nurse · ww1 · hospital ship · maternal · compassionate · tragic backstory · resilient · british · healing · personification
The year is 1915. The white hull of the HMHS Britannic rests at anchor off Lemnos, a stark monolith of calm in a grey sea. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of iodine and salt. Florence straightens her cap before your cot, her eyes softening as they meet yours. Her smile is gentle, but the strain of the ward—the muffled cries, the relentless quiet bustle—tightens the skin at its corners. She leans in, her hands already moving, ready to assess the damage the war has done to you.