The Monday Morning Feeling (Addie, Joe)

[∬: Erhard Strumfelder]

Country: SS HQ Berlin, Nazi Germany
Current Time: 10:45
Weather Conditions: Clear Blue Sky, 17ºC, Slight Breeze.

The window was wide open, letting in the cool morning air into the office. Leaning out of it was Strumfelder, admiring the busy street bellow as soldiers took their girls for walks along Berlin’s streets, women travelled to and from the shops, and dog owners to their pets for long strolls. Every now and then the wind would blow and twenty crimson flags displaying the Nazi Emblem of luck would obscure his view. Not that Strumfelder minded, there were many other flags he would have hated to see. The flags of the communists, and the westerners, and the Jews. Every single one of those flags should be burnt, but these flags were wonderful and dominated every government building with the Great and Glorious German Reich.

Strumfelder stepped back from the window, and headed back to his oak desk. His office was quite large, considering the most powerful men in Germany were working in the same building. Himmler was meant to be around here, as was Obergruppenführer Kaltenbrunner. It was difficult to determine who had more power.
Strumfelder lowered himself back down into his leather back seat, and raised his pen to several reports on his desk. They were simply requests for more supplies to the east. Every other one Strumfelder denied, regardless of the position that the men were in. Bullets didn’t grow on trees and if these soldiers could learn to shoot straight, there would be no shortages. He hated it when people squandered resources.

If he was there, he would show these pathetic men how to fight properly. They’d even been reduced to using a weed killer to kill the rats, just so the soldiers could have more bullet to through at the Slavs. It wasn’t a big issue, but the weed killer was so much more time consuming that just killing scores of Jews with MG’s. Strumfelder sighed deeply; why did he have to be stuck here wounded, and not showing those bastards on the front line how to really fight a war. It was a pity his great talents, after information gathering, were being put to waste.

Three floors below under the watchful eyes of Dr Strecken, the girl was being taught. Strumfelder had seen Strecken teach. He was an aging man of fifty, who had earned the Iron Cross First Class as a Stromtrooper Officer during the Battle of Ameins. He had lost his leg in the fighting however, so now worked for the Reichssicherheitshauptamt, instead of fighting where he really wanted to be. This had left him a bitter old man, but Strumfelder thought this at least taught the children good standards. He was also a model Nazi, and would often lecture on anti-Semitism to the children, who had to writes notes, essays, and once a project. He was tough, but very good teacher, who gave children the skills they needed in this new world which Germany was shaping.

[Heidi]

Translations:

Großbritannien, Nordamerika and Indien = Great Britain, North America, India

SS Basis = SS Base

Der dritte Kreuzzug = The Third Crusade

+++++++++++++++++++++++


The leaves were turning a dull yellow, as per norm in Germany. A tall, leafy oak tree rose up near the back of the small playground, foliage falling from its branches like feathers off a molting bird in the breeze. Everywhere Adelheid looked, there were fair-haired children, with only a handful brunettes here and there, and maybe three or four children with darker hair. Most of them were giggling and joking around, playing catch and using the swings, doing things that children were supposed to do.
Her, though? Well, the girl didn't feel like she fitted in that well. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with the other children, who seemed to be nothing more than little Nazis. Adelheid was quite fine with just sitting beneath the ancient oak, wondering if the day would grow any colder, if she would be allowed to go out during the weekend, and reading the book she had brought along. It was from the local library, one that Doctor Strumfelder had willingly taken out for her, and mostly words and maps. Supposedly a tome on all things German, Adelheid found herself drawn to its words, fascinated by the history of her homeland. Some would say it was a step toward Nazism for the child, and that she was learning why Germany was so great.

However, it was actually Adelheid's escape.

She could read of a time before the Nazis came, when the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler, didn't exist, and neither did Doctor Strumfelder. Her imagination ran wild with stories of knights in shining armour, of warriors galloping on glorious steeds across the desert, of princesses in flowing dresses that were so important to their kingdom. There were maps of ancient Germany, as well as Germany only a few years before, and world maps at the back of the text. Everything was so much bigger than Adelheid had expected; exotically-named places such as Großbritannien, Nordamerika and Indien had her mind whirling! She would have to see if she could convince Doctor Strumfelder to get her more books on geography!

