Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 134 )

Jack the Ripper – A Love Story ( Excerpt 134 )

  ‘I suppose I had better report to him and present my orders, for what its worth!’ I stated. ‘Yes, it won’t do to keep him waiting, or he’ll have you there under armed escort, and I’m not joking.’ replied Arthur. And so I took my leave temporarily and sought out the Commandant.

I left the make shift hospital and went in search of Headquarters, I stopped a soldier and asked for directions, ‘Follow me, Sir, and I’ll take you there, are you the new Doctor? if you are you’ll rue the day you ever came here!’

‘Why do you say that, soldier?’ I questioned his remark. ‘I am a professional soldier, I fought the Boers on the field of battle and I dare say I’ve killed a few, but this is different, I’ve got a Missus and kids back home, I’d hate to think they was being treated this way.’

‘I’m new here, so I don’t completely understand your meaning?’ I said. ‘I didn’t come to Africa to starve Women and children to death, that’s what I mean, but we’re just jailers, we don’t have no say in the matter.’ he replied sadly.

We stopped outside a brick building, ‘That’s Headquarters, Sir, best of luck,’ he said. I rapped on the door, a voice bellowed ‘Enter’ it was an Orderly Sergeant, ‘Can I help you, sir,’ he asked. ‘I am here to report and present my orders to the Commandant, I am the new Doctor!’ He knocked on an inner door and entered, returning almost immediately, ‘The Commandant will see you now Sir come through!’

(C) Damian Grange 2019