The Nightingale || John Egan

XX

She weakly returned back to the apartment at 3am.
Once they were finished with her they took her by the arm and dragged her out of the room with her clothes and purse.

She could barely walk, her legs shook and her stomach ached with repulsiveness.
The streets were dark and her eyes pricked with tears and she let them fall down her cheeks, plopping onto the ground with a shaky breath.
She pressed her hand on a wall under a lamplight and covered her mouth with the other muffling a cry.
Her eyes were squeezed shut tightly and she wished she could open them and find herself in her bunk bed, ready to wake Alissa up.
But that was the most improbable wish she could have ever wished for.
They requested to see her again and Marie, to keep their secret newspaper hidden, could not say anything because if she sent another one in her place, she would witness the same thing.

She had marks over her body, they were harsh on her, pinched her skin everywhere leaving bruises, they tightened their grip around her neck, leaving their signs.

And they did enjoy her lipstick.

She tried her best to keep her voice low as she had another 10 minute walk back to the apartment.
Marie promised she would wait and that woman had grown a soft spot for the younger one.
So Iris took her time walking, burns of cigarettes being stubbed on her skin burning leading her to wince every once in a while.

When she approached the apartment, she knocked once and immediately did the door open.
Marie wore her robe, her head filled with curls and her face free of colors.
The woman analised Iris, she first noticed her face, the dark eye bags and the two burns underneath her ear.
She noticed her neck then, it was red and bruised with one burn, her arms where filled with burns and so were her legs.
Marie stepped away from the door and let the young woman in, and when she closed the door she asked quietly "Do you want to take a bath?"
Iris nodded and walked to the bathroom.
No matter how much be rubbed, nothing left her skin. Their hands lingered on her skin as if glued. The feeling of pain lingered as if it were attached to the poor woman.

Marie stayed in the living room and heard the fries of she who could not do anything but continue being brave. What could she do to help? What could Iris do to make it all go away?
And she wondered, as water fell over her shoulders, how did she arrive to this?
"Oh God" Iris muttered and covered her face and turned the water off feeling worse than before, could she request to change paths with Adrien?
But what if they found her again?

She managed to step out of the shower and dry herself before she wore her sleeping clothes and stepped outside with her hair combed and braided into a long braid that was touched by the wrong hands.
She stepped into the living room and walked over to the sofa Marie was sat on, she held a face filled with regret and guilt and Iris wondered if something like this had happened to her too.
"Iris" she said and moved to put some space in between both.
They sat in silence before Marie took a sharp breath in and spoke "I would request you change paths with Adrien but," she took a breath in before she spoke again "his path has more German soldiers than you think. Or," she looked down at her hands before she looked up "you can help in another way, but I must say. It is risky. You might not encounter the Germans but they could find you. You can go with Elisabetta, she attaches posters of our information on walls and spears accusing facts against the Germans and their leader. It is up to you. What has happened to you shall not happen again, you are strong and brave Iris and I am sorry. It could take us up to two years to help you out."

"Is there really no other way?"

"The borders that divide us from Spain and patrolled by them, if they see any movement they shoot without question. I knew a woman once, she helped fallen soldiers cross the borders with success, she crossed the mountains in winter and summer, spring and autumn but fate had a plan for her until the Germans occupied those borders leading her to her grave. So it is dangerous. Very. And if there was a chance for you to reach the borders, no one would be willing to risk their life for you, pardon me if I dared to say that.
Do you wish to switch the jobs?".

" But what do I do? They have requested my presence tomorrow once again. I cannot go, Marie." her voice cracked at the very end and that made Marie's heart ache with memories that she wished to bury.
" Have you given them any address? "
" No".
"They threaten to find you but they are too foolish and idiotic to find a woman with a false name, you will rest until you can help again. And when you are able to walk, you will start going with Elisabetta."
"At what time?"

"Day and night".

Iris nodded and her head turned to stare at the phone, and Marie noticed her gaze.
Iris knew she couldn't use it to contact anyone outside of France, they would get to them immediately because why would someone inside France try to contact someone outside?
Marie sighed and looked down, the two were 14 years apart, Marie felt knew what was like to long for one's love and family, she never asked Iris about it but she could sense it and if she were wrong than she believed to be unaware of what love did to someone.

Iris had never stopped thinking about Bucky, about Alissa especially. What woudk she say to her about William? The two had planned to marry and now what? What about Ronald's daughter? Wife?
She hid George's and Ronald's wife's picture under the thin mattress, nobody knew of them but her.
And she always held Bucky's and hers with her.

There was no way to contact them. She couldn't send a letter nor could she phone anyone.

"Night, Iris" said Marie as the girl still stated at the phone and then down at her hands.
"Sleep well" Marie added and walked away.
"Night" the girl muttered and placed a hand on the arm of the sofa and pushed herself up and she walked solwly to the room she shared with two other girls.

Only now did she find herself longing for Bucky's awful singing voice, if only she could get to hear it once again.
She longed for the dances she shared with him, the embraces and the kisses.
His touch and smiles.

And she found herself humming quietly 'Blue Skies' as she slowly fell asleep.