(12:23:27 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *waking up once more, i stretch and sit up. a lot seems to be going on, packing and cleaning and so on. i over hear some of the other slaves saying that bandages still needed to be washed but there was so much going on with making the winter camp ready that for now it must wait. waving to one of the kajirae, i ask softly if i could help.* i could wash those bandages, if someone will help me. i mean, not with the washing, but with a couple of tubs of water, i dont think im quite up to packing gallons of water yet. but i could sit and wash some cloths. its something to get done and that way, im not in anyones way. *the girl nods and smiles, saying thats one less thing for her to do. she goes out of the wagon and after a few minutes, returns, telling me that two tubs of warm water had been put next to the special medical wagon.* alright. *standing, i move to the door of the wagon and she follows me. after i climb down, she hands me the dirty bandages and then climbs down herself. we walk to the new wagon and she shows me where the soap is and tells me to boil the bandages when i am done washing them. she also points out that in the first tub there are rocks in the bottom that have been cleaned. they are for scrubbing the bandages on to make sure that all the meds and blood get out of them. i thank her as she scurries off to do her work*
(12:42:45 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *the young woman stops, then turns and comes back* im sorry... *she says* i am so busy my brain has stopped working a bit. after you wash and rinse the cloths have a thrall dump the water in the right place. *i blink* a thrall? *i ask* yes, a youngish male slave that most of the Mistresses dislike. if you see a Mistress fussing at a male, its most likely a thrall. *nodding, i smile* okay. what else? *she grins at my eagerness* after you boil the bandages, rinse them in the cooler water and ring them out. then hang them in the wagon right there. *she points to the medical wagon and i nod* okay.
(12:54:42 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *with the last of the instructions out of the way, she does indeed hurry off to do her chores and i get to mine. i set the basket of bandages next to the first tub of water, so they look like this O O O, and get out the first cloth. i sink it deep into the water, which is just hot enough to make my hands tingle, not hot enough to burn, but hot enough to stay hot a while. as the first cloth soaks, i pick up the soap and lift it to my nose, breathing in the clean medicinal of antibiotical soap. smiling, i dip my hand back into the water and pull out the cloth. i hold it in one hand and the soap in the other and rub them together vigirously, lathering up the fabric violently. setting the soap on the side of the tub, i reach back into the tub and gather a hand of pebbles. wrapping the cloth around them, i rub the bandage around the marble shaped rocks, feeling them roll and grind the dirtiness out of the cloth
(13:08:20 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *after several minutes, i hold up the cloth, making sure that any stains are soaped away. seeing that they are, i wring the cloth out and then move it to the rince barrel. once there, i swirl and ring the bandage to get the soap out. after the water rinses clear from the cloth, i stand and move to the boiling kettle of water that is over a fire to make sure it stays boiling. i gently lower the cloth into the water, taking care to not spash myself. once the fabic is submerged, i return to kneeling infront of the washing tubs starting on the second cloth. the washing is time consuming, but not hard. i listen to the sounds about the camp, a unknown tune humming out of my throat, soft and entrancing. it kind of sounds like twinkle, twinkle little star. the washing moves along quickly, going from one tub to another, and to the fire.*
(13:16:33 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *about half way through the basket of dirty bandages, i notice that the fire has burnt down quite a bit. i look around and spot a pile of fire wood near the wagon. walking over to it, i reach down and lift a few logs, holding them to my body gently to spare myself splinters. then i walk to the fire, setting the wood down next to the fire, i pause for a moment. looking around, i see a metal poker and grab it up. i set a log as close to the fire as i can without getting burnt, then take the poker and shove the wood the rest of the way under the pot of water, stirring up some of the embers to get the fire going again. once all the wood is under the pot and the fire is roaring hot once more, i set the poker down and go back to finnishing the washing.*
(13:25:08 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *soon all the bandages are washed and in the kettle of boiling water. i remove the stones from the dirty water and drop them into the boiling pot and put the soap on a dish that was sitting next to the pot. i wave to a thrall and he saunders over. i poilitely ask him to take the dirty water and dump it and he nods, wordlessly, turning to do it. i also turn and start to stir the boiling bandages with a long handled spoon that looks like its made of a hard wood, or maybe bone. after stirring the pot of fabric for some minutes, i use the spoon to remove the steaming hot cloths and put them in the cooling water tub. soon the cloths are cooled and i look around*
(13:32:55 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: i need a clean basket to put these bandages into... *i mutter to myself and wander over to the med wagon. climbing up and entering it, i see several baskets stacked neatly and pick one up, then go back outside. i set the basket next to the cool tub of water and then stand in front of them. i pull the first cool cloth out of the tub and fold it in half a few times. my hands then find the ends of the bandage and then i begin to slowly twist the fabric, watching the clear water run back into the tub. when the water has stopped dripping, i move the cloth the the awaiting basket and move on to the next one*
(13:49:09 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *once more, the time passes as i hum and listen to the sounds of a camp being made and set to rights. once the wash has been wrung out as best i can, i pause and look at my hands. they are wrinkley from being in the water for so long, but it will be worth it when i am done. i pick up the now heavier basket and hual it to the wagon. i prop open the door and lift the basket up to the enterance, sliding it in so i can come in behind it. i werrily climb into the wagon once more and then sit on the floor next to the basket to rest, panting softly. my breath is a bit fast, still having problems breathing freely from my chest cold. once i have gotten my breath back, i stand and look around.* ahh, there we go... *i find a bag of clothes pins and then move to a line. taking up the first bandage, i spread it out and smooth it some so it doesnt dry wrinkled. then i pin it to the line and move to the next one. soon all the cloths are hung to dry and i peek around. i return the now empty basket to its original pile and find a small hand broom. i very carefully sweep the dirt i tracked in out the door, making sure to not stir it up so that it doesnt get on the now clean cloths that are hanging a few feet away.*
(13:53:29 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *yawning, i look around and then smile. im not quite done yet, but this is fine. i move to a corner and lay down to sleep a bit with the fabric strips dry. it shouldnt take to long, seeing as there is a breeze moving through the wagon, although i cant tell where its coming from because i see no windows. my body curls into a small ball and soon i am fast asleep.*
(14:14:10 )
onyx
{MTC}
mat-tp
: *about a hour later, my eyes blink open and i sit up. after a quick stretch, i stand and move to the hanging bandages. my now not pruney hands slide over the smooth fabric, testing the dryness of them. i am pleased to find that they are dry and ready to be rolled up for use. i hang the bag that the clothes pins were in on the wire and unpin the first cloth. i look around and see a waist high shelf and grin.* thats perfict.. *i say to myself, moving over to it, i lay the bandage out flat on it and then move to get one of the baskets once more. setting it at the end of the shelf, i move to the begining of the fabric and start to roll it up into a neat and ready to use bandage for the healers. once it is rolled, i set it in the basket and move to the next one, my small asembly line working perfectly. when the second bandage has been rolled, i place it snuggly next to the first to keep them from coming undone. next thing i know, all the bandages are rolled. i pit the bag of clothes pins back where i got it and pick up the basket of bandages, heading for the door. i make once last look around the wagon to make sure everything is in the same places they were when i came in, then climb out of the wagon and head back to wagon i had been spending most of my time in. once there, i look for the girl who helped me to start with. she looks up and smiles, coming over* this is good, thank you. *she takes the basket ffrom me and wrinkles her nose a bit* when did you last eat? go sit andi will bring you some stew. *i do as she says, smiling greatfully when the food is brought. after the first yummy bite, my mind is consumed with only the thought of eating the scrumptious stew*
