The Dead May Rise ✓ (GxG)

Four

Aedona began to stir as the water trickled down to the ground from a leaky pipe.

     The floor was old, rotting wood.

     Aedona was chained to a chair.

     Donnie weakly raised her head to look at her surroundings.

      There was no door… in reach, at least.

      The only door was far off from where she resided, so she wouldn't be able to reach it very easily.

      Donnie tried to yank herself out of the embrace of the chair, but she gasped almost instantly.

      Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

      It's safe to say my lungs are beyond repair, she thought to herself.

     Donnie continued on, trying to free herself of her binds. The only things she got in response was the loss of more blood, her lungs feeling like they were imploding on themselves, and searing pain from her abdominal wound.

      "Oh good," a German accent sounded out. "You're awake."

       Aedona looked up to see a man approaching her.

      The man was dressed in a corporal's outfit. His hair was dark and his blue eyes seemed to pierce into Aedona's soul.

      The man kneeled in front of Donnie. "Guten tag," he began. "I'm Aaron Ebner."

     Donnie said nothing. She continued to avoid his gaze.

      Aaron placed a couple of fingers under Donnie's chin and tilted her head up so she'd look him right in the eye. "And your name, meine Dame?"

      Donnie still said nothing. She continued to focus on keeping her breathing steady, which proved difficult for her to do.

     Aaron stood. "You don't want to talk, yes?" He sighed. "A shame, really." He tapped his foot a little. "So, you don't want to tell me your name?"

     Aedona remained silent. She had a raging migraine.

     Aaron laughed a little–this noise echoing through the room. He exhaled on the last sound of the chuckle. He nodded, swallowing. "Aedona Stavayeva, correct?"

     Aedona was frozen by the fact this man she didn't know seemingly knew her name. "How-" was the first thing she said to Ebner.

     Aaron kneeled down once again. He ran his fingers through Donnie's hair, much to her discomfort. He twisted strands of red hair around his finger. "I know a great deal of things," he said.

     Once Aedona made no response, Aaron added, "What? Do you think I don't do my research?"

      "What do you want with me?" Donnie rasped, choking on each syllable.

       Aaron's hand continued to glide down through Aedona's hair. "That is the question, yes?" A pause followed. His burning, blue eyes came to lock on to Aedona's eyes. "I actually have a question for you…. What were you doing out there? …on the battlefield. I thought they didn't allow women to fight."

      Donnie wanted to punch him right then and now, but she didn't. She knew she wouldn't have the strength to take him on in her injured, sickly state-–not to mention her lack of mobility on account of the fact she was binded.

     "What," Aaron pulled himself closer as he began to ask what he did previously, "were you doing?"

      "I get it," Donnie began, her voice still hoarse from the chlorine attack earlier. "I'm a prisoner of war, aren't I?" She paused before continuing. "You and your boys took me from Osowiec. …took me right to this prison."

      "You're dodging the question," Aaron said, frustrated.

       Aedona quipped, clicking her tongue against the scarred, bloodied roof of her mouth, "And you're dodging mine."

      Aaron stood, yanking on Aedona's hair a little as he did. "I didn't come down here to play games!"

      "Oh?" Aedona faked sounding surprised. "That's disappointing! I thought we'd play Mahjong."

      "Cut the crap," Aaron hissed. He clenched his jaw.

      "Someone's cranky," Aedona started. She laughed a little. "What? Did mama forget to do put you to bed for your nap?"

      Aaron backhanded the woman across the face, which surprised Donnie.

     The point of impact burnt like a fire within the Russian woman's skin. "Motherfu-" She trailed off.

      "Listen to me here, fräulei-" Aaron trailed off as well. "I need answers and you're going to give them to me, okay?"

      Aedona rolled her eyes. "Fine."

      Aaron then asked again, "What were you doing at Osowiec? Your kind is forbidden on the battlefield."

      Does this guy want me to kick his ass? I mean, his head's already lodged up there, Donnie commented to herself. The blood that swirled around in her mouth was a like a metallic poison. When Donnie opened her mouth, excess blood pooled out. "I was there for a reason, okay, kraut?"

     Aaron inhaled aggressively before commenting, "Such a pretty little face… such a shame it had to be burnt." He reached forward toward the large burn, on Aedona's face, gripping some of the loose skin and tugging. He pulled on it, yanking more of the skin off from the first couple of layers.

     Aedona howled in pain.

     "Call me kraut again," Aaron began to threaten. "I dare you."

       "Okay, okay, Ebner," Aedona began.

        "What was the reason that was so important that you needed to be at Osowiec?" Aaron questioned.

       Donnie exhaled. "I'm a nurse, okay? I go to the battlefield… I treat those who are injured… That's it. There's no sinister plot behind me being there."

      "No." Aaron clearly didn't want to accept that answer. "I saw you… with a sniper. You laid down behind the wall and started firing."

      Now Aedona felt fear. "I d-don't know what you mean. You must be mistaken, Mr. Ebner."

     Aaron growled as he exhaled. "You killed my brother… Alfred."

     Now it dawned on Donnie. "Alfred… he was laughing wasn't he?"

      "Now you're catching on," Aaron began, his voice infused with cold, harsh tones. "Alfred and his friends were closest to the wall."

    "He was the bonehead who I shot in the face then," Donnie said, nonchalantly.

      "So you admit it?" Aaron began. "And you say you were a nurse…."

       "I'm no soldier! I swear," Aedona clarified. "I just picked up a few hunting lessons from my father."

       Aaron ignored this. "What's the next move?"

       "Excuse me?"

       "You know, don't you? Where do your people plan to go next, hmm?" Aaron interrogated.

        "I don't fucking know! I'm just a nurse!" Aedona responded.

        "I'll have to pry that bit out from you then," Aaron said. He turned away walking through the door. He called out to the men in gas masks outside the door. He tilted his head toward the room. "She's all yours."

     The men chuckled from underneath their masks before they threw canisters through the doorway.

      The room slowly began to fill with chlorine gas just like Osowiec Fortress did.