The Life That I Have

Chapter 19

Denise and Alex where trying to make people differently, but it was bitterly cold in the Castle.  More and more people were arriving now in little groups; men and women who had escaped over the mountains. They began to recognize some of their friends. Dominique, Jean-Marc had arrived in one piece. Rudi and Paul stumbled in.

  Rudi seemed upset, and was glaring at Paul. When he saw Denise, he ran over to her.

  "Denise, have you seen Anya? Have you?!" 

  "No. No, I haven't," she replied.

  "I must see her!" he shouted to no-one in particular. Denise threw a puzzled look to Paul who shrugged. Rudi and Anya had not told anyone about their feelings for each other.

  At that moment, a large soggy mass appeared at the glasses window and flopped into the room.

  "Anya! We thought you were dead!"

  "I got out through through the river. They had dogs," she panted. "And I decided it was sink or swim. I sank. That's why I'm so wet." She paused. "Did everyone get away? Rudi? Jean-Marc? Paul? leon?"

  Denise looked down at her feet.

  "Leon didn't make it, I'm afraid."

  There was silence.

  "Rudi was looking for you a minute ago," Alex said at last. Anya left in search of Rudi and quickly found him.

  "Rudi!" she hugged him.

  "I thought you were dead, Anya!"

  "Don't be silly. Of course I wouldn't be dead. I'm not leaving you that easily."

As there were no spare clothes, Anya had to wear Denise's white doctor's coat while her skirt and blouse were being dried.

  "Shouldn't we go and look for survivors?" Anya suggested to Jean-Marc, surprised that he hadn't already thought of it.

  "There won't be any survivors," he said flatly. "The German's will have– have killed them all, and if they haven't, they would have already been taken prisoner. We would just be walking into a trap."

  "How can you be so blasé about it? Y–You just said you think about two-thirds of us have been killed, and you say it's not worth going to look for survivors!"

  "Calm down, Anya. It's true, and you know it is." 

  "Is this what we've become?" she scoffed.

  "If it's the way to end this barbaric war then, yes."

  Anya looked away, unable to think of a reply. Denise, knowing Anya all too well, knew that she would soon lose her temper completely.

  "Anya, can you go and make sure Derek is alright?" she said, changing the subject quickly.

Later that evening, Jean-Marc gave in, and was planning to send a scout back to the cave to see what was happening. Rudi and Alexander were selected to go.

  Rudi decided not to tell Anya where he was going– she had been through so much in the past few days he didn't want to worry her.

  The two made their journey in silence, until they approached the cave. The place was swarming with Nazis like bees to a honey jar.

  "Can you see any survivors?" Rudi whispered to Alex.

  "No. The rats must have got them already."

  "I can't see anyone directly near the cave. We could go in and get some essentials," Rudi suggested slyly.

  "But–"

  "Come on, Alex! Denise must need medical supplies. I'll go alone, then."

  Before Alex could stop him, Rudi had climbed over the stone wall and was crawling through the undergrowth.

  "Come back!" Alex hissed, but was ignored.

  Rudi slowly circled behind the cave, looking for one of the concealed entrances Anya had shown him. At last he found t, hidden beneath a large clump of bracken. He dropped carefully down into the cave where there was an eerie silence.

  He made his way quietly through the cold tunnels until he reached the alcove which they had used for storage. He began to cram as many pill bottles and bandages as he could into his pockets. Suddenly, she froze. Footsteps were echoing through the cave. In his panic, he accidentally knocked a small glass bottle off the wooden shelf. He winced as it hit the hard stone and shattered into a thousand pieces.

  "Who's there?" someone barked in German. Grabbing the last few bandages, Rudi sprinted towards the hidden exit.

  He felt someone grab his arm, and spinning round, he came face to face with an old friend.

  "Rudi!" the sergeant shouted in surprise. "What are you doing?"

  "I'm helping my friends who you have just massacred," he hissed back.

  "Your friends? You're telling me you've betrayed your fatherland to join these– these peasants?" Your family and friends?"

  "Anyone who is a Nazi is neither my friend or my family," he replies crushingly.

  The sergeant looked behind him nervously and let go of Rudi's arm.

  "Go. Watch out, Rudi."

  Rudi, startled, made no move.

  "Go!"

  Rudi started to run towards the exit.

   "And remember, not all Nazis are bad," the sergeant called after him.

  When Rudi had scrambled out of the cave, he saw Alex peeing over the wall.

  "Where the hell have you been?" Alex demanded sharply.

  "I'll tell you later. Let's go!"