Tilted Axis

Chapter:41

What followed that night was nothing more than a blur of activity. Well, after Gon returned, that is. Our little poker game was cut short. Our wagers quickly forgotten as the general had called Gon to his quarters for something. Which left me to watch Alice. I had to resist taking a peek at his cards.

After what felt like half an hour he returned. Eyes bright, glowing with excitement! He looked as though he could leap over the moon. "We are leaving!" He declared! Tomorrow night, the 23rd of May. Being sent to join the evacuations in Dunkirk on the 26th. The British troops would be leaving the country. Gon found this to be a blessing of sorts. A mass evacuation that would take him home. What's more, I'd be allowed with him.

I felt excited as he was. It would put some distance between me and this war. But as we settled back into our poker game, reality soon began to sink in. To get to Dunkirk we would have to somehow get past the German lines that are pinning down the allied forces between us and there. And the fact that the distance between England and France isn't very large. At its shortest distance, the English Channel separates the two countries by only 32 kilometers.

Most aircraft could cover that distance with ease. What would stop the axis from flying over and bombing out all the evacuation ships? What worried me further is that distance definitely wouldn't stop my family or any mercenary attempting to track me. I have no doubt that Morrow may try to keep tabs on my location. The distance suddenly felt incredibly insignificant.

I struggled to sleep that night. The next few days weren't much better. We had been told to prepare but all we had was the clothes on our backs, the weapons we arrived with, and Alice.

The journey itself had been uneventful for most of it. On the 25th, just before midnight we prepared to breach the German lines and with luck get to the French defensive line. However it didn't go as planned. On the approach the lead vehicle was destroyed.

The quiet hum of engines was cracked apart in an instant. A thunderous shockwave crossed over us!  A fraction of a second later, the lead half track was decimated. Flames erupted from its gas tank and shrapnel flew through the air! We ducked down in hope of being spared from the spray of hot metal.

My chest felt cold when I heard Gon scream! He had braced himself on top of me, acting as a shield. I couldn't see much but from the fire light I could see a chunk of metal embedded in his right bicep. "Gon!"

He shushed me, gritting his teeth. "It's nothing, mate." He strained. It was entirely obvious he wasn't fine. "Just stay down." He turned to the driver, who I couldn't see from my position. "If you're still breathing, punch the gas then!"

The engine of the truck roared and we lurched forward faster. Weaving back and forth. Sharp pops of gunfire made my ears ring. I clenched my fists tightly at my sides. If I reached for a gun to help it wouldn't look good for either of us. But as my nails bit into my palms drawing a thin stream of blood, I felt like nothing more than a burden. I pinched my lips together and tried to tune out the shouting and shooting. I'm not sure how long it took before we got to safety. It had all flashed by.

What I do remember is Gon getting dragged away as soon as we arrived. The medics quickly tended to his injury. Removing the nearly eight centimeter piece of metal from his arm. I sat along the sandbag bunkers of the beach, waiting for him to return.

When he did, he was holding the metal in his left hand, flipping it between his fingers. His uniform's right sleeve had been ripped away. His bicep is tightly bandaged. He groaned sitting down next to me, wincing every time his right arm moved. He held up the metal for me. "Souvenir." He half smiled.

His face was pale and beaded with sweat. I'm not sure if the joke was for my sake or his. "How are you two holding up?"

I sigh. "Alive." I side eye him. "You're aware you took that piece of shrapnel in our stead, right?" I whisper so none of the soldiers hear me speaking fluent English.