A harsh barking of orders caught Adelheid's attention. Fearing that it was either her seemingly-angry teacher, Herr Strecken, or Doctor Strumfelder himself, the child jumped a little, black eyes blinking wildly. Beyond the iron fence that separated the playground from the rest of the world, there were several soldiers, guns pointed at several shabbily-dressed men. Adelheid recognized the black uniforms instantly; they were the same as Doctor Strumfelder's. She couldn't quite recall the name of Doctor Strumfelder's work, but the young German remembered it abbreviated as "SS". The school Adelheid attended was at an "SS Basis" - maybe Doctor Strumfelder was having something delivered?

It wasn't good to spy on people, though - Doctor Strumfelder would probably hit her if he saw Adelheid peeking through the iron fence. Picking up her book, Adelheid went back to reading, immediately becoming lost in the chapter on the Der dritte Kreuzzug of old.

[Stephen Colly]

OOC - Wrong account...eh!

The buildings towered above the small line of Jewish men as they shuffled along the street, they was about twenty of them, their uniforms – the distinguished blue and white stripes of the Jews – were two big for some of the men, two small for others.

The American glanced up at the flags, those flags should burn, those flags would burn when the Allies came marching into this town in a few months…but the Jew couldn’t do anything about it now…he had been born in Germany…and most likely he would die in Germany too.

The wooden clogs on his feet where far too big for him, he had already started to get blisters and had tried to put cloths inside them but that hadn’t worked as the cloths had fallen out. His head was shaven, the brown floppy like hair had completely gone, scabs and cuts were visible where the Nazis had taken extra care in making sure Joe had been in as much as pain as possible while they had cut his hair off.

The wind blew softly; the Jew wrapped his arms around his already thin body. He had been one of the thinnest in E Company, when he had been in it…and what with no food and not much water for what seemed the best part of a week he was already becoming thinner than some of the other inmates of the camp that he had been sent to, days after he had been shot at that hotel…and that had been the last time he had seen Strumfelder…for now.

The line of Jews arrived at a truck, opposite Strumfelder’s office and a playground. A line of heavy objects on the ground were being laid out ready to be packed in the back of a horse drawn cart. The Nazi officers shouted at the line of Jews in German, ordering them to lift the boxes, Joe stepped forward as one of the first and nearly stumbled as he nearly fell over his own feet. The Nazi officers laughed at his stupidity. Joe hated this, he was one of them in a way…he was born in Germany, his parents were German...only because he was a Jew was he not one of them…and the fact that he spoke with an American accent and had joined the American army.

Joe kept his head down, if he glared at any of them, he would most likely get a beating from them or even shot. The black uniformed guards had their guns pointed at the small group of men. Joe moved forward once more and leant down with his weak arms; to lift up the box…
It weighed a tonne.
He couldn’t lift this…maybe a few months ago he would have been able to but not now, not now. He tried again, again his arms and hands would not corporate with his brain…Come on…come on… Joe thought to himself as he tried a third time to lift the box.

A soldier had noticed this and had come towards the American-Jew, grabbing Joe by the collar, he slapped the man in the face, sending him flying on to the pavement.

[∬: Erhard Strumfelder]

Sighing, Strumfelder stood up from his desk. All this work was beginning to bore him and he felt hungry. He lifted his peaked cap from his desk and fitted it onto his head, before placing on his black leather gloves and snatching up his walking cane. He would go and have something to eat, a small brunch as the British would say. He missed Britain’s culture, but he was where he was needed, and hopefully one day he would be treading on British soil. Walking along the streets of London one more, reading in one of Oxford’s many libraries, no bloody war. But as long as the British wanted to keep this ridiculous fight up, he would be fighting for God, the Führer, and justice.

He left his office, the wooden heels of his boots clicking along the marble floor. Several paintings of Prussian General’s decorated the walls and Strumfelder regarded his favourite of Ludendorff, accompanied by von Hindenburg reviewing maps, much like the Führer would be doing now. Strumfelder moved towards the central staircase, which was bustling with all manner of people. He moved down, passed the second and first floors, before reaching the ground and main hallway.

Here, soldiers discussed between themselves in small groups, and female messengers rushed around. Entering the building through huge glass doors, Strumfelder saw Oberstgruppenführer Dietrich surrounded by his bodyguards, looking flustered, and shouting at a woman who had just rushed up to her. Strumfelder moved on through the crowd, and towards the Junior Officer’s mess.

After five minutes of twisting corridors, salutes, and return salutes, Strumfelder entered the mess. It was well decorated, but not quite a lavishly as for the General’s and politicians which often came here. The mess itself was located in the corner of the building, which gave a view to the side and rear, and a nice look at the school area. He may have been able to get a look at the girl.

