Chapter 2: The Discovery
As Manfred’s examination continued, the situation quickly became much more serious. Dr. Carson decided to strip away his uniform to get a better look at the injury. As he cut away the fabric, he was met with an odor unlike anything he had ever experienced before. The air in the room became thick with the unmistakable scent of decaying flesh.
This wasn’t a common infection. This wasn’t just a battlefield wound gone bad. It was something much worse.
The intake tent, filled with other patients, fell into a stunned silence. The medical staff exchanged confused and horrified glances. Dr. Carson, recognizing the gravity of the situation, immediately called for assistance. Several senior doctors came over to inspect the wound, and the consensus was unanimous: Manfred’s spine was rotting.
The wound, originally a small scratch sustained during the chaos of battle, had festered into something much more serious. Manfred’s body had been slowly eaten away by what appeared to be a form of necrosis, affecting his spinal cord and threatening to paralyze him from the waist down if not treated immediately.
