Safe for now - Zelda

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

Area - Berlin, Germany
Weather - sunny
Time - 12:00pm

Another day of work in the courtyard of Otto and Zelda Wolff – it wasn’t too bad. It was much better then working in the camp. At least Joe would be safe here unless someone recognised him or the girl and alerted Strumfelder who would come marching down to kill both of them.

Well, that was what Joe was guessing, he wasn’t sure but he had a feeling that Otto would find out the truth some way or another, but did Otto have the heart to see the girl killed? Most likely the Nazi wouldn’t care at all if Joe was killed for Joe was a Jew and Jews were hated for some reason – turning Germany into a dying nation or something like that...

The courtyard was silent apart from the two guards who were standing at the gates chatting to each other. Joe was lifting up the stones one after the other and placing the newer ones in the correct place. It was back-breaking work but Joe was used to it by now, he had had a few days of the work anyway so that didn’t matter. He hadn’t seen the uniform from the camp for ages and it made him feel just a little bit freer now that he had civilian clothing on. He looked, dare he say it, like a servant of the apartments but he knew that that would never be.

The sun shone high in the sky, midday, food should be coming soon. Baring in mind Joe hadn’t had anything to eat since midday yesterday, he was starving and he stopped his work when he heard the door of Otto’s apartment open and the kitchen lady totter on to the yard. She carried a tray with a jug of water and a sandwich that from a far looked lovely but on closer inspection it was just two pieces of bread with butter in side.

She was weary of him, like she would catch a disease if she came any closer. She stopped, set the tray down on the ground a few metres from Joe, pointed at it and then turned quickly and tottered off back from where she had come.
Rolling his eyes, he made his way towards the tray and sat down on the cold stone to eat. The water wasn’t cold but it was refreshing at least. The bread was alright, the butter tasted off but Joe was so hungry that it didn’t matter. He crammed one side of the bread into his mouth as quickly as he could and sat chewing it slowly, swallowing it and then waited a few seconds for it to settle in his empty stomach before eating the other half slower.

[Zelda Wolff]

Zelda had been in the house all day, working on her own chores. Yes, she did have chores and she just hated others working on her house when she was out. They always put stuff in the wrong places and always did stuff the wrong way. Yes, Zelda did have to admit, she was a bit stubborn sometimes, but it was also her and Otto's house. She had been walking down and up the whole entire day, putting things in their places and making sure everything was perfect. She had seen Heidi a few times trotting up and down the house. Even though Zelda was doing all this work, she looked perfect. Her hair wasn't a mess and there wasn't a speck of dirt on her. She was just so calm whilst she was working. She hated working with such clumsiness.

A few minutes later, she plopped herself down on a random armchair and heaved out a huge sigh of relief. It was hard work, and not only that, the apartment was gigantic. She placed her hand on her stomach, there was something in there growing and not only that, but it was coming soon. She just knew it. She didn't want it though. That following day, she noticed the young girl sitting alone, doing nothing. She was going to work on her mothering skills. She kindly asked the girl if she wanted to do anything but it was then when Zelda remembered she had some things to do that day. She apologized and told Heidi that she should go out in the courtyard and play with Otto's dreadful dog, Luger.

Luger was always a nuisance in the house. He had always followed her around when she was doing something in a busy atmosphere. It was then when she noticed one of the women who worked in the kitchens walking by with a tray of food. Her eyes lingered on her for a few seconds. She noticed how she walked out into the courtyard. That's when she remembered Joe Claude. The man working on her and Otto's yard. She shot up. She had just remembered. With all her busy work, she focused on nothing but her work. She got up and walked over towards the window and gazed outside. There he was, having his lunch. She slightly smiled. He seemed quite young.

She decided to go visit him, although she didn't want to keep him away from his lunch. She walked out into the yard. "Erm, hello," She said with a strange German accent. She wanted to speak English. She was smiling her usual smile. She walked over and sat next to him. "Enjoying your lunch?" She asked with a calm tone of voice. Her sunny blonde hair was in it's usual state and her blue eyes twinkled as the rays of sunlight hit them. She just kept of smiling.

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

Joe had been eating so fast that he had begun to choke slightly and coughed a few times, dislodging the stuck food and letting it run down his throat and into his stomach. He must eat slower next time.