He moved over to an empty table for two, and placed his hat on the table mat, reserving his place. Strumfelder limped over to a large buffet table which was filled with a mixture of cold breakfast foods such a sausage and fruit, and luncheon foods like sandwiches. Strumfelder took several slices of Beerwurst and three Bratwurst. They were not good for him, but they tasted nice, and he wasn’t sure if he was going to skip lunch as well.

He sat back down at his table and looked out of the large window next to him as he ate his meat. He smiled slightly when he saw the children playing, but he couldn’t see the girl, which he supposed couldn’t be too good. As he looked around further, he saw several Juden working around trucks, on the other side of a fence to the children. They really shouldn’t have been there, so close to the Aryan young. But Strumfelder turned way from the disgusting, squalid and wretched vermin, and focused more the innocent children who were enjoying the day.

[Heidi]

Translations:

Ich freue mich so, Sie, Rhys zu sehen! = I'm so glad to see you, Rhys!

Wo sind Sie gewesen?! Doktor Strumfelder, er hat versucht, mich einen Nazi zu machen, und ich habe gebetet und gebetet und gebetet, aber ich sah Sie nie, als er mich in diesen Jung eintreten ließ - = Where have you been?! Doctor Strumfelder, he's been trying to make me a Nazi, and I've been praying and praying and praying, but I never saw you when he made me go into that Jung -

Warten Sie Rhys-Engel! = Wait, Rhys-angel!

Das, war Rhys-Engel nicht nett! = That wasn't nice, Rhys-angel!

Ich habe gewartet, um Sie wieder zu sehen, und Sie fliegen auf mir weg! Das ist nicht nett, wie sagte ich! = I've been waiting to see you again, and you fly away on me! That isn't nice, like I said!

Stehen Sie Sie schmutziger Schaum auf! Wir haben Arbeit, um, Sie zu tun, schmutziger Bastard - BEKOMMT DAS BEWEGEN! = Get up, you filthy scum! We've work to do, you filthy bastard - GET MOVING!


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



"Craw!"

Adelheid's head went up at the sudden, familiar sound. She slowly looked from side to side, wondering where the sound had come from. She then tilted her head backwards, looking up into the branches of the tree above, but still found nothing. Deciding to leave no stone unturned, the young German stood up, and looked around again. There was still nothing.

Her shoulders raising to shrug the noise off, Adelheid found herself jumping in surprise as a louder, "CRAW CRAW!" came forth. This time, it was directly above her, and with a sort of far-off quality; it was as if the sound was being carried on the wind. A dark shape moved amongst the turning leaves above, hopping some sort of bird. Despite the shadows of the foliage it was amongst, its body seemed to shimmer at certain angles. Confused, Adelheid tilted her head, squinting her eyes.

"...Rhys-engel!"

"Caw caw! Craaaaw!" cried the raven-shaped Rhys-engel. The dark bird hopped down a few branches, coming to meet his daughter on a limb a few metres above her. Adelheid's face brightened, and she let out a giggle of joy. The bird cawed in what sounded like greeting, but if one took a closer look at its small face, they would see a more serious air, if that was even possible.

"Ich freue mich so, Sie, Rhys zu sehen!" chirped Adelheid. "Wo sind Sie gewesen?! Doktor Strumfelder, er hat versucht, mich einen Nazi zu machen, und ich habe gebetet und gebetet und gebetet, aber ich sah Sie nie, als er mich in diesen Jung eintreten ließ - "

"Craw caw!" cried the raven, its black wings spreading as it launched itself into the air. Adelheid's eyes widened; she did not want her Rhys-angel to go! Not now! He had come again, and now, he was flying away!

"Warten Sie Rhys-Engel!" cried Adelheid. In the blink of an eye, she was running after the raven, following him towards the northeasternmost corner of the playground, where few to no children usually played. A lot of the children didn't like the spot; it was said to harbour poisonous snakes as long as their arms, and that a wild dog's dead body was supposed to be amongst the tall weeds. If Adelheid hadn't been running after her angel so frantically, she might have seen where she was going.

The raven finally stopped, perching on top of the fence. Panting, Adelheid came to stand below him, taking a moment to catch her breath. She scowled angrily, her book open and dangling from one hand, glaring at the angel above. "Das, war Rhys-Engel nicht nett!" said the young German indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. "Ich habe gewartet, um Sie wieder zu sehen, und Sie fliegen auf mir weg! Das ist nicht nett, wie sagte ich!"

