchtower, had been a success. The Allies had surprised the Japanese, and quickly gained the upper hand on Guadalcanal and Tulagi.

The battle for Tulagi had lasted only days, but had produced the fiercest initial fighting. It had begun with an amphibious landing on the southwestern shore, and a bombardment of the approximate 500 elite Japanese Special Landing Forces stationed there.

The Marines had spread out to form battle lines, and then advanced on the Japanese positions. Heavy fighting followed, but the superior numbers of the Marines managed to force the Japanese defenders onto the southeastern part of the small island. It took several days to end the fight and in the end 45 Marines had died. Only a handful of Japanese troops survived to be taken prisoner.

The tiny island of Tulagi became a valuable part of the overall plan for the campaign to retake the Solomons. Only two miles long and several hundred yards wide, it had ideal protected waters where damaged ships could be repaired. It soon served as an important base of operations for short-ranged Patrol Torpedo boats. These boats would prove to be a great asset in the battles for Guadalcanal and later in the campaigns in the Central Solomon Islands. The Allies would make use of the other nearby islands too, such as Florida Island, but Tulagi would be crucial in the Allies' war effort.

The nurses had seen many changes to the tiny island in their brief time on shore. In addition to the work on the docks and the use of the island for supplies, a recreational facility was planned. When Charlotte broke the news to the nurses, they were elated. Despite the parties, there had been little to do on the island. The increase in personnel soon brought more nurses too. The increased numbers meant that shifts could be reduced and days off were possible. The island had some nice beaches and the nurses were looking forward to the days they might be able to use them.

Despite the increased number of nurses, the workload in the hospital was non-stop. The increase in combat assured that a nearly constant stream of wounded kept them all busy most of the time, and crazy-busy at others. Jenny was getting used to her operating room duties. It troubled her that the blood and carnage of so many of the Marines seemed less noticeable to her. As the weeks became months, she had seen it all: limbs blown off, stomach wounds that gaped open, eye wounds, and everything in between. It troubled her deeply that she could be so callous and unaffected by the misery and suffering of these soldiers but, to do her job properly, she had to be.

They all got to know the other nurses despite working separate shifts. Charlotte kept the original group all together, knowing she would have a rebellion on her hands if she tried anything different, and put the new group on second shift. Night fighting was as fierce as that during the day, on Guadalcanal, but evacuation of the wounded was far more difficult and often waited until sunrise. Thus, second shift was usually slower than first shift. Because the daytime influx of wounded was the heaviest, she kept the more experienced team on days.

The new recruits of nurses had gone through San Diego, just like them. With that in common, they struck up friendships with the other team. Bonnie, Jackie, and Darla were from the Midwest, like Jenny, May, and Bea. Rose and Thelma were from back east, near Charlotte, in North Carolina. This was their first assignment since being recruited, so Charlotte was constantly working their shift to train them. With Charlotte's heavy schedule, she needed someone to be in charge of first shift. Jenny was the logical choice given her assignment, and duties in the OR. Jenny was promoted to Petty Officer, Second Class, and put in charge of the day team when Charlotte wasn't there. Jenny was happy for the increased pay, some of which she sent back home, but didn't like having to tell her friends what to do.

The slightly reduced workload resulting from the additional nursing staff gave them all a little more free time. They eagerly watched the construction crews putting up some new buildings for recreational activities. The Solomon Islands now boasted a strong sizable force of Allied Forces despite the fleet's being away on other operations. The original waves of Marines on Guadalcanal were finally being relieved from duty for some much needed rest. Many of the ones that made it to the base on Tulagi had all sorts of problems, ranging from disease and tropical infections to malnutrition. Those with psychological problems were the worst, for the nurses. They could treat the men for what ailed them, but not for what plagued them.

Parties grew more frequent, and were not just limited to weekends. They sprung up as soon as a few people had some time off, something to drink and, hopefully, one or more of the nurses there to socialize with. Dorrie and Viv were increasingly popular, and their exploits were well known, though in hushed tones, on the base. Charlotte knew what was going on, as did her beau, Doctor Sanford, but they looked the other way, as did Major Felton.

Felton had begun calling on Jenny, frequently. They would go for long walks on the beach, talking about many things but all the time growing closer. May was seeing one particular Marine stationed at the base, and Bea was frequenting many of the parties Viv and Dorrie went to. Bea usually managed to escape with just one guy, though, and left the gang bangs to Viv and Dorrie. Even so, she was friendly now with several men who all wanted her attentions.