As he swallowed a bit of the second half of the bread he heard someone else walking across the courtyard towards him and saw that it was Otto’s beautiful wife Zelda. Joe personally thought that such a lovely and respected woman like Zelda should not be with Otto, he had thought that ever since he had first met her, and dare he say it he actually liked her, he hadn’t even spoken to her for more then three seconds and he still seemed to have feelings for her…but…no, she would never like a Jew…but she was kind and at the moment that was what mattered the most.

"Erm, hello,"

She spoke English? He had never known…did her husband know? That smile of hers was one to die for…she never seemed to stop smiling. She had come to sit next to him and he shuffled slightly but didn’t move away completely. ”Hello ma’am.” his American twang now all to pronounced.

”Enjoying your lunch?”

He looked down at the one slice of bread that was half eaten and then at the water, he shrugged his shoulders lightly, ”It’s alright I guess ma’am yes.” he nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. He looked away from her and fingered the bread; he ripped a piece from it and stuck it in his mouth, chewing slowly and silently.

”You look well.” he muttered, now looking over at her.

[Zelda Wolff]

”Hello ma’am.”

She smiled softly. "Oh, please don't call me the Corporal. I prefer Zelda. Ma'am just makes me feel so old and superior when I know I'm not," She let of out a soft chuckle. She knew he was a Corporal. Otto showed her his old status. She still thought of him as a Corporal. It was true, she hated being called ma'am or Fraulein or miss. It made her feel a bit too superior and she never liked thinking of herself as superior towards others. It was dreadful. She had never really spoken to Joe. She hated the fact that they were slightly distant and she just wanted to know him a bit more.

”It’s alright I guess ma’am yes.”

She nodded. "Good to hear," She had a very deep, lady-like German accent. She kept on smiling. Again, she never did stop smiling. She noticed the small smile that played on his lips. She liked to see people smiling. "I like your smile, sir. It reminds me of serenity. Yet again, this place is never serene. I think I heard a gunshot from somewhere a few minutes ago whilst I was inside cleaning," She sighed, relaxing whilst sitting on the rock. The place was dreadful. She didn't exactly want to know about the murder outside their home. The worst part was that it was right next to their house.

"You look well,"

She paused there for a few minutes, slightly blushing. "Thank you, young sir," She replied with a faint smile crossing her lips. The man was quite handsome. When he looked at her, it made redness run over her cheeks much more. She hadn't heard those words come out from a man's mouth in a long, long time. It sort of made her feel good and better. Even though she hadn't really spoken to the man many times, she felt terribly comfortable around him. It was really odd. Very odd.

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

Joe bit his lip, staring down at the plate now as she spoke. He raised an eyebrow at her when she spoke his proper rank. He laughed slightly and nodded, ”Alright ma’ – Zelda.” he caught himself before he said the word that she did not want to hear come out. She was not old, she was beautiful and young and full of life and energy like her husband was not.

”Good to hear.” she was being so kind…it made Joe feel for once comfortable and not scared of anyone.
"I like your smile, sir. It reminds me of serenity. Yet again, this place is never serene. I think I heard a gunshot from somewhere a few minutes ago whilst I was inside cleaning,"

Now that was unexpected but Joe liked what she said, ”No one has ever said that to me.” he said quietly, she was treating him like a human being not like a piece of dirt under one’s shoe, she was being so kind and sweet and loving that it made him feel or calm inside. ”I did hear a gunshot yes, but I don’t know where it came from.” he looked up and around the walled yard and then back to Zelda.

She saw her blush and his smile grew, he quickly looked away from her as he saw that he may have caused her to blush. ”You don’t have to call me “sir”, I’m not a sir, not any more.” no, he was filth apparently.

He ripped another piece of the bread from slice and stuffed it into his mouth but more politely now that she was here with him. He chewed and then swallowed, silence filled the yard now.

He looked over at her, seeing that a piece of hair had blown over her face, ever so slowly he put out a hand and gently moved the piece of hair away, putting it behind her ear. He suddenly realized what he was doing and went slightly red, biting his lip and looking away from her. ”S-sorry ma’ – Zelda.” he said quickly.

[Zelda Wolff]

”No one has ever said that to me.”