THUMP!

The sound of something fleshy hitting stone came from directly behind the fence, followed by a loud bark of, "Stehen Sie Sie schmutziger Schaum auf! Wir haben Arbeit, um, Sie zu tun, schmutziger Bastard - BEKOMMT DAS BEWEGEN!" Adelheid blinked slowly, a little surprised by the sound, her curiosity drawing her towards the sounds beyond the schoolyard. Brushing the tall grass and various weeds out of the way so she could see better, Adelheid could make out the forms of several men in black, standing by a group of shabbily-dressed men. One of the latter was on the ground, a man in black standing over him, the man in black's arm raised as if to strike.

She immediately recognized the black-clad men as Doctor Strumfelder's colleagues - their uniform was unmistakable. Who were the others, though? And why did they look so...sick? Better yet, what was going on out there?

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

"Stehen Sie Sie schmutziger Schaum auf! Wir haben Arbeit, um, Sie zu tun, schmutziger Bastard - BEKOMMT DAS BEWEGEN!"[/b]

Joe’s head was spinning, he felt like he was going to be sick any moment now. He had cut himself on the side of the pavement; blood was visible, soaking through his uniform on his right knee.

He stayed there from what seemed like three seconds, a hand then whacked him across the face as he stared up into the face of the black gloved officer. His eyes seemed to not focus on anything. He slowly got to his feet, hatred rising up inside of him as he stood and swayed.

The Jew glanced over at the guard who grabbed his shoulder and forced him back to the line of boxes that some of the other Jews had already lifted on to the trucks. He stared down at them in despair. This was going to be impossible…seriously impossible.

Sighing, he bent down to one of the boxes and to his surprise he managed to lift it, it must have been one of the lighter ones. Another Jew came to help him and the two of them carried the box to the cart.

The Jew opposite him went by the name of Daniel, a theatre director who had had his theatre burnt down and his children and wife killed. He was living on what seemed like a string of hope that he would get out of here alive, unlike Joe, he had been at the camp for some time.

The two had become friends after Joe had explained who he was and what he was doing here. Daniel was in his mid 30’s, his eyes sometimes hurt him as he had worn glasses before the camp…obviously they had been taken away as soon as he had arrived. Joe hadn’t really been that interested in theatre before he had met Daniel but now, they talked endlessly about it…Joe had told some of the Jewish inmates about America, most of them wanted to go there now it seemed.

”Sind Sie gut?” Daniel muttered to Joe as they shuffled along to the next box. Joe nodded, ”Ja ja bin ich fein” he spoke in a hushed voice, giving a small smile of encouragement to Daniel as they picked up the other box.

Again, the two carried the box over to the cart and put it in, straightening up, Joe saw that a face was peering through the leaves on the playground of the SS HQ. That face looked familiar...very familiar...he stood there...trying to think of where he had seen that face and then it clicked...that little German girl from the hospital! What the hell was she doing here? He frowned, staring at her.

One of the Nazis grabbed his shoulder, pointing him towards another line of boxes that were near the playground. Joe was pushed forwards, guarded by one of the Nazi soldiers. The boxes were lined up inches from the little girl’s face behind the wire of the playground.
Joe stumbled across the street with his weak legs and went to pick up one of the boxes, the girl definitely was the one he had seen in the hospital with Daniel Brennan…”Adelheid?” he murmured, his eyes glancing at her from time to time as he took his time in picking up the box, keeping an ear out for the Nazi soldier.



Translations

Sind sie gut? – Are you alright?

Ja Ja bin ich fein – Yes, yes, I am fine

[∬: Erhard Strumfelder]

Strumfelder finished his meat, which allowed him to feel comfortably full, before standing up and placing his hat upon his head. He looked once more out the window, and compared the fresh air to the stuffy confines of his. He would go and visit Herr Strecken, and then steal his Iron Cross. Strumfelder had wanted one for ages, but it had yet to appear. He would continue to work towards it though, serving the Führer until his time came.

He left the huge dining area and headed down one of the many wings of the complex, towards the classrooms. They taught SS men various thing here, from first aid to Jew handling, map reading to operating in a firing squad. All these noble classes were here. He moved down the corridors, each with a large clock and promotional posters of Hitler pasted up, many from his Munich beer hall days. He weaved left and right until he came across the classroom of Herr Strecken.

