[Gone with the Wind] Back to the beginning

"You seem to be in a good mood today." Tommy Wellborn said with a smile. "Scarlett, what's the fun?"

"Aren't you happy to be discharged from the hospital?" Scarlett smiled.

Today she came to the hospital to take care of the wounded as usual.Although the current situation is becoming more and more severe, the not-so-distant memories that are treasured in her heart flash from time to time, and Scarlett can still feel the sweetness and joy.

The conversation last night ended with that kiss, not lingering, but tender and tender enough for the two to exchange scents and feelings.Although they didn't say a word, they could both see the undisguised emotion in each other's eyes.Rhett and Scarlett's relationship has now reached a delicate point - mutual liking, restrained intimacy without any commitment for the time being.

It was just a simple kiss, so simple that it could even be classified as etiquette, it could not measure the depth of emotion, nor could it express the fiery love.No one is the first to admit love, because the problems that come with it cannot be dealt with at this moment.They only defined the area where they liked each other, but they didn't know how many steps the other party had taken.

Obviously, both of them enjoy the current relationship, although they know that the future of this tacit understanding must be a compromise of one party, or a complete severance of contact.But for now at least Scarlett didn't have to think that far ahead.After all, this is a crumbling city, and there are so many dangers waiting to pounce on her besides love.It took all of Scarlett's strength to handle it.

After the kiss last night, they had a brief conversation, mostly about medication and when they were leaving town.Rhett told her the medicine would be available the next evening, and he would bring it to her himself.Scarlett begged him to find a good horse as soon as possible, but Rhett told her with a smile that all the horses in the city were requisitioned by the army, and his was no exception, even if they were found, they could not keep them.

"But don't worry, Scarlett," he said, laughing. "I'll get you the horse, just later."

Although she was worried about this kind of instability that could not be grasped in her hands, Scarlett still trusted Rhett, and besides, there was no other better way now.She could only agree temporarily.

Back to this moment.

"But Tommy," Scarlett frowned, and asked worriedly, "Are you going to be transferred to the front line immediately? Your injury is obviously not healed yet, and if you are not careful, you will get to the root of the disease."

Tommy pressed his leg, there was still a faint throbbing pain there, but it was about to be soaked in the mud again soon.The blond young man smiled and said, "Thank you for taking care of me these days, Scarlett. But please don't worry, I'm glad the Confederation needs me now."

Scarlett has now learned to accept the loyalty and patriotism of her friends, but she still suffers from it.

"The front line is short of manpower, and the wounded must also step up?"

"That's right. I'm late for returning to the team, and the situation is indeed not good." Tommy said, "But don't worry, as long as we have a breath, we will always protect you. This is the promise of the southern soldiers."

Seeing Scarlett's silence made Tommy Wellborn feel a little guilty.Gentlemen shouldn't make girls feel uncomfortable, he changed direction, pretending to be relaxed and said:

"Don't worry, Scarlett. You know it's going to pass, anyway—when the war's over, we'll be riding and hunting and dancing. You'll still have a bunch of people coming to ask you to dance, think about it This one will be much happier. Pretty green dress, and lambskin boots, right? Then, for the sake of our good friends, can you dance with me?"

Scarlett smiled, albeit bitterly: "Of course, Tommy."

"Remember that charity bazaar?" Tommy blinked mischievously suddenly, "Mr. Rhett Butler and I bid to invite you to dance—" He shrugged regretfully, "Unfortunately, we failed. You danced with him all night, and even I, a loser, tried to save face by congratulating myself—and couldn't find a chance."

It was obviously a joke, and Scarlett also laughed easily: "I'm so sorry, Tommy." She also blinked quickly, "But at that time, there were many people who wanted to ask me to dance, and I didn't know you yet. "

"The number one beauty in Atlanta." Tommy shook his head and smiled, his eyes fell on the bandage on his arm.There was no gauze in the city to bandage his wound, and even this bandage was a luxury.And yet—he was getting serious, anyway, this was the fight of the South, and it was his Tommy Wellburn fight.

Once it has started, it will never retreat.

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On the morning of August [-]th, Scarlett walked hurriedly down the street.The sound of cannons rumbled outside the city like rolling thunder, occasionally a few rounds fell into the city, passers-by and some pedestrians also calmly avoided, patted the ashes and walked forward.

Tommy Wellborn and other wounded soldiers who had recovered their basic combat capabilities had already supported the front line. The city lacked medical care and medicine, and most of the people had fled, making it even more lifeless.The scorching sun made people dizzy and their heartbeat flustered and rapid.The Pentagonal Square in the distance was full of voices and chaos.The cursing and pleading of the seriously wounded soldier was carried far away by the wind, making Scarlett very upset.The situation in the city is really dire, and the hospital under shelling can no longer hold the constant stream of wounded.So they could only be spread out on the edge of the railway tracks, burned by the scorching sun, waiting for limited doctors to heal them one by one.Most of them died from lack of water and the sun, but where would enough care be noticed?