She slightly blushed. "Well maybe I'm quite lucky then," She smiled. "I thought people would of complemented on that before," She wasn't being an ass kisser, this was all from Zelda's heart. She kept blushing and she terribly wanted the crimson red to wear off but it seemed that it just couldn't. It was stuck onto her cheeks like glue and paper. She hated blushing. It made her feel like a little child and she certainly wasn't a little child. She bit the bottom of her lip and kept watching the Corporal's movements.

I did hear a gunshot yes, but I don’t know where it came from.”

She nodded. "I think it came somewhere from next door," She shrugged. "I think.." She glanced down at the ground. "I hate how they just murder innocent people on the streets. It's just plainly disgusting of them," Yes, she was slightly calling Otto a bit disgusting, but he wasn't like the others, he was different. At least he had the heart. She loved him for that. All of a sudden, she heard another gun shot. She shot up straight glancing around, feeling slightly frightened. "What was that?" She asked, getting a bit closer to Joe. She noticed a person running down the streets as she looked outside the gate where the two guards were talking. She felt a bit scared.

”You don’t have to call me “sir”, I’m not a sir, not any more.”

She shook her head. "No, I insist," She smiled again, revealing her pearly white teeth. She watched him eat his lunch. It was a bit cute. She just had an apple for lunch. She wasn't quite a heavy eater like Otto. When he got home he always demanded dinner, but that didn't bother Zelda a lot. She loved cooking, it was basically one of her hobbies. She glanced towards the backdoor leading towards the courtyards. She felt a cold breeze hit her body. She noticed one of the women walking out with a bunch of hangers. It was probably laundry time. The weather was tremendous that afternoon.

All of a sudden, a hair fell onto her face. She noticed how he had seen it and he reached to pull it out of the way. She didn't even wince, she just let him do it. She slightly blushed smiling. "No, thank you Joe," She gave out a light chuckle. Although, she didn't like her hair being out of place. It was one of those things that irked her. She didn't know why but it just did. It grew dreadfully irritating at times.

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

"Well maybe I'm quite lucky then, I thought people would of complemented on that before,"

”Well, I mean I haven’t heard any one say that since I got here, came to Germany.” No, he hadn’t had a kind word said to him for such a long time it seemed.


"I think it came somewhere from next door, I think, I hate how they just murder innocent people on the streets. It's just plainly disgusting of them,"

So she thought differently? She thought that murdering innocent people was wrong like every other normal person in the world thought. ”This sort of stuff, the killings, the rounding up of us Jews doesn’t happen anywhere else…It’s started a bit in America with the Japanese but not to the extent that the Nazis are going to, to rid the world of the Jewish population.” Joe muttered slightly, ”Well, my religion has been persecuted since time began so I guess it’s the norm…but not on this scale…” he stared at the block of apartments for a moment before jumping back to reality when another gun shot went off.

”What was that?”

Zelda looked slightly scared and she got slightly closer to Joe who just sat where he was, ”Probably someone killing someone else.” he muttered and shrugged, going back to eating his bread.

”No, I insist.”

”I don’t think that’s a good idea, you’re get into trouble for speaking so kindly to me.” Joe said after he had swallowed another piece of the bread and glanced up at her. Her cheeks were still red with all her blushing she was doing…was she embarrassed or…or something else?

He frowned and looked down at the plate that was nearly empty, picking up the glass of water and sipping it slowly. Someone else had entered the courtyard, a woman hanging out her laundry.

”No, thank you Joe.”

Again she called him by his name.

He smiled slightly, drawing his knees up to his chest and resting his head on them. The woman hanging up the laundry had been watching them silently from her line but as Joe looked over, she quickly turned away and continued her work. ”How did you and your husband, Otto, ever meet? I mean, you just seem an unlikely couple.” he said suddenly, looking back up at her.

[Zelda Wolff]

”Well, I mean I haven’t heard any one say that since I got here, came to Germany.”

"Oh.." She muttered. "Well," She slightly giggled. "I just like your smile." She sighed, looking away, staring towards her front. It wasn't an unexpected sight. The woman was watching her and Corporal Joe. She kept staring them in a weird way. She glanced back at the Corporal. She liked sitting here, at home. No paparazzi anywhere to pop out from the bushes to take her glamorous or sick pictures. She hated those bloody flashing lights. That was one great negative thing about being a famous star in a big city. The second thing would have to be signing autographs. She couldn't help but laugh at these thoughts. He probably thought she was odd for doing that.