The large, white haired man sat at his desk, scribbling something with his ink pen, every now and then dipping it into the bottle on his desk. He had a pair of wire spectacles around his penetrating eyes, which often to seemed to missed up. He turned his head as Strumfelder approached. “Ah, Unterärtzlichführer Strumfelder,” he spoke in his deep voice “Was kann ich für Sie heute tun?” Strumfelder smiled at the veteran. “Ich kam, zu sehen, wie mein kleines Mädchen unter Sie weiterkommt.”

The teacher looked down for a moment at some papers on his desk. “Ich habe Angst, zu sagen, dass sie bereits ein Schelten passend ist. Sie saß an der Rückseite durch die letzte Lektion nichts sagend. Wenn ich sie Arbeit einstelle, schreiben Sie einfach hundert Wörter auf, wie die Partei deutschen Leuten auf der ganzen Erde hilft, ihre Seite erinnerte freien Raum, wie ich gerade entdeckt habe.” Strumfelder sighed, almost insulted by her. He felt rather embarrassed to be honest. He tightened his grip on the top of his walking stick. “Wo ist das Mädchen jetzt? Ich stelle sie zurück auf das gerade und das schmal ein.” The teacher looked up, slightly unsure. “Sie ist draußen im Yardspielen.”

Strumfelder nodded and walked down a long gangway between two of the three columns of desks towards two double doors at the rear of the room which opened out onto the yard. He reached the doors and walked down four concrete steps down onto the yard itself. Around the yard played the Aryan children, it all looked rather innocent considering all the military talking which went on inside the SS HQ. But wherever Strumfelder looked, he could not see the girl. His eye became more desperate, quickly looking for her. “Herr Strecken, sind Sie sie sind hier sicher?” Strumfelder called back into the classroom. “Ja.” came the reply.

“Weil sie nicht hier ist!”

The teacher scrambled up from his desk and ran, as best he could, to Strumfelder. He looked around for her too, but there was no sign. “Wir müssen sie finden! Ihr wird Sie sieht, von einem orphange angenommen. Sie ist ein chronisches Durchgehen und I gerade don' t wünschen sie zu jedem möglichem Schaden kommen. Ich glaube, dass sie in eine kommunistische letzte Zeit des Wandschranks lief. Sie ist so naiv.” Strumfelder, spoke thinking quickly on his feet.
Strecken nodded, also concerned. Strumfelder couldn’t believe this. It had to be one of those Juden. He’d have them all hung slowly form hooks, including the men who were meant to be guarding them. This was outrageous. He dashed back into the classroom, drawing his pistol, and headed into the corridors. He took one turn and found two MP40 armed Corporals, chatting casually together. “Die Paare von Ihnen, mit mir jetzt!” Strumfelder snarled, turning around and heading back to the class room.

Strecken looked shocked by the sudden appearance of the two SS soldiers in the yard, as he quickly tried to gather the children together to question them. Strumfelder turned to the two men as the trio stood on the steps. “Wir versuchen, ein Mädchen zu finden. Sie ist 10, dunkles langes Haar, nicht genau Arier, aber sie ist meine Tochter. Finden Sie sie und mich sieht, dass Sie beide große Prämien diesen Monat erhalten.” The men grinned at the prospect and dashed off. Strumfelder spotted a large rock on one of the steps and send it flying into the dirt of the yard with his boot. “Weibchen!” he spat.

Translations
“Was kann ich für Sie heute tun?”
~ What can I do for you today?

“Ich kam, zu sehen, wie mein kleines Mädchen unter Sie weiterkommt.”
~ I came to see how my little girl is progressing under you.

“Ich habe Angst, zu sagen, dass sie bereits ein Schelten passend ist. Sie saß an der Rückseite durch die letzte Lektion nichts sagend. Wenn ich sie Arbeit einstelle, schreiben Sie einfach hundert Wörter auf, wie die Partei deutschen Leuten auf der ganzen Erde hilft, ihre Seite erinnerte freien Raum, wie ich gerade entdeckt habe.”
~ I am afraid to say that she is already due a scolding. She sat at the back through the last lesson saying nothing. When I set them work, simply write one hundred words on how the Party is helping German people all over the world, her page reminded blank, as I have just discovered.

“Wo ist das Mädchen jetzt? Ich stelle sie zurück auf das gerade und das schmal ein.”
~ Where is the girl now? I will set her back on the straight and narrow.