"Mrs. Meade?" Scarlett immediately recognized the figure in the carriage ahead, and Scarlett hurriedly greeted her.But the strange thing is that Mrs. Meade didn't answer at all—as if she turned a blind eye to her. Scarlett was feeling strange when she suddenly saw old Talbot's face was full of tears, and Betsy also looked sad—God!Wasn't it Phil Meade lying on her lap?

"Mrs. Meade! Mrs. Meade!" An ominous premonition flashed through my heart, and my vague memory seemed to be verifying the most terrible fact.Scarlett trotted anxiously all the way to Mrs. Meade's carriage, "What's going on? How about Phil—can I help?" She asked with a little luck.Phil!He was the only surviving son of Mrs. Meade and Dr. Meade, and he was only fifteen!

"Ah, it's you, Scarlett." Mrs. Meade finally noticed her, and replied slowly, as if overwhelmed by grief, "Phil is seriously injured, and I want to take him home."

When she said this, the youngest son's pale hand was sticking to her face, that cold and lifeless face was full of despair and serenity at the moment.Already at the door of Meade's house, Betsy carefully hugged Phil and got out of the car, while Mrs. Meade gently stroked a strand of blond hair on her son's forehead.She turned her head away, and calmly spoke to old Talbot:

"Hurry up and return the carriage to the hospital, we have been delayed for a long time."

After saying this, she hugged her son's head, tears ran down her tired face with deep wrinkles, and the lady with silver curly hair closed her eyes.The black slave cried and carried the little master into the house, Phil slept peacefully.

"I still remember that when Darcy was beaten to death, and Phil shouted that he wanted to go to the front line to avenge and was stopped." Scarlett thought sadly, "But in the end, such a young child was still conscripted by the army. Gone? Phil is still so young!"

"Mrs. Meade, Mrs. Meade!" Scarlett couldn't help pleading, "Phil is still alive, and I'll come back to Dr. Meade in a minute. The doctor will save him, Mrs. Meade! I will run all the way there." !"

Mrs. Meade opened her eyes, a little dazed.In the end, her distracted eyes focused on Scarlett. She shook her head lightly, and said dully:

"It's useless, I know the injury, it's hopeless. And—there's no medicine."

Behind her, old Betsy blew her nose loudly and sobbed.Cannonballs are exploding one after another, fireworks are rising in the distance, and the imperial doctor at noon is scorching hot and dazzling.Scarlett bit her lip tightly, she closed and opened her eyes, and suddenly ran.

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The sun was scorching, and the heat wave was smoky.The red soil rose up and was buried up to the ankle.Scarlett ran all the way with her skirts in her hands, her bodice stretched almost as tight as nerves, and she was almost out of breath.But unable to stop, she walked through the chaos of the Pentagon, all the way to the train station.All they met along the way were ambulances and stretchers, and the rampage caused panic.Scarlett moved away distractedly.After walking around the Atlanta Hotel, she raised her head and took a deep breath. For a moment, she had a panoramic view of the Atlanta train station.She stopped her foot suddenly, and couldn't help being shocked.

Hundreds of wounded soldiers lay head to shoulder, shoulder to shoulder, on both sides of the railroad tracks and sidewalks, in endless rows that stretched into the car sheds.Some were stiff and motionless, while more were groaning in pain under the sun.Cursing, screaming, feeble pleas, and the buzzing of mosquitoes disturbed and dizzy.The smell of sweat, blood, and defecation mixed into a disgustingly sweet smell that made people want to vomit.Doctors shuttled to and fro, grave, tired-looking, seemingly unresponsive to the world around them.What a hell, a hell of pain, stench, and screams!But she hardened her heart and went in.

too long!too difficult!Scarlett had to be careful not to step on the poor wounded soldiers.There are always hot hands stretched out, frantically whispering to her or God who doesn't know where she is for help, pleading but not worth the passing of life-God, she stepped over corpses, and also stepped over After passing through the wounded one by one, sometimes there is not much difference between the two in her heart.All this was so tragic, Scarlett recalled that Phil became more and more anxious, and shouted in the direction of the carport: "Dr. Meade! Is Dr. Meade there?"

A moment later, one of the swaying figures came towards her. It was Dr. Meade, that's great.He wore no coat, the sleeves rolled up to his shoulders, and his shirt and trousers were bloodstained like a butcher's, and even the tips of his iron-gray beard were stained with blood.He was weary, angry but full of pity.His face was ashen, his face was covered with grime, sweat rushed out of the gullies, but his voice was calm and firm.

"Thank God you're here. We're in need of help here."

Scarlett was at a loss for words for a moment, and suddenly didn't know how to speak.However, the doctor couldn't spare any effort to pay attention to her abnormality, he just turned around very tiredly, motioning for her to follow.This tragic image really touches people's hearts. The silent ghost, like a sleepwalker, doesn't know where to go.Scarlett was terrified, and she grabbed Dr. Meade's arm hastily, feeling that he was trembling with exhaustion, and she felt a chill in her heart.

"Doctor, you must go home—Phil's hurt, he's badly hurt. I just saw Mrs. Meade and Betsy carrying him home, Doctor!"