”This sort of stuff, the killings, the rounding up of us Jews doesn’t happen anywhere else…It’s started a bit in America with the Japanese but not to the extent that the Nazis are going to, to rid the world of the Jewish population.”

She sighed at these thoughts. It was true, the Nazis were taking it too horribly. She jumped when another gunshot was heard. She watched the Nazi soldiers running by the gate. The Nazi men near the gate were still talking to each other, although they kept looking back at Joe as if he were dirt and they smiled every time their eyes met with Zelda's. She basically ignored that and glanced to look at Joe. "You are right. They're taking it over the lines. They need to stop sooner or later, right?" She felt another breeze hit her body. "I mean, your as equal as any other person here. Yes, of course you've got your differences but it certainly doesn't mean that these men treat you like dirt." Zelda just didn't understand. She had ignored him when he told her it wasn't a good idea to be treating him well. "Nonsense." She muttered.

”How did you and your husband, Otto, ever meet? I mean, you just seem an unlikely couple.”

Before Zelda could answer, the group of guards at the gate had already walked towards where she had sat. She quickly stood up standing in front of them. "Heil Hitler," They both stated formally with a salute to go with it. Zelda just nodded. "Irgendetwas wollen Sie, Herren besprechen?" They both glanced at Joe, and then back at Zelda. She knew the had hidden blushes underneath those cheeks, she could tell. But they knew that they had to keep professional or trouble would be upon them. "Wirklich Ja,"

[/i] Said the first. "Was genau tun Sie mit diesem schmutzigen Schaum?" Zelda felt a big outrage running through her veins when he called Joe that. "Ich würde Sie es vorziehen, diese Sorte der Sprache hier irgendwo, des Herrn nicht zu verwenden. Und ich glaube, dass meine Diskussion mit diesem Mann nichts hat, um mit einigen Ihrer Geschäfte zu tun, so glaube ich, dass Sie zu Ihren Aufgaben wie gute Männer zurückkommen sollten, die um die Rechte auf ihre Länder kämpfen." She sighed, as they both nodded in fright and walked back towards the gate. She nodded. "Danke," She muttered. She glanced towards Joe, smiling once again, she sat back down. She glanced at the woman near the laundry basket staring at her with shock. Zelda just ignored everyone's stares. [Translations: [1] Anything you want to discuss, sirs? [2] Actually, yes. [3] What exactly are you doing with that filthy scum? [4] I'd prefer you not to use that sort of language around here, sir. And I believe my discussion with this man has nothing to do with any of your businesses so I believe you should get back to your duties like good men fighting for the rights of their countries. [5] Thank you.][/blockquote]

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

Was she serious? Did she realize that she could still get into so much trouble if she was found out to saying affectionate things to a Jew like “I like your smile” etc…oh well, at least no one was looking…but Joe was wrong, the woman hanging out her laundry was still staring at them and the guards’ eyes kept boring into Joe’s back as if they wanted to see right into his soul from where they stood.

Zelda chuckled and Joe looked over at her, frowning slightly but not saying anything…silent, private joke…Another gunshot went off, Joe didn’t move a muscle, ”It’s like the battlefield, all this shooting.” he muttered, glancing towards the gate where a flash of Nazi uniform ran past. One of the guards on the gate was staring at Joe and he stared back before turning back to look at Zelda who was speaking once more.

"You are right. They're taking it over the lines. They need to stop sooner or later, right? I mean, your as equal as any other person here. Yes, of course you've got your differences but it certainly doesn't mean that these men treat you like dirt."

This woman was a goddess! She was just speaking complete sense! ”We all have differences, its just that – “ he was cut off by a shout and never got the answer to the question about Otto who he was more interested in then anything else.

The two guards were walking over to the pair and they spoke directly to Zelda but their eyes fixed on Joe a number of times.

Fucking idiots…but Zelda sorted them out good and proper, Joe had turned away, a smile playing on his lips as the guards set off in fright of an angered woman. ”Thank you.” he muttered softly, looking at her, ”You didn’t have to do that but it was kind of you to do so.” the smile enlarged.

”You were about to talk about how you and Otto had met…” he prompted her, watching her with slight curiosity.