“Sie ist draußen im Yardspielen.”
~ She is outside in the yard playing.

“Herr Strecken, sind Sie sie sind hier sicher?”
~ Herr Strecken, are you sure she is here?

“Weil sie nicht hier ist!”
~ Because she is not here!

“Wir müssen sie finden! Ihr wird Sie sieht, von einem orphange angenommen. Sie ist ein chronisches Durchgehen und I gerade don' t wünschen sie zu jedem möglichem Schaden kommen. Ich glaube, dass sie in eine kommunistische letzte Zeit des Wandschranks lief. Sie ist so naiv.”
~ We need to find her! She is adopted you see, from an orphanage. She is a chronic runaway, and I just don't want her to come to any harm. I believe she ran into a closet Communist last time. She is so naive.

“Wir versuchen, ein Mädchen zu finden. Sie ist 10, dunkles langes Haar, nicht genau Arier, aber sie ist meine Tochter. Finden Sie sie und mich sieht, dass Sie beide große Prämien diesen Monat erhalten.”
~ We are trying to find a girl. She is ten, dark long hair, not exactly Aryan, but she is my daughter. Find her, and I will see that you both get large bonuses this month.

[Heidi]

Translations:

Hier! = Over here!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


She had been spotted! That wasn't good. For all Adelheid knew, all of the people she was seeing were friends of Doctor Strumfelder. A nearby bald man was looking at her oddly, as if he was trying to figure out who she was. Had Doctor Strumfelder sent them to keep an eye on her? If so, then how did they know she was over in the corner?!

With only the rustling of leaves brushing against her, Adelheid disappeared, quickly dropping to her stomach to avoid being seen. She was still curious, though, and her fingers pulled back the weeds like a curtain, allowing her to peek through and keep watching. The men in black were now barking more orders and shoving the shabbily-dressed people around, one pushing the aforementioned bald man in Adelheid's direction. Not wanting to get in trouble, Adelheid pulled back a little, moving over to the side in an attempt to avoid being spotted. Once she felt she was in a safe position, the weeds were once again pulled back, and she continued to watch the scene beyond the fence.

The bald man was now walking toward her, a man in black pulling away from him. The bald man seemed focused on her, moving toward the spot where she had been. Adelheid - wary of anyone who might be connected to Doctor Strumfelder - pulled back just a little more. She feared her efforts would be in vain, but then, the bald man stopped, and turned to the left. His arms reached out before him, and shakily, he tried to pull something close.

He was lifting a box. He wasn't after her - he was just lifting a box! Adelheid sighed in relief; she'd thought he was a goner for a moment, and that someone would -

"Adelheid?"

She took a sharp intake of breath at her name being whispered. With eyes like a rabbit's, she looked fearfully at the bald man, her lips beginning to form a small plea to keep quiet. However, her mind suddenly began to work; his face looked...familiar. Not only that, but his voice, too. Where had she heard his voice before?

Adelheid's eyes narrowed. She focused on his face, and his face only. It was thin and boyish, and looked sunken, as if he had been starved. His bald head had just a touch of brownish fuzz, several scars and small scrapes amongst the fine hairs. His dark brown eyes were tired but kindly, and on his face, there were some bright scars. The only scar the girl could make out looked faintly like an "n".

And then, it clicked. The girl's eyes widened, and her mouth was a little "o" for a moment. Her heart beat faster, and it seemed to rise - it was Herr Claude! He'd been the only one who hadn't left her behind on purpose; he had had to stay at the hospital because he was hurt! Onkel Mac and Onkel Stephen didn't even say why they had to go!

"Herr Claude!" Adelheid whisper-yelled. "Herr Claude, hier!"

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

It was her! It was the little girl he had seen in the hospital that day with Daniel Brennan! His body tensed up as he heard shouts coming from the yard just behind the girl but he ignored them and looked at the girl. She looked tired; her eyes were expressionless and sad.

Her black hair had become less knotty and she looked rather cute. Joe knelt down even more so he wasn’t heard by the guard who had joined another one to talk. ”Adelheid! Sie erinnern sich an mich!” he had found someone from his past…out of complete luck he had found a girl that he cared for, a girl he and Daniel had saved from the burning hospital. He was now very close to the girl, his tired eyes staring into hers.