The new girls fit in, after they learned the ropes and Rose even attended a few of the parties with Viv and Dorrie. Rose was shorter, like Bea, with nice breasts, and Thelma was a tall thin girl with shoulder length hair. She had a smallish figure, but that didn't stop the guys from whistling at her or trying to get dates. Bonnie and Jackie were also tall, but with better figures, and were very cute. Darla was smaller and more plain, but had a funny nature about her that made her good company.

Guadalcanal was the scene of fierce fighting each night. The Japanese fought hard to regain the island, and poured troops and equipment into the fray in a desperate attempt to push the Allies from the island and reclaim the all-important airstrip. The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, realizing the importance of Guadalcanal to the region and the Allies, deployed available elements of the 17th Army, stationed out of Rabaul and fighting in New Guinea, to take on the task of overrunning the American positions on Guadalcanal and either retaking or destroying the airfield.

The first of those Japanese troops to arrive was the 28th Infantry under the command of Colonel Ichiki. It was a regiment-sized force of 917 men, and they landed via destroyers near Taiva Point, east of the Ilu River. Severely underestimating the size of the American forces they confronted, Ichiki attacked the Allied defensive positions in the predawn hours of August 21st . His troops suffered heavy losses and, when the Marine units counteracted after daybreak they managed to kill all but 128 of the Japanese, including Colonel Ichiki. The remaining Japanese fled back to Taiva Point to await further reinforcements. This engagement eventually became known as the Battle of Tenaru.

A further part of the offensive planned by the Japanese was to deliver 1,900 troops from Truk to Guadalcanal, using three slow-moving transport ships. The transports were being protected by a naval force consisting of thirteen ships under the command of Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka. As further protection, the Japanese Navy sortied three carriers and thirty other ships to guard the landing force.

In response, Admiral Fletcher combined three U.S. carrier groups and met the Japanese offensive in what would become known as the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. In one of the biggest naval battles since Midway, the carrier groups exchanged blows before retreating. The Japanese lost one carrier and Tanaka's convoy suffered heavy losses, including the sinking of one of the transports. The remaining convoy was forced to abort the landings on Guadalcanal and divert to the Shortland Islands for later redeployment, by destroyers, to Guadalcanal. This was hugely strategic to the war, as the Japanese would not be able to land much needed supplies and material now using destroyers only.

Once again, in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, the planes from Henderson Field proved invaluable in the defense of Guadalcanal and the Solomons. The U.S. aircraft and their crews, brought in all through August, were instrumental in harassing Japanese bombing attempts from Rabaul on the field, and on Japanese Naval shipping. In early September, the 1st Marine Air Wing came under the command of U.S. Marine Brigadier General Roy S. Geiger.

In early September, Major Russ Felton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, as the brigade forces on Tulagi expanded to support the campaign on Guadalcanal and in the Florida Islands. The pace of activities for the Colonel and Jenny gave them little time together, but they still tried to spend a little time each week. They spent long hours walking along the beach talking, mostly about the war. Colonel Felton had a good handle on the development of the war efforts on Guadalcanal and elsewhere in the Solomons and Jenny found it fascinating talking to him.

"What was the name of that place, again?" Jenny asked as they walked along the beach.

"Tenaru," the Colonel said. "They'll probably call it 'The Battle of Tenaru', once the brass-hats in the Pentagon have had time to analyze everything that happened during the fighting."

"Do you think Admiral Fletcher redeemed himself, with his strategy in the Eastern Solomons, for pulling back from Guadalcanal too quickly after the landing?" Jenny asked.

"Time will tell, Jenny, but the Japanese are still determined to recapture Guadalcanal and push us out of the Solomons," Russ stated.

"Do you think we're in danger, here on Tulagi?" Jenny questioned nervously.

"Jenny, we're in a forward position in the war, and the Japanese Navy still owns the Sealark Channel at night," Russ claimed. "You must hear the naval bombardments of Henderson field, practically every night."

"Yes, and thankfully they have not turned their guns on us, that much," Jenny stated.

"True. We've been spared the worst of the fighting, so far," Russ agreed.

"Do you think you will remain here on Tulagi?" Jenny asked.

"I don't know, Jenny. I hope so. There are plenty of officers who are anxious to taste battle. Personally, I see enough of this crazy war with the wounded here on Tulagi, to want to remain here. I am comfortable with my command, for now. Do you think I should push to get a battle command?"

"No! Definitely not! You're doing a great job here! You're needed here!" Jenny said emphatically.

"Good," the Colonel stated, laughing. "I'd hate to think you felt I was a coward, for remaining in command here."

"Never!" Jenny proclaimed.