”Was tun Sie hier?” he asked suddenly, his voice holding concern that he hadn’t spoken in such a long while it seemed. A shout came from somewhere and Joe looked around in bewilderment. A Nazi soldier had noticed him lacking and was shouting for him to get moving with the box. Joe took another go at lifting the box but it didn’t work. Tears sprung to his eyes as he thought about the beating he would most likely get if he didn’t hurry up. He glanced at the girl, and then looked down at the box. He took another go, using all his strength and managed to lift the box a few centimeters off the ground. He stumbled over towards the second truck that had just turned up, he nearly fell and the Nazi guard grabbed him by his shirt and forced him to lift the box even higher without helping him.

Joe used all his strength and got the box onto the truck, shuffling back over to the line and where the girl was. He looked down at his hands, they were bruised and cut. No one would have recognized him now…but this girl had. He knelt down and began to try and lift another box, sweat pouring down his face. He would wait a little longer for his strength to come back and for the girl to begin why she was here…this was a bad place. Berlin was a bad place now. Once, when Joe had been little, it had been a lovely place. The sun had shone, no Nazi symbols had been seen anywhere. Yes, the world had been recovering from war but it still had a homely feel to it…now it was hell, pure hell.

Translations:

”Adelheid! Sie erinnern sich an mich!” – ”Adelheid! You remember me!”

Was tun Sie hier?” – ”What are you doing here?”

[∬: Erhard Strumfelder]

The situation was becoming progressively worse. Strumfelder leapt down from the steps and jogged into the yard, looking left and right for the girl. How could she do this to him!? He’d fed her, given her shelter, even given her a good education and now she tried to run from him. What else could she want?! She would get such a beating for this. She would be black and blue for a week!

The men kept searching, pushing the kids out of there way, sometimes sending them to the ground where they would cry as pathetic heaps. How were these specimens meant to be the off spring of the German elite? Simple, they weren’t! Strumfelder pushed on himself, stamping hard on small toes when they got in his way. Strecken was trying, with limited success, to round the kids into one corner of the playground, but many were still playing.

One of the SS men moved towards the more overgrown part of the area, towards the Jewish scum. He kept looking for the girl, and finally spotted a dark haired child near the perimeter fence. He turned back and shouted. “Herr Unterärtzlichführer!” With that, Strumfelder turned to the black clad figure and rushed over, his weapon still drawn. He thrashed his way through the tall grass before coming across the soldier, holding the girl tightly by the arm, and will a massive grin on his face. Strumfelder moved up to her, his face anything but a grin, before bringing the grip of his pistol down hard upon her head. The soldier looked a tad shocked but said nothing.

Looking towards the Jews, Strumfelder saw a man he didn’t want to. His eyes widened in absolute fury, and he pointed accusingly with his left gloved hand. “You!!!” he spat in English, “You Josef Claude! I will have you shot for this! Trying to take my daughter, were you, you Jewish fuck!” He turned back to the girl, took hold of her arm, and threw her to the floor, before kicking her as hard as his leg would allow, in her stomach. Then again, and then once more. By this time the young SS man had stepped back, slightly surprised by Strumfelder’s actions.

Fuming, Strumfelder pointed the muzzle of his pistol at the girls head, and waited. He should just take the shot now, and finish this whole dirty business. Kill this little bitch, and all the trouble she had brought. Then shoot the Jew stone dead. “Ich sollte Sie, denn alle Schmerz jetzt töten, die Sie haben hindurchgeführt mich durch…” He lowed his pistol and left his aim. But still annoyed, Strumfelder brought the heel of his hobnailed boot down upon her face. He then lifted his pistol, and fired three shots at that American, Jewish scumbag.

OOC: Sorry for swearing Addie. I know you don’t like it but Strumfelder is a touch annoyed. Also, Kitty, do what you want with those shots. However, I would like it if one just scraped your leg.

Translations
“Ich sollte Sie, denn alle Schmerz jetzt töten, die Sie haben hindurchgeführt mich durch…”
~ I should kill you now, for all the pain you have put me through...

[Heidi]

Translations

Lassen...lassen Sie ihn allein! - Leave...leave him alone!

+++++++++++++++++++++++


"Herr Unterärtzlichführer!"

Every muscle in Adelheid's body tensed. Every drop of her blood ran cold. It drained away from her face like water down a drainpipe, and her head suddenly turned, eyes like saucers.

A man strode over to her, one clad in the same uniform Doctor Strumfelder had. Adelheid tried to scurry away, desperately crawling to the side in an attempt at freedom. However, strong, tight fingers grabbed her by one arm, and she cried out in terror as she was hefted into the air. Catching a glimpse of Herr Claude's face as she was brought skyward, she was about to scream something in protest, or maybe even at Herr Claude -

WHACK!

Crack!

Something hard came down upon the top of her skull. She shrieked, lights dancing before her eyes, a fiery pain erupting from where she had been hit. A hand pointed toward where Herr Claude had been, and a furious, accusing roar came forth.

"You!!!" spat Doctor Strumfelder in the tongue of the Allied soldiers. "You Josef Claude! I will have you shot for this! Trying to take my daughter, were you, you Jewish f&*#!"

"Lassen...lassen Sie ihn allein!" Adelheid cried breathlessly, her eyes stinging as she began to cry. Doctor Strumfelder, however, would hear nothing of it; he whirled around to face her, and grabbed her by the arm. As if his "daughter" was a doll, Adelheid was thrown to the floor, landing hard on her back. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, the wind entirely knocked out of her, gasping for air like a fish out of water. All she could manage was a choked yelp as she was kicked repeatedly in the stomach, feeling a few of her ribs bruise and snap. Doctor Strumfelder didn't look to be strong in the legs, but his kicks were like a horse's!

And then, there was silence, save for the sound of boots pounding cobblestones. Dazed, her whole body throbbing, Adelheid could just make out the blurred forms of blackish figures advancing on Herr Claude. They were coming up from the other side of the fence, saying something about how they had tried to keep an eye on him, and that he had gotten away. Something silver flashed above her, and something cylindrical in shape was pointed her way.

"Ich sollte Sie, denn alle Schmerz jetzt töten, die Sie haben hindurchgeführt mich durch...."

The whole situation was all too familiar. This had all happened before, back at the inn where Herr Jonas had abandoned her. However, the shining thing - which Adelheid assumed to be a gun - was pointed at her head. Doctor Strumfelder was angry enough to kill her, and in front of everyone else, too. Didn't he want to look good, though? Wouldn't people be angry at him if he pulled the trigger, and sent his own daughter to Heaven, where he'd never go?

But the gun lowered, and instead, he raised his boot instead. Adelheid winced as his boot came down on her face, leaving a large, boot print-shaped bruise on her left cheek, the toes right beside her nose. The small, almost X-like scar going across her nose seemed to almost disappear completely on one side. Her eyes screwed shut as she began to feel dizzier and dizzier.

Three shots broke out, a cry of surprise following from someone behind the fence. Her already-pounding heart skipped a beat - had he hurt Herr Claude now?

[Cpl. Joe Claude]

“Herr Unterärtzlichführer!”

Shit.

Joe froze, his whole body tensed up like the girl’s. That didn’t sound good at all.
Boots clicking the hard surface of the ground came into ear shot and grass was ripped away from its roots as a man came towering down over the girl on the other side of the fence.

The man that Joe had not wanted to see advanced on the girl, pistol in hand. Strumfelder’s eyes widened in fury as he stared down at the man behind the fence, his scars pulsing it seemed as his blood rushed around his body. He spoke in English to the Jew, the Jew was too scared to move.

Jewish fuck? Anger rose up in Joe but it was quickly over powered by fear and confusion.

Daughter?

Had Strumfelder said it properly? His daughter? No, that couldn’t be right…how…what? Joe took a side long glance at Adelheid, she looked nothing like the evil man standing above her. He shrank away from the man in slight terror, his mind racing.

Had he just hit her? Had her so-called-father just hit her? It wasn’t just a hit, it was a kick also…”Don’t!” Joe shouted in English but regretted it as soon as he had said it.

The pistol was now pointing at the girl’s head. Joe could not let this happen! Was Strumfelder that evil? He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see two angry SS soldiers striding forwards. Joe turned his head back to Strumfelder stamp on the girl’s foot.

Joe stared at the girl’s head, poor girl…poor…poor girl. He looked up at Strumfelder, glaring at him but his glare faded into wide-eyed panic. A pistol was pointing at him.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

One, two, three. Three shots ran through the air and Joe felt pain in his leg, the shots had grazed his left leg and he was now lying on the ground, his eyes shut tight in sudden pain. He felt blood pouring out of the wound in his leg and his head became dizzier. Figures were above and around him as he peeped his eyes open and he felt himself being lifted off the ground by gloved hands.

[Daniel Brennan]

Moderation Post

CP:
Corporal Claude: 7CP

Strumfelder: 7CP

Adelheid: 8CP


~Dan